//------------------------------// // Chapter XV - A Small Upgrade // Story: Archimedes // by Mr101 //------------------------------// Archimedes Chapter XV - A Small Upgrade Moon Dancer felt the vein in her forehead throb painfully as she glared hateful daggers at the group of ponies ahead of her. She had long given up caring that three of them, were in fact, Princess’. Right now, they were all just pains in her flanks. What was annoying her the most was Pinkie Pie dancing around her, singing an obnoxious song as well as babbling about throwing a party for Moon and Discord. Rainbow and Applejack were simply laughing their heads off, finding the whole thing amusing.To the credit of both Twilight and Luna, they were both doing an excellent job of holding back their own laughter, whereas Rarity was having a harder time doing so. “So… you do like him?” Cadance asked, smiling like an excited school filly. Moon let out a frustrated groan, “Yes, okay? I don’t really understand why, but he’s just...” “Exotic?” Applejack offered as she snorted. “Into some weird stuff?” Rainbow teased. Cadance suddenly snapped her head to glare angrily at both Applejack and Rainbow Dash. The two froze upon seeing the fiery gaze of the alicorn and immediately shut up, their pupil;s shrinking as they swallowed a lump in their throats. Fluttershy was well known for her ‘stare’, and the two had witnessed it before when Fluttershy had broken up an argument the two were having. And whilst it wasn't as effective, Cadance could certainly give the shy mare a run for her bits. “Love, is no laughing matter!” Cadance scowled. “Everypony has the right to love who or whatever they wish to. I’ve seen ponies and dragons be together, heck, Archimedes wants to be with my aunt. Are you going to make fun of him for that? Or her?!” “Well… no,” Applejack replied. “I guess not…” Rainbow Dash mumbled, “But come on, we were only joking. No need to get so offen—.” “Are you two picking on Moon Dancer and Archimedes because you two can’t just shut up and kiss each other already?” Cadance asked, interrupting Rainbow Dash. Both mares eyes shot wide as they stared at the alicorn, then back at each other. “What?!” they both replied. “Well, I can sense when ponies are in love and there is some kinda built up sexual tension between you two. Not to mention, I can tell when ponies are too nervous to act on those feelings, and instead lash out at other couples.” Unbeknownst to Rainbow Dash and Applejack, Cadance winked at Moon Dancer before the aforementioned ponies sneered and pointed a hoof at each other whilst addressing Cadance. “Me?! In love with a thick headed numbskull?!” they both shouted in unison. The two blinked and spun their heads to glare at one another. “Who you calling numbskull?!” they both shouted again in unison. “I asked you first!” Rainbow snapped. “Mah rootin tootin behind ya did!” Applejack snapped back. “Oh please!” Rairty chipped in tittering, “Must you bicker? Just kiss and get it over with!” Twilight chuckled, “It does seem you two are a good match, opposites attract. I think you’d be a great couple!” “Oh!” Pinkie squeaked, coming between the two and pulling them into her in a bone crushing sideways hug, “I get to through a ‘congratulations on coming out of the closet party’ for you two to!? The two mare’s eyes widened gain as they stared at their grinning pink friend, for once in their lives speechless as they heard Rarity finally lose it in the background along with Twilight who fell to bits laughing. Cadance tittered, using the ensuing argument Pinkie caused as a distraction to place a hoof on Moon Dancer’s shoulder and smile. “Love is strange and often cannot be explained. Maybe—.” “I don’t love him!” Moon interrupted, scrunching her nose, though a small blush formed on her cheeks. “Oh? Don’t you?” Cadance asked. “W-Well, I mean. I like him… I guess? But I dunno if I love him.” Moon mumbled, pressing her hooves together Cadance nodded, “Like I said, love is strange and more often than not it’s complicated.” Moon Dancer mumbled something and scrunched her nose again. As she did so, she failed to notice the small flash come from behind her. However, Cadance didn’t and quickly looked up before looking back to Moon Dancer with a mischievous smile. “So… what is it about him you like?” Moon dancer she sat on her rump and groaned. There was no way in tartarus she was going to get out of this, and against her better judgement she decided to throw all care out the window and take advantage of the fact it was technically just her and Cadance, seeing as the others were distracted. And Cadance was at least, being supportive and being genuinely sincere about