Jack worked diligently through the night reconstructing the throne room into a laboratory.
He started out small, building an analysis machine to help him figure out the mysteries of the Alicorn Amulet.
The Jackbot that accompanied him had managed to recover the EPUs from the damaged Jackbots at some unknown point. It must have been when he was sneaking down to grab the Amulet.
Using them, he was able to power his laboratory tools, and begin his work.
As he did this, a stream of tears fell down his cheek. His feelings were really hurt, as was his crotch area. "Stupid Dragon, Stupid ponies. I'll show em, They'll rue the day they messed with Jack Spicer!..mngh"
Jack put on his goggles as his laboratory began to glow from the lights of his machines.
He began various experiments on the Amulet itself. If he could make a time machine, then something like this should be nothing to him.
Minutes turned into hours. But he began to learn more and more about the amulet. At this point, he started to regain confidence.
Jack began to write in a notebook "hmmm, so it amplifies the wearer's magical abilities with a self contained super energy within the amulet itself...ok, sounds good so far. Let's see...that energy however seems to have corrupting effect on those who use it's power. Making even the...hmm..whats another word for good?....goodest...That's a word right?"
His Jackbots just shrug at him.
"bah, who asked you guys anyway…?" Jack scolded them.
"hrn, anyway. The goodest of good into evil jerks. Which is ok, I'm already evil. But it seems to use the Amulet's power, you need a source of output. I'm guessing that the ponies who wear this thing use their horns...."
He closes his notebook "Alright, so I can't use the amulet's power without some magic of my own and a way to get it out." Jack seemed pretty calm about this, even his bots were confused.
"Master. Would that not mean the amulet is useless to you?" One of the bots asked, trying to be helpful...in some way
Jack stood up, he was tired from working through the night. But he was running off a certain energy. The energy of knowing he will soon be reaching his goal. "Normally, but remember who I am. I'm Jack Spicer! Evil Boy Genius! Any nimrod would have given up by now knowing they can't use this thing. But I'm no nitwit. All I gotta do is get a pony to force the amulet's power at the Reversing Mirror. All that power will reflect back at the amulet and force it's innate abilities to reverse. The internal power turns external, meaning I can put it into a personalized power suit to use it's power the way I want it to. I wouldn't even have to worry about it's reverse corrupting effects since I wouldn't need the amulet anymore." Jack started to rub his hands evilly "I already have the unicorn in mind to help me" He points straight up "Scootaloo!"
"Master, I believe you mean Sweetie Belle" One of his robots corrected him
"That's what I said...Don't correct me when i'm already correct...you just heard wrong!.....shutup...I'm just tired" Jack wobbled a little in his retort. It was already morning.
"Anyway" Jack raised his goggles and rubbed his left eye "I even figured out that this baby could even give Wuya her body back with it's innate power alone. If only she was here, I'd bring her along with me, I'd tell her "Come on Wuya, let's get your body back". And then when the time came...I'd just have it shot at the reversing mirror instead and have her watch firsthand as I conquer this one h.....ton of horse tow...world....eh..Too tired to laugh maniacally right now...And I still got things to do."
Jack took a breath, and reached into his coat. "Now, let's just make sure the Reversing Mirror is secure...hrnnn..Ahh darnit..I forgot Spybot again..I'll have to get him after I conquer the world...hnmm..monkey staff...snare gun...Re..huh...whe...WHAT?!"
Jack opened his coat completely, dropping his gear "WHERE IS IT?! WHERE IS THE REVERSING MIRROR?! PLEASE TELL ME ONE OF YOU HAVE IT!"
the Jackbots shrugged
Jack started to whine and squeal as he stripped to his boxers, looking through his clothes "ITS NOT HERE!"
Jack reached his fists into the air and screamed
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"
Spike's voice came from the other room "SHUT UP WILL YOU, I'M TRYING TO GET SOME REST HERE!"
Jack began to panic. Without the Mirror, he couldn't continue with his plans. He was wide awake now. His mind rushing. "Those...those ponies must have snatched it from me somehow. UNDERHANDED JERKS, YOU CAN'T EVEN TRUST THE GOOD GUYS TO BE TRUSTWORTHY! GRRRRR!"
