Archimedes
Chapter XIII - Chaotic magic is NOT for eccentric unicorns
None dared to speak a single word. They all just stared up in utter disbelief at the mechanical being as he, or rather, they returned the look. The stagnant silence hovered in the room for what seemed like hours until Starswirl decided that it was time to break the ice.
“So… why are we my old laboratory? And how long have I been has it been, exactly?” he asked.
Well,” Archimedes began, “I arrived here not too long ago, but we are approximately shy of eight hundred years after the uh… experiment mishap, Master.”
“Fascinating… did you arrive here instantaneously or did you take your time?”
“Instantaneously, though my memory units are somewhat faulty since arriving.”
“Easily fixed, my faithful servant. Not sure why it took me so long to awaken, but that’s a problem for another time. Now, shall we see what we can salvage?”
The robot began to move as Starswirl hummed a cheerful tune as Archimedes walked over to one of the bookshelves. The others simply stared after the machine, confused and wondering what had just happened.
“Uhm… Archy?” Moon Dancer said.
“Hmm… well, seems like most of the journals are beyond repair. Have you checked the upper rooms, Archimedes?” Starswirl asked.
“I have, Master. They are the same as down here.” Archimedes replied.
“Starswirl, uh, Sir?” Cadence asked, a bit louder than the bat pony.
“Blast… well, how about the old laboratory? Or did we ever go there after I built you?” The unicorn continued, ignoring Cadence completely.
Archimedes shook his head, “Not since before my creation, Master. Though, I have been there recently myself.”
“And it’s state?” Starswirl inquired.
“Adequate, I imagine a few touches and it would be up and running as it might have looked back in the day.” Archimedes replied.
“Wonderful! Perhaps we should go there now?” Starswirl suggested. “I am curious as to what new things await me in this time period!”
Archimedes chuckled softly, “You’re going to be very busy then, Master.”
“Sir Starswirl, if I may—” Luna started.
Luna was interrupted as Starswirl again ignored the others in the room. “Right then! It’s settled, we shall leave immediately for the old laboratory, my metal friend! Let us—
“Starswirl!” Luna bellowed loudly, enough to make the room rumble slightly.
The machine turned around and blinked before responding in a slightly irritated tone, “Hmm? Yes, yes what can I do for you?”
Luna blinked herself before coughing, “Uhm, well… we were hoping that. Well, could we talk? I mean, you've been gone for so long, there are so many questions that need answering!”
Starswirl lifted the right arm of Archimedes to his chin and stroked it before he looked to the arm and hummed in curiosity, slowly waving it back and forth, “Curious… it appears I have control over the right arm. Fascinating…”
He coughed a little before looking back to the others.
“Hmm… well, I suppose a little session of questions and what not is something I too would be happy to do, I myself have a few things I need answers to. But shall we do it away from here? Perhaps in my old laboratory?”
“Very well, though I think it’s best we get there quickly, I feel dear Twilight cannot hold her excitement back anymore,” Luna chuckled.
The machine looked to the young alicorn who was literally shaking on the spot, her eyes wide wand filled with excitement as her smile threatened to rip her face in two. A quill, parchment and ink had appeared from nowhere and were currently floating beside her.
“Ah, a scholar! Wonderful!” Starswirl chuckled. “Now, let me just...”
Everyone watched as Archimedes seemed to strain, the metal body shuddering loudly as black steam rumbled from the exhaust pipes on its back.
“Oh confound it! I can’t use my blasted magic!” Starswirl cursed loudly.
Luna couldn’t help chuckle as the right arm crossed across Archimedes chest in a foal-like tantrum, the alicorn picturing the unicorn as he would have looked back in his day pouting.
“Here, allow me,” Luna said.
Luna’s horns lit up before the room was bathed in a flash of light and the group vanished, leaving the room in heavy silence once more.
The group re-appeared back in the old wing of the castle where Starswirl's laboratory was located in a bright flash, causing Moon Dancer to blink as she let out a low groan as the bat pony landed on the ground with a noticeable wobble in her legs.
