//------------------------------// // Pony meet Human, Human meet Pony. Play nice now // Story: Of giants. Of ponies. // by Steel Heart //------------------------------// The Apple family was gawking in utter surprise at just how much food Jake could shovel into his scrawny, pale body. Anypony would think that he hasn't eaten for years, let alone seen sunlight. Jake had told the small farming family about the war that had consumed the earth, and how the nuclear winter would last for another million years. And how he was conscripted at the age of 19, given the very same battle suit kneeling just outside the barn, and was told to simply kill any who didn't bear the the insignia of the ANZAC Avengers. Very rarely getting out of its cockpit, unless when he was at Red Glory base. Of course, this had the older ponies a little bit more than nervous about the war machine just outside their house. Applebloom on the other hand, hoof?, was simply awed by the armored titan. Just rattling off questions faster than an Enforcer autocannon. "Mister Jake? How fast does that suit thingy of yours go?". "Applebloom, ah think Jake has had quite enough of you asking questions", Applejack scolded. "Nah, it's alright", Jake said as he finished off his twentieth apple fritter. ".. The mark II GL-7K Goliath Armored Mobility Weapons Attack Platform, or AMWAP, can sprint at speeds in excess of 50 kilometers per hour, and has a cruising speed of about 20 per hour unlaiden", he explained in a text book mater-of-fact attitude. "That sounds mighty fast Mister Jake, how much does it weigh? 'Cus ah mean, how can somethin' so big run so fast?". "'Bout 18 tons last I checked". And Jake simply smiled at the shocked filly, whose jaw had hit the floor with an audible 'thunk'. "The reason why it can move so quickly and efficiently, is because it's been beefed up with an artificial muscle known as myomer. Myomer are microscopical poly-acetylene tubes filled with an acti-strandular fiber. These fibers are created by mixing biologically engineered bacteria with specific polymers within the tubes. An electric current is sent through these tube, causing the fibers to arrange themselves into a complex nano-structure similar to the proteins myosin and actin that allow biological muscles their movement. The rest is just sensors, actuators, the power cores and armor. "The sensors I just talked about are there mostly for just general movement, they are inbuilt into the compartment where my legs sit during combat. The sensors pick up minor twitches in my legs muscles, and the computer interprets them into movement for the legs. The arm control, and the suits wrists and fingers, use control yokes that I put my arm into. Kind of like a glove. And to maintain the machines balance, the flexibal spinal column that runs up my back shoots a special kind of needle into the base of my neck. That needle taps into my neurological system giving me the ability to command what I want the computer to do with just a thought, as well as keeping it balanced on its legs". Jake finished this information overload with yet another glass of apple juice. "Alright my turn. Where am I, and where can I go to ask for asylum?". "You're in the state of Equestria on the planet Equis, and as for your question for asylum. The princesses should be able tah help y'all with that. So ah recommend goin' tah see Applejacks friend Twilight," the burly red stallion Bic Mac said. "Sounds like a plan, Boss. I hope you don't mind my asking given how much you've done for me so far, but would you happen to have any tools that I may borrow?" "Tools? Why would y'all need tools?" Applejack asked. "Well for starters, my right arm blade won't extend more than a few foot, making it as effective as a butter knife. That and I have some minor maintenance to perform," Jake cooly explained. "Wait, that thing has swords? As in long sharp bits of steel meant fer hackin'?" "Yyyeap, though they're more along the lines of titanium with a depleted uranium core for extra punch rather than steel and three meters long. Designed em myself". "Depleted uranium? Why would y'all put that in a sword. It's just too dang heavy." Big Mac said with a hint of disbelief. "For that exact reason, the sheer weight of the uranium along with my suits strength and the titanium edge, can cut a Diamond Back clean in half if hit right. And being an urban brawler, those things have nearly twice the amount of armor my Goliath has". Then at this point, little Applebloom piped up, "What's the load capacity of that things arms, and how much does each sword weigh?". The way in which this youngster had asked such questions shocked Jake. He honestly though she wouldn't be comprehending anything he had said. "The load capacity is roughly eight tons for each arm, and both swords weigh about three tons a piece. Why do you ask?".  