Celestia is trotting down the hall at an increased pace. It's been a quite a while since she last went to see Anneto for lunch. She figures that he wouldn't mind accompanying her to the dining hall but when she arrived at his room, he wasn't there. When the Princess went to see if he might already be in the kitchen with no such luck. Her next step was to ask if any of the castle staff had seen him. Again, nothing. Nopony has seen him or heard from him since. So her worry got the best of her as questions and what if run through her head.
Would he leave them?
Would he leave her?
What about Weylan? He still needed to catch them afterall.
He didn't say goodbye...
All sorts of thoughts run through her head as she closes in her destination. She has to shake these thoughts before she gets to the door. A feat easier said then done when she finally arrives at said door. Without so much as a single ounce of hesitation she bursts right into the dimly lit room. A device sits at the far end, not even active. The unmoving mass of metal not too far from it, but no other signs of life in the chamber. Strange that the wall scones are lit already. Celestia takes a few steady steps in before hearing a clang of metal and something come flying over the wreck that is Ox.
"There ya are ya pesky lil.." The rest gets garbled as the familiar voice speaks in a different dialect.
"Anneto?" The alicorn calls out.
She watches as a little green head pops up from behind Ox, even though his eyes are hiding behind a pair of goggles, his eyes fall upon her. The goblin quickly scrambles over the mountain of steel. She sees that his clothes are stained with dark splotches, thick gloves adorn his hands, and wrench held on one of them. He didn't leave after all, instead he was here. Working. She does feel a little silly about worrying now.
"Celestia!" He calls out with possibly the biggest smile she's seen on him. "So glad you're here! There's something I want to show you." He fall on her quick as silver, wrapping his arms around her neck as he gives her a hug.
There might be some gunk on her coat now, but Celestia doesn't care. She only watches him as he approaches the device next to Ox and flips something on it. The machine thrums to life and the low hum energy reaches her as a portal forms at it's core. All her worries and doubt come to a sudden halt as she watches the display before her. Somehow, someway, this goblin did what she might as well told him was impossible. Yet, here he is, with the biggest grin ever as he just stares at her with glee.
"Anneto... how did you..."
"Accomplish this?" He chuckles as he walks back to her. "That jar of lightning is magic untamed. Neither Equestrian controlled or mine."
"A magic that isn't here or there..." Celestia finishes.
"Bingo." A clap fills the room from his gloved hands. "Figured it out after our little lunch meet. Went through and got my tools."
"I thought..."
"That's I just up n' leave you? Not without a proper goodbye." He starts heading back over to Ox after powering the gate down. "We also have a rogue caster running around the Everfree to catch too... sooo... work's kinda cut out for us."
Her eyes go a bit wide at his words. "We? What do you mean we?"
Anneto stops. "How long do you think it will be until Weylan grows tired of waiting in that forest? If I know him, he will grow impatient of waiting and force us to come to him by any means."
"Why would you believe such a thing?" She asks as he goes back to work on Ox.
"That's what e lives for." She can feel his smile despite him not facing her. "To have all eyes on him. You might want to get the girls here as soon as possible."
"I'll... see what I can do... Is there any way I can help you?"
"Just wait til I get Ox running. We're going to have a wonderous fight."
Ox is a marvel of technology. Celestia is amazed at it as she watches it with daily tasks and just how careful it concerning anything delicate. It's hard to believe that such a passion project this large can be so dexterous. The machine is far bigger than any minotaur, each step a testament to its weight as it shakes the very ground beneath it. Yet there's an almost invisible connection between it and Anneto, like they are communicating on a whole other level than would be perceptible to anypony on the outside. Somehow she could sense it. It's in the way they moved together, how closely the goblin would pay mind to damages that still remained, even tuning up whatever powered Ox to such a degree. Strangely enough the repairs only took him a few days, claiming that most of the damage was minor.
Right now, Ox is busy entertaining Twilight Sparkle while she examines it. Anneto stands next to Celestia while the rest of the Elements are looking at the steamjack with amazement. It kind of reminds him of children when they see a cool toy. It brings a smile to his face in a pride he wasn't aware he could feel. Ox is being rather gentle, all things considered, just letting the odd purple pony prod at it with nary a care in the world. The warm orange eyes just watching her. A cream colored wing brushes across Anneto's back, causing him to look up at Celestia, being greeted with a smile.
