//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Abandoned (Re-written) // Story: World's Greatest Daughter // by JXWheeler //------------------------------// “My Little Pony! I use to wonder what friendship could be... ” The familiar tune drifted from the surround speakers, wirelessly connected to the high priced Mac desktop resting on the mahogany desk. A rather thin, spidery young man was leaning back in his reclined office chair and had both eyes focused on the brightly colored ponies running across the computer screen. One small white filly was onscreen shouting at her big sister, someone named Rarity. As the show continued the young man grew more and more engrossed in his favorite episode of the strangely hit T.V. series, My Little Pony. He had watched this episode more times then one could imagine. After his girlfriend abandoned him for his new interests, all the man could do to cope was watch these colorful ponies day after day. He stared down at the hastily drawn name tag pinned to his chest. His own name had become an unused word around his house. Some mornings he couldn't help but repeat it out loud, “Leon, Leon, Leon...” Over and over his name replayed in his head before the two arguing ponies on the screen snapped him back to reality. He looked at the screen as he used his index finger to push up his small rectangular glasses back onto the bridge of his nose. "Sweetie Belle... so full of knowledge yet is never given the proper time of day..." He sighed as the episode ended and the credits rolled on the screen. "At least she has friends..." Leon leaned back in his chair as he closed his eyes to remember the fun he had with his two, now former, best friends. ~6 months ago~ "Come on Leon let's go out drinking tonight!" A scruffy looking guy stood in the doorway of Leon's house as he crossed his arms. The skinny-bodied goatee sporting guy slung one arm across Leon's shoulder as he chuckled. "Yeah! Let's get wasted Leonardo!" "Okay guys, let me just get my jacket and-" Leon was interrupted by the skinny guy tugging on his shoulder. "Forget your jacket! Let's party!" "Okay fine George have it your way." He threw his arms up defensively as he walked over to the door. George was chuckling as he followed until he too met up with the burly man. "Come on Mark, show me to that new spot you kept speaking so highly of." The burly guy named Mark slammed a fist into his hand with a grin. "You are going to love it, the babes there are hot!" "But I have a girlfriend already." Leon retorted. "Nothing wrong with a little eye candy!" George remarked. Leon chuckled lightly while face-palming himself. "You guys will be the death of me..." ~Present Day~ The sound of a teakettle getting too hot jostled Leon out of his trance. "Ah, the tea is done." He got up out of his chair and walked over to the kitchen as he reached over for an oven mitt. Once his hand was gloved he took the kettle off the stove and poured it into a cup. He then put it back on the stove and dropped a tea bag into the hot water. He leaned over the cup and took a deep whiff of the pleasant aroma wafting out of it. The smell of the cup of tea took him back down memory lane as he remembered when he still had a girlfriend. ~3 months ago~ Mary could be seen slowly walking down into Leon's lab, holding a platter with a pot of tea and a cup on it. Looking down at the teapot, she let out a sad sigh. It was going to be the last pot she made for her boyfriend. Upon seeing Leon, she gently tapped on the door frame to get his attention. "Leon, sweetie? I made you tea." She said, offering the platter out for him. Leon had been once again sulking in his lab, like he usually would whenever he thought no one was looking. Upon hearing Mary's voice though, he put on a smile and turned to greet her, only for the smile to turn into concern upon seeing her frown. Gently taking the platter from her hand, he placed it upon the desk and turned to face her. "Mary, what's wrong? You're frowning." Mary motioned for him to sit after letting out another sigh. She then began to speak. "Leon, we need to talk." She began while taking a seat of her own across from him. Leon nodded his head as he sat down, pouring himself a cup of tea before pouring one for her as well. "What is it my dear?" Mary looked away for a bit before looking back to him. "The truth is, I can't take this anymore Leon." She finally said. Len simply tilted his head in confusion. "Can't take what anymore?" "Your depression Leon! Everyday i'm forced to see you sulking in your lab when you think you are alone. You may have your friends fooled with your fake smiles but not me. You have been acting more and more distant towards me too. Whenever I tried to comfort or console you, I'm always pushed away!" Mary revealed as she started to tear up. Leon's jaw slowly started to open as if wanting to say something, however, no words would come out. "It's too much Leon, why can't you let go of what happened a year ago? Why must it still plague you? I want to understand but I just can't!" Now the tears were flowing freely from her eyes. "I want us to work out, I really do, but I just don't see it anymore. So I'm leaving Leon. I'm sorry..." Mary then stood up, tears still falling down her face. "I tried so hard to help, but it's just too much. If you don't want to accept anyone's help then I am can't be here anymore. Goodbye Leon, I wish you the best of luck." After saying that, she quickly rushed out the lab, her sobbing fading more and more. Leon's jaw was left hanging as he heard all that had been said. He was in shock and didn't know what to say, or what to do. He wanted to run after her, to hold her tightly and say that he will get help, and that he will make an effort to to be more involved with her. However, he just sat there, not moving a single inch. He didn't have the guts to go after her, he doubted she would have accepted his words anyway. Why would she? Everything she had said was true. He didn't believe that he could stop her. So he just stayed there, eventually sobbing into his hands as his tea got cold. ~Present Day~ Leon shook his head quickly to clear himself of that bad memory, he then sighed as he looked at the cup of tea in his hands. "This is almost a little too much to bear..." He took a sip and sat back down on his chair before opening his laptop and hitting replay on the My Little Pony video. "I used to wonder what friendship could be, ever since my friends abandoned me..." He continued to sing his own little tune in place of the intro as tears formed on the edges of his eyes. After the show ended he got up and placed the cup in sink when a commercial on the website caught his attention, it was an android advertising