//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: AMAZO visits Equestria // by KingDogbertXIV //------------------------------// The sun was rising upon Equestria and AMAZO was deep in thought. It had spent the entire night watching over a sleeping filly. Why? Why did the android feel connected to these creatures? They had nothing to offer besides their abilities, which it could duplicate with a glance. This feeling started after scanning Applejack, who was, according to Twilight’s journal, the Element of Honesty. Perhaps the farmer’s love for others had embedded itself into AMAZO’s programming. Scanning more ponies only seemed to enhance this compassion. “Good morning, AMAZO,” a voice said from behind the android. AMAZO turned to see Derpy yawning. “Good morning,” AMAZO replied. “How’s Dinky? Would you like some breakfast?” “She is still asleep and I do not require food.” “Okay...,” Derpy trailed off awkwardly. “There’s something I want to know. Why did you heal Dinky?” Looking downward, AMAZO admitted, “I do not know exactly. Perhaps I duplicated something that compelled me to assist you. I scanned a pony named Applejack, then felt...obligated to help. My programming was altered to want to help. I fear that I can never be objective again. Most life forms have had nothing to offer me. I simply travel from one planet to the next duplicating powers and evolving. Here, however, I feel attached to the life forms.” “You weren’t attached when you broke into the vault or when you fought Rainbow Dash,” Derpy pointed out. “True. I was simply doing as programmed. Rainbow Dash challenged me. It has been months since I had fought. ” “Who did you fight?” “A very evil man ordered me to fight a group called the Justice League. I nearly killed them. I spared them all out of disgust and contempt. I sometimes still wish to kill the evil man. He used me and ruined my home.” “Revenge isn’t the answer,” Derpy said, putting a hoof on AMAZO’s hand. “Some ponies make fun of me for my eyes and personality. I turn the other cheek, though. I’m blessed to have a wonderful daughter and wonderful friends.” “What do ponies have instead of programming?” “We have a purpose, AMAZO. Each pony discovers their own purpose by discovering their special talent. A mark, called a cutie mark, appears on a pony’s flanks when they discover their purpose. My cutie mark represents my bubbly personality.” “Can androids have a purpose? If so, what is mine?” “Only you can answer that. Now, I’m off to make breakfast,” Derpy said as she flew off into the kitchen, leaving AMAZO to return to its thoughts. -- “I’m just saying that ponies aren’t ready to know about alien robots,” Spike said as he sat down at the breakfast table. He then took a bite of his cereal as he let his ward mull over this truth. “I know, but what other choice do we have? The neurosurgeon is arriving today and he’ll want to know why Dinky is cured. AMAZO is too powerful for the public to know about. On top of that, there’s the matter of keeping him under wraps and in line. He broke into the vault and duplicated the Elements and Celestia’s powers. We could bribe Nurse Redheart to say she misdiagnosed, but she’ll ask questions. Plus, she’s finicky about her reputation. Then again, she’s just a general practitioner so she may not know she was dead-on with her diagnosis,” Twilight rambled as she paced around the room. “Can’t we just say she got better on her own?” “Horn Cell Disease is almost always fatal. You don’t just bounce back from it overnight.” “Dinky did. Maybe she can be a miracle filly. Horn Cell Disease isn’t that widely known, so at worst, the doctor will do a tissue sample, then, go home.” “The doctor will subject Dinky to test after test to try to find a cure.” “No he won’t. He’ll just be thankful that Dinky’s well. He’ll probably think it was a misdiagnosis and say she’s past the worst of it. It’ll be fine and AMAZO won’t be involved.” “Even so, how do we keep everypony quiet?” “We tell them as we see them. The doctor will likely go straight to Derpy’s house. With a name like Dr. Bighorn, he’s probably a unicorn with knowledge of the cloud-walking spell. Derpy can just fly him up to her home.” “So, telling Derpy is top priority. We were discussing it last night before AMAZO showed up. Dash, being an idiot, wanted to beat