//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2: Circuits 
// Story: Star Bright, Star Light. 
// by AzureHoodie 
//------------------------------//

	The young metal legged colt’s clanged against the floor, his ears twitched from the sounds of the hospital; several voices talking, hooves clopping on the hospital tile floor, large gurneys with ponies on them rolling around, and the sound of children screaming for their parents. The colt trotted next to his green pegasus pony companion as she lead him to the cafeteria. As they walked she slowed her pace to allow him to go from quick trot to a gentle trot.
A wing slowly moved above him as she curved her neck down to his face, “You doing okay?” she asked.
He nodded dipping him head and folding back his ears, “Yep, still getting use to these things.” He said wiggling his hooves as they walked.
“Your legs?” She asked with a look of concern. ‘What did they do to you?’ She thought as she noticed him moving closer.
Once again he nodded, moving closer to her as more ponies began to fill the corridors, her wing slightly hovering over him as they walked. She gave him a worried smile before turning her head forward. 
‘Now to be honest I found the large crowds to be a scary thing back home when I was human, now replace them all with large four legged ponies. I felt like any second now I was going to get trampled or crushed, and those gurneys didn’t help either.’ The little colt thought as they neared they neared cafeteria, as Heart String’s shadow completely covered the little colt. The smell of food began to fill the hallways, ‘I had no idea what smell was coming from that cafeteria, but it smelled heavenly… I guessing 3 days without proper food will do that to you.’ The colt thought as he let his nose lead the way,  In what appeared to take a lifetime they got in line, waited, got served… and after several questions of ‘What would you like?’, paid, and sat down. 
As the metal legged colt reached out for his ‘hay-burger’ a southern female voice called out to him, “Hey!” He looked up to see a small yellow coated pony, with red hair tied off with a large pink bow, and large orange-red eyes. “What cha’ in fer?”
“Huh?!” He replied confused. She lifted her bangs to reveal a large band-aid on her forehead, she then pointed to the colt with her hoof. “Ummm.” He slightly froze unable to answer the small pony.
“Oh, Sorry where are my manners. My name is Apple Bloom, what’s your?” She asked.
Heart String placed her wing against the young colts’ back, “Sorry sweetie, this poor little colt… well… he…” 
A frown fell across his face, ‘I felt sad not knowing how to answer, I mean it was just a name I had forgotten, but was mine.’ He thought as he began to look around, his attention turned to Heart Strings Flank, a red heart shaped frame with three white strings inside. It was the mark on Heart String’s ‘butt… upper thigh… I don’t know, but everyone had one, and I had one.’ He thought. He then looked at him mark, a star shaped a green dot appeared in his vision followed by a line.


Plasma Circuit…
Circuits… 100%
Conduits… 98%


“Plasma Circuit… Plasma… ” The colt muttered. 
Both Heart String and Apple Bloom turned to him, giving him a look.
“My name is Star… Star Circuit” He replied looking at Apple Bloom.
“Star…” Heart String started.
“…Circuit… neat!” Apple Bloom exclaimed.
“Star Circuit… does that mean you remember who you are?” Heart String asked.
Looking up at Heart String with a confused expression on him face he answered, “Umm sort of, I just can’t remember any names that’s all.” 
“Just names?” She asked. Putting a hoof to her chin as she began to think letting out a ‘hmmm’ as she did.
Star Circuit and Apple Bloom decide to start talking, well more like she started talking as  Star tried to pick up his hay-burger to eat it. “…so yeah! After the winter passes I get to help my big sis and brother out in the orchard! Umm, do ya need help with that?” Apple Bloom asked as she saw the colt struggling with the hay-burger.
“No I got it.” Star said as he placed his hooves down on the table and lifted himself up to ‘dive’ into the food. Apple Bloom gave him a look before she reached over and pick up a hay-fry with her hoof. He looked at her in shock as Heart Strings pull him away from the table.
“How did you do that?” Star asked.
“Do wha?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Pick that up?” Star pointed with his hoof.
