//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 - Metastability part 1 - Escaping Canterlot // Story: Project Clockwork // by Arceaion //------------------------------// Authors Note: I will still be accepting Ideas for what to put in the story but I have to continue the story. Also side note there have been so many good ideas! Keep it up. Twilight walked slowly through the streets of the Hub toward the elevator exit, at her side was HK-55. "Inquiry: Why are you so nervous mistress?" HK-55 asked. "I am hesitant to leave HK-55. I don't want to go but..." Twilight sighed. "We both know what will happen if I return with the Princesses. They either refuse to see the bigger picture or are ignoring it." "Announcement: As long as I am here I will stand at your side and protect you." HK-55 said with pride. "Assurance: I know that my brother units feel the same as I do. So don't worry mistress as long as we are with you then you have nothing to fear." Twilight smiled sadly at HK-55. "I know you'll do your best but we both know that in the end there are too many unknowns for a guarantee. Also there is the problem with magic." "Perplexity: I understand that magic is a factor but given your capabilities in the field should we not be prepared for anything?" HK-55 asked. "You would think that but no." Twilight said with a sigh. "Think of it this way HK, what would happen if we discovered a device that was centuries head of what we have now?" "Dismissal: Oh please Mistress, from what you tell we are at least five centuries ahead of those organic meat bags." HK-55 scoffed. "Even the foals could be considered more dangerous than there technology, I doubt they could even scorch my armor. And given that you equipped us with both Magic Nullification and Magic Suppression technology I doubt they would be vary effective." "Never underestimate ponies HK-55, that may be true but they have other ways to cause trouble." Twilight cautioned as they approached the elevator. Celestia and Luna sat at the Elevator entrance waiting for Twilight. Across from them sat the guard units Mach, Gear and Scrap who were invested in quit a heated round of Blackjack. The three Clockworks had several weapons that the Princesses had never seen before strapped to them. Beside them stood HK-47 and a unit that looked like him except that this one was painted white with red highlights. Celestia rose and approached the new HK. "Excuse me but I don't think we've met, I am Celestia." The HK turned to Celestia. "Affirmation: That is correct, my data banks identify you as Princess Celestia, greeting I am HK-51. I am the personal combat unit for the Maker, though you know the Maker as Twilight." Celestia nodded her head and walked back to Luna. "Interesting, I expected him to be like the others but he's not." Luna chuckled. "It is as you said last night, we can't assume anything. It's amazing what she has done in such a short amount of time." Luna said as she turned to look over the large manor. "Houses, markets, cafes and shops, Twilight has built a kingdom inside the mountain." Celestia nodded. "I was thinking of giving Twilight Canterlot. In the condition it's in and with those Reanimated walking around Canterlot is too dangerous for anypony but the Clockwork seem to survive where there is nothing. I would prefer to give them better land but the nobles would fight it to the end." Luna nodded. "Tis true." Luna sighed grumpily. "If only twas as easy as a thousand years ago. The nobles always looked like wet cats and screamed twice as loud." Celestia groaned. "I always wondered who was catapulting them into the moat." "Twas their fault it hapened." Luna said with a smug look. The sisters sat in silence until the sound of flapping wings drew their attention to look up in shock. Eris slowly glided down and bowed to the sisters. "Greetings once again Princesses." "You- she, sister she flew!" Luna gasped. Eris tilted her head. "You didn't think that my wings worked?" She asked. "Thou said that thou was made from steel! we thought thou too heavy to fly." Luna said as she turned to her sister. "This is incredible sister, With such technology we could help thousands!" She exclaimed happily. Celestia nodded. "Eris, is there a way to alter the designs for a Clockworks wings so work for a pony?" She asked. Eris thought for a moment before shrugging. "It may be possible but Maker would have to design them, at present there is no such design in my files." Celestia nodded. "I will speak to Twilight about this later, there's a chances to help many ponies with this technology." "Why do you call Twilight Maker?" Luna asked. "From what we have seen everypony else calls her mother." Eris shrugged again. "Neither I nor Maker know the answer. Maker believes the reason is that I was created