//------------------------------// // Chapter 12: Settling in // Story: The Misfits // by Cyber System //------------------------------// Cyber lay in front of him a blank blueprint, ready to make plans. 'Let's see, Eclipse may cause some fires, so I'll have to take that into account, but what material to use?' he thought, then through his eyes, the entire room around him turned into a blank blue room, with white sketch lines showing obstacles, currently it simply just looked like an empty room. 'First, where in the house should I place Eclipse's room? Upstairs should be fine, just next to Dusty's room. Now for the complicated part: what to use for the interior? Perhaps some fireproof wallpaper, and fabric. With the bed a reasonable distance away from the door and window,' instantly as Cyber visualized, the sketched room began to turn and a bed, window, and ceiling lights were sketched in. 'that should be good, I'll discuss details with Eclipse later,' shortly the room faded away and Cyber was back in the house, where he sketched what he saw onto a blueprint then pulled out the second. 'Now for Moonlight,' he thought, then the sketch room appeared again. 'It should be just above my lab and...' only a plain bed and door was sketched in. 'Yeah, that should be good for Moonlight,' once again, the room vanished and Cyber sketched it onto the second blueprint. "Well, that was shorter than expected," he said to himself, looking at the clock. "Must be some time before they come back," Cyber then thought about recent events, meeting Eclipse and Moonlight, meeting Lyra, seeing the princess, and the party. The party, it made Cyber chuckle at the thought of that night, it was the time when Cyber learned about 'Pinkie logic', it did amazing things: defy the laws of physics, allow her to teleport, and even pull things out of thin air; it must also be what keeps Pinkie from getting diabetes, concerning the amount of sugar she consumes. He really needs to scan her brain sometime to see what goes on in that crumbled up grey matter inside her skull, but what would he use? Once again, the room turned into blueprint material and Cyber began began visualizing a device that reads other pony's mind, editing and changing certain things that prove necessary, however it was all interrupted by a sudden headache that made the visual fizzle away. "Gah!" Cyber exclaimed before trotting into his lab, clutching his head with a hand. He placed a hoof on a sensor that was on a large computer. "Computer, run chemical toxin reading." he commanded, then with a slight prick from the computer, his blood was being read and scanned, shortly the screen flashed. BLOOD POISONING: 10%; CHEMICAL TOXIN: UNKNOWN Cyber sighed despair, still he had no idea what kind of toxin contaminated his blood. It came with his arms, and he didn't know what generated the toxin. All he knows is that it builds up over time and if not treated it will replace his blood and kill him. So far there are several different symptoms, including nausea, fatigue, lightheadedness, headaches, shortness of breath, and many others that appear in random order as the toxin builds up. But as long as it had no consequence, he saw no reason to worry about it, but if any of his friends were to find out, who knows what they would do? Especially with Eclipse now a part of the team, he could be torched alive! Though he may deserve it, after all he isn't exactly trustworthy when it comes to experimenting with weapons. Cyber even remembered the day he accidentally invented a nuclear bomb. He says to the other misfits that it went off in an empty field, when in reality it set off in the middle of a town that nopony has ever heard of because of the bomb. Cyber didn't want to relive that day, even though he got everypony out alive, it was too painful to think of the horrors it could cause if the bomb got into the wrong hooves or place, it was why he never experimented with weapons or anything dangerous ever again and settled on simple projects that could do good, like Clockwork. Clockwork, every time Cyber works on it he gets closer to giving the robot pony a heart. Might as well continue now since he has time. About halfway through the tour, Solar Eclipse gave an extremely annoyed look at Pinkie Pie. "Pinkie?" "Yes?" Pinkie responded. "Would you be so kind and please STOP USING MY MANE TO ROAST MARSHMALLOWS!?" "Aw, but you make a great campfire to make s'mores. It has just the right amount of heat without the yucky taste of charcoal." "I don't see how using my mane is any different from-" Eclipse was inturrupted by Pinkie shoving a s'more into his mouth, which seemed to calm him down a bit from the taste. "Okay, you can do it, but only if I let you, but not now." "Okey, dokey, loki." Pinkie said as she