"I think she's excited."
He scoffs as a joke. "Wouldn't you around some new tech?"
"Well... no." She answers "Yours I do trust however."
He slowly nods, smile staying as he gazes back towards Ox. Overhearing a bit of the comments.
"I do say, this thing may look brutish but it's so gentle." A refined tone says as a pristine white hoof gets wrapped in a steel-clad hand.
"I bet this thing could take on at least a dozen Timber Wolves! OR maybe a dragon!" A rather tomboyish voice calls out from the rainbow maned pony on one of its shoulders.
There is one Element missing, that timid yellow pony isn't anywhere to be seen. Careful eyes scan the room for her only to see a pink tail poking out from behind a pillar, keeping distance away from the supposed metal monster. His eyes soon meet Ox's and a silent command is given. Its head moves along with the entire body, moving to the far side of the room despite the protests of the handful of ponies admiring it. Thudding of metal feet fade out, the large mass of steel and rivets disappearing beyond the door.
"Anneto!" Twilight calls out as she starts to approach him.
"Hey now, I'm not ready for another round of one hundred questions just yet." He feigns fear while throwing his hands up near his face.
She just rolls her eyes, but with a smile. "I'm not going to question you, I just want to compliment your handiwork on such a technological marvel."
"The concept isn't mine..." Anneto remarks as he looks to the door. "... but I did build it from the ground up."
"Well, you did a wonderful job on Ox" Celestia chimes in.
"Ox huh? Couldn't have named it something cooler?"
"Rainbow!" Twilight chastises.
He smirks, a little too on the nose with her name. "What would you have named it?"
"I dunno." Rainbow shrugs. "Turbo or Tank maybe."
"Want to know why I call it Ox?" Anneto asks, almost everyone present nodding. "I named it Ox because it charges in to protect me when I'm in trouble."
"Kinda like yer own guard dog, huh?" The orange one asks.
"If said dog was eight feet high, weighed about 12 tons, and stood on two legs? Then yes."
Before any more questions about Ox could continue, Celetia cuts in. "How about we discuss Ox over some lunch, hm? I'm sure you girls are all hungry after travelling for so long."
Anneto answered any questions Twilight has about Ox while the rest of her friends are discussing amongst themselves and the Princess. Explaining to the curious, and rather excited purple mare, about how his faithful companion operated on the very same technology he used for the plans he'd been sharing with her. Telling the bookish pony that his 'boiler' is a custom built power source specific to only Ox, something rare that is almost irreplaceable if given the right circumstances. Twilight is soaking all this in while eating, making sure to memorize all of it the best she can.
"How many adjustments?"
"At the very least, eighteen before Ox just woke right up. Became his nickname too."
"Does he really answer to that?"
"Only if it's me."
As lunch goes on, Anneto continues to explain to Twilight what Ox is, the nature of steamjacks, and their inner workings. When the inevitable question of how it processed comes up, he tells her about cortexes of steamjacks and how they act like minds in a way akin to a simple intelligence. The goblin does go on to tell her that Ox has a special type of cortex that allows it to process and perceive commands at a higher speed, but doesn't tell her how he can give it silent commands without speaking. He figures that she'd like to experience that little party trick of his some other time. The sound of a utensil clanging against glass catches all of their attentions.
Celestia clears her throat as she looks around the table. "As all of you are aware, I have called you all here for a matter that could very well put my little ponies in danger, including yourselves."
"I'm sure we can handle whatever it is." Rainbow seems to boast.
"As true as that may be, I believe our new friend here may know more about this threat than we currently do." She says, using a hoof to gesture towards their little green guest.
All eyes fall on Anneto as he straightens up a bit in his chair. "Ahem... right..."
He feels a hoof poke him from underneath the table, Celestia's to be exact, just to relieve some of his sudden tension.
"I'm sure you've heard the rumors about something prowling around the Everfree." All heads nod except for Celestia's.
"Yeah, and we saw that crazy cool lightshow above the Everfree! Then we met you!" Pink exclaims. "Then you brought us to Canterlot in another crazy cool lightshow!"