Jack sat down and started contemplating a plan to get it back. "ugh, if I had the shroud of shadows..or maybe Serpent's Tail...something., even the Moby Morpher would work. They'd never suspect one of their own. They seem too trusting. or the Ring of the Nine Dragons would even the odds....AND I DON'T HAVE ANY OF THOSE.GRAGH! WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO NOW?! ALL I HAVE IS THAT STUP-...wait a second"
Jack just remembered he has Spike. A Bargaining chip. He didn't need to fight and possibly lose if he made a trade instead that was guaranteed to work. "Jack, you're such a genius. You even come up with backup plans before you even realize you have them" He yawned, then began to feel a rumble in his tummy. "Darnit, I'm tired and hungry...Can’t get rest on an empty stomach! Need to fill up on some yummy breakfast of...Apples! Of course! I could just ask..." He brings out his cheat sheet "Applebloom for some!"
Jack pointed to his Jackbots "Jackbots! Guard the prisoner until I get back! Make sure he doesn't escape, maximum security mode!"
The remaining Jackbots complied, and began patrolling.the castle, some going to guard Spike directly.
With a yawn, Jack got redressed and took flight to the sweet Apple Acres. He had to take a longish route to avoid being seen. He wanted to go straight through. But he lacked the resources or know how to make a working stealth unit for humans.
When Jack arrived. He jumped into a barrel and slowly inched himself into the barn. And waited for Applebloom to show up.
he waited for a while, to the point of falling asleep. Though he didn't get much rest when his barrel got tipped by an unknown force. causing him to bump his head "OW! WAGH! I'M AWAKE MOMMY! BUT PLEASE DON'T SEND ME TO SCHOOL..I DON'T..Wa...oh..."
He shifted his eyes to see what knocked him over. It was Applebloom. carrying a pale of paint. She put it down in surprise after seeing Jack pop out of the barrel "Mister Jack! What are ya doin' here? Did ya come for our help again. Do you need us to help ya save the world! Fight some bad guys?!" Applebloom eye's shone in happiness. What else could Jack be here for. He had his parts. His Robot Guards. It had to be time to get those world saving cutie marks!.
"Sorta, I kind of need food actually...haha...can't save the world on an empty stomach. You wouldn't mind helping out with that. Would ya?" Jack crawled out the barrel and stood up, brushing himself off.
"Of course! Wait here and I'll get ya some applefritters and applejuice to go with it! We got plenty of leftovers" Applebloom gave Jack the biggest smile she could. She was ready, totally ready.
"uhm..sound good but. Do you have anything that's not...apple related? Like cereal and milk to go with it?" Jack asked, wanting just something different as well.
"Ahf course! We got some milk and Oats and Hay Cereal too! With added Apple bits. Will that do?" Applebloom said
"hay..and oats?...a...ahmm...I'll just take the milk with the fritters and juice...heh." Jack sighed, it seemed he wasn't going to be able to enjoy breakfast cereal anytime soon.
As Applebloom left to fetch some food for Jack. Jack started talking to himself "Ok, first thing to change when I conquer this place. Is everyone is required to have normal breakfast cereal in stock, all day everyday. How am I supposed to be an evil boy genius on the go without the go! yeesh!"
After some time. Applebloom came rushing back with a plate of apple fritters on a plate. balancing it on her head. a glass of Juice and Milk on two sides of the plate. "Here ya go Mister Jack!"
"Oh man Applebloom that looks awesome!" Jack stared at the plate, and took it from Applebloom's head and started eating with his hands. Munching and chewing with his mouth open. and taking sips from the juice and milk in turns,
Applebloom then noticed something "Mister Jack, ya remembered my name!"
"Hey I did! pretty good huh? I knew I'd get it eventually" Jack said, with his mouth open, full of food.
"Erm yeah,only took ya a couple of times. I was beginning ta think ya had a problem or somethin' or maybe you were just worried about savin the world too much to remember" Applebloom was only leaning towards the latter option, nobody was that bad.
Jack stopped, and stared at her. Shifting his eyes for a moment to the left and right. "That one..the last one...saving the world one."
Applebloom nodded "That's what ah thought. When your done eatin, you wanna come to the clubhouse? We were just about to do some paintin'. I know it's not really world savin stuff. But we could maybe talk about strategies...and um...other things related to world savin. We can even give ya some info my sister told me about!"
Jack swallowed his food "Info huh? What kind of info?"
"Well, she didn't go much into it. But some bad guy broke into the castle last night. I heard her talkin about it with Fluttershy. But when she spotted me listenin' she shooed me away."
Jack took a breath in surprise, wondering how much she knew. "uh..huh...so...what do you know exactly?"