her curiosity on her feelings to Discord, even if Moon Dancer didn’t one hundred percent understand them herself. “He’s infuriating! He winds me up and winds himself on my like a bloody scarf!” Moon replied, glaring at Cadance, “All he has done since he bloody showed up in my life is cause me nothing but chaos! I’ve nearly been killed by summoned fantasy orks, witnessed what happens when a promise got broken under a weird ritual, gotten into trouble with both rulers of my home land!” She paused and let out low sigh and smiling a little. “But at the same time… I’ve felt more alive than I have done in a long time. I don’t know why, but ever since the freaky danger noodle started flirting and generally being annoying. I’ve felt… weird, inside. I’ve had plenty of crushes I mean, who hasn’t? But… with him it feels different. I’ve tried ignoring the feeling, tried beating him up to push them down when he’s flirted and tried to show my disdain for his affections. But nothing worked, he’s insufferable!!” Moon crossed her forearms, flattening her ears and scrunched her nose for a third time as she blushed. “Then the git goes and kisses me. I tried to hate it… but… oh, sod it!” Moon let out a frustrated groan and threw her forearms up. “I liked it. Okay? I kissed a draconequus and I liked it! The damn insane lumox makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside and I hate it but love it but want to hate it more but can’t and I want more of it.” Moon let out a lid and frustrated groan as she threw her forelegs into the air. “Who in Tartarus gets these feelings so damn quickly? It makes no sense!” Moon looked up at Cadance who was grinning and shaking on the spot as if she was ready to burst. The mare tilted her head in confusion, turning to see that the others had also stopped watching Applejack and Rainbow Dash arguing and were also now looking at Moon looking like they were all about to laugh. It was then she heard someone sighing in happiness behind her. “Thank you, Faust... That. Was. Beautiful…” Moon Dancer’s eyes went wide as she felt her body go cold and her ears splayed against her head and swallowed a lump in her throat. “Oh, Faust no…” she whispered. She slowly turned around to see that, not only that Archimedes and Celestia were behind her, but that Discord was standing behind her with the largest grin on his face and his eyes were wide with delight aqn tears threatening to flow from them. “It’s okay, Moonie. You just said how you feel. Honestly? I am so full of your love right now, I literally could not take another drop.” Discord said before he opened his arms and smiled. “Brace yourself, I’m coming in.” Before Moon could say anything, Discord swooped down and wrapped his arms under her forelegs and scooped her up into a hug. “H-Hey!” Moon squeaked. “You smell like a father figure…” Discord whispered. “Wait, what?” Moon asked, blinking in confusion. Discord ignored her and continued to hug her tightly to his body,” Mmmmmm….” Moon Dancer sighed and gave up, letting her limbs dangle as she was cuddled by Discord. “Did… we miss something?” Archimedes asked trying to hold back a snicker as he turned to look at Celestia. “I’m sure we will hear all about it at dinner,” Celestia replied. She tittered as Moon Dancer glared daggers at the others as the continued with their laughing as her blush burned through her grey fur. Deciding enough was enough, Celestia coughed loudly into her hoof. “Whilst this is all amusing, perhaps now is a good time to head for dinner?” She asked. “Allow me, my dear!” Starswirl chimed in. “I shall teleport us there in no time!” Aside from those who knew it was Starswirl, this was the first time the others actually were able to realize there was a second voice coming from archimedes. Whilst they had heard the second voice before when Celestia had turned into a fiery embodiment of fury, they were too focused on her to pay it much attention at the time. “Wait, is that… Starswirl?” Fluttershy asked softly. “Hmm? Oh, hello there!” Starswirl replied, waving Archimedes’ right arm. “Holy moley…” Applejack muttered, “You weren’t kiddin’!” “Kidding about what, my earth pony friend? I am indeed the one and only Starswirl the Bearded! Well… not so much bearded now, more or less Starswirl the stuck inside his metal assistant,” Starswirl chuckled. “But. How. I. Huh?” Rainbow spluttered as her eyes space a little. “I think we’ve broken Miss Dash, Sir.” Archimedes’ voice chuckled. “Oh, I certainly hope not. I find that fixing a pony… oh wait, you were just using a phrase of some sort?” “Indeed, Sir,” Archimedes replied. “Oh! Oh! Oh!” Pinkie squealed, appearing on Archimedes’ pauldron, “I can’t