“I will never get used to being teleported… leave that stuff for the magic users,” she grumbled.
Archimedes chuckled at his friend and gently petted her head, which only made her legs wobble even more. “You’ll live, my little friend.”
As everyone became oriented with the room and its surroundings, Starswirl moved Archimedes head as he soured the remnants of his old laboratory and scoffed quietly to himself.
“Not as bad as I imagined it would look like, nothing a bit of elbow grease and a can-do attitude can’t fix. But that’s for later, I believe we are going to do a bit of back and forth?”
“Correct, now, if I may—”
“I can’t hold it in any longer!” Twilight suddenly cried, interrupting Luna mid sentence and rushing towards the metal man, “I have so many questions for you!”
Archimedes watched as Cadence used her magic to, with some level of difficulty, hold back her sister-in-law. “Down, Twilight!”
“But! But!” Twilight whined
Cadence fixed her a glare, “Calm down, you’re working yourself up!”
Twilight huffed as she was restrained, pouting at Cadence, “Fine…”
“She certainly is enthusiastic, Master.” He chuckled.
“Well, of course she is, she’s a scholar! Only the very best Scholars are enthusiastic, eh?” Starswirl replied.
There was a moment of pause as an awkward silence fell upon the room, no one knowing who should start off the conversation that was long overdue.
“So, who talks first? You talk first?” Starswirl asked, looking towards the group, “I talk first?”
“Well, I would say Twilight.” Cadence began, snickering a little, “But I feel as if nopony else would get a question in if we did.”
The metal machine looked to Twilight, who was looking calmly at him. Though, he could tell she wasn’t too happy with Cadence’s words, primarily due to how her body was vibrating, clearly trying to control her excitement and posture.
It was at this point that Luna suddenly realized that Celestia had been rather quiet, seeing her sister standing there with a warm smile on her face and eyes a little watery from the tears she was trying to hold back. Looking back to Archimedes then her sister, she brought a hoof up to her mouth and coughed into it.
“Well, it’s nearly time for dinner. Perhaps we should meet up with the bearers of the elements, and inform them on what has transpired before introducing them to Starswirl,” Luna suggested. ,
“Hmm?” Starswirl piped up, “The element bearers? The harmony elements?”
“That’s correct, Twilight's one of them in fact.” Luna replied.
“Oh that would be splendid! I always wanted to see the damn things in person, only ever saw and read about them in old books,” Starswirl said.
Luna smiled, looking to Celestia who mouthed a ‘thank you’ to her younger sibling before Luna turned to Cadence, Moon Dancer and Twilight, nodding her head towards the exit. Moon Dancer and Candace both replied with a silent nod, both understanding what Luna was suggesting and began to make their way out of the room. Twilight, however hadn’t quite got the message and was still patiently staring up at Archimedes and shaking a little ready to burst.
“A-hem!” Cadence coughed into her hoof, getting Twilight’s attention.
“Hmm?” Twilight said, her ear flickering a little as she looked over, “What?”
Cadence nodded towards the exit twice expectantly as Twilight stared at her, switching from looking at Cadence and Archimedes, “But—!”
Twilight stopped mid-sentence when Cadence gave her a stern glare that immediately sent a shiver of fear down Twilight’s spine. It was a glare she had not seen since she was a filly and it immediately brought back terrifying and dark memories of when she was in trouble. Swallowing a lump in her throat, Twilight quickly trotted over to the other two alicorns and Moon Dancer as the three excited the old laboratory. Leaving Celestia, Archimedes alone.
There was a stagnant silence between the three before Celestia’s lip wobbled and she started to sniffle before she quickly ran up to Archimedes and stood on her hind legs, wrapping her forelegs around the metal man as best she could and hugged his frame tightly. Without hesitation, Archimedes returned the hugh as gently as he could to console his beloved, whilst Starswirl using his controlled limb, comforted his dear friend.
Celestia smiled for a moment before they let go of one another and they both looked at each other fondly. Archimedes then gently sat down on the ground, followed by Celestia as they got themselves comfortable. Celestia sniffled softly before looking to the side a little as she thought about all the questions she had for him and trying to choose which one to ask Starswirl.