“Like this… Ya just pick it up with ya… Wha happen to ya hooves?” Apple Bloom blurted pointing to the Star’s legs.
He shrugged his shoulder.. 
“Ahem!” Heart Strings said with a cough. Both Apple Bloom and Star looked to Heart String. “We don’t stand on the table… and we don’t point.”
“Sorry.” The two young ponies replied.
Once again the colt tried to pick up the burger only for it to fall through his hooves, “Geez this would be easier with a feed bag.” He said nudging the burger while getting an odd look from Heart Strings.
Apple Bloom then picked up another hay-fry, but this time as he watched her, a little circle appeared in his vision and began to spin, but disappeared as Apple Bloom ate the fry. As she picked up another Star reached out instinctively grabbing her hoof with his.
“Epp!” Apple Bloom yelped. “Wha’ cha doing?” She squealed with a blush.
Staring at her hoof holding the fry, the circle appeared again he watched as it completely fill out before the word ‘OK’ popped out and the circle disappeared. Suddenly several lines of code appeared in the right hand corner of his HUD, a mini-blue print of his legs showed up. Releasing Apple Bloom’s hoof he stared at his own, a mini-bar begin to expand out and then disappeared.
A small popping noise came from his hooves as the center slightly sank in. Heart Strings looked down at him, “What a feed bag Star Circuit?” Heart Strings asked as she pulled him away from Apple Bloom.
“Oh, well it’s a bag the fill with oats… they strapped around your mouth so you can keep working and eat…” The colt then suddenly realized what he was saying and quickly turned away grabbing the hay-burger, “Uhh, never mind.” He said shoving the burger into his muzzle.
“Oh dear.” Heart Strings said as Apple Bloom let out a loud burp, which caught Heart Strings attention, “Young Lady, where are your manners?”
As she was about to responded an orange hoof placed a large hat on her head pushing it over her face. “Well don’t cha sound like ya all are havin’ fun!” 
“Apple Jack!” Apple Bloom exclaimed as she lifted the hat from her head. 
“Hey there lil’ sis, patched up and ready to go?” Apple Jack asked.
“Sort of…” Apple Bloom said with a slight blush, as she turned to Star. “Maybe ah can see ya tomorrow?”
“Made a new friend Apple Bloom, that’s great, but Ah think that up to his mother to decide whether you can see him or not.” Apple Jack said looking at Heart Strings.
Heart Strings shook her head no while waving her hooves out in front of her, “Oh no, I’m not his mother…” She said.
“Is he part of your herd then?” Apple Jack asked.
Star watched from his chair as Apple Jack kept asking in every way she could, in what way he was related to Heart Strings and how she was trying to avoid saying that they just found him in the woods. So he decide to do what any normal kid would do in his situation, be blunt…
“I have no family… well not here.” He said while his voice cracked. “They found me in the woods a couple days ago.”
“Huh?!” Apple Jack replied. Apple Bloom gave the young colt a funny confused expression while Heart Strings ears perked up to listen to him. 
Star looked down at his hooves, ‘Now I honest don’t know what happened next, hormones, my lack of people skill, or how naive I was to begin with, but I just told them the truth.’ Star thought as he began to speak, “I have no family… My father died about 6 years ago, my mother abandoned me and dumped me with my grandparents about 8 years ago, she then came back for me and then sold me off, in a sense, and then disappeared… My younger sister ran away from home before I left, and I’ve been living on my own for the last 5 years…” He said looking at everypony. The trio of mares sadly looked at Star as he looked down at himself,  ‘Crap this body belongs to a kid!’ He thought as the look of fear flashed on his face. “No wait… I meant that I have been living with my grandparents up until now!” He exclaimed waving his hooves out in front of him. 
“It’s okay honey… you don’t need to hide the truth.” Heart Strings said using her wing to give Star a gentle embrace.
“So you are, who?” Apple Jack asked pointing a hoof to Heart Strings.
“Sorry, my name is Dr. Heart Strings, I work for the department of Foals and Herds.” She said pulling up a small badge.
“This here badge says Canterlot.” Apple Jack said.