wait to throw you a party Mr Starswirl!” “A party? Sounds wonderful!” Starswirl replied, “Never one to turn down a party and— wait… will there be alcoholic beverages?” “Well… I won’t have any, I’m not allowed to drink alcohol… not after last time.” Pinkie sheepishly replied, “Buuuuuut Applejack has the best cider!” “Bolly!” Starswirl replied with a joyful laugh. “How are you going to drink it though, Mr Starswirl?” Rarity asked, “What with you being stuck in there and all.” Starswirl waved her off dismissively with Archimedes’ right arm, “Pish posh! Where there’s a will, there’s a way. I’ll think of something don’t you worry my friend! Discord rolled his eyes and let out a groan of annoyance, bored of the conversation and pulled his arm up revealing several different styles of wrist watches, tapping on of them on the screen.“Yes, yes this is all very fascinating, but some of us are getting hungry over here. Me and Moonie need to hurry this meal up so we can plan an official date. Right, Moonie?” “I will gouge your eyes out,” Moon Dancer hissed as she glared at Discord. “Glare all you want, I know how you feeeeeel~” he replied wiggling his eyebrows. “Bugger me sideways…” Moon Dancer grumbled before glaring at Cadance, who only grinned happily back. “Yes, I think we should save all of our questions for Starswirl after the meal has ended.” Celestia added before looking to Archimedes, “As well as some more of my own.” Archimedes nodded as Starswirl coughed into the machine’s right hand, “Agreed, now allow me to teleport us there!” Starswirl snapped the fingers of Archimedes’ right hand and paused for a moment before letting out a low groan of irritation. “Confound it! I forgot about not being able to use my blasted magic! I’m nothing without it!” Starswirl wailed. “I’m sure we can find a way to fix that, Starswirl.” Luna replied, rolling her eyes. “It’s whatcha get for ticking off chaos magic~,” Discord added, “chaos doesn't like being used like that, so it’s pretty much not letting you do anything.” Starswirl muttered several curses under his breath as Discord patted Archimedes on the head. “But don’t worry your old pal Discord is here to help!” “You are?” Starswirl replied. Discord chuckled as he nudged Archimedes’ head, “Sure am! I’m a good guy now, remember?” The draconequus snapped his talons and an ear splitting sound of metal being scraped against metal echoed loudly throughout the hallway, forcing all the ponies to cover their ears with their hooves. When the noise suddenly stopped, they all gasped at what had happened to Archimedes. Just above his visor, was a long, spiral unicorn's horn that jutted out around ten inches in length. Archimedes looked at the group, then averted his eyes up to see the horn and gasped. “Discord, is that a—?” Archimedes started. “A genuine, one hundred per cent unicorn horn!” Discord interrupted with a beam, “Patented by yours truly, and made out of metal to boot!” “And can I—?” Starswirl began. “Use magic? Of course!” Discord interrupted again. “Discord, my friend. You are a star!” Starswirl laughed cheerfully. “Though, will be tricky to return to my full power. Quite hard to magic through another sentient being. Once I get back to grips with my magic, I can research a way to amplify the restrictiveness. You can assist me with that if you wish, Miss Sparkle.” Twilight froze on the spot and stared up at Archimedes as her jaw dropped and the notebook fell from her magical grip. “M-Me? Help you? Starswirl wants my help?!” Cadance giggled softly as she poked her sister in law. “I think you broke her, Starswirl. Working with you is something she’s always wanted to have been able to do.” “Oh… well, give the old girl a moment,” Starswirl replied. “Archimedes, can you face some of those pedestals nearby?” “Yes, Sir,” Archimedes replied as he turned his metal body to be in front of a couple of pedestals. Starswirl mumbled for a moment before Archimedes’ horn suddenly sparked and lit up, covering it in a soft yellow aura before several nearby stone pedestals holding some vases began to lift into the air. “Fascinating… I should make a journal on the experiences of using magic through another!” Starswirl said before gasping and looking to Discord “ Oh! What about me using chaos magic to project my own magic—?” Discord interrupted him by appearing right in front of Archimedes and hissing aggressively, his whole body warping into a swirling cloud of dark colours and shapes that alternated rapidly. “No! You are not allowed to use my magic, ever again. Starswirl The Bearded! Try it again and I will do far worse than seal you inside your tin contraption!” The room rumbled and the walls groaned