As the alicorn mused over her thoughts, Archimedes patiently sat and stared Celestia, waiting for her to say something. It was Starswirl's voice that broke the silence as he brought up Archimedes’ right arm and coughed into it.
“So… how have you been?” Starswirl asked
Celestia stared at him, a hurt and upset expression on her face, “That’s what you say to me? After hundreds and hundreds of years not knowing what happened, that’s how you start things off?!”
Both arms of the metalman raised up in defence as Starswirl began to stutter, “I-I’m sorry? I’m j-just not used to t-talking about how I feel o-or what the situation calls for and—”
He paused as Celestia’s lips wobbled threatening to break into a smile before he sighed.
“You’re teasing me. Aren’t you?” he asked.
Celestia giggled softly, “Somewhat. I like to think my sense of humour has improved somewhat over the past several hundred years.”
“You're a menace, you know that?” Starswirl grumbled
“She’s certainly something, isn’t she, Master?” Archimedes sighed dreamily.
“I say, are you alright, Archimedes?” Starswirl asked, curious as to why he had spoken in such a manner to Celestia.
“Of course, Master. Why wouldn’t I be?” Archimedes replied.
“Indeed. So, back to the matter at hoof,” Starswirl said. “I know we haven't much time for reminiscing, and I know that I have some explaining to do…”
“The understatement of the year,” Celestia replied.
Starswirl nervously chuckled, “Quite… so, what questions do you have? Ask away my old friend, I’ll hold nothing back from now on.”
Celestia smiled warmly before she looked out of one of the nearby windows and let out a sad sigh, realizing how late it had become and she would soon need to return to the others to have dinner..
“Oh… I wish I could just talk away the evening with you, but we don’t have much time till dinner with the others.”
“Not to worry,” Starswirl replied with a hearty laugh, “Being stuck in ol’ Archimedes here means neither of us need to eat or sleep. We’re more than happy to chat the night away if you so wish after the meal, isn’t that right, Archimedes?”
“Of course, Master!” the automaton replied.
Celestia beamed at their response as she mulled over what to ask him. Because of the time and the fact she had to later on retire with Luna in order to raise and lower the sun and moon, as well as have their evening meal with the others, she decided on her questions.
“I think for now, I’ll ask the bigger question I have. Like you say, we have all night to talk and reminisce with one another..”
“Ask away, my dear,” Starswirl replied.
She looked up to the metal machine as her smile slumped into a slight frown, “Just… what happened? How did I somehow seemingly forget almost everything about you when you vanished?”
Starswirl mused over her question for a moment before he let out a low sigh, “Alright… I’ll try to explain as best I can,”
“Are you sure that’s wise, Sir?” Archimedes asked.
“She deserves the truth… no more secrets,” Starswirl said.
“Thank you,” Celestia smiled.
He paused, looking down at her before continuing. “Do you remember the time I grew wings for a month, that had independant thought from one another and refused to do what I wanted them to?”
Celestia tried not to giggle as she nodded in remembrance. She found it hysterical when Starswirl one day turned up with wings that had their own movements, actions and refused to co-operate with one another or himself. A magical mishap, as he put it then.
“And... do you also know how I claimed it was a spell gone wrong?
Celestia's brow arched as Starswirl chuckled sheepishly and continued.
“Well… I may have sort of found a way to harness the chaotic magic that the draconequus used.”
“Are you insane, Starswirl!?” Celestia shouted, “Nopony is able to use their power! It’s too unpredictable, only they could use its raw power because of their bizarre physiology!”
“Well,” Starswirl snorted, “I found a way. Sort of…”
“Explain,” Celestia asked, looking unamused.
“Well, I remember it was a tuesday evening ,and I was doing some research deep within the old archives when I got a little uh, sidetracked and stumbled upon some interesting tomes about their chaotic powers.”
Starswirl chuckled as he paused for a moment in reflection.
