//------------------------------//
// Chapter 5: In Memory of...../Ballroom Bash pt1 
// Story: Equestrian Heroes: The Meda Hero, The Crash Knight and The Net Ronin 
// by SoonToBeWriterBrony 
//------------------------------//

	Shadowman was sunbathing on the roof of the main hall. It has hardly been a day since the attack and yet the ponies have had already repaired the damage. Mind you, they still don't have the level of technology that is currently used in the Maverick Hunters HQ but it still amazed Shadowman how quickly they can get back on their feet (or in this case hooves).

Although that also meant that the Princesses have a lot of explaining to do to the populace. This morning alone, Princess Celestia's "Day Court" was swarmed with ponies asking about the three robots and the attack. She told them most of the truth, saying that MedaBee, Shadowman and Crashman were the newly instated Maverick Hunters who's job was to go after the Mavericks that attacked the city. Shadowman cringed at the though of coming ball later that night. He rather be alone, maybe with a good book or in a training center than in a crowd of ponies. At the very least he and his teammates didn't have to dress up.

Letting his mind wander a bit, he started to think of the stallion and the two mares he saved that day. The stallion who after the battle managed to find and approach Shadowman to thank him and introduce himself. Shadowman didn't know how Fancy Pants managed to bypass the REF but Princess Celestia did assure him that Fancy Pants can be trusted. The stallion had thanked him for saving both his wife Fleur and their friend, Rarity. Both mares were very grateful and also apologetic for thinking he was with the "monsters". He acted as he usually does, being mostly quiet and speaking only when necessary.

Despite the emergency deployment and the missed opportunity to gather some information from Spark Mandrill, the colts and fillies down at the lab (at least that was this world's expression) were already busy using the remains to make new parts and weapons for the three. Already, Shadowman could picture how he would use them and how he could train with them. 

Getting up from his spot he decided to take up Fancy Pants offer to make more informal introductions with the nobility. At the very least he would know who to keep his guard up, just in case. 


*****


Crashman dodged another string of bullets as he let another SparkMissile fly towards the mobile dummy. The missile latched onto the dummy and gave it a rather violent electrical shock. As it went down, tow more dummies advance. He switched the SparkMissile to melee mode allowing him to use them like stun batons and gave the advancing dummies two hard strikes. 

"Good job," said Crashman to both Winch and Wench," At least I don't have to blow everything up now."

"Oh such a kidder right bro?" said Winch and he elbowed Wench who just groaned that Winch missed the sarcasm.

"Please forgive my brother here," said Wench," He's smart but also very dumb at the same time."

Before Winch could retorted, Wench plowed on," Now bare in mind that the SparkMissiles have a shorter range compared to your normal CrashBombs due to the non-lethality of its application to organics. Its a pity that we can't increase the range of the thing without turning it into an explosive as well."

"Yeah, now we can work on that shield mod you requested," said Winch," Say don't you got a ball to prepare for?"

"Oh gee look at the time, You better get going Crash or you'll miss the opening number!" said Wench pushing Crashman out of the testing room. 

"Alright alright already," said Crashman as he picked up the pace," I'm going! You don't have to push me!"


*****


Shadowman entered the ball with Crashman and were announced to the attendees. They were not accompanied by their "leader" Medabee because he said he had something important to take care of. Maybe it was because of this or some other reason, Shadowman and Crashman were separated by the tones of ponies, with Shadowman, of course, having the bigger crowd.

Crashman was mainly swarmed by military ponies while Shadowman was swarmed by the nobles. While the two were being 'interrogated' by the two groups, Celestia and Luna was observing the whole event. 

"Sister?" asked Luna," Where is Medabee?" 

"Ah I believe he requested some alone time.... and a crate of sake."

"..... Can these reploids drink? And futhermore what could Medabee need a crate of sake for?"

"I don't know Luna, but why don't you go and find out? I believe he is by one of my reflection pools in the eastern gardens."

"But the ball..."

"Oh I think I can handle it by myself," interrupted Celestia as she nudged her sister," now go."


*****


Medabee looked onto the reflecting with a bottle of open sake. He was told it was imported from a place called Neighpon and it was expensive so instead of slashing it on his face in the mock gesture of drinking it or pouring it onto the ground... he had been force feeding the sake on any guard that happens to walk by. No guard was safe from Medabee be they Solar or Night Guard. 

Normally, Medabee wouldn't be so depressed or rather he doesn't normally shove alcohol down pony's throats. While he sat and thought about his world, Luna came about as saw the pile of drunk ponies.

"Hey Luna," said Medabee seeing her looking shocked at the amount of drunk guards," Grab some grass I think this is the last bottle in the crate."

"Medabee... what are you doing... especially to the guard!"

"Yeah well, I can't drink like at all and I was told this stuff was expensive so rather than just pouring it on the ground..."

"I can see your logic in that... however flawed but prey tell what had brought this on?"

"Well," said Medabee as he scratched the back of his head," Its that time of year again, at least by your Equestrian calendar."

"....and what time of the year are you referring to? Get all the guards drunk day?"

"Ikki's death anniversary."

"Oh... well... death is a natural thing is it not?"

Medabee looked up to Luna," Well yeah if your you know, mortal or in this case human. But I was a Medabot. A, rather violent now that i think of it, toy for kids. Sure I went of epic adventures and save my world a few times but in the end I'm just a machine. Sure I age, mostly its rust but I could be repaired... but I watched Ikki, my best friend and someone I could proudly call my brother, grow older and older. I watched his children grow up and get married, I held Ikki's first grandchild in my hands and I was there by his deathbed when he passed away. Well, sometimes I wished I could you know, go with him when he passed on you know?"

"Medabee...."

"Hey don't beat yourself up Luna," assured Medabee," You need me here, I understand and most probably even Ikki would understand. Heck I bet if Ikki was here, we would be bickering about how to deal with those Mavericks or kick my ass for being this depressed. But I miss him you know?"

"I understand what you are talking about Medabee," said Luna as she took a seat next to him and gazed into the reflecting pool," I too have lost ponies that are dear to me, I and my sister have lived for thousands of years and at most our friends barely last a century."

"Really? So the whole Alicorns are immortal and such correct?"

"No Medabee, we are long lived... very very long lived but we are not immortal. We can die... it just takes a very long time before it happens. Naturally of course."

"Of course, So why don't we just sit here and just... remember you know? Heh and maybe even share some stories? I got a few funny ones about what Ikki and I did back in the day."

"While that is a lovely idea Medabee," answered Luna as she got up from her spot," Lets move to the west garden to recollect. I rather not have to see the amount of drunk guards drooling all over the grass. It tends to spoil the mood."

"Oh er, yeah my bad," said Medabee as he walked away from his crime scene and followed Luna to the western gardens.