Applebloom's face went slack, "Wow... That, is a lot of force. If y'all were to swing those things hard enough, the density of those swords combined with the strength of your suit thingy, thats almost..." she trailed off as if crunching some unseen numbers within her little head. "Celestia slap me stupid! That's almost double the weight of your suit at the point of contact. Added to the fact the edge being made from such a durable metal as TITANIUM, were the edge of your swords tah make contact to a piece of inch thick steel, it'd leave a clean cut like a hot knife through butter!". "Well slap ME stupid, it seems you have quite the little engineer here. How old are you?". "Ahm six years old next month," she replied quite proudly. "How 'bout that. Say, how would you like to come and give me a hand, err, hoof with repairs?". "Oh boy, can ah sit in the cabin?!".  Jake thought about this for a few seconds, well... she doesn't have the access codes, nor my voice and thumb prints, let alone the right body shape and size to operate it. "Yeah alright, so long as you do as I say and not press any buttons. No matter how big, shiny or otherwise. Do I make myself clear?". "Absolutly, Mr. Jake. Ahl get the tool box!" and with that, the little bundle of energy raced out the door, with Jake and her older siblings in tow. "Well ah 'spose ah should get Twilight and Spike. Ahl see y'all in an hour ah guess," Applejack said as she placed her old stetson upon her head, and made a beeline for the village in the distance. "Welp, see ya at lunch big guy". "Eeyup". ------ "Applejack, seriously. He could just be an undiscovered sub-species, hardly worth the fuss. Their just wild animals". "Element of Honesty, Twi. I couldn't lie if mah life depended on it. It's a hoo-man thingy y'all were on about, and it can talk and has a huge machine, ah swear on Grannysmiths grave that's it's most defiantly not a dumb animal. He obviously has some engineering skills," Applejack pleaded. "I don't care, I just wanna see if that machine is real, it's gotta be awesome. I mean, how often do you see something like that?" the baby dragon pipped up from Twilights back, trying very hard not to hurt her wings with his claws. "Still, I have my doubts," Twilight finalized as she, Spike and Applejack turned the corner of the barn. The Alicorn and baby dragon's mouths went slack, though the former just froze while the later just said "Wow". There, standing in front of Applebloom stood the mechanical giant Applejack had told her about. Four meters tall, covered in strange pulsating lights and giving a low, more felt than heard, thrum. "Alright, give it a whirl!" little Applebloom said to the being, before it swung both it's giant, Celestia thick arms, throwing out a pair of flame red three meter long swords. At this point, Twilight's brain had finally caught up, and had decided the outcome this thing. A threat. Twilight charged her horn and threw out a magenta beam of almost pure magical energy at the titans huge chest. When the beam hit, it threw the mountain of metal flying back into the orchid, which landed with a ground shaking BOOM. "Twilight, what in Tartarus are you doin'?! That's the hoo-man ah told ya about!" Applejack cried. Twilight was about to reply, when the titan walked from the orchid now sporting a black scorch mark on its chest, an entire apple tree in one of its massive flame painted hands dragging along the ground, and one unfathomably pissed off look. "Spike, get off and hide," the little dragon didn't argue. Twilight widened her stance, and flared her wings in a pathetic attempt at looking menacing. The giant responded in grabbing the tree in both hands, and ripping it in two. Not snapping, but grabbing each end and pulling each end apart. Twilight gave a small whimper at this show of phenomenal strength, then a small hatch on its right forearm opened up and a large round, six barreled object lifted from it and began spinning. The beast then pointed this now obvious weapon at her, and a loud brass voice boomed out from the machine. "Try it again. I fucking dare you...". Twilight began recharging her horn.