//------------------------------// // Chapter Nine // Story: One Mask Among Many. // by Golden Paw //------------------------------//         “So let me see if I have understood you correctly,” Luna tapped her fore hooves together as she studied Quiz with intense eyes.         Quiz stared about the room, focusing on the complex astral devices and star charts: Anything to avoid Luna’s searching eyes. The ever-present tremble was back and Quiz knew Zip would be so angry with her for having talked, but what else could she have done?         Luna’s study was a collection of mysterious objects and curiosities. There were glowing crystal formations, odd charts with even stranger symbols adorning them. All this was shrouded in a comforting gloom. The sun’s rays held no sway here; this was Luna’s own space.         Quiz heard the steady ‘tap-tap-tap’ of Luna’s hooves and felt a shudder flow through her with each quiet sound. Luna hadn’t shouted, she hadn’t raged but simply enquired in a soft voice as to how Twilight had come to be in Celestia’s study.         Finally Luna spoke again, “Discord has been meddling again. He’s filled Twilight’s head with ideas of some sort of ‘great secret’ about the nature of the world. How many of the races we see today are results of a huge falling out between, for want of a better word, Demi-Gods?”         Luna’s eyes blazed, “You stood by while Twilight, in such a state, came to Celestia and disturbed the peace we have sought to nurture? Do you know what you have allowed to happen?”         Quiz looked into Luna’s impassive face; she didn’t want to but a will stronger than her own compelled her to do so. Like Celestia, Luna was so intense. She was larger than your normal pony it was true, but that didn’t account for the huge presence surrounding the alicorns. They held a mythical aura about them, of powers far greater than what was seen being held carefully in check.         To simply be in the same room as either of the Royal Pony Sisters pressed their nature into your soul. Quiz was used to Twilight, but Celestia and Luna were of an order of magnitude again. She felt like a tiny speck of dust being overshadowed by a looming tempest.         Quiz braced herself for the inevitable destruction her response would earn and in a tiny squeak she forced the reluctant words out, “Yes..”         Luna was very still for a moment, her mere presence shaking Quiz to her core. Here it comes, I did my best, Quiz screwed her eyes tightly shut and let the end come.         It took a few moments of ‘non-obliteration’ before Quiz’s curiosity overcame her fear. She forced one protesting eye open and to Quiz’s amazement saw that Luna was grinning. Dreading some new trick Quiz snapped her eye shut again tilted her head away.         When utter annihilation failed to occur again Quiz peeked and saw Luna smiling widely, all trace of her stern demeanor gone. The Princess’ lip trembled and to Quiz’s mounting bemusement Luna began to laugh.         It was a soft chuckle, but grew in strength until Luna was shaking with mirth. Quiz could only stare as the ‘Regent of the Moon’, ‘Royal Alicorn’ and ‘Co-ruler of Equestria’ laughed like a giddy filly. Tears began to trickle down Luna’s cheeks and the laughter continued to flow unhindered.         Quiz felt a fresh surge of terror, this unexpected response more frightening than any wrath she’d imagined.         Luna wiped her streaming eyes before holding up a conciliatory hoof, “I’m sorry little one, and I just couldn’t resist the opportunity.” A huge smile spread across Luna’s muzzle and Quiz felt her grip on events slipping away. “You’re not angry?” Quiz was so astonished she forgot to shake in fear.         Luna tilted her head and grinned at Quiz, “At you little one? Of course not. Discord well his actions are to be expected even after all these years. I will give him a stern talking to, have no fear of that but you? Of course not little one.”         Quiz felt her own face crease up in confusion, “Then what’s so funny? I don’t understand.”         A mischievous glint sparkled in Luna’s eyes, “Well I must admit I had a little fun with you Quiz. Twilight doesn’t give me many opportunities these days to interact with one of her creations, she’s busy, we’re busy and so I wanted to ‘test’ you out.” Quiz actually felt the first inklings of annoyance at this statement.         Luna simply smiled wider, “I must say that Twilight is making huge progress on the emotional programming for your kind. Buzzbot was a fluke, an unexpected step into mechanical sentience, courtesy of Discord I might add.” Luna’s eyes became full of wonder, “But you sprites, that’s real progress. ‘Intended independence’ was the goal and look how well you’ve turned out.”         Quiz was dumbfounded, Luna was almost saying that Quiz and her kind were always intended to be more than just ‘useful assistants’. That wasn’t what Twilight had always told her. Did Twilight even know this? Luna beckoned for Quiz to come closer, “Now let’s have a proper look at you little one.”         