“I can’t remember how long I was reading for, but by the time I had gone through several of those tombs it was already the following morning. Anyway, I was simply astounded by their form of magic, it being neither dark or light and always unpredictable and wild. Just like how the ancestors had once described. Pure raw magic that hasn’t been refined into our school of magic, wild and free of order.”
Celestia’s expression remained unchanged as Starswirl carried on explaining.
“So, being the curious little dickens I am, I began to wonder if there was a way to control chaotic magic, at least, in a small way. I spent months secretly experimenting and trying to understand how to control it, with... little to no success. The wings being once such example. Until one day, it just… happened.”
“What do you mean, ‘just happened’?” Celestia asked.
“Exactly how it sounds,” he replied, snapping Archimedes’ right fingers, “It literally just happened. I somehow, and honestly still not one hundred percent sure how I did it, but I managed to use a combination of my own magic as well as some ancient draconequus artifacts and tapped into the raw power of chaotic magic, just like how a draconequus can.”
Celestia blinked, staring at the metal machine in restrained awe. She was a little angry that Starswirl had done something so dangerous, as raw magic if not handled correctly could instantly kill a caster. But she had to admit she had some form of respect for him, if this was indeed what the had done.
“Although… looking at it now, seeing my predicament of being inside Archimedes. I think I may not of actually fully grasped complete control over it.”
Starswirl laughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of Archimedes’ head as Celestia remained unmoved, waiting for him to continue. He cleared his throat and resumed his explanation.
“Anyway, nothing really happened to me for several months after I harnessed chaotic magic, and I decided that I would keep it to myself whilst I continued to study and master it. And then on that day it went horribly wrong.”
“The day of the experiment,” Archimedes added.
“Quite,” Starswirl replied, “When I felt my life force being drained from me as the experiment went wrong. I was unable to use my own magic to free myself. So, in my panic, I tapped once more into the chaotic magic power to try and use it to escape or cancel my spell. However… it was then that I made another discovery about chaotic magic.”
“What’s that?” Celestia asked.
“Chaotic magic isn’t just raw magic energy floating about as everypony once thought it was. It’s alive. And not only that, but it it wasn’t too fond of me continually tapping into it and using it, considering I wasn’t a draconequus, which the chaotic magic favours highly. In fact… you could say I royally angered it.”
Discord shuddered and made a displeasurable grunt like noise.
“What’s wrong?” Moon Dancer asked, turning her head to see his displeased expression.
“I have a sneaky feeling someone is trying to explain chaotic magic…” he huffed, “And I don’t like long winded explanations, either. Wish they’d get on with it.”
Moon Dancer simply shook her head and ignored him.
“So, when I tapped into the power for the umpteenth time, I think it decided it had had enough of a unicorn using it’s magic for non-chaotic reasons and decided to reject me in a bad way. A very bad way. From the look of it, it thought it would be an absolute hoot if it threw me into Archimedes and fused us together as a way of ‘saving’ me.”
“I… see,” Celestia replied, finding it hard to process everything he had said, “And… my memories? And the portal that sent you both into the future?”
“I honestly don’t know about that part. I’m sorry. I’ll need to do more research into this before I can actually confirm it myself, you understand? At the moment, I’d hazard a guess that it would be part of the chaotic magic’s ‘joke’ on me, warping and distorting parts of reality to mess with me and everypony else. As for the portal, a possible combination of the rune magic, my own and the chaos magic fusing, maybe?”
The alicorn sighed softly. Despite getting answers to her questions, she didn't feel fully satisfied with them. She was about to ask another when a grumble came from her stomach which caused her to blush bright red, “O-Oh dear, I am sorry…”
“Not at all, it must be very close to being time for dinner,” Starswirl chuckled.
Celestia sighed, “I have so many more questions I still want to ask… but I must save them for later this evening.”
“Well, I will always be willing to answer them all, my dear,” Starswirl chuckled.
Archimedes stood up, stretching his robotic limbs, “Should we join the others now, Sir?”
“Yes, I think that would be good. Right, Celestia?”