"Not too much, Sweetie Belle has some info too from hearing talk from her sister. But from what I know. A bad guy just busted in and took the Alicorn Amulet. But I didn't catch who it was. I bet it's Wuya!" Applebloom smiled at Jack "Does that help? ah mean, who else could it be but that mean ole Wuya?"
"Yeah, right. Who else could it be...haha" then Jack realized something, how would Applebloom's sister know anything about it "Hey Applebloom, who is your sister anyway? Just curious."
"Her name is Applejack! The most honest pony ya'll will ever meet! My sister is really strong too! And a hero herself! I can introduce you to her, if ya want. She'd be able to help for sure!"
Jack started to tap at his chin "Applejack...Applejack...where have I......." Suddenly, his eyes went wide. "...."
"Jack? Are ya ok?" Applebloom walked up to him and gave him a little shake with her hoof.
Jack snapped back to reality, and turned to her, forcing a smile "u-umm, nope..nothing's wrong! But I don't think that's a good idea really...I mean...How are you going to get your cutie mark things if we don't do it ourselves? Anyway, Come on..let's go to your clubhouse thing!" He didn't feel the barn was safe anymore. What was worse. His future little general was the sister of the one who kicked his teeth in.
"hmmm...good point..I think..." Applebloom opened the barn door and looked around "Let me just make sure the coast is clear for ya"
As he waited, he began to to wonder if his three little helpers would still be recruitable at this point. It was obvious to even him that the three of them were always together most of the time. He wanted them on his side that badly. They listened to him, never questioned him, he never had to watch his back around them, they did what he told them to do, and they were adorable. Especially Scootaloo, who he felt was closest to taking on his evil ways. Possibly even apprentice worthy.
Jack smiled at the thought, his very own apprentice. A living breathing soul that he could teach to be exactly like him, to have by his side to have dual taunting against Omi and his friends, to have laugh beside him the most sinister double laugh ever, to make up evil plans with. He didn't care she was a horse. She was his Jack Jr.
"Ok Jack, it's clear. Granny Smith just went inside. We gotta go now!...Jack?" She looked back, Jack was looking in the air, smiling. "Jack come on, we gotta go!"
Jack shook his head, snapping back to reality "Right Right...ok, let's get going!"
Applebloom quickly grabbed her bucket of paint and snuck off with Jack back to the CMC Clubhouse. It was pretty small. To fit through the door, Jack had to enter a fetal position and roll inside. There was enough room for him to sit inside. But not much else, his size really became apparent now.
Scootaloo, who had the helipack on. But the goggles off. Ran up to hug onto Jack "Hey Jack! It's great to see you again!" She nuzzled her head on him.
Sweetie Belle looked to Applebloom "Applebloom, do you think it was a good idea letting him come in...because...you know..I don't think he's going to be able to get back out."
Applebloom just flicked her hoof "don't worry about that Sweetie Belle, if he can't fit. We'll just use butter. Works every time"
Sweetie Belle was worried it wouldn't, but she had no reason to doubt Applebloom at the moment "...ok"
"heya Scootaloo...hey! Where's those goggles I gave you?" Jack wondered, he thought for sure she'd have it on.
"I put it in a special place in my room! I wanna make a section of all the memories were gonna share! I'd never ever want those goggles to get ruined ever!" Scootaloo said with happy pride. Beside her RD shrine, she had began to make a shrine for Jack as well.
Jack started to tear up "a special place dedicated to me? Really?"
Scootaloo nodded "Mhmm!" Scootaloo hovered upwards "I would have never known what it was to really fly without you Jack! You're my hero...um..next to Rainbow Dash... But you're also my friend! Whatever you need! I'll do my best for you!"
Jack had to wipe his tears, they were getting heavy. "mmnngh...mmnn..mn"
Applebloom noticed the tears "Jack, are ya crying?"
Jack wiped his tears quickly "N-no...just got some dust in my eyes." Jack turned away to wipe his tears, took a breath. and sighed "ok..I'm good...got it out...ahrm..hey Sweetie Belle...Applebloom says you got info about something that happened at the castle? I mean..I dunno what happened. But I think Wuya might be behind it! From what Applebloom told me anyway."
Sweetie Belle nodded and stepped forward "I heard a few things. I came at the tail end of what they were talking about until my sister shoved me out. But I think Wuya is definitely behind it, something about a mirror Shen Gong Wu thingy. Since I can't think of anypony who knows what that actually is. Then I can only guess Wuya has a few Shen Gong Wu of her own. But my sister and her friends managed to take the mirror from Wuya...But she got away with the amulet."
