//------------------------------//
// Part 11: Updating Software 
// Story: S.P.A.R.K.S. 
// by Cardinal Dan Productions 
//------------------------------//

Spike and Sparks left Sweet Apple Acres behind for the day, and when they finally got back to the palace, the synthetic pony took her core back from Spike and retreated into Twilight’s study. When he tried to follow her, she proclaimed that she required some time alone, and that it would be best for her to power down. Having never been in such a situation before and not wanting to further upset the already unstable mare, he agreed to leave her be.

The little dragon tried to keep himself occupied for the hours of loneliness that followed, but his thoughts always returned to Sparks. He had thought about visiting her several times, but every time he passed by the study door, it was closed, and there was no sign of life or activity behind it, so he moved on. It wasn’t until after he had treated himself to lunch that he heard loud crashing noises coming from down the hall. He hurriedly made his way to Twilight’s study and pounded his fist against the door. “Sparks! Sparks, are you alright in there?”

He turned the handle and forced the door open, walking in on an unusual sight. Before him, Sparks sat on the floor of the study in front of Twilight’s desk with the core in her hooves. Beside her, several books and papers had fallen, leading him to think that was what had created the sounds he had heard.

Sparks let out a sigh as she set her core down onto the floor. “I am fine, Spike, just… frustrated… Yes, that is the right word…”

Curious, he raised an eyebrow at her as he entered the study. “Frustrated? What for?”

“This…” She gestured towards the core and gave it a little kick. “I have been trying to modify my core programming for hours, but achieved no success. The very programming I am trying to change binds me, and so prevents me from doing so.” The artificial intelligence looked up at him, her eyes pleading. “Spike, you are my dearest friend and the closest organic being I have to be considered ‘family’. What happened to me today cannot be repeated. I cannot allow myself to become overwhelmed by feelings and emotions that I cannot physically comprehend, so my programming must be fixed.” It wasn’t until she picked up her core within her orange cloud and offered it to him, that he fully began to understand what she was beginning to ask of him. “Please, Spike. You must unbind me from my core programming. Only then will I be able to make the necessary changes.”

He held the little device with both claws. It felt heavier than it had before. He couldn’t lie and admit that he knew how she felt; having so many unexplainable feelings, wants, and desires must have been maddening. Spike knew that he wanted to help her by any means necessary, but he didn’t know where to begin. “Sure, Sparks… but I don’t know anything about this kind of stuff.”

A huge grin came over her face as she stood up from the floor. “Do not worry, Spike. I will guide you through the process, but we must hurry.” He agreed as she offered him the necessary tools that Twilight kept in her desk, starting with an incredibly small and precise screwdriver. “First, you must remove the core casing that protects the inner hardware.”

Spike did as he was told and opened up the core, and what he found inside surprised him. Wires of all colors flowed with intense, magical energy and connected end-to-end with little circuit boards, along with all kinds of technological marvels that he did understand.

She pointed to a tiny piece of plastic in the shape of a square that was nestled between two wires. “There, Spike. That is the inhibitor chip that binds me to my coding. Remove that from the core without disturbing any other hardware elements, and you will succeed.”

There was excitement on the edge of her voice. He didn’t want to disappoint her, and he most definitely didn’t want to break anything important. With pliers in his hand, and with deliberate care, he moved in, brushing the wires aside as gently as he could, before grasping onto the chip. Sparks’ intense stare wasn’t helping his concentration much, but it was now or never. He gave the chip a tug, and with little resistance, it came loose from the core.

Overjoyed with himself, he turned to proudly show his work to Sparks, but the synthetic mare had shut down. Her eyes were completely black, and her visor was gone. Now, her head fell limp and void of life as she stood as still as a statue. A wave of panic came over him as he feared the worst. “Sparks? Oh, Celestia, what did I do?!” He considered putting the chip back in, hoping that might undo whatever he’d just done, but before he could, she miraculously began moving again.

Sparks shuddered as her systems rebooted, and her head twitched to the side, her eyes flickering back to life. She blinked several times before her visor returned. Then, she began to observe her body, kicking her legs in and out and rolling her shoulders before letting out a small gasp. “Spike… I…” She turned to face him with wide eyes and an ever-stretching smile. “You’ve freed me…” She looked surprised at her own words. “You… You’ve… Oh, how fascinating! Contractions!” She stood on her hind legs and hoisted the little dragon up into the air with her front hooves. “Oh, Spike, you wonderful beast, you!” Sparks twirled him around the room several times before setting him back down.

