Source: https://www.derpibooru.org/824616?scope=scpe56e%3Cspan+style%3D
“Surgeons can cut out everything except cause.”
-Herbert M. Shelton
Chapter 5: The Beginning of the End
—Lyra—
Lyra and Bon Bon were returning home to their shared household as they had just departed from the party and were in the process of falling unconscious.
That is, with exception of Lyra, she is even more hyperactive than prior to the social gathering.
Bon Bon’s eyelids were slowly reclining, her brain had the intention to give herself a much-needed rest. Mind you, she was executing this while walking.
“I mean, can you believe it? She had an EXPLOSION cutie mark! I’ve never seen anything like it before! What could it mean? And how could she of ‘accidentally’ created powder to explode? That can’t happen! Unless she’s a human, that'll make more sense as they….”
Bon Bon tuned out Lyra, her voice was slowly eating at her nerves. ‘Atomic’ seemed to have sparked her renewed vigour for Humans. The last time she talked about it was last week, and that, however, was just speculation!
“.. she mumbled something about ‘invented’ when she was examining Pinkie’s cannon. Could she be comparing human technology to ours? What do you think?”
Lyra glanced to her side at Bon Bon, “Bonney?”
“Mmmmmhmmmmm,” she definitely agreed.
The green mare rolled her eyes and adopted a sleepy smile. “I guess it's time for us to go to bed.”
—Atomic—
I arrive at the moderate clearing where my base is located.
The structure is totally unrecognisable.
The complex is now a fortification, tall black ridden walls expand all around the complex, four high towers extend in the corners. Each has a small cube perched on the head, a red optic dotted in the middle scans the surrounding area for hostels, rotating slowly.
Any unlucky creature to be shot by this will be disintegrated instantly.
At least I don’t have to worry about predators destroying my establishment now.
I stroll to a wall, only to further walk directly through it.
Inside contains the same premise as previously constructed, in addition to a second slightly smaller building to the right, concrete envelops the ground entirely, destroying any evidence of green life and replacing it with a dull grey.
My eyes are starting to bleed from the number of bleak colours, partially responsible for spending time at a multicoloured pony settlement.
“Welcome back Jack, the weapon production facility, bathroom and all defensive fortifications, are complete. A small deposit of iron was found 16 metres (50 feet) beneath the surface, allowing the construction progress to speed up by 71%”
Standard Atomic Fabricators can manufacture around one tonne of iron every hour. Takes way too long produce something if you ask me.
I trot to the front door and open it hastily.
The AI seemed to be more sensible in its choices this time. My room had completely been altered, crimson carpet engulfs the floor, surrounded by white walls. In the middle of the back wall, a doorway leads to a recently constructed bathroom. The equipment previously on the right wall had been removed, replaced with a metal desk and chair.
I drop my saddlebags to the right of me, besides the door, additionally head to the shower to wash.
My shower progressed for several dozen minutes while I attempted to use shampoo to clean out the dirt and grime. I, however, seemed to have inherited a characteristic from my former self, I couldn't reach my back spine.
Once I had completed that particular activity and dressed in my awesome yellow pyjamas, I decided to walk to my saddlebags, obtain the books I acquired from the library and proceeded to dump them on the desk located up against the right side of the room.
I gazed hard at the volumes in front of me “AI, give me a strong responsive stimulant.”
This is going to be a long night of studying.
I’m just going to say it now.
This whole world, is bullshit.
I mean, seriously? The rulers control the SUN? The MOON? Dark energy doesn't have the necessary power to accomplish that without some sort of technological assistance.
These ponies seem to think that their ‘magic’ will be able to fix everything, what they don't realise is that it has its limits, one example of this is the elements of Harmony. Do they honestly believe that HARMONY AND PEACE WILL SAVE EVERYONE? What I’m going to introduce into this world, has had a long time coming.
The technology that they think is ‘top notch’, is basically as good as improving the wheel to make it rounder.
To top all of that off, their force or ‘guard’ is atrocious.