“Well yes, Ponyville doesn’t really have its own branch yet, so we in Canterlot tend to handle everything for smaller communities.” Heart Strings said.
The metal legged colt looked up at Heart Strings, “What kind of doctor are you?” He hesitantly asked.
“Well Star, I am a Psychologist…” She replied.
“Fuuuu…” He began, “...dge” He said smacking his face with a hoof. 	
“Is something wrong?” Heart Strings asked.
Star nodded and then turned his attention back over to Apple Bloom. “So…” Apple Bloom began as Star interrupted.
“I have no plans for tomorrow except look out the window… unless Miss Heart Strings has something else scheduled.” Star replied.
“I’m sorry… both of you, but we will be leaving for Canterlot by the end of the day.” Heart Strings said.
Apple Bloom let out a small sigh as Apple Jack gave her an odd look, “Um, Miss Hearts… the last train for Canterlot left uh few minutes ago, due to the coming winter storm.” Apple Jack said pointing a hoof in some random direction.
“WHAT!?!” Heart Strings yelled as she dashed for the exit.
Star looked over to Apple Bloom, “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then?”

***

After getting back from the train station Heart Strings began apologizing for leaving Star Circuit alone. The rest of the day was filled with questions and medical exams; the doctors eventually wanted to see what was hiding underneath Star’s metal legs; using every type of magic they could to either see through it or even try to remove it. They found nothing, interestingly enough Star’s pony body actually has a built in self-defense mechanism. This was discovered when they forcefully tried to remove the casing on his metal legs with magic. It was the same reaction he had when he arrived in this strange place; the sound of whirling and ticking noise, followed by high pitched electrical noises. Star’s forelegs had each created a mini-shield generator, which produce a two layered bubble-like energy shield which blocked out their magic. Star giggled as he watched the doctors’ panic in fear at the strange sight. It was only after the doctors made it clear that they were going to avoid messing with his legs that the shield dropped. 
Hours later they brought the little colt back to his room, Heart Strings told the colt that she had some paperwork to fill out but that she would check on him later. A little while later a nurse with a light purple coat came in asking if he needed help taking a shower, his answer put her in shock. “I’ve never taken a shower like this…” He said which in turn had her dragging the little colt into the bathroom. A genuine smile ran across his face as the nurse bathed him, and taught him how, it had been a long time since anyone had shown this once human, now pony, kindness. Eventually the young colt was dried and placed in front of a mirror, a small colt looked back at him; his black long and unkempt mane had a hint of white high lights in it; just like in his tail, his coat was a copper brown, his metal legs were of course a silver color with a set a rounded triangles on them, his eyes where a pair of large light brown eyes, followed by a metal diamond shaped plate on his forehead. The nurse spent a few more minutes drying him with a towel before placing him on the bed. 
After a few hours of tossing and turning, unable to sleep, the little mechanized colt left his room and began exploring the hospital. Eventually arriving at book trolley, at which point he just began to read… well read the books he could before sleep got a hold of him. Night fell as did about 2 feet of snow, and as morning arrived he found himself back in his hospital room, wide awake, waiting, bored, and hungry. Oddly enough he had awoken before the sun had risen and had spent the morning ‘scanning’ himself and all the technology installed in and on his body, most of it was stuff he invented. Strangely enough the ‘kid’ in him began to take over realizing there was nothing more to do. 
Now as even though his memory was in great condition, except the not remembering names thing, Star knew that when he got bored he normally would do something to entertain himself, which was read, invent or sing, and with no technology he could use and no hands, inventing was out of the question, and in one night he had read most of the books in the hospital. So his last option was one he always found himself doing, either out of boredom or to help him work. He began to gently tap his hooves against the window ceil, and clopping them together, starting a beat to sing too, something western, thanks to meeting Apple Bloom and Apple Jack the other day.
“I’ve got my ticket for long way ‘round
Two bottles of whisky for the way
And I sure would like some sweet company
Oh, I’m leaving tomorrow, what do you say?
