TS had taken to being a bit more discreet about her projects and continued to keep her plans secret from the librarian, using the creation of new pony-bots as cover. She had been blessed with a twisted sense of humor and took deep satisfaction at being able to deceive her creator, knowing full well that soon the master plan would be put into action. Her current project was the most ambitious one yet -- one of the Element Bearers was the current target. When Twilight saw the current project, she expressed some curiosity about it.
"Um, TS, didn't Fluttershy say something about not liking the robots you've been making?"
"She recently informed me she needed some additional help caring for her animal friends, Twilight. I told her I could program her pony-bot to be extremely careful and gentle, so now she's willing to have one," TS replied, perhaps just a little too cheerfully. The librarian raised an eyebrow to express some degree of surprise, but didn't voice her concern.
I'm going to have to keep a closer watch on her, the librarian mused silently to herself. I think Spike's concerns may have some merit. "Okay then, TS, just be careful and clean up when you're finished."
"Indeed I will, Twilight," the pony-bot replied in her flat monotone again. I hope she doesn't suspect anything -- I may have to accelerate my plan.
After the lavender unicorn had left, her creation put the finishing touches on Flutter-bot, turning off the light and locking the basement door behind her. The butter-yellow pony-bot had been turned on and put into stand-by mode, ready for action once her signal was given. TS then trotted to the outskirts of town to hold another meeting.
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Spike had his doubts about the pony-bots and did not like how many of them were being crafted. He had raised his concerns with the librarian, but after having seen what she had, she too was having her doubts. After ensuring they would not be overheard, Twilight and Spike had a small conference in the her bedroom.
"Twi, I don't know about you, but I think those robots are evil," the drake stated with a bit of fear evident in his expression.
"I don't think I'd go that far," she replied. "I am a little concerned -- TS has been making so many of them lately and I don't know if there are that many ponies who want one. I mean, take Berry Punch! She's been acting strange lately."
"When has she not been acting strange? I'm a little more concerned about Lyra's robot -- I've seen her doing some strange stuff lately, like following random ponies around. When I made eye contact with her, she turned around and nearly galloped away in the opposite direction!"
"Oh, Spike, Lyra told me she doesn't care what her robot does any more -- it shouldn't be that much of a concern? Maybe the robot is curious about real ponies?" she mused.
"Maybe -- but maybe she's spying on other ponies -- she thinks I haven't been paying close attention to her."
"Tell you what, Spike -- you keep a close watch on her and let me know if she keeps doing that. If you see something really strange or if she threatens you, let me know at once!"
"You got it, Twi! I'm on the case!" Spike exclaimed, donning a detective cap and pulling the front of it down sharply, eliciting a giggle from the librarian.
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"Lyra-bot, what word do you have on Fluttershy?" the lavender pony-bot inquired. "You haven't been spotted while conducting your surveillance, have you?"
"TS, the plan is on schedule. You may release Flutter-bot tonight, two hours after sunset. I will see to it that she meets ... an untimely intervention caused by a very large rock," the mint-green pony-bot chuckled. "I do not believe I have been tailed or suspected."
The lavender pony-bot sniffed the air and turned her ears a little, peering off a little to the left behind Lyra-bot. Her eyes narrowed a bit as she frowned. "You have been tailed, Lyra-bot. The offender is twenty-two point six meters behind you, seventeen degrees off perpendicular relative to your current location. We must attack and destroy the target immediately."
Lyra-bot turned around and started galloping towards this target, who upon having been discovered turned tail and ran as quickly as his legs could carry him. TS gave chase almost immediately and recognized him.
"Spike! Stop running! You're only making this harder on yourself!" the lavender pony-bot shouted at his retreating form.
"TWILIIIIIIIIGHT!!" the little drake screamed, the tree seeming to be much too far away from him for his liking. A magenta aura appeared around him, then he disappeared in a blinding flash of light.
The two robots halted their gallop, skidding to a stop about ten meters away from the tree. Their expressions were grim.
"We may have to accelerate the plan a bit more than I had expected. I will call all the pony-bots immediately," TS stated flatly. "Lyra-bot, I shall need your assistance once again -- this time, you are permitted to kill at will."
The mint-green robot grinned, though her visage was still quite dark. "With pleasure, TS!" she cackled as she trotted to the bakery.
TS activated Flutter-bot, who rose to her hooves and started flapping her wings. The basement door was the primary target for the yellow pony-bot, who started tapping against it with her hooves. She received no answer, so she intensified her rapping before attacking it forcefully. It took her several tries of flying at the door with her legs extended, her hooves smashing at the door until it gave way, allowing her into the main room. She flew out one of the windows, shocking the librarian and her dragon.
"Quick, we've got to get to Fluttershy's cottage!" she exclaimed, using her telekinesis to levitate the dragon and place him on her back. He clung to her neck tightly as she alternately galloped and teleported after the rogue pony-bot, who seemed to be adept at eluding the librarian's attempt to subdue her. The pony-bot reached the cottage first, but Twilight was not far behind. Instead of knocking at the front door, the pony-bot flew relatively high over the roof of the cottage, then dove toward it at great speed, intending to burst through the thatched roof, something she did with great ease.
The butter-yellow pegasus was cowering in the corner of her main room, trying to hide behind her mane. She watched fearfully as her "replacement" started trotting slowly, deliberately toward her.
"Please ... please don't hurt me," she said very meekly.
"Oh, I'm not going to hurt you," the pony-bot stated calmly as she closed the distance, now standing just a pony's length from her. The robot's eyes glimmered red for a split second as she reached out with her fore-legs, grasping the frightened pegasus in them. She flapped her wings again, flying through the hole in the roof she had made, carrying her prey skyward.
"Fluttershy!" Twilight shouted as she watched in horror. Spike started crying as he watched helplessly. The librarian wrapped her aura around the pegasus, but ended up losing her concentration as the pony-bot carried her far too fast.
Suddenly, a rainbow-hued blur tore through the sky as Rainbow Dash saw what was unfolding. She matched the pony-bot's speed, then jumped on its head to distract it, releasing Fluttershy. The pegasus fell, her fright so extreme as she was unable to open her wings.
"Fluttershy! Open your wings! Fly!" Twilight shouted at her. She tried to wrap her aura around the falling pegasus, but the force of gravity was too great, the pegasus having reached terminal velocity. Spike covered his face with his hands as he renewed his sobs.
Fluttershy screamed as she tried to open her wings -- the force of gravity combined with the rate of speed at which she was falling prevented her from doing so. The ground rushed up at her with sickening swiftness, her screams replaced with whimpering sobs. A heart-breaking crunch was heard as her body impacted the ground.
"FLUTTERSHY!! NOOOOO!!" Twilight screamed as she galloped over to her friend's lifeless body. She cradled the pegasus' fallen form in her forelegs, then let out a blood-curdling scream of anguish and anger. "YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS!!"