//------------------------------//
// Most Valuable Pony 
// Story: The Rock in the Gulch 
// by Tatsurou 
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Flowers waited by the Red base for Church to arrive.  There was a lot to talk with him about in regards to what happened, and Flowers was almost afraid of what the result would be, considering his orders.

One of the things he'd made sure Doc did when replacing Church's arm with a cybernetic prosthetic was implanting a recorder/transmitter linked to a device Flowers kept on him at all times, designed to erase its program and data if Flowers armor ever stopped reporting vital signs.  On the way to the Red Base, Flowers had examined the readout regarding the training match...and what it showed had been distressing.  Somehow, Church had overclocked his brain and body in a way that was only possible for a body controlled by an AI...specifically, by an AI that was aware of its situation.

Captain Flowers orders were clear.  He was to protect the Alpha only so long as it remained ignorant of its true nature.  If Church ever remembered the Freelancer Program, his true nature as an AI, or anything along those lines, Agent Florida was supposed to terminate him immediately and recover the AI chip for alternative storage and protection...and that was assuming the Alpha AI stayed within the chip.  But Maud complicated the situation, as did Church's bond to her.  Flowers had no doubt that if Church thought his Captain was a threat to Maud, Flowers seconds would be numbered.  It didn't matter that Private Jimmy was a barely fit Sim Trooper and Freelancers were the peak of physical capability with the best armor.  The human body could be pushed insanely beyond its limits with the right impetus, and only the awareness of damage to one's body held that back...and as shown by the confrontation with Sarge, Church could subconsciously turn that awareness off if he felt it was necessary to protect Maud.  The only Freelancer that might be able to take Church down in that state would be the former Agent Maine, and that only because his situation was even worse in its own way.

He did his best to push all this from his mind as Church approached.  "You did an amazing job today, Private!" he offered as he fell into step beside the man.

"Y-yeah," Church offered, his tone showing he was still in as much awe of his achievement as before.  "I don't know what happened.  One moment I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn no matter how hard I tried, the next...the next it was impossible to miss."

"Start at the beginning," Flowers instructed as he let his step slow so he was behind Church, just in case he needed to pull the trigger.  "When you broke communications."

"Oh, that's because Maud appeared behind me," Church explained.  "Kinda like how she's behind you right now."

Flowers struggled not to tense up as he turned his head, seeing where Maud sat against the wall just behind them, watching curiously.  "I...see.  And then?"

"Well, I spotted Grif and tried to hit him," Church continued.  "But I couldn't.  Then Maud told me to stop trying and just do it.  And then...she said if I failed, they'd get her."  Church fell silent, his step slowing.

"...Church?" Flowers asked carefully.

"I just...kept hearing that in my head over and over again," Church continued.  "It...I was going to lose her, and it was my fault..."  He came to a complete stop.  "Then it happened."

"It?" Flowers asked curiously.

"The world seemed to...stop when I breathed in," Church explained.  "Like...like I reached some new level of focus.  I could see where everyone was and exactly what they were about to do.  My...my thoughts moved so fast...it was all so easy.  And..."  He hesitated, releasing the sniper rifle in his arms with his organic arm, shaking it out.  "And my arm hurts a lot now."

Making it move faster than humanly possible will do that, Flowers thought to himself.  "Well, I have to say that is quite impressive," he offered aloud.  "But I think we should take you off sniper duty for now.  Next week we'll see what you can do in melee range."

"But if I did so well-" Church began.

"Need to be a well rounded soldier, Church," Flowers insisted.  "What would you do if a genuine threat got too close for you to snipe at?"  Church had no response.  "Exactly.  So let's get you skilled with other weapons.  For now, let's take the flag."

"Right!" Church confirmed as he grabbed the Red flag.  "Let's go.  Come on, Maud."

Maud clambered up Church's leg and back until she was able to grasp the back of his head, riding on his shoulders.  Flowers shook his head at the sight.  Well, more evidence for my theory, he thought to himself as they headed out.





It didn't take long for the trio to make it back out of Red Base, walking past where Sarge was still flat on his back with his helmet covered in the training paint, leaving him immobilized due to how it interacted with his suit's systems.  Church stared at his handiwork as they walked past.  "Uh...is he going to get up?" he asked worriedly.

"As long as he realizes when the paint breaks off," Flowers responded immediately.  "It'll crumble off on its own once the charge runs out, and then his suit will fully reactivate.  Right now, life support is functional, but nothing else."

"So he's not gonna be hurt," Church concluded.  "That's...good.  ...right?"

"Of course it is!" Flowers confirmed enthusiastically.  "That's the agreement, right?"

"Right, right," Church allowed as they kept walking, passing by where Tucker was still trying to waddle along with Simmons' face plate fused to his crotch.  Church couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.

"So this paint isn't permanent, right?" Tucker demanded desperately.  "You can get rid of it, right?"

Flowers hesitated.  While there was a way to make the paint dissolve before the charge ran out - specifically in case of medical emergency, like what happened when Tex was in the training room and her opponents switched to live ammunition - Tucker had made that comment about Maud...  "Sorry, Tucker," he offered jovially.  "You'll just have to wait until it dissolves off...or go find Doc.  He might know some way around it for medical reasons."

As Church chuckled and kept walking, Tucker growled angrily.  "I'll get you for this, Church..."