Quiz felt a calm assurance as she drifted forwards, and gently perched on Luna’s upheld hoof. She felt the scrutiny of those intense eyes as if they looked into her: Beyond the metal exterior and into the core of Quiz’s being.         “Yes very good, very good. Twilight still manages to amaze us at every turn,” Luna’s tone had shifted to one of analysis, as if talking about some interesting specimen. Quiz felt an unusual flash of confidence, “So why did Twilight make us then?” Luna smiled indulgently, “All in good time little one.”         “That’s not an answer!” Quiz called out before covering her mouth with a hoof, shocked at her own boldness, “I’m sorry, I spoke out of....”         Luna Laughed again, a genuine humour that made her look more beautiful and other-worldly than ever, “And there is that burning curiosity, mixed in with a little feistyness.” Despite herself Quiz pouted and Luna only laughed all the harder.         The feeling of being some sort of test subject didn’t sit well with Quiz and she frowned, “I don’t....”         Luna gently tapped Quiz on her head before moving to rub her on the chin with affection, “Do not fear Quiz; all will be made known at the right time. Trust Twilight and trust me, okay?”         At the mention of Twilight Quiz’s mind was drawn back to the terrible sights and sounds of wrath she’d witnessed, “Is Twilight going to be alright? Celestia seemed pretty mad about this whole thing.”         The cheerfulness faded on Luna’s face and she looked at a beautifully wrought sun symbol hanging on a stand upon the desk, “Ah yes...that.” She shook her head and gave a resigned sigh, “Discord does have his uses, though often he ‘helps’ in his own way.” Luna rolled her eyes, “It’s about time Celestia got over that whole sorry event and let somepony sort it out.”         Quiz cocked an eyebrow, “You mean there is some truth to that story, the one Twilight read in the book?”         Luna blinked as if remembering that Quiz was still there, “What?” Luna smiled sadly, “I’m one for honesty Quiz (well apart from the odd practical joke but that doesn’t really count)” Luna smiled and Quiz smiled along with her, “Celestia tries so hard to shield Equestria from anything unpleasant, it’s always been in her nature.”         Quiz’s tiny ears pricked up, sensing she was hearing something few ponies ever got to. Luna saw her rapt attention and grinned again, “In the most part I agree with her, there are many things it’s best not for the mortal folk to know, but Twilight.....is a special case. Like Cadance  she has become far more than a normal pony.”         Quiz didn’t understand and it must have shown on her face as Luna smiled indulgently upon her, “Don’t worry about that, the point I am trying to make is that I believe Twilight has earned the right to know a bit more about certain things, whereas Celestia wants her to remain in ignorance.” Quiz frowned before Luna continued on hastily, “For her own good of course, too much knowledge at once can be more damaging than none at all.”         Quiz quietly admitted that Luna had a point there, most of this was going over her head despite a burning need to know more. She watched as Luna’s eyes grew distant again, “I tried for years to convince Celestia to tell Twilight more, but every time I was dissuaded: Trusting that Celestia knew better, my own conduct having been found in question.”         Luna gave a sigh and a little shake of her head, “But now Discord has forced the issue and we will have to see how things turn out.” Quiz felt a suspicion growing in her and pressed for a straight answer, “So the story in that book is true?” Luna smiled indulgently, “That’s enough for today little one.”         Quiz waited patiently for the now charred doors to open, its decorations having run like melting wax. It made the once proud ponies adorning the surface appearing as doughy blobs and Quiz shuddered to think what had become of the chamber beyond.         The guards had also returned and Quiz watched them eye each other warily. Don’t envy you guys. The scorch marks making it appear some sort of bomb had gone off in Celestia’s study, tracing a blackened firework outwards which mixed with the dollops of gold.         New ideas and fleeting concepts had begun to sprout in Quiz’s mind. They were intended to be more that just helpful ‘assistants’. The notion had never occurred to her before and it filled Quiz with an eager hopefulness. We can be more than we are.         The doors squealed open and Quiz was drawn from her musings as Twilight, unhurt and smiling emerged from the study. Further in, an impassive Celestia sat behind a warped desk looking out of the soot-stained windows, cooling puddles of various sizes setting on the blackened wood. Celestia had a distant look about her, staring through the murky glass at the glimpses of daylight beyond with a thoughtful expression tinged with hints of sadness.         “Hey Quiz, thanks for waiting,” Twilight’s cheerful tones at complete odds with the fire blackened surroundings, “I hope you weren’t too worried, Celestia and I needed to talk and things got a little heated.” Quiz forced a smile, “It’s alright your Highness.”         