Jack just nodded. But now he couldn't just ask Sweetie Belle to use the amulet. Not unless he came up with a good lie to explain how he came across it. He also had never heard of Fluttershy before until Applebloom mentioned her. Twilight's pool of guards were growing.
Scootaloo smiled and raised her hoof as she came up with an idea "HEY I KNOW! Why don't we ask them to give Jack the mirror, he knows how to use these Shen Gong Wu things. It would only help us out afterall!"
Jack waved his hands frantically about "Nononono, gotta stay a secret. Like I told Applebloom, if we don't do it ourselves. Then you can't get your cutie marks since..I dunno..umm..They'd probably do most of the work. They seem like the type to do that."
Sweetie Belle agreed "Yeah...that sounds right. They saved Equestria from so many bad guys. That if they got involved. They'd probably just blast Wuya and we'd end up cutie markless....again"
"...oh..right" Scootaloo nodded, a little disappointed to be shot down "But..what about the mirror?"
"Well...we could just...I dunno..take it" Jack suggested.
"Take it? I dunno, that doesn't seem very heroic" Applebloom said
"Even heroes gotta do dirty deeds sometimes. I mean, you guys trust me right? If you're worried about Wuya getting you. Then don't worry. Jack's got your back..see hehe..It even rhymes!" Jack chuckled to himself, thinking it pretty funny
"I dunno" Sweetie belle rubbed her chin "The moment they notice the mirror is gone, they'd probably get pretty angry. I mean, it's already obvious they are trying to save the world too...mnnn...and if they do it before we do...then we'd still be cutie markless" Sweetie Belle frowned.
"Then we gotta get that mirror!" Scootaloo said loudly, in excitement "We'd only need it for a little while. We take it, we use it, we bring it back! Nopony would even notice...and besides. It rightfully belongs to Jack anyway. It's not like they know how to use it! They already got raided like..twice! Wuya raided them twice and took what she needed, and took Spike too! It's obvious that only us four can save Equestria this time! I say we do it!"
Sweetie Belle was convinced and nodded. But Applebloom was still on the fence about it. "I dunno fellas...Something about it don't seem right. I wanna save the world and all...But I just think we should do it by the book. Like my sister."
Jack interjected "Yeah but..she doing it that way hasn't gotten any positive results. I agree with Scootaloo on this one. We should just take it. Trust me Applebloom, I know how to use it to it's full potential. And when the time comes, I promise you. You will have a lot more than just your cutie marks" Jack thought of a way of putting it in a way that wouldn't allude to evilness "You would all be revered in the highest regard. Everybody would look up to you with teary eyes on the deeds you have done."
Jack was proud of Scootaloo for being the first to go along with his plan. through his tiredness, he started to have dreamy thoughts about her. Such as reading books together, Building machines together, flying together, subjugating the slaves together, blowing up random stuff together.
"Oh man, that sounds sooooooo awesome! Come on girls. We gotta do it! For our cutie marks! For Equestria!" Scootaloo tried to rally her friends together again.
Applebloom shook her head "I'm sorry Scootaloo, but I want to do it the right way. ah mean, we don't need to bring up Jack. We could just ask for the mirror."
Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow at Applebloom "Do you really think they'd let us borrow it? Even for a little while?"
".....maybe" Applebloom didn't sound to confident.
Jack needed the compliance of all three, because as he thought about it. He started to think that he could be double crossed if he handed Spike over. It was possible. Sending the CMC to do his dirty work would still let him keep a hostage in case anything else happened. He threw his hand forward "Come on girls! Let’s just do it! If you're with me! then let's pull together!"
Scootaloo was the first to put her hoof on Jack's hand. Then Sweetie Belle. and then with a reluctance, Applebloom last.
"GO CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS!" They all called out!
If they could actually get the mirror. Then all Jack had to do was secure a unicorn to put on the Alicorn Amulet. Making a power suit would be simple for him. But he was also beginning to worry the CMC might turn on him, given Applebloom's reluctance. In the end, if he had to. He would try to at least keep Scootaloo anyway he could. She was absolutely perfect. If it came to it. He'd lock her up until he could acquire the yin yoyo to convert her. But he actually didn't want it to come to that. He wanted her to join him on her own. He was sure in the end, he could convince her to join him naturally.