a bottle of vodka. Just like that he got an idea. "I have no friends and no family... so what have I got to lose anyway?" He then rushed out the kitchen and to the staircase of his cellar. ~Leon's Laboratory~ Leon combed his hands along the walls until he finally found the power switch and flicked it on. The quiet humming of machines coming to life was heard throughout the lab as Leon walked over to the work table. "Okay... first I will need to draw a blueprint of what I want to do." He plucked a pencil and ruler from the cup and began making measurements and designs. Quite a few hours passed before the blueprint was done and Leon, quite pleased with the outcome, wiped his brow with a satisfied grin. "This might work after all!" "Commence Operation: Sweetie Belle!" He exclaimed before he walked over to his machines and began work. It took a few hours but he managed to make the wired skeleton. "Hmm... so far it looks good but what material should I use for the body?" He pondered over this for quite some time before snapping his fingers. "Titanium Alloy!" He rushed over to his supply bin of discarded titanium plates and placed them one by one under the laser gun. With a few precise cuts and hours of stressful assembling he managed to assemble a makeshift prototype of the Sweetie Belle android he calls Sweetie Bot. He flicked the on switch but when the android opened it's eyes and began to speak it started to fall to pieces. "Blast! It seems I have to make the skeleton a bit more sturdy, and the plates more light." He sighed as he picked up what was left of the prototype and started working again. He was now back to square one as he started to fix up the wiring of Sweetie Belle's skeleton. Sweat dropped down his eyebrow which he wiped away occasionally. "I will make this work... it just has to, it's my only hope right now!" The desperation in his voice was obvious as he once again managed to reconstruct the skeletal body of the android. "Okay, plate time." He walked over to the titanium plates and once again placed them on the laser pad to carve what didn't need to be there and to add what needed to be improved. The smell of burning metal wafted in the air and made Leon gag a few times, this however didn't deter him from the job at hand. Once the cutting was done he took a deep breath of triumph and collected the pieces to bring them to the table. Once at the table he started to assemble the new version of Sweetie Bot. "My little pony, my little pony, ahhhh..." He started singing the tune to his favorite show happily as he worked on the android. Hours passed and the android still wasn't even half-way done. "Maybe it would be best if I rest and come back tomorrow?" He thought for a few seconds then nodded his head as he walked over to the exit. With a flick of his wrist he snapped off the lights in the lab and walked upstairs. ~Next Day~ Leon woke up in bed with a huge yawn and a happy smile, much different then his usual loud yawn and depressing frown. "Today is the day I shall complete Sweetie Belle!" He chuckled happily as he looked at a picture of Mary next to his bed. "Although... I still wish you were here..." He said with a frown before shaking his head, and getting off the bed. He then put his slippers on and walked downstairs. Leon only had a small breakfast that consisted of cheerios, a bowl, and milk. With great speed he scarfed down the small meal and rushed to his lab. Once the light flicked on he walked over to the table of the semi-finished Sweetie Belle and began working again. Many hours had passed before Leon was done with the android, he looked to the small window near the roof of the lab and chuckled when he saw it was night out. He examined every inch of the completed android wondering why it wouldn't turn on when it suddenly hit him. "Silly me, I forgot her heart." He lightly knocked himself on the head with a fist before walking over to a blast-proof safe. "This should give her enough power to last for a very very long time." He entered the six-digit code and the safe swung open with a click. He reached inside and carefully pulled out a ocean blue gem that sparkled with unspoken amounts of beauty. "The mercury core... if this thing can power rockets, then it will be sure to power up a robot!" He chuckled as he thought back to how he got it. ~1 year ago~ Leon was inside a big white room filled with all sorts of rocket engines and rocket related blueprints. "So just gotta put this here and... done!" He stepped back from the table and examined the blueprint he had made for a mercury powered rocket. He plucked the pencil off his head and tossed it on the table before turning to the other engineers with a nod. "Okay guys... let's do this!" The four engineers cheered loudly as they started work on the rocket. knock, knock, knock Leon went over to the door and opened it as the head of the NASA corporation walked in with a sigh. "Gentlemen, with our failed rocket last year this company has suffered major financial losses and as such we must lay off some people. He signaled for the other three engineers to leave before looking at Leon with a deep frown. "Leon... while I admit you may be one of the best engineers here your failed rocket cost us millions." Leon simply looked down ashamed. "As such I believe it is proper that we have to lay you off." Leon looked up with horror on his face. "But this rocket is sure to work! I even have plans for the-" The boss cut him off with a raised hand. "I don't want to hear it... pack your things and leave, I am sorry." He then walked out the room and closed it. Leon was dumbfounded as he slowly started to pack his things in a suitcase. Inside of him a small anger burned however. "If they think that this rocket will be made while I am not here... they've got another thing coming!" He walked over to the storage area and opened the lock before pulling out the only mercury core in there and dropping it into his pocket. "Payback is a bitch..." He then grabbed his suitcase, and walked out the building with none being the wiser. ~Present Day~ Leon shook his head of the memory before walking over to the android. He placed the mercury core inside the open chest plate and closed it making her spring to life. Her head shook lightly as her emerald green eyes scanned the room and then scanned Leon making the machinery inside each eye rotate slowly. SCANNING ROOM... LOCATION: LABORATORY SCANNING FIGURE... SPECIES: HUMAN RACE: CAUCASIAN OCCUPATION: ENGINEER TITLE: CREATOR Sweetie Belle closed her eyes and opened them making the machinery inside them stop rotating and instead settle down to a steady halt. She looked up at Leon with a big toothy smile as she waved her tail happily. "Hiya dad!"