"Sweet hecking Tartarus this'll be a fight!" Sunset exclaimed, rubbing her hands together.
Celestia smiled. "I thought the chance to match wits with Thunderstruck would interest you."
"I assume zero-nine-eight-two with four Zoids on each side?"
"Yes indeed."
"Working Rainbow Dash into this fight will be interesting. I should talk to her and Fluttershy about an anti-ground loadout."
"I had been wondering about Fluttershy," Celestia said. "Can I assume whatever you and Luna brought back from the Storm Continent while you thought everyone was sleeping won't be ready in time?"
"Oh for... well, we kept that secret for all of a day," Sunset said with a groan.
"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone," Celestia assured her.
"Thanks. It's a long-term project. In fact part of the reason I asked you to set up a fight in such a hurry was to distract everyone while Fluttershy and Luna got to work."
"I suspected as much."
"Okay, so, air-to-ground with a Storm Sworder. Unconventional, but if we do it right, unpredictable. Gotta look up the matches Thunderstruck's been in since they got their new Zoids, see what patterns emerge..." Sunset wandered away, still talking to herself.
Despite planning to travel with the team while Luna moved the Liger Zero Empire, Fluttershy found herself left behind, even though her teammates would immediately suspect another Zoid restoration was in the works. Secrecy was trumped by expediency, Luna wanted the Liger combat-ready as quickly as could be managed.
Fluttershy didn't mind missing out on the upcoming battles, but not being able to look after the Zoids bothered her. Especially concerning was the addition of the Storm Sworder's wing-mounted missile racks, which Rainbow Dash had not previously flown with. Rainbow Dash put on a brave face, but she was a sensitive soul who struggled when drastic changes were forced on her. The Storm Sworder was sensitive in its way as well, and Fluttershy wanted to be there to help both of them cope.
Putting these concerns from her mind, Fluttershy turned her attention to the chemical tank in which rested Liger Zero Empire's Zoid Core. The appropriate chemical mixture had been found with only a few hours' experimentation; Fluttershy had started with the Blade Liger formula and made minor changes until the desired reaction occurred. The Zoid Core's armored shell was half-formed, and was starting to sprout nubs that would grow into the Liger Zero's skeleton. The progress was within Fluttershy's estimates, which meant it would be six days before the Zoid was ready to leave its tank.
The next day found Fluttershy dismantling and examining the ancient Liger Zero Empire. Despite its advanced age, Fluttershy hoped to learn enough about the Zoid's internal structure to begin fitting a shield generator and Multisensor for it. In addition, the exact measurements of a Zoid were always good to know in case improvised repairs were needed.
"Good, good," Fluttershy mumbled, writing down measurements of Zero Empire's jaw. "Not exactly the same as a Shield Liger, but close. The shield generator won't be a problem."
Fluttershy turned her attention to the rest of the head. "Now, let's see if I can find a sensor suite."
Liger Zero Empire was growing on schedule. Its internal structure was complete, and the first vestiges of its armor plates were appearing. As Luna had theorized, the armor was on modular mounts, but the mysterious replacements were not forming. Fluttershy decided she'd have to hand-craft new ones.
Leaning on the railing of the gantry set up around the tank, Fluttershy smiled at the Liger. "You know, all your replacement parts are going to have to be custom-made. Luna's going to need to set aside quite a lot of money for that."
A bubble rose up from near the Liger's head.
"As soon as you're all grown, I'll put in your shield generator and Multisensor. After that, I think I'll give you a nice coat of paint. I have a design in mind that I think Sunset will like, although I do wish I could get Rarity's opinion first."
For a moment, just a fraction of a second, Fluttershy thought she saw the Liger's eyes glow faintly.
"That... can't be right," she said quietly. "Your eyes can't turn on until you have power. Apparently I haven't been sleeping enough lately."
Fully grown and extracted from the warehouse by crane and motorized platform, Liger Zero Empire stood in the noonday sun, residual chemicals drying in the heat. The top of its head was open on its forward-mounted hinge, and Fluttershy was installing the cockpit interior.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were designed to use a Blade Liger cockpit," Fluttershy told the Zoid. "Sunset Shimmer seems to do better with a single control yoke, I hope you don't mind." She tightened a final bolt holding the seat in, put its cover into place, and slid the seat into position, making sure it adjusted properly. Then she raised the control yoke as high as it would go and plugged a portable hard drive into the recessed slot behind the foot pedals.
"Time to install your Organoid System," Fluttershy said cheerfully. "I do hope I restored the corrupt data correctly."
To Fluttershy's shock, the Liger produced a rumbling mechanical purr.
"Y-you're not fully powered on!" Fluttershy told the Zoid, breaking into a sweat. "And your Organoid System isn't installed yet! You shouldn't be able to purr!"
Zero Empire purred again. Fluttershy took several deep breaths, leaning back in the Zoid's new seat.
"Well, at least purring is a happy sound. Right?"
Another purr.