Celestia nodded in agreement as she got up as well, following Archimedes towards the door. Just as he was about to reach it, Celestia suddenly remembered something else she wanted to ask Starswirl.
“Oh, there is actually one more question I need to know before we go and join the others, if I may?”
“And what is that?” Starswirl replied.
“Well, it’s a two parter,” Celestia smiled, “Just what is Archimedes? What did you actually create him for?”
There was a brief paused before Celestia’ got a response from Starswirl.
“W-What do you mean?” Starswirl replied. “He's m-my assistant!”
“Well, it’s just that I’ve seen the weapons he has, weapons I’ve never seen the likes of and I’m curious about them. That’s all. After all, I will have to explain this to the nobles and my little ponies at some point fully, you understand?”
Archimedes fidgets on the spot, keeping quiet.
“Starswirl, please. Tell me the truth,” Celestia asked with a concerned frown, “He’s not an assistant… is he?”
Starswirl paused before he let out a long sigh, as if he had been holding it back for centuries, “Okay… I’ll tell you.”
“Uh… Master?” Archimedes said nervously, “are you sure that—?”
Starswirl interrupted with a sigh. “Like I said earlier, Archimedes. She... deserves the truth...”
“Thank you, Starswirl” Celestia replied with a warm smile.
“But, you must promise me you won’t freak out… okay?” Starswirl said uneasily.
“Master?” Archimedes asked, becoming more anxious.
Celestia frowned slightly, not really liking where this was going. But Starswirl was always over-reacting about how people would react to him telling them something, smiling up to him and nodding her head. “Okay, I promise,”
“I have told you about him before. And what he was built for…” Starswirl admitted.
“Really?” Celestia asked, arching a brow, “Then why don’t I remember anything about him?”
There is a possible, slight chance that I... may have cast a memory suppressant spell on you using chaotic magic about Archimedes’ creation and true purpose. ” Starswirl nervously chuckled, making a small pinch motion with Archimedes’ right hand. “You could probably locate it, now I’ve told you about it… couldn’t before hand you see, you had no idea I’d done it.
Both Starswirl and Archimedes nervously watched as Celestia continued to smile sweetly, her eyes closed hiding her any sign of hidden emotion.
Suddenly, alarms went off in Archimedes head and Starswirl could sense the suppression spell he had cast on her had been found and removed by Celestia. The metal man took a nervous step back as the room temperature started to increase rapidly and her eyes opened, sending a wave of utter terror into his circuits.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Are ya’ll being serious? The Starswirl?!” Applejack exclaimed.
“That’s not possibly, is it?” Rarity asked.
“Oh my gosh! I can’t wait to see how he reacts to modern day parties!” Pinkie Pie chipped in.
“Settle down, girls,” Luna said, gesturing with a hoof, “I know this is a lot to take in, but I’d appreciate it if for the time being we keep this to ourselves. I would like to see how Celestia wishes to play this out in the public eye.”
Luna, Moon Dancer and Cadence had made their way back through the palace and had bumped into the rest of the Elements of Harmony coming back from an outing in the city. Luna had initially wanted to keep what had transpired a secret, at least till the following day. But Twilight’s friends knew her well and could tell she was struggling to keep something hidden.
Pinkie Pie was able to get the information out of her in exactly four seconds,, impressing Luna and giving her a moment of thought to make the bubbly mare her new interrogator. After Twilight had spilled the beans, Luna brought them all to the council room where the nobles and the Princess’ would discuss current affairs and exchange or create new laws in order to bring them up to speed. As they settled, with Discord once more coiling his noodle body around the Lunar guard, Luna had begun briefing them all on what had transpired.
“So… no over-the-top firework displays and mega speakers?” Discord asked, feigning disappointment as his lip pouted
“Behave, you,” Moon Dancer replied, whacking his head.
Discord let out a purr as he coiled around the bat pony more and wiggled his eyebrows at her, “Hit me baby, one more time.”
Moon Dancer sighed as the draconequus snuggled into her like a snake before groaning in irritation, “You know what, I don’t even care anymore, what’s the point?!”