They seem to prefer to maintain a glorious image, rather than retain proper military equipment. They decided to use GOLD AS THE SOUL FUCKING BUILDING MATERIAL. EVEN BLOODY BRONZE IS BETTER. Their offensive weapons are nothing short of a stick, and they rely way too much on dark energy for ranged weapons, which can barely penetrate 1mm iron amour. I just don’t understand how this country hasn’t fallen under pressure from foreign and domestic conflicts.
Or maybe it’s the two ‘powerful’ immortal rulers who frighten all the hostility away.
I hummed at my thoughts.
Maybe it's time I performed some ‘investigations’ on these monarchs and gave them a little ‘present’.
I turned and gathered several small machines I requested from the fabricator, next to my desk, and placed them in my right saddle bag, underneath my musket.
I also took hold of a small vial perched on my table.
I pointed up at nowhere in particular and yelled, “TO THE PAJARO SPACE MOBILE!”
My awesome car is flying high above the clouds, invisible, and travelling to an intense concentration of dark energy. Which I assume is these two ‘immortal rulers’.
At the current time period, it’s about 20 minutes until dawn, I can just see the sun’s yellow tinge below the horizon.
Eventually, a mountain with a city built on the side approaches into view.
Holding the fucking phone. Who the actual FUCK decided it was a good idea to build (what I assume the Capital) on the side of a FUCKING MOUNTAIN?
One good shot with an artillery would cause the whole city to come crashing down. Essentially cutting the head off the leadership.
Actually, I might do that. It’ll set the whole country in anarchy.
The moment I return back to reality, I’ve arrived in a garden courtyard, behind a large castle.
“Scans show Target is on route to the top story,” the AI informed.
I placed the saddlebag from the left seat, back on myself, it contains three devices. One is an invisibility contraption, another is a dark energy reading appliance, in addition to a hover pack.
As well as a vial.
I activate the hoverpack and invisibility, furthermore double tapping the side to open the driver’s door. The landscape presented to me is a huge array of various flowers, in addition to some dotted trees and bushes. All arranged in a particular order, and style.
I close the car door while still invisible.
What’s awesome when being invisible, is that I can still see myself, and the items I’m holding.
I scanned the surrounding area for any object I could use as a landmark.
My gaze falls upon a medium sized rock located in the flowerbed.
I strolled over to it, curled by forelegs around it, and mentally sent commands to my hoverpack to float upwards. Once I was around one metre off the ground, I carried it over and placed it next to my car.
Okay, that rock, is where my Car is.
Now, to find these rulers and discern their true power.
I begin to speed upwards at a high acceleration until I am level with a balcony on one of the highest towers.
I move my way over to it, and perfectly land on all fours, on the platform.
From where I can discern here, this leads to a private bedroom. A huge king size canopy dark blue bed, engulfed from head to toe in stars is located on the middle, against the right side of the room. An unorganised desk, covered with scattered papers and quills, is located opposite to it.
The rest of the room is trimmed in platinum and enveloped in the night sky.
Judging from all the fanciness, and night theme, this room most likely belongs to the Princess (why the fuck, not Queen?) known as ‘Luna’.
I just have this sudden urge to burn it.
Before I’m able to act on it, the double bedroom doors at the rear slam open, to present a confident tall blue pegacorn (or alicorn).
She’s walking straight towards me.
Oh shit! Has she found me?
I begin to panic slightly.
I then realise something, or she’s going to the balcony.
I leap to the right, away from the entrance that leads to the veranda outside.
The self-acclaimed Princess walks directly past me. I release a sigh, furthermore embrace the sweet delectable goodness of relief.
I peak around the corner and spot her just standing there, slowly extending her wings.
This is probably when she ‘lowers the moon’.
Without distributing any noise (I physically can’t, my invisibility ultimately nullifies it), I remove the dark energy measuring device, what’s more, place it on the floor, and turn it to face the princess.
The small screen located on top already displays some information.
