We begin our story several years before the return of Nightmare moon...
Enter the life of a unicorn filly, Binary Steel.
The peppy youngster trotted down a dirt rode after a successful day at school, where she had shown one of her most recent mechanical creations, a levitation wand. She had successfully used it to manipulate three test rocks, each of varying size and weight.
The filly beamed as she remembered the amazement of her fellow students, who, except for the other unicorns, were amazed at the thought of themselves being able to levitate objects without having magical horns.
The fillies right ear flicked as she heard the clacking of hoofsteps coming from behind her. Binary looked back to see two unicorn colts following her, both of them walking at unusually brisk paces.
Binary knew the two from school, they were bullies who used their impressive magic skills to cause trouble for everypony else. One of the two, a yellow unicorn with a black mane and green eyes, by the name of Cullen, was the obvious leader of the duo. The other a pink unicorn, with a white mane and silver eyes whose name was Broncin, the muscle of the two... or more appropriately, the mass of the two.
Binary increased her pace, hoping that if she got close enough to her home that the duo would leave her be.
Dark clouds slowly filled the sky as Binary approached her modest home built at the top of a large hill.
Binary looked up as rain began to patter down to the ground, making the ground muddy and slippery. The muck made Binary's efforts to hasten her journey home fail. She slipped and fell to the ground, not far from her house.
The two colts then used their magic to levitate themselves above the mud, and hovered in front of Binary, blocking her path.
Binary timidly asked the two “Did you guys have a question about the wand?”
“Yeah, why would you come up with something so stupid?” Broncin asked mockingly.
Binary replied as though the question was sincere “Well, pegasi and earth pony's can't levitate things, like unicorns can”
“Oh really,” Cullen said sarcastically “I had no idea, seeing as how I am not a brilliant engineer, such as yourself”
Binary, once again did not recognize the sarcasm and replied “Thank you, Cullen, I really appreciate that”
Cullen shook his head in disbelief at the fillies naivety “Oh you're so stupid” he said "Now let me explain a little something to you" he began as Broncin levitated the filly's wand out of her saddle bag and let it hover just out of Binary's reach "I gotta admit it's a neat little toy. But ya see, a unicorn must learn to master their magic, just like a Pegasus must master flight or an earth pony must realize their stuck on the ground. This little thing insults all the work unicorns like me and Broncin have put into our magic skills"
“Okay... can I have it back now"
"Why?" Broncin asked "You're a unicorn, you don't need it"
"It's mine... it doesn't belong to you" she replied.
"You know what's funny about that?" Cullen asked before he levitated Binary's glasses off of her face "These belong to you, too"
"Give those back!” Binary pleaded as she jumped up to try and retrieve her stolen belongings.
“I'm doing this for your own good you little twerp" Cullen said "Every other unicorn has been using their magic for months now. Just look at the object, use your magic and pull it away from me"
"Come on little girl, you got to really want it" Broncin said in a mock encouraging tone.
"I-I... I don't want to use my horn" Binary said as she choked back her tears.
"Come on, Binary! Is your horn defective or something?" Cullen asked.
"N-no, it's just... I'm just... it's none of your business!" Binary shouted before she fired herself at Cullen. Cullen side stepped Binary's charge and the filly landed face first in the mud. Binary quickly scooped up a hoof full of mud and flung it at Cullen's face.
The young unicorn quickly turned cross as he wiped the mud from his eyes "Why you little!" Cullen growled as he pointed his horn at Binary. The filly suddenly became engulfed in a magical glow and lifted off the ground. Cullen smiled as he flipped the filly upside down and shook her around in the air "These stupid toys are just an excuse for you not to try and be better!" he yelled "Smash it!" he ordered he ordered Broncin.
Broncin dropped the wand on the ground and stomped it into the mud, breaking it beyond repair.
Months of work were gone in an instant. Tears began to stream down her face before she finally broke down and began to wail.
"Oh what is your problem, your little marshmallow!" he yelled at Binary.
A deep booming voice then yelled from the nearby house on the hill “What are you two doing to my daughter!”
The bullies looked up to see a large brown stallion standing on the porch of the large house. The stallion's eyes were engulfed in rage and his black mane flapped like a flag in the wind as he raced towards the two
“Put her down, right now!” The stallion screamed.
“Lets get outta here” Broncin said to his Cullen.
“No, I'm not done yet” Cullen replied. Cullen dropped Binary into the mud and stared down the enraged stallion. Cullen's horn glowed and the stallion was engulfed in a magical aura "You sir are a disgrace; letting your daughter be an outcast instead of letting her waste her life on these... stupid toys!"
The stallion yelled while he helplessly fluttered “How dare you! Put me down or I'll!.. I'll tell your parents!"
Cullen scoffed at the threat "Really that's all you got. Pfft, my parents would never believe you anyway. Also if you're planning any sort of physical retaliation, I'm sure that would set a great example for your kid"
Binary's father let out an angry sigh as he stopped struggling "Just put me down, kid" he said in a defeated tone.