Luna rolled her eyes as she looked back to the others and cleared her throat, “As I was saying. Starswirl is looking forward to meeting you all, but we’re letting Celestia speak to him alone for a while. Given their history, they have a lot to catch up on in a relatively short time.”
Twilight Let out a huff as she pouted and mumbled under her breath as Cadence giggled softly, giving her sister-in-law a playful ruffle of her mane.
“I’m sure Starswirl would be delighted to spend hours talking with you about his life. But we must let others get a word in first. You know how you can be when it comes to questions, remember when we first met Archy?”
Twilight sheepishly chuckled, “Yeah… that’s a good point.”
“So…” Rainbow Dash asked, “we going now or what?”
Luna looked out of the window to see the sun position and nodded, “Yes. I think it’s best if we do head back now, I’m sure that my sister has asked what she has wanted from him for now. Besides, it’s nearly time for dinner and then the transition of the day into night.”
The group rose from their seats and began to make their way towards the old laboratory, Moon Dancer reluctantly dragging a still, wrapped around her body Discord. As they got closer and closer, they all began to notice that it was getting warmer.
“Is it me, or is it a lil’... toasty, all of a sudden?” Discord asked, fanning himself with one of Moon Dancer’s wings.
Luna stopped for a moment, sensing something was wrong. Before she could say anything, Pinkie Pie began to vibrate in places as her mane and tail spazzed about in different directions.
“Pinkie Pie?” Fluttershy nervously asked.
“Hit the deck!” Pinkie suddenly screamed, diving for cover.
Before anyone could respond, there was a massive soar in temperature followed by an almighty explosion that sent them flying back a few meters and tore apart the wall ahead, right by where the old laboratories entrance was, followed by yelp and an almighty crash of something heavy slamming into the ground. Looking up after the dust had settled, the group saw the body of Archimedes embedded into the wall, his whole frame red as if he had been dropped in fire,and steam and smoke rising off him. The machine groaned before shaking it’s head before pulling himself out of the wall and stumbling slightly.
“N-Now, now!” Starswirl stammered, “L-let’s not be too hasty! I h-had my reasons!”
From the hole in the wall, Celestia emerged. However, she was not her normal self. Both her mane and tail were ablaze and flowing longer than normal, a wisp of embers and smoke billowing around her body. Her eyes were pure white, glowing so brightly it caused the group to partially shield their eyes as flames danced wildly from the corners of Celestia’s eyes. A tuft of flames danced under the alicorn’s hooves as she snarled loudly and glared at the machine.
“M-My beloved? Please calm down?” Archimedes added, “W-We can talk about this rationally—”
“You. Scheming. Little. Bastard. Starswirl! How dare suppress my memories about that?!” Celestia thundered in her Canterlot voice, interrupting Archimedes. “I distinctly ordered you to not do go through with it!”
“I know, I-I’m sorry!” Starswirl said, “I just c-couldn’t, I mean I thought E-Equestria was on the verge of t-total war and—”
“And you, Archimedes!” Celestia roared, interrupting Starswirl “Why did you not tell me about what you are when we met?!”
“M-My beloved, I swear I-I couldn’t remember! “Archimedes stuttered, “I only j-just recalled it w-when Master Starswirl awoke within—”
Before he could finish, though. Celestia’s horn began to glow as a large ball of fire formed at the tip.
“Run, Archimedes!” Starswirl screamed.
“You don’t have to tell me twice, Master!” Archimedes cried back, not wanting to take another blast of fire to the torso.
The machine scrambled down the hall, running as fast as he could just as Celestia threw another fireball at him which blew a large hole where he was just embedded, and past the confused looks of the group that had to dash out of his way. His heavy boots causing the ground to rumble as he ran out of sight.
“Come back here you pair of cowards! That’s an order!” Celestia hissed as she took off in great speed, her wings spread, a twin trail of fire in her wake as each hoofstep matched the heavy, shaking thuds of Archimedes’ boots.’
The group stared after them in silence before Discord broke the silence with a large amused grin on his face.
“Fifty bits says she kills him.”