When I’m gone, when I’m gone
You’re gonna miss me when I’m gone
You’re gonna miss me by my hair
You’re gonna miss me everywhere, oh
You’re gonna miss me when I’m gone”
He began humming while clopping his hooves, before starting again.
“I’ve got my ticket for the long way ‘round
The one with the prettiest of views
It’s got mountains, it’s got rivers
It’s got sights to give your shivers
But it sure would be prettier with you
When I’m gone, when I’m gone
You’re gonna miss me when I’m gone
You’re gonna miss me by my walk
You’ll miss me by my talk, 
You’re gonna miss me when I’m gooone…” He finished while looking out the window to see more snow fall. That when the sound of clapping, or hooves stomping lightly on the ground caught his attention. As he turned he caught the sight of a large pink bow to his right.
“Wow…” Apple Bloom said.
“DAHH!” Star yelled as he fell out of his chair landing flat on his back.
“Uwww… Ya okay?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Yeah… ow…” Looking up from the ground he asked, “Please tell me you were my only audience?” 
“Umm.” Apple Bloom began as she looked over to the door slightly embarrassed.
Star turned his head to the door and saw several ponies looking into the room; he let out a yelp and tried to get to his feet only to slam into the floor face first. Apple Jack walked over to him and gently picked him up from the back of his neck and placed him on his legs.
“Tha’ was something’, Ah’ve never heard anything so…”  Apple Jack began as she was interrupted by a French accent.
“Beautifully sad.”
Star turned to see a white coated unicorn with a purple curled mane walking in.
“Mmm Hmm” Apple Jack nodded in agreement.
Star blushed, ducking under his hooves, as the unicorn looked down at him confused. “What’s wrong Darling, did I say something wrong.” She asked looking around.
“Nope.” He replied with a high crack in his voice, “I just never sung in front of anyone before…” 
“Oh, Please don’t crowd him!” A familiar voice yelled from behind the orange and white ponies. Taking a peek from behind his hooves Star saw a green pegasus trotting over, quickly he made a dash for her shadow hiding behind her front leg. “Star Circuit are you okay?”
He nodded as she let out a sigh and looked over to the orange and white ponies that where standing in his room. “Miss Apple Jack may I ask, what are you and your friend doing here?”
“Sure thing Miss Heart Stri…” Apple Jack started to only have the white unicorn cut her off.
“So sorry darling, but when Apple Jack told me about this little colt here I could help but come and see him.” The white unicorn replied.
“And you are?” Heart Strings asked.
“Oh my, where are my manners, I am Rarity.” The white unicorn replied.
“Well Miss Rarity.” Heart Strings began as she moved towards Apple Jack and Rarity, “I’ll have you know that bargaining into somepony’s room is rude…”
Star sat on the floor shaking his head as Apple Bloom sat down next to him. “Sorry.” They both blurted out to each other, “What, why?” they said in unison. Blinking at each other for a few seconds they began to laugh and giggle.
“So what are you doing here?” Star asked Apple Bloom.
“Well, yesterday Ah asked ya all said I could come and visit ya… so here Ah am.” Apple Bloom replied. “Was that okay?”
Blinking somewhat confused Star replied, “I thought you were being nice, not serious…”
“Of course Ah was bein’ serious! Why would anypony lie abou’ that?” Apple Bloom exclaimed. 
“I am use to peo… ponies lying to me all the time.” He replied only to have Apple Bloom place a hoof on his shoulder and smile.
“Don’t ya go worryin’ abou’ it, I wouldn’t lie to ya.” Apple Bloom replied as Star gave her a half-hearted smile. “So what cha wanna do?”
Star looked outside, “Do you wanna play in the snow?”
Apple Bloom gasped as she pulled the metal legged colt closer, “Really?!” She asked.
Star nodded slightly surprised.
“Yay! Nopony at home wanted to play with me.” She said giving me a hug.
“Ahem…” A familiar voice said from behind them, both Apple Bloom and Star Circuit looked up to see Heart Strings, Rarity and Apple Jack giving them a funny look. Apple Bloom then looked down at her hooves then back up to her sister, quickly dropping Star to the floor with a furry thud and clang.