and creaked as the lightning began to fade into black before it suddenly stopped. Everyone stared at Discord in shock as he suddenly returned to normal and blinked. He brought his paw up and coughed daintily into it. “Uh… sorry about that old boy, that was chaos talking. Literally. It tends to use me as a spokesman every now and again but yeah,” Discord explained, before becoming very serious and glaring at him, “I agree with it, you’re not allowed to use chaotic magic ever again.” Starswirl was about to protest when he saw Celestia scowling at him. “Seconded.” Celestia added, glaring intently at the robot. “Oh… you two are no fun, “Anyway, enough chit-chat let us—” Starswirl paused for a moment as Archimedes stood still, making several grunting noises as if he was straining to do something. The others looked at one another a little confused before Starswirl spoke up. “I appear to no longer have function of the right arm…” “Oh yeah, that. I could only give you that horn in exchange for something of yours, which was the control of Archy’s arm.” Discord said before donning a pair of large circle spectacles and a pipe, blowing bubbles out of it. “If you want to gain something, you must present something of equal value. Or something along those lines. I haven't read the books in a while. Foreign comics can be so dark yet gripping in emotio, you know?” “You did that on purpose.” Starswirl huffed. Discord smiled innocently, “I assure you, my good sir. I only did what the natural laws demanded! “Uhuh,” Starswirl replied, obviously not buying it. “Cheer up, Sir,” Archimedes said, “I’m more than capable of piloting us around.” Starswirl let out a frustrated and weary sigh, “Let’s just go have some blasted dinner...” “Can you even eat, Starswirl?” Celestia asked. Starswirl chuckled, “Well, we’ll soon see won’t we. If Archimedes can drink tea, then I’m sure he can eat.” He focused his magic into his horn and the group shone yellow before suddenly vanishing, leaving the hallway vacant. As the sun started to set over the horizon, the tower remained silent as it had done for so long, even with the recent disturbances it had endured. However, as it seemed like the night would fall in silence and cover the tower in its midnight hue, rustling from the forest broke the silence as three individuals stepped into the small clearing before the base of the tower. “Alright, let’s just get what the boss wants and get out of here. I am sick of this fucking tower and I don’t want to come back a third time!” “Sheesh, Red. You don’t need to yell.” “I’ll yell all I damn want, I’m fed up of being screwed over like this. He has the plans, doesn't he?!” “Yeah, but it was incomplete. Must be pretty damn important if he got that mad.” Red groaned in frustration. It had not been too long since their return to their employer, who she still wasn’t exactly sure who it was, but the pay was too good to ignore and she took the job without informing the others about the finer details. The gang itself wasn’t all that much as it only consisted of three members. Red, the leader, Metamorphosis, changeling infiltrator and Blue Wing, a pegasus scout. The three had made a fairly decent reputation for themselves in the outskirts of Equestria, doing odd jobs here and there. Red was hoping with this job she would be able to finally persuade others to join her and eventually set up a large company of mercenaries. However, she was now hating the fact she took on the job, and didn't like being treated by her employer like this. But she had heard rumors, only after taking the gig, that he had a short temper and was very well connected to certain unsavory individuals. So failure really wasn’t an option. “Next time, Red. Do us a favour and actually check who the hell is giving out the contracts?” Meta said, “I’d rather know before hand, you know?” “Yeah I know, let’s just get this over with. The sooner we get paid, the sooner I can get drunk and enjoy myself.” “You should really cut back on that,” blue snickered, “Or do you want to wake up tied up again and being sore from having a big old minotaur ram his thick—” “Shut up, Blue!” Red snapped, her cheeks burning as the pegasus laughed. “Couldn’t wake straight for days!” Blue laughed louder before yelling as Red tackled him and started to punch him. Metamorphosis shook his head as he grumbled, glaring at the two as they fought, “Bloody kids, I’m getting too old for this shit… shoulda just stayed with the hive.” “Oh, quit your moping, Meta,” Blue said, pushing Red off him and pulling the old changeling into a shoulder hug, “After this gig, we’re going to be set for life!” “Yeah, yeah. Let’s just find, whatever it is we’re