bounced away with the tray of s'mores. "Anypony else want some?" "Maybe later, Pinkie," said Applejack. "I was thinkin' that we should show the misfits to Sweet Apple Acres, I don't think they got to try some of the apples there." Fang grimaced. "Bleh, no thanks." "But why not?" asked Rarity. "I can't eat plants, they make me sick, cause I'm a predator." "Oh, right, you're the one who eats meat." "Too bad on that, you're missing out," said Rainbow Dash. "They have the best cider you've ever tasted! Wait, can you drink cider?" "Is it made directly from apples?" "Yeah." "Then no, I can't." "I almost feel sorry for you, our apples are the best in Equestria." "It's alright, we predators are just as happy for our diet, besides, there's just something fun about hunting that's merged with our advanced strength and stamina, I've even been told I might be stronger than an earth pony." "And maybe even faster than a pegasus, Rainbow Crash," said Dusty. "Is that some kind of challenge?" "What? No, if it was, then I would be competing, I can dig through dirt pretty fast." "Why don't we see how fast you can go?" said Applejack. "It is on!" said Dusty. "First one to Sweet Apple Acres wins!" "Your on!" Fang said as the four took their positions and Pinkie bounced in front of them. "On your marks..." Pinkie began. "Get set..." all four racers looked steady towards their destination. "Go!" Dusty, Rainbow, Fang, and Applejack took off instantly, leaving behind a cloud of dust and a hole because of Dusty. "Do they always act like this?" asked Mixy. "Pretty much," responded Twilight. "They compete over everything," added Lyra. "Kinda reminds me of Fang and Dusty." "Come on, I want to see who won," said Eclipse as the rest of them took off towards Sweet Apple Acres to see who won. It took a bit but they found the racers by the barn at Sweet Apple Acres, all of them slightly winded out, except Fang. "What... took you... so long?" asked Dusty upon seeing the rest of the ponies. "We aren't exactly made for running, you know," said Moonlight. "I still don't see how Fang is still goin'," said Applejack. "When you're a predator, you sometimes have to run a lot to catch your prey." "Who won anyway?" asked Twilight. "It was a tie," said Rainbow Dash. "But I'm pretty sure I was in first." "Only somepony with an ego as big as yours could say that, Rainbow Crash," commented Dusty. "What makes you say that? You were in the ground," said Applejack "Why don't we just stop arguing and-" Twilight was cut off by a sound coming from the other side of the barn. "Yay! Cutie Mark Crusaders firefighters!" "What was that?" asked Moonlight. "Wait a minute, firefighters?" said Twilight "But nothing's on fire-" she stopped when she saw Eclipse, who had smoke coming off him like a flame. "Eclipse, run." Eclipse was confused. "What?" "Run." "Why?" Applejack got the message, remembering what Twilight said about Eclipse's temper. "Twilight's right, Eclipse, you better get out of here before my little sister mistakes you for-" she was cut off by the sound of the CMC. "There! That pony's on fire!" "Ready, aim, water!" "Wait, I'm not-" Eclipse tried to say before being hit and launched against a tree by a powerful jet of water being controlled by the Cutie Mark Crusaders holding a fire hose, which quickly lost control and sprayed water everywhere before being stopped by Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie and Applejack while the Misfits came to Eclipse. "Eclipse, are you ok?" asked Mixy, Eclipse responded by groaning, looking up at the CMC, then putting on a furious look. Shortly the water on him boiled and evaporated as he stood up. Then clenching his teeth, he approached the three fillies. "What were you three thinking!?" Eclipse shouted as flames began to emerge from his hooves and horn. "Didn't it cross your mind once that the fire could have been just a simple candle, or a campfire!?" gradually Eclipse's body became coated in fire as he approached the fillies, his eyes became red and glowing, similar to Moonlight's eyes but much more angry. "W-w-we're sorry!" said Apple Bloom. "W-we th-th-thought you w-were on f-fire!" added Scootaloo. "D-d-don't burn us! Please!" said Sweetie Belle. "Oh yeah!? Is that right? Well look what happened! YOU WANTED FIRE? I'LL GIVE YOU FIRE, YOU LITTLE BRATS!" "Eclipse, stop!" shouted Twilight. "Don't you dare hurt my sister!" Applejack threatened. "Or mine!" added Rarity. "And stay away from Scootaloo!" shouted Rainbow Dash. "YOU STAY OUT OF THIS! MY BUSINESS IS WITH THESE- HEY!" Eclipse was inturrupted as a blanket of darkness started spinning around him, which got faster and faster, sucking out the oxygen inside and dousing the flames. Within just a few minutes Eclipse fell unconscious. The cloak was removed, then