“It ain’t what it looks like!” Apple Bloom exclaimed.
“Sure...” Apple Jack replied as the little copper colt looked lost in their conversation.
Sitting back up on his haunches he shook himself lightly and looked up at Heart Strings and Rarity, “Am I missing somethin’, thing.” He asked sticking out his tongue as the accent began to stick.
“Well Darling, it looks like Apple Bloom here might have herself a crush.” Rarity said lifting a hoof to her chin while looking down at Star.
“Really?!” Star replied as Apple Bloom waved her hooves.
“Ah don’t!” Apple Bloom squealed as she grabbed Star by tail with her muzzle and began to pull him out to the door.
“Well I am afraid that Star can’t leave just yet.” Heart Strings said walking in front of Apple Bloom and Star.
Dropping Star’s tail Apple Bloom looked at Heart Strings with a hint of anger, “Why not?” She asked.
“Well young lady, while you have your boots, scarf, and cap… Young Star has nothing.” Heart String said looking over to the copper colt, causing him to try to cover up his body with his metal legs. She then turned her head and grabbed a white looking sweater off her back, tossing it on Star. “Look familiar?”
Star stretched out the white sweater, “My hoodie!” He exclaimed and began to put on his hooded white sweater. After slipping on his hoodie he looked down as the fabric hung loosely off of him.
“Well dear it seems your hoodie might be a tad too big for you.” Rarity giggled.
As soon as Rarity giggled Star’s cutie mark glowed releasing a charge of electricity over his body, the hoodie shone with a circuit grid as it readjusted to fit Star Circuit. Rarity, Apple Jack, Apple Bloom and Heart Strings stepped back in shock as the hoodie settled on the copper coated pony. Star let out a small grin as he slipped the hoodie on over his head, “I think it fits just fine.”
Apple Bloom then turned to Apple Jack and Heart Strings with a smile, “So we can go outside now?!”

***

As the two young ponies ran outside to play a unicorn walked up to Heart Strings handing her a folder as Rarity and Apple Jack began to talk.
“He sure is a mighty strange colt?” Apple Jack said looking out the window watching her sister play with the metal legged pony.
“Strange is hardly the word.” Rarity added as she walked over to Heart Strings, “So pray tell, what is wrong with him, Miss Strings?”
Heart Strings looked over to Rarity with a slight hint of anger, “Nothing is wrong with him, he has just been through a lot…” She said with a huff as the folder gave a slight glow and was pulled from her. “Hey! Those are his personal files!”
“We just want to take a look dear…” Rarity said as she gasped as the images inside the folder magically floated up. “What… what is… I don’t understand…”
Apple Jack turned to give just the same look of confusion as Rarity’s words; suddenly a large pair of green wings quickly pulled all the magically floating images back together. “These are for employees only.”
“Where those markings…” Rarity began to ask as Heart Strings just nodded. “I’ve worked as a nurse for a while but I have never seen anything like this.”
“Yes, apparently large amounts of black ink had been placed under his skin…” Heart Strings sighed.
“But on a littl’ colt like that?” Apple Jack asked.
“There are some wicked ponies out there…” Heart Strings answered.
“And all those lines… are those a grid line pattern?” Rarity asked.
“The Doctors here think it could be related to his cutie mark… if that’s what it really is.” Heart Strings replied, “Look I shouldn’t be telling you this at all but…” Heart Strings sighed as she looked out the window to a pair of young ponies having fun in the snow. “Star was scared ever since he woke up, but then Apple Bloom showed up he has been happy, talking… I know she is your sister, so I want you to know, if you feel if she is in danger or you feel her unsafe with that young colt…”
Heart Strings was interrupted by a hoof on her shoulder, “Looky here, I can honestly tell ya. I don’t think there is a thing wrong with Star… a little strange, but nothin’ dangerous.” Apple Jack said with a smile. “Plus A’m a thinkin’ he is good fer’ her too.”
“Right, plus a young handsome little colt like that needs to be taken care of.” Rarity exclaimed.