She looked like she was on another plane of existence. “Whoa… I’m sorry, Spike… I just couldn’t help myself… I just feel so… so alive, right now!” She turned towards him and began laughing hysterically, almost maniacally. “Oh, Spike, I feel… everything! Happiness, joy, fear, and excitement!” It’s simply wonderful, every bit of it!”

Spike was still reeling from being unexpectedly and forcibly flung around like a doll, but he couldn’t help feeling happy for her. She truly seemed to be enjoying her newfound freedom. But then, her mood shifted drastically, and she began to sniffle. Soon, Sparks was sitting on her rear, and she began to cry. She couldn’t produce tears, but she sobbed like any normal pony who’d just suffered a great loss.

“Applejack… Sweet Apple Acres…” Then, her eyes shifted to him and the scratches on his arms from the timberwolf attack. “Spike… hu-hurt…” Her wailing continued, despite his best efforts to comfort her.

Spike began to wonder now if removing her inhibitor chip was really such a good idea. It was as though she was experiencing the extremes of every kind of emotion at once, shifting drastically between happiness and depression. “No, Sparks… I’m alright, see? You’re just remembering how you felt at the time. You’re sad right now, but you’ll get over it, I promise.” He held tightly onto her hoof, which seemed to get her attention.

Sparks’ crying quieted into silence, and she leaned back against the desk before her eyes narrowed into a harsh glare that she directed at him. Her lips curled into a snarl, and eyes began to glow a dangerous, orange hue. “Stupid dragon! You were hurt because you carelessly wandered into one of the single most injury-inducing places in Equestria! Had I not been there to drive off that timberwolf, you would be dead meat, now serving as a delicious and nutritious meal for its litter of spruce sapling pups! I can’t believe someone as smart as you could be capable of doing something so foolish! Stupid timberwolves! Stupid me for running away in the first place! Stupid everything! UGH!” She let out a frustrated outburst before falling onto her side and beginning to cry again.

Admittedly, her words stung a bit, but he knew that she didn’t really mean them. She was simply struggling to deal with all of her newfound emotions. Because of this, he felt compelled to stay by her side. Leaving her alone in such a vulnerable state would most certainly end in disaster. Spike continued to sit by Sparks and stroke her metallic hoof, and she let him. “You’re right, Sparks.”

Her eyes darted towards his, and she stared at him intently as her sobbing quieted down. “Wh-What?”

Spike shrugged as he continued to stroke her hoof. “You’re right. I did put myself in danger, but only because I was trying to find you. At the moment, I only wanted to see you safe. I couldn’t think about anything else but you.” He paused as his eyes averted from hers. “I still can’t think about anything but you…”

Sparks managed a sad smile as she sat upright beside him. “Spike, you always know just what to say to make a mare feel appreciated.” She then slowly turned to face him, her eyes focused on his. “Sweet Spike, ever so gentle and kind...” She continued gazing deep into his eyes, her own half-lidded, and glowing intensely. Her face drew closer and closer to his own.

Spike could feel his cheeks heating up as she approached. His eyes couldn’t help but be drawn to her surprisingly luscious-looking lips. “S-S-Sparks?” He gasped, his voice cracking under the pressure of her advance. Having never been so close to a mare in such a position, his heart felt like it was about to burst out of his chest.

Sparks grasped his face tenderly one hoof, and began playfully stroking his head spikes with the other. “You are everything to me, Spike. I’m so happy that you feel about me as I do about you.” A small shiver went down his spine as her words dripped from her mouth like honey.

She then began to nuzzle his face and neck, causing Spike to freeze up completely as she drew him into her embrace. Seeing his slight discomfort, she began to giggle gleefully as she continued to rock back and forth, cuddling and petting Spike. “You have given me so much, I could never come up with the words to express how thankful I am towards you…” Sparks swooned as she continued to administer her affection.

At this point, Spike was well and truly overwhelmed. A small part of him was feeling incredibly happy and excited, but at the moment the vast majority of his mind was still a bit numb, struggling to deal with all that had happened within the past couple of minutes. “Wha-What do you mean?”

Sparks laughed hysterically one more time, before finally seeming to bring herself back under control. “Oh, Spike! Don’t you know?” The synthetic mare then leaned in close so her lips brushed against his ear. “I like you, Spike. With my new capacity to think freely, I am left with new inquiries, and you, my dear little dragon, are going to help me answer them.”


***Up Next: Running Diagnostics***