it broke apart and went to where everypony's shadow was. "What just happened?" asked Fang. "I don't know, but that was cool!" said Pinkie. "He was like 'BAM!' And then he was like 'ow, you really made me mad,' and then he was like 'rawr, I'm on fire, I'm gonna get you!' and they were like 'help us!' then that was like 'Fwoosh!' and Eclipse was like 'hey, what's going on?' then he was like 'flop!' and now he's like 'zzzzzzzzz'. Who did that anyway?" Moonlight spoke up. "I did." "What did you do?" asked Mixy. "I used all of your shadows to make a construct that spun around Eclipse, creating a vortex that turned him unconsious." "Wow, I didn't know you were an egghead," said Rainbow Dash. "There is a lot of things you don't know about me, let's leave it at that." that was when Granny Smith and Big Mac came in. "We heard screaming and fire," said Granny Smith as she looked around the field, seeing the CMC cowering in fear, Eclipse unconscious, and everything soaking wet. Granny Smith and Big Mac looked at Applejack who said, "I guess I have some explaining to do." "Eeyup," Big Mac simply replied. Venus, a light peach unicorn mare sat at the kitchen table across from her husband, Cinnabar, a mercury grey unicorn stallion, talking the day away while Cinnabar read the paper. "Look at this, sweetheart, it seems there's a new species of pony," said Cinnabar. "Princess Celestia has sent guards to seek out a tribe of carnivorous ponies known as 'predators' after being informed about them by local predator, Fang, who is a member of a group known as 'The Misfits' consisting of Fang himself, Dusty, Mixy, newest members Solar Eclipse and Moonlight Shadow, and their leader, Cyber System." Venus' head looked up at the sound of their son's name. "Looks like our little Cyber got his wish after all," she said. "And didn't he send us a letter about those two? I'm not sure who Moonlight Shadow or Solar Eclipse are." "Neither do I, but I'm sure we'll find out eventually," Cinnabar said, remembering his son always sent letters, telling them about what's going on or newest members to The Misfits. "I still can't believe how long it's been since he left for the first time, remember that day?" Cinnabar chuckled. "How could I not?" "Cyber! Cyber System!" Cinnabar called out into the night, as one of the most violent storms in Equestria went on. "Dad?" he heard the young colt's voice near his treehouse. "Cyber, get over here, it's not safe!" "No, I'm scared, these winds are too fast." "Cyber, don't worry, you'll be safe, I promise!" called out Venus. "But Mom, I can't, I don't wanna be struck by lightning." "Cyber, I will come to you, you come to me, and we'll both walk inside, okay?" suggested Cinnabar. Cyber hesitated. "Okay," he said, then both him and Cinnabar walked out into the wind and rain and approached each other, several meters away. Twelve meters... eleven meters... They pushed through the wind and rain. Ten meters... nine meters... Cinnabar got closer toward his son. Eight meters... seven meters... Cyber smiled as his dad was closer. Six meters... five meters... four... three... two... KABOOM!! Lightning emerged from the clouds and struck Cyber straight in the horn, who was crying out in pain and electrocution. "CYBER!" both Cinnabar and Venus dashed toward their son after the lightning left, seeing that Cyber was laying on the ground, they levitated him inside, where Venus did a check on Cyber. She sighed in relief. "He's alive, but unconscious, but we can't take him to the hospital in this storm." "Then I guess we'll have to wait." ... The moment the storm passed, they took their still unconscious son straight to the hospital, where they received shocking news. "You two are extremely lucky that he survived, it's almost a miracle. However this miracle isn't for free," the doctor showed them a scan of Cyber's brain, everything seemed normal, except for a large black smudge near his forehead. "As you can see, the frontal areas of his brain are fried, specifically the region associated with focusing magic." Venus gasped. "Are you saying...?" The doctor nodded. "We tried everything to find even the slightest trace of magic in him, all we found was the kind that shows a pony's cutie mark. So as much as it hurts me to say this... but your son will never use magic again." "Is that all?" asked Cinnabar, holding back his emotions. "Other than the possibility of slight changes in personality, but bring him back here every week or so just to be on the safe side." ... "Cinnabar, I'm worried," said Venus. "Of what?" asked Cinnabar. "It's Cyber, after the accident he seemed to take it well, but later he started to become depressed and spend his time in his room, now he's happy and mostly in his treehouse doing who-knows-what." "You're