before the other Clockworks called her that but I believe it is a glitch in my programming as I was originally programmed to call her by name." "We see. Luna said. Slowly the group quieted down and watched in a companionable silence as the guards play there blackjack game. Twilight slowly approached the group. "Hello everypony. She said calmly. Celestia smiled as she walked over to Twilight and placed a wing over her. "Ready to go?" She said with a smile. Twilight sighed. "I guess, you know the nobles will make a fuss over this right?" She asked. "We're bacicaly walking strait in to a fire and expecting to not get burnt." Celestia smiled. "Oh, you have no idea Twilight." Twilight sighed and walked toward the Elevator and pressed the call button. After a moment the doors opened and revealing a filly standing off to the side waiting at the controls. The filly had a rust colored coat and mane. She wore a pair of goggles on her forehead. The only thing that showed her to be a Clockwork was her wings and eyes which glowed brown. She was almost cutie. "Well are you gonna just stand there an stair or get on ya cum twats?" She asked grumpily. Celestia and Luna's mouths dropped as the cutie image was ruined, Twilight laughed. "Hello Sona, good to see you running the elevator again. I admit I was concerned when I came up and didn't see you." She said as she and the others got on Celestia and Luna hurrying to catch up. "Well if some pervert didn't cause me so much damn trouble then maybe I could stay at my station more than I spend it dragging his bitch ass to the repair ward." The filly grumbled. Twilight chuckled. "Just because he's you brother doesn't give you the right to call him names." "I could call him a lot worse Mother." Sona said with a smirk as the elevator dinged. "Alright bitches, off my Elevator before I have hammy boot you'll off."She said as she pulled a hammer out of nowhere. "And don't think I won't." Everyone hurried out except for Twilight who knelt down and hugged the filly. "Love you." She said as she left. The doors closed behind her. "Love you to mom." Sona said as the doors closed. "That has to be the most foul mouth child I've ever met." Celestia said as they walked through the workshop that was the entrance to the underground city. "Sona is actually one of my early creations. There was a malfunction that made her age at normal filly rate rather than a Clockwork. So technically she is a full grown Clockwork trapped in a fillies body." Twilight said as she stepped on a pressure plate and the doors groaned open. The group slowly walked out of the workshop to find a full platoon of royal guard groaning on the ground. Standing over then were six Clockworks their weapons trained on the downed guard. Celestia sighed as she approached. "Over Drive, I thought we told you to wait for us." Celestia said. "We did wait. Even returned to base and got reinforcements, not that they helped." Over Drive replied with a groan. "Clockworks, stand down." Twilight calmly ordered. "Ma'am!" The Clockworks saluted. Over Drive and several of the guards gasped as they noticed the lost princess. "Princess Twilight, we thought you were dead!" One of the guards said in shock. Twilight chuckled. "Not dead just changed." She said with a smile. "We apologize if our guards have caused you trouble." Luna said as she bowed to the Clockworks. "It is nothing Princess Luna." The Clockwork guard said before turning to Twilight. "Will you be going with them MOTHER?" it asked. Twilight nodded. "Yes, contact the Station tell them to prepare for departure." She said the Clockwork nodded. "Come on, I have a train waiting at the station to take us to Ponyville." She said as she turned to the group walk in the direction of the train station. As they walked the group was on high alert for any sign of the Reanimated. The trip went well till they reached the station. A Reanimated jumped out and grabbed one of the guards causing him to scream as he was dragged away. A screech was heard as hundred of Reanimated rose from the ruble and glared at the group. "Celestia, Luna get your guards and run for the train. Mach, Gear, Scrap act as escort and defend the others. HK-47 and 51 pull back to sniper positions and pick your targets, HK-55 your with me." Twilight ordered as her eyes took on a pink tent and her form began to change. Glowing lines began to cover her body as it slimmed and her legs grew longer, the visible implants were covered as the bulky form changed. Her wings changed slightly to a more aerodynamic form though the ends sharpened to blades and arcs of purple energy danced across the steel wings. A Reanimated charged forward only for it's head to explode. "Your threat is hereby neutralized." HK-51 yelled Twilight smiled. "Let's dance." She said