//------------------------------// // Chapter 23 // Story: AMAZO visits Equestria // by KingDogbertXIV //------------------------------// “There they are,” Reigns said to himself as the two ponies ventured out of the jail. “And look, they’re hiding behind a magic shield.” Reigns then flew down from the tree he was hiding in and landed in front of Celestia and Twilight. Without a word or warning, Twilight quickly poked her head out from behind Celestia and fired a quick shot of purple magic at Reigns. Acting almost instantly, Reigns jerked his wings around to the front of his face and reflected the shot back at the duo. The shot hit the shield and bounced off into the night sky. Reigns then launched forward and struck the shield with his wings, shattering it. Feeling the force of the blow, Celestia staggered backwards. Seizing the moment, Reigns advanced and started slapping Celestia’s head between the two wings with a sadistic grin on his face. Twilight, horrified and desperate, teleported herself onto the immortal pony’s back, took quick aim, and fired a magical shot at the back of his head. The blast sent the three ponies rolling in different directions. Coming to after a few seconds, Celestia and Twilight looked over at Reigns and gasped at what they saw. Despite being disintegrated by the shot, the back of Reigns’s head was slowly regrowing and taking the shape of a normal stallion head again. “Nice try,” he said, standing up. Rushing towards the two ponies with outstretched wings, Reigns stopped just before Celestia. Holding his left wing to her throat, he said, “You have a hundred seconds before I kill you unless you give me total dominion over Equestria in writing. Nopony is fast enough to stop this, especially not your little ponies. The timer starts now.” --- “What do we do?” Spike panicked as he watched from the front doors. “If the princess and Twilight can’t beat him, then we’re all doomed,” the warden said nervously. “Um... Guys, you may want to see this,” Dash said shakily. All eyes turned back towards her, then, to the gold puddle that she was pointing at. Slowly, the puddle started moving and rising upward until it stopped in the shape of a ten-foot tall blob. The blob then began to form legs, hands, arms, body, torso, and lastly, a featureless head. Within a few seconds, a black indentation formed with two red eyes seated in it. Without a word, the android rushed past the ponies and dragon using its super speed and out the doors. --- “...ten...nine...eight...,” Reigns counted down. “You do realize that your stubbornness is about to get you killed, right?” “I’d rather die than let you rule,” Celestia said sternly. “One way or another, I’ll rule anyway. Also, time’s up,” Reigns said as he pulled back the other wing to strike. Before Reigns could thrust the wing forward, the android sped up to behind him and grabbed him by the head, and lifted him up. Almost instantly, Reigns, now looking pained, started to glow a brilliant white along with AMAZO’s eyes. The glow crept from the pony, up the android’s arm, then, engulfed its body. After a second or two, the glow subsided and AMAZO dropped Reigns who landed in a crumpled heap. The android then grabbed both wings, forcefully pulled them apart from the leather harness, and crushed them in its hands. Tossing the crumpled wings behind its back, AMAZO then telekinetically lifted Reigns up to eye level and glared death at him. “You used me, Reigns. You used my power to serve your own despicable ends,” the android said, voice filled with hate. “You gave me that power. In fact, you’ve done nothing but disrupt things since you got here. You have only yourself to blame,” Reigns countered. “Wrong,” Derpy’s voice said from the distance. All eyes turned to see Derpy, Dinky, and Fluttershy galloping up. “He saved my filly’s life and, from the looks of things, saved everypony here from you, Reigns.” “It’s true,” Celestia said as she and Twilight stood up. “AMAZO saved our lives.” “Is that my purpose?” AMAZO asked, turning towards Derpy. “Am I here to protect you from problems that I have caused? If so, then have I reached the end of my evolutionary process?” “It seems to me that you’re still confused about your own purpose and existence,” Celestia noted as she magically bound Reigns’s hooves together and took over holding him. “We can help you in your search for meaning.” Glancing downward briefly with drooped eye indentations, the android answered, “No. I have caused enough damage to you all already. It is best if I leave and find meaning on my own. Professor Ivo created me to evolve and I cannot evolve any more here.” “I understand, but, before you leave, I think somepony has something to say,” Celestia said, glancing towards Dinky. AMAZO followed her gaze. Trotting up to AMAZO and placing a hoof on the android’s leg, Dinky smiled and said, “Thank you for taking care of me, AMAZO. Mommy and I appreciate it.” “Will you ever return, AMAZO?” Derpy asked as the warden led the others out of the jail and up to the scene. “Yes,” AMAZO said after a moment. “I will return one day.” “Thank you for everything and have a safe trip,” Derpy said as she flew up and hugged the android. “I will,” AMAZO replied, returning the hug. “Goodbye,” Derpy said, letting go. “Goodbye,” AMAZO said sadly before looking to the stars and taking flight and super speeding beyond the sky. A moment later, all eyes turned towards Celestia who was still magically holding Reigns. “Book him,” she ordered, turning her gaze to the warden and dropping Reigns at his hooves. “I will, your highness,” Warden Penn affirmed as he lead Reigns towards the jail, not noticing the sinister smirk that the prisoner had on his face.