"Well... I can confirm that they are true. There is something or rather someone... is out there. I wouldn't underestimate them under any circumstances. They are cunning and they wield magic you've never seen before."
"I don't know if you've seen the two unicorns among us, darling. I think we'll manage."
"This is magic from Anneto's world." Celestia chimes in. "Our magic doesn't quite affect him outside of physically moving him."
"I am working on that, however." Anneto comments. "Might have a bit of a breakthrough on that front soon. All I ask is that when you girls return to Ponyville, be careful, be alert. You find anything, please let us know.... or Celestia so she can tell me."
The six look at him for a moment, Twilight nodding her head. "Of course we will, Thank you for lunch, Princess Celestia."
After the Elements leave the dining room, Celestia drapes a wing over Anneto's shoulders. "I think Twilight is making a friends with you."
"She's bright for her age. Remarkable knowledge of magic. Could make her a technical whiz yet." He responds with.
"What is it you call it? An... artefiser?"
"Artificer, yes." He chuckle when he looks up to her. "She should worry about her friends more than tinkering like this old soul."
"Well that old soul does have a kindred spirit in this Princess."
Weeks follow in the wake of the encounter and true to Anneto's predictions, random attacks start to happen around Ponyville any letters from the guards cited the attacks happening late at night by an unknown creature. Thankfully no critical injuries but it was starting to draw attention to the small town, more than what is warranted. The most detailed of these letter were the ones coming from Twilight herself. All information gathered not only from her, but her friends also. Those letters were brought directly to Anneto for him to read over once Celestia was done.
Anneto has been rather busy with setting up a plan of attack. Ox has been helping in any way it possibly could, which was doing a lot of heavy lifting while its little green marshal teleported them both back and forth from the castle grounds to somewhere else. The Princesses never knowing when he's actually around during this time leaves much but whenever he is, the goblin is very excited. About what is something they don't know.
As of now, it's a little late in the evening and both sisters are making their way to the chamber where Anneto currently awaits their arrival. The two reach the old wood door that separates the room from the hall and what they hear is much less than stellar to be fair. Their friend is angrily muttering to himself or Ox, they aren't sure but they decide to not keep him waiting any longer. Celestia encases the door in her magic and opens the door. As soon as that latch gives way, the muttering stops and the two are met with a rather warm smile from Anneto. A rather confusing moment, but he does seem genuinely excited.
"Celestia. Luna. I'm so happy you could make it." He cheerfully tells them.
"So we heard." Luna replies while stepping further into the room with her sister. "You said it was important."
"Which has our interest." Celestia continues as they now reach the goblin. "What is it you want to tell us?"
"I have a plan." Anneto simply states, waving a hand in a signal for them to follow him. "I've been talking with Twilight and her friends about it and I no believe we have something that can work in trapping Weylan."
Celestia and Luna both look at eachother for a moment as they're brought over to a work table. On its surface is a detailed map of the area where they first encountered the caster, a bit surprising really. What they do notice are symbols dotted around the map in a pattern.
He continues. "You see here is the meadow where we found Ox, turns out it wasn't far from where I first appeared. So Twilight and I came up with a plan to contain Weylan with a trap and bait. The bait? The first gate I built. It's highly unstable but I turned it into a bomb... of sorts."
Celestia stops him with a wing to his shoulder. "What kind of bomb?"
"Controlled explosion, small, non lethal. Should disorientate our little renegade."
Luna let out a small snort at the comment.
"So Twilight and I came up with a pincer strike, each of her friends are going to hide in the treeline. They're going to use the Elements of Harmony to hold Weylan in place while disorientated where, hopefully, we can incapacitate him further. From there we can figure out what to do with him from there." Anneto finishes. "And everything is set up already."
That last comment took them both by surprise, their heads recoiling a little bit in sheer surprise alone. The gate behind them powers up, the portal opening right up. They all turn to see who it is, watching Ox step on through and looking at the three. Sure it had to duck just to fit through the portal, yet the Princesses could feel its gaze easing up a little. It seems the night won't quite be an easy one just yet, there is a fugitive to catch if Anneto's plan goes over well.