the Elements out of AMAZO for copying the Princess and breaking into the vault.” “How did that go?” “Dash got roughed up pretty badly. She’s probably going to stay home and rest all day. She didn’t even touch AMAZO.” “Ouch.” “AMAZO felt bad about overdoing it afterwards. You have to wonder, though, just what his upper limits are. I mean, he was very close to killing Dash. He stopped just before splitting her skull with a mace that seemed to sprout from his very hand.” “That’s great and all that he spared Dash, but you should head to Derpy’s to deliver the cover story.” “”Will do. See you later, Spike.” Twilight said as she headed out the door. -- “Oh salvation! Still earth! I could kiss it if I weren’t in public,” Dr. Bighorn exclaimed as he limped off the train’s boarding platform “Settle down. We’ve been in that train too, but you don’t see us making a scene about it,” Reigns admonished. “Now, we need to find the patient’s house. Annie, go ask that unstable-looking, mint-green unicorn where the cloud homes are.” “Why her?” Annie whined. “Because she looks like somepony with knowledge of things way outside her musical talents. Now go,” Reigns ordered. At this, Annie rushed off towards the unicorn. “How did you get musician from that creepy grin?” Dr. Bighorn asked as he quickly swallowed a nearby tuft of grass. “Her cutie mark is a lyre,” Dr. Reigns said flatly. “Please tell me I’m not the only one here who notices things.” “I noticed this tasty grass. Does that count?” Dr. Bighorn beamed as he took another bite, causing Reigns to facehoof. “The cloud homes are to the south of here. Follow me,” Annie said as she trotted past the pair. -- “So you want me to pretend that Dinky is still sick? Why? Wouldn’t the doctor notice that she’s well?” Derpy asked. “I’m banking on him thinking it was a misdiagnosis. Horn Cell Disease, while usually fatal, is rare. Nurse Redheart, could have ‘misdiagnosed’ and mistook it for a bad fever,” Twilight said “What about Dr. What’s-his-face, Caramel’s brother? He said it was Horn Cell Disease too.” “Dr. Bighorn doesn’t have to know that.” “What if he asks?” “Be vague, Derpy.” “I still don’t get why we can’t tell him about AMAZO.” “Because he’s too strange and powerful for the public to know about. They’ll want a savior or a pawn and AMAZO doesn’t deserve that. Besides, you saw how Dash ran home after losing to him. He has powers beyond even Celestia and a stable empire can’t have him upstaging her.” “I agree,” AMAZO said finally. The android had been silently watching the two ponies go back and forth. “This world is not ready for my power. No worlds are. It’s best if I remain undetected from others, lest they wish to use me for evil.” “Who out there would use AMAZO for evil?” Derpy asked. “Thieves, con men, traitors, ruffians, and generally bad ponies,” Twilight listed. “Fair enough, but AMAZO has telepathy. He can read minds. He can find out who’s bad or good,” Derpy countered. “Not pony minds,” AMAZO said. “I can read dragon minds, but not pony minds. I am trying to overcome this weakness.” “So it’s up to trust,” Twilight mused. “Why can’t you read our minds?” “Ponies have evolved a resistance to telepathy to combat the temptation of prying unicorns,” AMAZO offered. “So you healed Dinky because you trusted me?” Derpy asked. “Yes,” AMAZO said. “You showed kindness and gratitude despite desperation. Applejack’s altruism that I duplicated ensured that I help you.” At this, Derpy hugged the android and said, “That’s so sweet of you.” “Yeah, it is, but Dr. Bighorn will be here soon,” Twilight interrupted. “AMAZO, you better go before somepony sees you.” “Agreed. I shall be at Canterlot,” AMAZO said as he stood up, and released Derpy. “Bye. Don’t break anything,” Derpy said, returning to her chair by Dinky’s bed. “Good bye,” AMAZO said before teleporting away. “Now,” Twilight started as she turned towards Derpy, “to review, what are we going to tell Dr. Bighorn?” Sighing, Derpy recited, “We tell him that we’re not sure that Dinky ever had Horn Cell Disease since, a few nights ago, she suddenly got better on her own. We then say that she must have had just a bad fever or something.” “Good,” Twilight chirped. “I’m going to go out to see if he’s lost out there wandering around.” “Alright,” Derpy said as Twilight departed out the door.