——
Dark Energy Statistics
Average Wavelength: Low
Average Frequency: Medium
Current Releases:
001: Releasing overflow of energy, too much taken from the environment
——
I look up to see the alicorn’s wings are fully extended and her horn begins to glow, at the same time, the sky adapts a heavy orange tinge, the sun begins to advance up, and the moon starts to fade into the background.
I switch my gaze back to the machine
——
Dark Energy Statistics
Average Wavelength: Low
Average Frequency: Medium
Current Releases:
001: Releasing overflow of energy, too much taken from the environment.
002: Exhibit visible light from a single location (light blue).
003: Convert atmospheric ultraviolet radiation to visible light ‘orange’.
——
Ha! She doesn’t move the moon, she made it look like she relocated it, by simply converting ultraviolet radiation (sun’s rays) to a different form, the colour orange. The sky appears to just become an intense citrus, giving the moon and sun time to rise on their own. The fact this planet additionally as a rare orbital pattern also contributes to this as well.
Looks like these ‘powerful’ leaders are nothing like what they're put out to be.
After a few more seconds, the fake blue Alicorn lowers her wings and whirls around. Her eyes seemed to have taken on a darker shade than before. The amount of dark energy required to change such a large area of ultraviolet light is quite moderate, as a consequence, her biological life-form requires rest.
She walks past me, slowly draws herself into her bed, and under the covers.
How funny would it be if she found out I was here? The fact someone is stalking her, I doubt anyone has ever done anything like this ever before.
The doors open once again, this time, however, they revealed a maid, with a glass of water in her yellow aura. She places it on the bedside table, directly next to Luna. Once that simple task was complete, she then walked back out from the quarters.
Thanks, maid, you have just supplied me with the perfect opportunity.
I ninja walk to the bedside bench, remove the vial from my saddlebags, detach the seal, specifically dumping the contents into the glass of water.
Happy Birthday, Luna, I hope you like my present.
—
On a statue located somewhere in a garden, a slight crack appears along the waist.
—
Just as I finished pouring the solution into the cup, Luna seized it with her magic and took a sip.
I’ve deduced that the main reason ponies haven’t started a civil war is that their leaders can ‘supposedly’ protect them against any situations, furthermore, any conflicts that are started they are believed to be able to terminate them, due to their ‘God’ like ‘magical’ powers.
Why not discontinue both ideas with one stone?
What I tipped into her water is a genetically altered bacterial disease, designed to kill 1% of the population. Its symptoms don’t show for three days, it moreover, has extremely high transmission rates. It will easily affect the whole country in less than four months.
This will not only destroy the concept that these leaders can protect their ponies from all forms, in addition to presenting that the ‘Princesses’ are not powerful, but extremely vulnerable. This will dramatically reduce the faith placed into them and will result in several places to rebel.
Luna seemed to have noticed something wrong with the water since she was vocalising ‘tsk’ ‘tsk’ sounds with her mouth.
She then shrugged and gulped the rest of the glass in one shot. Placing the object on the table when she was done.
In less than a minute, she’s already snoring.
I think it would be satisfactory to leave a note somewhere, informing them on what there is to come. I love it when people panic, as they can do nothing about it.
I write a poem using one of the quills, and a piece of paper from the Luna’s desk. Once completed, I abandoned it on her bedside surface.
—Celestia—
Celestia was sipping a delightful cup of tea at the table, in the Royal dining room, while enjoying delicious carrot and lettuce salad. When suddenly, she was interrupted by a loud slamming noise from the other side of the chamber.
“Tia! Tia!” What she recognised as Luna call out.
Celestial switched her gazed from her dinner to her alerted sister.
She and Luna usually ate together for Breakfast and supper, although their meals were the complete opposite each time.
Celestia gave her full attention, “Yes, Luna?”
“This morning, something happened,” she proceeded to slam a piece of paper on the table.
Celestia picked it up, and read the passage out loud.
“`The Gods have decided, your time is up.