as she charged forward her wings slicing through the Reanimated as if they were paper. One of them leaped at her only for her to grab it and slam it into the ground, another charged her from behind only for HK-55 to Charge in front of it and blast it with its weapon. The Reanimated fell to the ground. Celestia Luna stared in shock as Twilight held off the Reanimated. Scrap shook her head. "You heard Twilight get into the station there should be a train waiting." She yelled snapping the group out of there shock. The group turned and ran in as Mach and Gear covered them there weapons firing off quickly taking down the Reanimated. Scrap quickly ran into the station and slammed a button on the wall activation the intercom. "Get the train up here now, we're under attack by Seekers!" He yelled. "Train in route ETA 1 minute." Came the reply. Scrap Growled. "Have to do." He said as he re turned to the entrance and began to fire on the Reanimated. Meanwhile Twilight danced through the Reanimated, HK-55 at her side. They were slowly backed up fighting a retreat as they were pressed by the crazed machines. Twilight growled and her hoof transformed revealing some form of sword that glowed. Suddenly a lowed whistle was heard and a train smashed through the floor of the station and stopping. A conductor Clockwork quickly disembarked. "Come on quickly." He yelled. The group ran for the train and quickly boarded. Twilight and HK-55 turned and ran for the train as HK-47 and 51 slowly backed up providing cover fire. The moment Twilight boarded the two turned and ran fro the train. As they boarded they turned and continued to fire as the conductor ran to the intercom. "Everyponies on, go, GO!" He yelled. The train whistle blew and the train began to pull away slowly accelerating. HK-47 and 51 continued to fire till the Reanimated were far in the distance. The conductor sighed as he sat down. "This is why I became a train conductor and not one of the guards, too much excitement for the old pump to handle." He sighed. Twilight and the rest of the group stood in the passenger car catching their breath. Twilight's form slowly transformed back and she sat down on one of the benches trying to catch her breath. "Worst creation I ever made." twilight gasped out. "Eris, the next time I suggest sending out a group of mentally linked machines remind me to create a Faust damn kill switch!" "As you wish, Maker" Eris wheezed out. "Why can we get out of breath?" Scrap wheezed out. After a moment the group finally caught their breath and sat down while the guards and HK's walked over to the doors and watched. Celestia sat next to Twilight while Luna and Eris sat opposite. "I thought you were machines how do you get tired?"Celestia asked. "I as well as all Clockworks are created to imitate ponies as accurately as possible." Eris replied. "I'm only part Magitech the rest of me is organic. Add to the fact that I don't really fight and only work out when I have time, you get a out of shape mare that has skill but no endurance." Twilight sighed. "Looks like I turned into you." She said teasingly to Celestia. Celestia puffed up her cheeks and crossed her forearms. "I'm not that fat." She grumbled causing the three to chuckle. The four sat in silence for a while watching the scenery. Suddenly Twilight grabbed her head and moaned in pain. "Twilight?" Luna asked as she turned worriedly "Are thou alright?" Twilight didn't respond. Instead she only wimped and curled into a ball. Eris suddenly froze and groaned in pain. "We have just lost connection to the Canterlot C.O.R.E.S., we must hurry. For Twilight to be disconnected from the C.O.R.E.S. like this will will be extremely painful. It's amazing that she isn't screaming." Eris said her voice was strained and she seemed to be in pain. "Are you alright Eris?" Celestia asked. Eris shook her head. "I as well as all Clockworks are linked to Twilight. We can feel her pain." She said before she slumped forward and passed out. Twilight groaned one hast time before going limp. Celestia placed a hoof against Twilight's chest feeling it slowly rise and fall. "She simply passed out." Celestia sighed before placing a wing over Twilight and pulling her close, tears falling from her eyes. A guard suddenly burst in gasping. "Princess the three Ponies that were with Princess Twilight have fainted!" Luna looked to her sister in concern before turning to the guard. "Place them in bunks and check the conductors." She said calmly. "The conductors are in pain but are still up. They said something about sleeping when the job's done." The guard said concerned. "Keep an eye on them and help as much as you can." Celestia said. "Yes your Highness." The guard said as she exited the car. Celestia and Luna shared a look. They needed to hurry.