//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: The Pilots of the Storm Dancer // by Green-Venom //------------------------------// *Stomp!* *Stomp!* *Stomp!* The Crusaders looked out of the robot‘s bridge window, the one which looked like a visor from the outside. Heavy silence was hanging in the air, none of the Crusaders feeling like being the first to speak up. Apple Bloom’s sunglasses were lying towards the side, revealing her glowing eyes for everyone present to see. “Soo…“ Scootaloo finally broke the silence, sighting. “This was quite the conservation, wasn’t it? Might as well get the questions out of the way?“ Apple Bloom simply nodded, mentioning with her hoof to continue. “Did you attack Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon?“ “I ordered the attack…“ Apple Bloom simply mumbled. “It was an accident. I didn‘t mean for them to get hurt…“ Silence again. “Can we trust I-ris?“ “He hasn’t done anything so far to mark him as distrustful… although to be fair, he hasn’t done anything yet to prove that he is trustworthy. It’s a neutral relationship, but I don’t think he’s evil. He’s always been nice so far.“ “What about the attack on Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon? Wasn’t he technically part of it?“ “He assumed they were hostile and a threat. Since he didn’t have any reference points other than my order to engage, he simply went with it.“ Sweetie Belle decided to finally say something herself. “How are we going to tell the adults?“ The other fillies stared at her. “I mean…“ she mumbled nervously. “Is this really something we should keep a secret? We’re dealing with a giant alien machine…“ “I do not wish for my existence to be made public.“ I-ris spoke up, even if only Apple Bloom could hear him. Relaying those words to the others, Scootaloo frowned. “Why? Is there something you’re trying to hide?“ “Yes, myself.“ Apple Bloom chuckled. “What’s so funny?“ BOUM! I-ris‘s head whirled around so fast, that the Crusaders inside stumbled. BOUM! BOUM! RED ALERT! I-ris‘s voice suddenly boomed inside her head, sending ripples of pain through it. ORBITAL THREAT DETECTED! GET READY FOR A POTENTIAL COMBAT SCENARIO! “What is going on!?“ Sweetie Bell screamed in panic, covering down in fear. “It’s coming from outside!“ Scootaloo responded, running to the bridge window to look outside. The other Crusaders quickly joined her side. Outside the world was ending. The sky had turned red and seemed to be burning. Rocks the size of entire castles were falling from the sky around them, sending debris and fire into the sky like erupting volcanoes upon impact. I-ris decided then and there that it was time to move. Cables descended from the ceiling, quickly winding themselves around the Crusaders, holding them securely in place as they formed into some form of makeshift harness. With his passengers secured the robot started running. The stomping from earlier turned into thundering as I-ris leaped away from the scene, further than any being of its weight should be able to, the falling rocks from the sky impacting around them, as he dashed left and right in an effort to not get hit. As they continued to flee, Apple Bloom felt a soft thug at the back of her mind. Looking down, she realized that she was once again above the circular panel she had woken up on the first time she had been inside the robot, and the panel was glowing, slowly but surely becoming brighter, and more intense, as the tugging at the back of her mind became unbearable. Then, she felt it. Almost like a second pair of eyes had opened, she could feel the robot around her. Countless components she couldn’t even hope to comprehend moving in synchrony all around her to achieve the movements of the iron colossus they were in. She could feel the debris that was flying around them, many almost three times her size, yet harmlessly bouncing off the robot‘s thick iron plates. Pilot integration == true > set manual control = true Harmonizing systems… Control will be transfered in 3… 2… 1… The robot suddenly stumbled at the unexpected change of pilot, ungracefully faceplanting into the ground, and coming to a slithering halt, tearing long trenches into the ground below. “I appreciate your enthusiasm, but this isn’t the moment to take manual control…“ I-ris commented in an annoyed tone. “You have 0 training and we’re in a dangerous scenario…“ Apple Bloom merely managed to groan, as she stood up. The robot also got to its hoves in perfect synchrony. “Wait a moment!“ Scootaloo suddenly exclaimed, being the first to notice. “You can control this thing?“ Slowly lifting her hoof, and waving it in front of her face, Apple Bloom watched in awe, how the robot copied her movements. “I think so…“ BOUM! The robot stumbled back, as one of the meteors hit the ground a few meters in front of them. A meteor that moved. Taking an additional step back, the Crusaders watched in horror, how the supposed meteor stood up, revealing that it was actually a giant creature, almost as tall as the robot itself. It was shaped like a wolf but had a scorpion tail, and instead of fur was made out of black, rock-like material. Green veins grew through its skin, pulsing softly. As it got onto its legs, it spotted them, snarling dangerously as it faced the robot. “You also know how to fight in this thing…“ Scootaloo asked, nervously looking at the beast in front of them. “…right?“ “Either way I suggest you learn quickly.“ I-ris replied calmly, staring down the other giant, meteors raining down around them, many of them revealing to be more of these giant creatures. “Cause I can say with a 97% guarantee that this is the easy part…“