//------------------------------// // 2 - Ghost in the Machine // Story: Android CMC4EVR // by JackRipper //------------------------------// Thwack! Tia reflexively spat out a feather that had been lodged in her mouth. Grumbling to herself, she shifted her body to one side of the bed in an attempt to fall back asleep. Smack! She huffed in frustration as she was hit once more. Opening one bleary eye, she could just barely see the faint outline of her sister attempting to stifle her own giggling, holding a pillow in her right hand. “Lulu, hit me again and I swear to God I’ll knock you to the moon and back,” Tia spat, rubbing her eyes and pulling the covers firmly over her body. Thwap! There was no second warning. Tia lunged forward, knocking the two of them off the bed as she pinned her younger sister against the ground. Luna squealed, desperately attempting to free herself from her sister’s grasp, but alas, it was no use. “Momma didn’t raise no liar,” Tia said. “Now you’re going to have to pay the price.” “N-no please don’t!” Luna sputtered, squirming as a devious grin formed on Tia’s face. Without a hint of mercy, the older sister tickled Luna relentlessly, focusing on the neck and feet in particular. “S-stop! I-I surrender! Uncle! Uncle!” Luna cried out between incessant giggling. Tia’s hold slackened for a moment as Luna continued trying to pry away. With a resolute sigh, she rolled off of her sister and leaned against the frame of her bed. “That’ll teach you to mess with me, you little cretin.” Luna rolled her eyes. “Geez, I thought you were supposed to be the morning person. Seriously, I’ve never seen you sleep in this late.” “What are you talking about? It’s only…” Tia trailed off, her jaw dropping as she stared over at her bedside clock. “It’s one in the afternoon?!” Luna chuckled. “Mom’s still at work and you’re on summer vacation, so who cares? Besides, I made you breakfast.” “Did you try to make French toast again?” “Look, I only burned the edges a little this time. You won’t even taste the difference.” Tia shook her head. “I’ll be the judge of that.” “Two more people went missing again, same place too,” Luna idly remarked, flipping through the pages of a newspaper that had been left on the kitchen table. “I wonder what’s so special about that forest?” Tia swallowed a mouthful of French toast, washing it down with a cold glass of milk and wiping away the moustache that had formed on her face. “You’ve heard what mother said, right? The Everfree Forest is a dangerous place. I’m guessing it’s a bear or something.” Luna raised an eyebrow. “Then… is that why it’s fenced off? I don’t really get why people keep going in there.” “Me neither,” Tia said with a shrug. “But as long as we stay near the house, we’ll be fine. It’s not like we’d ever go out that far anyway.” “After your little stunt at the junkyard yesterday, it wouldn’t surprise me.” “Oh, c’mon. I thought we were over this,” Tia moaned, causing her sister to giggle. “That reminds me, I’m going to head over to my workshop.” “Are you gonna try to fix the robot today? Can I come too?” “Her name is Sweetheart, and not dressed like that you can’t. Those aren’t exactly workshop clothes.” Luna blushed as she glanced down at her midnight blue pajamas with slippers to match. “Fine, give me a minute.” “Seriously, I don’t know why I had to change. I mean, it’s not like I’d have a reason to get dirty.” “Quit your whining, Lulu. If mother ever came home and saw your clothes all messed up, I’d be knee-deep in trouble too.” “I’m not whining!” Luna whined, crossing her arms in a mock pout. “And stop calling me that!” The two continued to bicker as they approached Tia’s workshop, the older sister only stopping momentarily to unlock the door. “I’ll stop calling you that when I stop getting such a good reaction out of you. And I doubt that’ll happen— Holy crap!” Tia unceremoniously flung herself back, hitting her workshop table as the key to the workshop hit the ground. Luna could only stare ahead in amazement. In the center of the workshop, a little alabaster android looked up at them with curious green eyes, sitting down as her head swerved slightly. Tia groaned as she reached up and put a hand on the table. “I-It’s alive?” She glanced down at her metallic body, tilting her head like a cat. “Uh… I think so?” “You can talk?!” The little filly giggled. “Probably~” Luna took an intrepid step forward, taking the time to help her sister up. “B-but how?” “And why?” Tia added. “I didn’t think you’d be able to move around, much less talk. How is that even possible? You don’t have a voice modulator!” “A voice what now?” With an audible smack of a palm to Tia’s head, she sighed. “Even with all my knowledge of mechanics, I’ve never even seen anything close to what you are. Uh, what’s your name?” She pawed at the ground, a sheepish grin plastered across her face. “I don’t… know. I can’t remember.” Tia clicked her tongue, her shock quickly being replaced with a strong sense of irritation. “Are you for real?” “I think you already asked me that question, didn’t you?” Luna stepped in as Tia continued to grit her teeth. “I think what she meant to say was: why is your memory gone?” The automaton looked at her as if she’d grown a second head. “If I knew that, then I’d know my real name, too.” “Sweetheart it is, then. At least until I can find a way to restore your memory,” Tia said. Sweetheart gave an excited squeal, gaining momentum as she practically pranced around the room, her joints squeaking from the excessive movement. “Does that mean you’re, like, my big sister?!” “I…” Tia felt a lump form in her throat as her annoyance washed away, being replaced with a small smile. “Sure.” The cute filly continued to bounce around the room as Luna glanced over at her sister. “Tia, really? Are you sure about this?” “What do you mean?” “I mean...” Luna bit her lip. “Doesn’t this seem a little off to you? You conveniently found a robot that’s in near-perfect working order that has no memory. What’s the catch? Is she going to go Terminator on us and attack us in our sleep?” Tia put her hand up to her chin. “Well, when you say it like that, it does sound a little sketchy. But I can’t really abandon her now.” She frowned. “Although this does pose yet another problem.” “What?” “Well, what are we going to do about mother? A little filly like her can’t stay cooped up in here all the time. We can’t really hide her.” Luna’s eyes widened. “Tia, you can’t be serious. You aren’t going to be able to hide her from mom.” “Hide what from me?” A door slammed shut as the blood froze in Tia’s body. Sweetheart’s voice called out as their eyes fell upon their mother leaning against the frame of the door. “Hi! My name is Sweetheart. Nice to meet you!”