right, I'll go check on him..." Cinnabar trotted over to his son's treehouse, where he heard suspicious noises inside and Cyber muttering. "Come on... come on... gotta stay conscious..." "Cyber, Cyber, what are you doing?" Cinnabar asked, tying to open the door to find it locked. "Dad? Uh, it's not a good time right now." "Cyber what are you doing?" Cinnabar asked again. "Dad, I can't come right now." "Cyber System, you better open this door or I will teleport in." "Dad I can't!" "Is this because you can't use magic?" "No, I will explain everything later, but I finally got this to work, so I can't-AUGH!" hearing Cyber yell in pain made Cinnabar teleport in. "Cyber, you better have a good explanation for- what in the world?" he looked around to see everything coated in metal, flashing lights, and glass screens. Now he knew why he expanded his treehouse, wandering around a bit, he finally found Cyber, unconscious and strapped to some kind of table while mechanical claws placed a large cast over his midsection, which now had a metal plate across his back and four weird, metal limbs coming from it. "Cyber, Cyber? Are you alright, what is this? What have you been doing in here?" Cinnabar asked as his son opened his eyes. "Mmm? What? Oh uh, hey, Dad," Cyber said nervously. "Did it work?" "Did what work?" "Nevermind," Cyber looked at his back and smiled at the sight of it. "Yes, it was a success! Now for calibration," Cyber focused with all his might and Cinnabar was mildly shocked when one of the metal limbs lightly twitched. "This could take some getting used to." "Cyber, what are these? What did you do?" "Well, remember all those times I checked out books on mythical creatures? One of them surprised me, they're called 'humans' and they have limbs on their upper body that have a five fingered hand on it, they have so much control and dexterity that could make up for my lack of magic." "Cyber, why didn't you tell me?" "Well, seeing how you were a bit overprotective and how you and Mom don't want my brain to get hurt any more, I don't think you would've let me build something with neural transmitters." "Neural... what?" "Neural transmitters, they connect to my central nervous system and sense periods of electric pulses and react to them, but seeing how my nervous system is connected to my brain, you probably wouldn't allow it." "And you're right, I don't allow it, and you are going to take that off right now and we are going to have a talk with your mother about how long you are grounded for." "No." "What?" "No, Dad, I'm not taking them off, not having magic left me teased and picked on, I don't want that." "So you think this will stop it?" "No, but I did meet a filly who was in need of help because she was picked on, and I showed her there's nothing to be afraid of, so I'm going to embrace what I am, I'm going to show Equestria that I am a misfit and I don't care what anypony says." Cinnabar thought for a moment. "Do you really think you want this?" Cyber nodded. "Yes, Dad, I do, it's my destiny, look!" he pointed to his flank, which now had a square with all kinds of circuitry and gizmos. "That is a motherboard, my cutie mark, I live for technology, Dad." Cinnabar sighed. "I'll go talk with your mother." ... "Do you really have to go?" asked Venus, Cyber nodded. "There are ponies out there who need my help, I want to show Equestria that misfits like myself are not something to fear or tease or pick on, but instead we're just another face in the crowd, just easier to point out." "So, that's what you're calling your group, 'The Misfits'? Cause it really suites you," said Cinnabar. "Pretty much. I'll miss you." "We'll miss you too," said Venus. "And Cyber?" "Yeah, Dad?" "I'm proud of you." "Thanks, Dad," and with a final hug good-bye, Cyber System set off to find other misfits. Cinnabar chuckled as the memory came to an end. "Yep, those were the good ol' days." "Makes me wonder what he's doing right now." "Cyber, we're home!" called out Mixy as The Misfits entered the house, shortly Cyber emerged from his lab. "Hey, what time is it?" "Almost ten," answered Dusty. "Really? I lost track of time again. Anyway, Eclipse, your room is right next to the stairs to the left, Moonlight, yours is the straight left turn, Fang and Dusty will show you, let me know if there's any decorations you want to add." "Right this way," Dusty said as he and Fang directed the new members to their rooms while Mixy and Cyber stayed behind. "So, how many guest rooms are left?" asked Mixy. "Two," Cyber answered. "One across from my lab and one next to Moonlight's room." "I guess we'll have to expand soon." "I'm already working on it," Cyber replied with a yawn. "Well, I'm going to bed, good night," then he trotted up to his room. "...good night... Cyber."