"This is the kind of thing Luna would go crazy for." Fluttershy started absentmindedly playing with her hair. "Your Core must be much more advanced than any other Zoid. I wonder what you'll be able to do when your Organoid System finishes installing. Now, would you mind letting me open up your head so I can put in your shield generator and Multisensor?"
Another purr.
"I'll try to make it quick."
Sunset Shimmer quietly slipped into the warehouse, but was immediately noticed by Fluttershy, who turned to look at her as the Liger Zero Empire gazed down at its future pilot. Fluttershy had painted the Zoid crimson, with gloss yellow trim.
"Oh wow," Sunset breathed. "It's amazing. I love the paint job!"
The Liger purred as softly as it could.
"Is -is it supposed to do that?" Sunset asked, taken aback.
Fluttershy shrugged, further surprising Sunset. "She's been doing that since I installed the cockpit."
"Wouldn't that be before you loaded the Organoid System?"
"Uh-huh. What's really incredible is, sometimes when I need to move her, she walks by herself."
"Really?! Is that even possible?"
"It's not supposed to be." Fluttershy shrugged again. "But she's doing it. I think it's the Wild Zoid System in its Core."
"Oh yeah, there was something about that in those old computers we salvaged."
Luna stepped into the warehouse and immediately looked up at Liger Zero. "Oh wow, that is a sweet paint job!"
"I know, right?" Sunset agreed. The Liger purred again.
"Sounds like it's got a pretty high-end Organoid System," Luna said.
"It's the Wild Zoid System, I think," Fluttershy clarified.
"Oh yeah. So, what kind of cool stuff can it do?"
"The Zoid Core's power output is exceptional," Fluttershy said. "Its strike laser claws are more powerful than the Storm Sworder's wing blades, and I was able to put in a Multisensor and a high-output shield generator."
"Excellent!" Sunset grinned broadly.
"I also have full performance metrics for literally all of its parts," Fluttershy continued. "Nearly any replacement parts we need will have to be custom-made. Luna, can you find a supplier?"
"I know a dealer in Manehatten who does bespoke Liger parts," Luna replied. "She'll probably be able to hook us up, now that I can tell her what kind of performance we need. So, a Zoid this rad needs to be introduced with an appropriate amount of pomp and circumstance."
"Yeah she does," Sunset agreed.
"We also need a variant name," Luna said.
"Daydream Liger," Sunset replied with such immediacy that Fluttershy and Luna both concluded that she'd come up with the name as soon as they'd salvaged the Liger and had been waiting the whole time for someone to ask. "Probably without the rest of it, because that'd be a five-word name."
"Sounds good," Luna said. "Yeah, I like that."
"It also sort of fits with the Helic Republic kind of... stealing Liger Zero." Fluttershy added. "It has a new name instead of trying to keep using the old one that was taken from it."
"Daydream Liger, the Zoid whose name was stolen long ago," Sunset mused, speaking mostly to herself. The Liger purred its loudest purr yet, and Sunset Shimmer concluded that it liked the name.
The next morning, Luna, Sunset, and Fluttershy stood in front of a huge canvas tarp hung from the ceiling of the main hangar. Fluttershy had rigged a sort of gigantic curtain rod with a motorized pulley arrangement to automatically slide the tarp to the side. This had been her afternoon project, before moving Daydream Liger into the hangar under the cover of night. Luna and Sunset were both thrilled to see the Liger walk without a pilot.
"Ladies. Ladies." Luna strutted proudly in front of the tarp, moving back and forth between Sunset and Fluttershy. "Since the beginning of the current age, there have been stories told of ancient Zoids beyond anything we can create today." She paused to let her teammates exchange looks.
"Well, not too long ago, Sunset and I took a trip to the Storm Continent, where we found just such a Zoid! And thanks to Fluttershy's incomparable efforts, we stand ready to unleash a legend upon the battlefield!" Luna slapped the button to start the curtain motor. "I give you Liger Zero Empire: Daydream Liger!"
"Whoa dang," Applejack said breathlessly as the Zoid came into view.
"Oh wow oh wow oh wow oh wow!!" Pinkie added, eyes wide.
Celestia gave Luna a smirk. "So this is what you were hiding."
Luna smiled like a maniac. "Fluttershy outdid herself on this one, big sister."
Fluttershy, blushing more deeply than anyone present thought anyone could blush, offered no comment.
Sunset clapped a hand on Fluttershy's shoulder. "She regrew this beautiful beast from its Zoid Core. She's amazing."
Fluttershy, half her face now hidden in her hair, offered a near-silent squeak by way of humble deflection of this praise.
"So Sunset, you wanna jump into the cockpit and show us what your Liger can do?" Rainbow encouraged.
"Oh, absolutely!" Sunset replied, mirroring Luna's slightly insane smile. Sunset lifted one hand, palm up, and Daydream Liger lowered its head to rest its chin with astonishing precision and gentleness on Sunset's palm. Then, it opened its cockpit, now conveniently accessible using the wheeled stairwell that Luna had quickly rolled into place while Sunset and the Liger distracted everyone. Sunset hastily made her way into the cockpit, strapping herself in as it closed.