Cullen dropped the stallion into the mud.
"Broncin, lets go" Cullen said to his friend as he turned away from Binary and her father.
Broncin dropped Binary's glasses in the mud in front of her "See ya on Monday" he whispered as he walked away.
Binary sat in mud covering her face with her forehooves. Binary's tears had washed away some of the mud off her face, but the rest of her white coat and short, dark grey mane and tail were completely covered.
The brown stallion stood, and walked to Binary “Come on, I'll give you a ride back home” he said to Binary as he knelt down beside her.
Binary avoided looking her father in the eyes as she grabbed her glasses out of the mud. She then climbed onto her fathers back and clung to him tightly.
“Hold on” The father said with care, before he began to trot towards their home.
Binary looked back to the spot her invention had been crushed. As the distance between her and it increased, the significance of the moment lightened slightly.
The pair quickly approached their home. The father took his time going up the porch steps, making sure not disturb his passenger. He pushed the front door open and stepped inside.
Binary dropped off of her fathers back and asked "Daddy, why do they hate me?"
"Honey, no one hates you" he replied "Those other ponies don't understand that you have... limitations. They think it's something that can be fixed, but that's just their ignorance shining through. They think there's something wrong with you"
"But aren't they right?" she asked "I can't use magic no matter how hard I try"
"But that's what makes you special" he said as he pulled her in to a hug "Any unicorn can magic their way around a problem. You gotta think your way around it, and the more you keep thinking, the better you get at thinking"
Binary smiled as she squeezed her father as tight as she could. The two held each other for a moment or two more before Binary's father took note of the fillies current state
“Umm...Maybe you should go take a bath” he said as he wiped a bit of mud off her face.
Binary then looked down at her mud covered body “Ha, I'm the same colour as you” The filly joked happily, quickly losing the sadness that had overtaken her just minutes before. She quickly darted to the stairs, leaving a trail of mud as she went.
The second floor of the building had a T shaped hallway design, with four doors. One door directly to the right was the bathroom, to the left was a closet. Go a little further and the hallway split, the left hall leading to Binary's room, and the right hall ending in the door to her fathers room.
Binary took an immediate right, into the bathroom.
Binary picked up a few bath toys, that were scattered across the floor and dropped them into the tub. She then turned the faucet, allowing refreshing, warm water to pour out into the tub. Binary grabbed a bottle of bubble soap from the and poured a small amount into the tub. The filly waited a few moments as the tub filled with water and bubbles.
“Cannon Ball” she yelled.
“No cannon balls” Her father called from the lower floor.
Binary giggled at her running bath time gag. She then climbed into the tub and began to scrub herself clean.
One of her toys, a small boat, drifted towards Binary as she cleaned off her hooves.
Binary looked at the boat and imagined Cullen and Broncin stranded on it.
Binary then picked the boat up with her hoof and imagined the two pleading to her “Binary help us, we're so stupid. Save us with your... stuff”
Binary let out an evil chuckle “No!” she replied Binary. She then pushed the boat under the water, although it almost instantly resurfaced. Binary looked at it with a disappointed stare, as if it was somehow mocking her.
Binary's life seemed to be summed up in the childish act of play. No matter what she did she would always end up right where she started. Her gadgets amazed her classmates, but only for a minute or two. The bullying would come again, like the boat had, and for a while it would be pushed away, only to return later, unscathed. Any accomplishments she had in her short life, were truly only recognized by her father, who himself didn't really understand her work.
Binary was surrounded by a colourful cast of characters, good and bad, but despite that, and living in the exciting world of Equestria; Binary's life was exceptionally lonely and dull, with her own childish demeanour only softening the blow.
Their was no one, Binary could talk to, who really understood her... and that's when he came in.
“Huh?” Binary looked around as though someone had spoken to her. Their was nopony there, but Binary was sure she had heard somepony speak right next to her. “Hello” The filly said cautiously.
Binary waited for a response, but their was none... but Binary replied anyway “I'm Binary, what's your name” Binary waited for the nothingness to respond.
“Don't have a name huh,” Binary said to herself “maybe I could give you one” Binary thought up a list of names and shot them off, one by one “Drew... No... Fred... Yeah, I didn't think so...” Binary tapped her chin as she thought on the perfect name “I know, how about, Chip”
Binary smiled as though the nothingness had approved.
Binary clapped her hooves together and excitedly began to describe herself to her imaginary companion. Perfectly enough, it seemed that, Chip was interested in everything Binary was interested in.
In the following hours, the filly's belief in the thought up companion quickly became more affirmed.
Later in the mess that was Bianry's room. The filly went through every scribbled design, and idea she had, and her new friend met each one with instant understanding, and a deep appreciation of its purpose.
To the rest of the world it may have seemed pathetic for a filly to be so caught up in an imaginary friend, but Binary had rarely ever been that happy.