Equus will begin to build up,
Countries will break,
Everything will shake,
Your entire life, will be at stake,
For I give you assurance,
I will probably not provide, stability insurance,
Something terrible is happening,
Even though it’s just a small sapling,
People will realise, and lose confidence,
Sprouting from, obscene competence,
Everything is set into position,
For this, is my greatest mission,
Exposing the truth, restoring natural order,
Where everything, is actually disorder,
No people will be repressed any longer,
States will grow stronger,
Sort of becoming, a warmonger,
Now comes the insurgency,
Soon, it’ll be a national emergency,
And there’s nothing you can do,
But for now, you’ve got the stomach flu.`”
Celestia places the poem down gently and sips her cup of tea.
Luna simply stares, “How could thee be so calm about this?!”
Celestia returned her gaze, “Panicking will get us nowhere,” she took another sample of her tea, “plus, I doubt this will be a problem, Ponies have made threats to us before.”
“What about Discord? Could this be his doing?”
In response, Celestia just adopted a ‘seriously’ expression.
*Sigh* “I suppose not,” Luna sat down at the table, where she is greeted by a servant, who presents a bowl of porridge, and a delicious cup of coffee.
Luna decides to continue the conversation, “Could this be related to the Griffon civil war?”
“It might,” she nonchalantly replied.
Luna strongly gazed at Celestia, “Alright, I still want to take this into consideration though. I don’t want to be taken off guard.”
The white mare returned her expression, ”Agreed.”
—Jack—
The whole day since I’ve arrived back from Canterlot, I have been working hard at my newly manufactured computer, to design efficient pony musket concepts. Using the fabricator, I’ve delivered several different prototypes, some hang over your sides by a saddle like an appendage, others specifically denoted for unicorns, in addition to a combination of mouth and leg held firearms.
The most promising, however, is the forked rest, not only does it have the highest accuracy, but is also uncomplicated to use and manufacture. This particular design I came up with, was inspired by the Arquebus muskets in the 15th century.
It’s basically a large pole, with a half loophole at the summit, allowing the firearm to rest on top.
Source: https://www.derpibooru.org/824616?scope=scpe56e%3Cspan+style%3D
You may be wondering, why not just give this world advanced gunpowder firearms? Or even, energy weapons for that matter? One key aspect of rising tensions between countries is the technological race, or for more simpler terms. An advanced arms race.
I’m planning to provide the worst of the worst when it comes to muskets, I’m using the ‘matchlock’ system. It is basically a piece of rope that is constantly burning when the trigger is pressed, the flaring end is brought downwards, and ignites the gunpowder.
Obviously, there are some problems with this.
-The rope or ‘match’ needs to be constantly burning
-The end requires to be lined up with the ignition gunpowder, if not done correctly, the gun will fail to fire.
-The light given off from the match can give away positions at night.
-Won’t work in rainy, or damp weather as the rope, or gunpowder, may to too damp to ignite.
And many, many more smaller problems.
When it comes to the trigger, I’m maintaining it simple, it’s a metal stick that you pull backwards.
In terms of ammunition, I’ll just be supplying the ‘gold round balls’ and black powder separately.
I spin around in my equine shaped swivel chair, away from my desk, and plop down, coming in contact with the cold metal floor below.
I’m currently located in my small weapons factory, the left hand of the room is occupied with the manufacture processes. This includes four, half a metre cubes near the entryway, one behind three others, that is the atomic manipulation machine, while the others are regular fabricators, these are the actual machines that produce the munitions. Conveyor belts lead from these mechanisms to the waiting robotic arms, which will pack said contents into wooden boxes.
The other side is for designing prototypes, including two desks, a standard computer, in addition to a tiny fabricator.
I raise my voice, “AI, manufacture 100 weapons of the prototype nicknamed ‘Arquebus’, as well as the required ammunition for 60 shots each.”
“Confirmed, estimated completion time; 40 minutes,” it replied.
I think it's time to sell these things, don’t you?