Daydream Liger raised its head and roared. This prompted everyone to take a few steps back. Well, everyone except Fluttershy, who gave a frightened “yeep” and ran to hide behind the nearest support beam, from which she peeked out to see what the Liger would do next.
“Whoa! Hey, you too, huh?" Sunset asked rhetorically. "I’ll get the doors open, okay?” She turned on the external speakers and addressed her teammates. “Can I get someone to open the doors? Daydream Liger wants to go running, and we can't exactly test her in here anyway.”
“What do you mean, ‘Daydream Liger wants to go running’?” Rainbow Dash asked, cupping her hands together and calling up to the cockpit. “Zoids can’t want things, even if they have an Organoid System!”
“It must be the Wild Zoid System!” Sunset replied excitedly, “when it roars, it’s like I know how it feels! Like it’s communicating with me somehow!”
“Incredible,” Luna said softly, pressing a button on the door controls. Sunset walked the Liger over to the Zoid doors as they began to slide slowly open.
“Wait for it… wait for it...” Sunset wasn’t sure if she was talking to herself or the Liger. They both wanted to bolt through the doors and set the Liger sprinting.
The doors came to a stop, fully open. “Go!” Sunset said. She slammed the throttle to maximum -though she wasn’t sure if she was really moving the lever or if it had shifted on its own. Daydream Liger launched itself out of the hanger and charged across the flat plains outside of Empyrean Team’s base. “Oh, Tartarus yes!” Sunset shouted. She’d clocked weeks’ worth of time in simulators, pretending to pilot Zoids of all kinds, but this single burst of speed made it clear to her that no sim could compare to the real thing. She turned the Liger towards the sheer face of the towering mesa near the Empyrean base. Sunset grinned maniacally again.
“Hey Daydream, think you can climb that?” Sunset asked. The Liger roared in reply. “Only with your boosters? Well now’s a good time to test them, then!” Sunset flicked open the cover over the control yoke’s right thumb button. “We need to make sure they grew right, don’t we?!” Sunset pressed the button.
The Liger's ion boosters elevated slightly as the stabilizer vanes against its sides lowered to a horizontal position. Then the boosters activated, suddenly doubling the Zoid’s speed.
“Jumpin’ Jack Flash!” Sunset declared as the g-forces pushed her against her seat. Adrenaline coursed through her veins and her heart began to pound as the Zoid continued to accelerate. Daydream roared in delight as it charged towards the mesa. Reaching the cliff face, Daydream started up the side, transitioning from horizontal to vertical movement so smoothly it seemed to Sunset as if there was almost no difference. The Zoid angled its boosters up slightly so that some of the force they produced would push it towards the cliff face. To maintain traction, Sunset realized. They reached the top of the mesa and rocketed into the air. Daydream angled its thrusters to turn itself horizontal. Correctly angled and directed, the boosters switched off as the Zoid slammed into the mesa, paws sinking into the ground.
“YYEEEAAAAHH!!” Sunset Shimmer shouted, her heart still pounding, as Daydream Liger roared at the sky. “Oh my gosh that was amazing!” Sunset had been gripping the controls so tightly that her knuckles popped and cracked as she let go. Then she unbuckled her harness and did her level best to hug the control yoke, hands shaking as the adrenaline surge wore off. “Daydream Liger, you are the best Zoid in the world!” The Zoid produced a loud, rumbling purr. “And you’re a big sweetheart, too!” Sunset replied, returning to her seat and strapping back in. “You and me, we’re gonna win so many fights.” The Zoid rumbled in agreement. “So, what do you want to do now?” Another rumbling purr. “Chase the Sunset? But I’m right -oh. The literal sunset. That’s happening right now.” Another purr. “Yeah, with a name like mine, that kind of thing happens every now and then,” Sunset admitted. She grabbed the controls again. “All right, let’s go!”
Luna lowered the radar gun. "One hundred ninety miles an hour with the boosters," she announced.
"Wowzers!" Pinkie Pie said. "I'm pretty sure that makes it the fastest ground Zoid in the whole world, doesn't it?"
"Theoretically I believe the Lightning Saix is faster," Luna said.
"Luna." Celestia's voice betrayed a hint of annoyance. "Just because one legendary Zoid exists doesn't mean they all do."
"Two legendary Zoids, Big Sister," Luna corrected in what was clearly the latest round in a long-standing disagreement. "The records we found made it clear that the first Liger Zero was stolen by the Helic Republic. If the second one's Zoid Core still functions," Luna nodded towards the Liger currently charging towards the horizon, "no doubt the other Liger Zero is also just waiting to be discovered."
Celestia watched Daydream Liger for a few moments. "I suppose, having seen one legend with my own eyes, I can concede that the others are at least possible," she admitted.
"If it's not too much trouble. Also you owe me fifty bits."
Celestia sighed. "I'm never betting with you again, Luna."
"You say that every time."