As Binary's father walked through the halls, he overheard his daughter speaking to somepony. He listened at her door for a moment before knocking “Binary, who are talking to?” he asked as he opened the door. A confused expression came to his face as he saw, Binary holding one of her designs in her mouth, as if she was presenting it to somepony.
The filly dropped the sketch and said “Daddy, I want to meet my new friend, Chip” The filly pointed her hoof toward the empty space in front of her.
The father stared, where he was directed to and quickly realized the situation “Oh, yes, Chip”
“He likes making things, just like me” Binary said with a large smile.
The father smiled back and played along “That's great, Binary, I'll let you two get back to your gizmos and gadgets”
The father then exited the room. He was not sure if he should be concerned, or just be happy that his daughter was not dwelling on the days events. As he approached the door to his room he looked back down the hall and heard Binary let out a laugh. The laugh filled him with a warm sensation only the happy sound of a loved one could bring.
He smiled as he looked towards his daughters room “Chip... stick around, as long she needs you” he said to the imaginary being, before entering his own room.
Several years later...
“Here lies, Forge Steel” The words were etched in a tomb stone.
Binary, now a teenager, stood in the cemetery her father was buried in. She stared at the stone as her eyes watered, but she would not cry, her father would have had a fit if he were to have made his daughter cry.
“Why did you have to go?” Binary asked the grave. She then looked to the sky “I still needed you” she said, as a single tear slid down her face. Binary then turned away from the grave and slowly walked out of the cemetery.
The walk back home was the hardest walk she had ever experienced, as she knew their would be no one there to greet her, and assure her that everything was alright, like her father had after so many hard days.
Binary approached her home, and stopped to look at it. It had not changed physically, but it's lonely presence at the top of the hill only reminded her of how alone she was. She slowly walked up to the door and pushed it open. The house felt grey and lifeless.
Binary then spoke, as if she had been asked a question “I don't want to talk right now”
Binary was once again having a one sided conversation with her imaginary friend, whom she had not spoken to for months.
“Just, leave me alone” she said. She looked around “I'm, already alone” Binary stared into the empty space and tried to envision her friend... but the childish illusion would not suffice. She needed a real friend, somepony who could actually speak to her.
6 months later...
It was hard to tell if Binary's mental state was deteriorating or if it was edging on complete brilliance. Her solitude had allowed herself to fully delve into her technology... and she was on the course to something potentially awe inspiring, something Equestria had never the seen the likes of before... something that could be considered wrong... but who would argue against that when somepony is trying to play god.
Binary set up a camera, she had designed herself, to record her experiments.
“Record entry number... I think it's, like, 36, or something” Binary said to the camera.
Binary, then stepped away, revealing a small metal platform, the size of a drink coaster, with several wires attached to it, and one single red button on the top.. She then used one of her levitation wands, to hold up a small microchip.
“I have put all of my time and effort into this one piece of technology. On this device I have created an artificial intelligence, or, A.I.” Binary stepped back in front of the camera “I don't know what I'm going to do if this doesn’t work again... I really don't want to think about it”
Binary stepped back to the metal platform and inserted the chip into it. Binary went to push the button but hesitated. She closed her eyes and pushed the button. The device sparked a bit... but did nothing else.
Binary stood in complete silence for a moment. She suddenly became extremely frustrated and she struck the table with her forehooves and screamed “Why didn't you work! I wanted you to work! I... I needed to you to work!” Her expression turned to a whimpering frown, her legs buckled and she flopped her down right next to the device, and said once more in much softer, defeated tone “I need you”
She then covered her eyes with her forehooves and quietly sobbed.
“Are you okay?” A deep gravely voice said, breaking the silence.
“I don't want to talk right now, Chip” she replied, still lost in her sorrow.
“Why are you crying?” The voice asked.
Binary then lifted her hooves away from her eyes and stared in awe, as a blue light enveloped her. Binary couldn't believe it, she had succeeded. There, standing in front of her, on the tray, only the size of a small ball stood her creation, staring back at her.
Binary began to breathe heavily as her frown turned to a delirious smile “You're real” she said “You are real” she said again as if she had to convince herself “You're... Chip” she whispered to her creation.
The holograms face was featureless and it lacked a mane or tail, but it seemed alive nonetheless.
“I do not understand, are you happy, or sad?” Chip asked, obviously confused.
Binary laughed, she had never been so happy. “These are tears of joy” she said as she wiped the water from her face.
“Are tears somehow, better this way?” The A.I asked.
“Yes” she answered “Me and you are going to make the world a better place”
A series of code then flowed over Chip's holographic body “Goal acknowledged, shall we commence this immediately” he asked.
Binary paused for a moment, then replied “Maybe tomorrow, because I've been awake for 67 hours straight... So in other words, I need sleep or I will die” Binary's head then clunked down onto the table and she was instantly in a deep sleep.
"Okay... I guess I'll just... wait" he said to himself Chip took in his surroundings, seeing scattered papers, half finished designs blue prints, and the general lack of upkeep, Binary's home had seen. Chip then looked at, Binary, sleeping peacefully “Hmm... you need me ” he said softly.