looking for.” Meta replied. “Same as the other thing, it should be in the safe still,” Red explained as they approached the tower, “It should—.” She stopped mid sentence and stopped in place, holding up her left arm making the other two stop and immediately become alert. “What is it?” blue asked. Red pointed to the ground around the tower, “Remember how we though no one had been here before? Someone's been here, and recently.” “Are you sure?” Blue asked. “I thought you said this was a forgotten place?” Red nodded, “Positive. Look, these tracks are pony hooves.” The griffon pointed to large steam iron shaped imprints in the ground, as well as several small hood shaped prints as Meta inspected them, his horn glowing over the larger imprints. “Aren’t these the ones from before? The ones you said were probably animal prints?” He said indicating the larger prints. “I didn’t look properly then,” Red defended herself  with a huff. “I just assumed they were from a big animal. You know the weird creatures in here.” Meta merely rolled his eyes, “Whatever… let’s just be careful. I can’t sense anyone here with my magic, so whoever it was is long gone.” “Musta been a few…” Blue muttered, “I count at least eight or nine ponies.” “Let’s just get the plans and go, no point wondering who was here.” Red said, before she turned to address the pegasus. “Blue, can you fly up top and keep an eye out, just in case.” “On it,” Blue replied with a mock salute, taking off into the sky. “Meta, gimme some light, yeah?” She asked. Meta nodded, and his horn shone brighter as they entered the tower. Red looked all around her as she made a note of what had changed. “Oh yeah… there’s definitely been activity here since we last were. See that hole in the wall? And all these prints in the ground?” “Yeah… they’re definitely fresh. You think they came for the same thing?” Meta asked. Red scanned the area where the safe was located and shook her head, seeing it was covered in some debris, “No, I doubt it. Besides, we have the amulet, it’s the only thing that can open the safe.” “True… let’s just find this damn thing and get outta here.” Meta replied. Red nodded as she shoved the debris aside when something caught her eye. As Meta levitated the amulet from his satchel, the griffon walked over near where the hole in the wall was an picked up an orb on the ground. Her eyes widened a little bit as she chirped in curiosity and turned it around in her claws. “Alright… got it open. Now can—.” Meta started before looking up at her, “Red? Hey, Red!” “Hmm?” Red replied, still focusing her attention on the orb. “You going to help or what?” “Hmm?” she replied, again her attention on the orb. “Griffons…” Meta mumbled as he rolled his eyes, rummaging in the safe. There was a light thud as Blue landed in the entranceway, shaking out his wings a little as he stepped inside. “Hey guys, there’s a big storm coming from the east. We should get outta here before we get caught in it.” “Damn you ponies, why can’t you control this weather like in every other part of the Kingdom?” Meta grumbled. “Oh, quit whining, you old fart. You find it yet?” Blue replied. Meta hummed before he levitated out several rolls of paper and sighed, “Has to be one of these… but bird lady is a little preoccupied.” “Huh?” blue asked, looking over to Red who was happily batting the orb about. “Why do they do that?” “Don’t know, don’t care. Red, stop being a twit and help me find the document!” Meta replied as he used his magic to throw a book at Red. Red squawked and dropped the orb, the orb making a chunk sound as it rolled forwards a little, “Hey, what was that—?” “There, that ought to do it.” Red jumped at the sudden voice as both Blue and Meta took up defensive positions and looked around the room to see where the sudden voice had come from. Red stared at the orb and quickly picked it up as the other two, realizing there was no one else there, joined her and all three looked into the orb. “Alright. This is the fifth experiment I will be conducting into inanimate possessions, or in laymare’s terms. Fusing the soul of one being into another. Archimedes, bring me the specimen and the…. lets try it with the ferret this time.” “What in Equestria is that thing?!” Blue asked. “I have no idea…” Meta whispered. Red’s eyes widened as she recognized it from the paper she had brought their employer. As she watched the orb play its message, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something bad was coming, something ominous, something she and her friends had inadvertently started when they took the job. What the hell is going on… ? she wondered as all three continued to watch the orb’s message.