Twilight paused, looking at Quiz with interest, “You’re remarkably calm Quiz, even the guards fled and yet here you are, as calm as a spring morning.”         For the first time since Twilight emerged Quiz felt the nerves twanging, “I um had some quiet time while I waited and feel much better for it.”         Twilight smiled, “That’s great Quiz I have to admit I had my doubts when Zip suggested I bring you along instead of him. But it’s done you good.”         Quiz nodded and settled just above Twilight’s shoulder, hovering with steady beats of her wings. A sudden impulse made Quiz look around and she saw Luna nodding with approval from further down the corridor, a conspiratorial grin on her muzzle.         “Yeah I think things are going to get better Princess,” Quiz added, keeping station with Twilight along the corridor.         They moved in silence for a while before Quiz broke the stillness, “So it went well then? The meeting with Celestia I mean?”         Twilight didn’t answer right away but kept staring straight ahead, her eyes focused on their destination. Quiz was just starting to think Twilight hadn’t heard her when the response came, “Yes Quiz, I think it did. There were some angry words spoken, but we have things all cleared up now.”         Quiz wrung her hooves, the real question she wanted to ask on the tip of her tongue, “Twilight, can I ask you something?” Twilight smiled at her, “Of course Quiz, what is it?” Quiz’s newfound courage faltered, “I...why did you make Buzzbot?” She was met by a disbelieving grin from Twilight, “Surely you know that Quiz?”         Quiz scrunched up her muzzle, Just ask her what you really want to know you silly foal “I know it was something to do with time travel and helping out Tinker Track,” Quiz said quietly. You coward, just ask her.         Twilight’s eyebrow raised and Quiz pressed on hurriedly, “I mean...I know what you said...that, I just don’t understand why you made us machines at all?” You’re skipping around the subject Quiz, just do it: Twilight why did you make us? The real reason, Luna knows more than you’re telling us.         Twilight chuckled, “That’s complicated Quiz, I made you to keep Buzz company. I can understand you feeling a little lost with her trotting about the Badlands right now and you stuck here.” Go on, just ask her!         The soldiers ahead pulled open the doors for Twilight and bowed as she passed, “As for Buzzbot well.” She nodded in thanks to the guards who saluted in return, “Have you heard of time loops?”         Quiz shook her head and Twilight chuckled, “That doesn’t surprise me, well I met Buzz in the past and so needed to make her in the future so that she’d be there in the past to meet me.” Quiz felt her head ache, “That wasn’t the only reason, but I guess you could say it’s the triggering factor.”         Oh Quiz come on, remember what Luna told you. She screwed up her face and went for it, “Luna says we’re made to be ‘independent Intelligences’, she wouldn’t tell me what that meant or why and I want to know why you didn’t tell us!”         Twilight froze and blinked in astonishment as Quiz curled up, the sounds of her shout fading to be replaced by an uncomfortable silence and she hid her face. Peeking out from behind her hooves Quiz saw Twilight’s face awash with different emotions, mostly surprise mixed with astonishment before finally settling on confusion, “Independent Intelligences?” Quiz nodded, still hiding her face from Twilight.         “That’s what she said,” Quiz whispered before flinching as Twilight brought a hoof up under her.         “Oh Quiz,” Twilight’s voice was conciliatory, “Has this been bothering you for a while?” Quiz let her little hooves settle on Twilight’s outstretched hoof and nodded weakly. “Firstly the Royal Pony sisters know a lot more than they ever let on okay, trust me I know what I’m talking about.”         Twilight glanced meaningfully back the way they’d come before smiling at Quiz again, “Buzz was an unexpected success: Discord threw his magic into the mix (I still don’t know why to this day) and Buzzbot gained true life: A living soul in a robot body.         “Typical of Discord, he never does the same trick twice and we have never been able to fully replicate that event,” Twilight explained and Quiz felt more confused than ever. “I don’t think even Discord truly knows what he did that time and one of the first things Buzz asked of Tinker and I, like you, is where did she come from.”         Twilight’s face fell somewhat, “To have to tell a daughter, especially a machine one that you can’t answer a simple question like that is heart breaking Quiz.” Twilight’s eyes took on a determined glint, “Buzz was so sad when we told her she was one of a kind, unique and alone in the world that I just had to do something.”         Quiz wasn’t sure she liked where this conversation was going as Twilight gently patted her on the head, “So I began the sprite project. Starting as simple as I could to find the key to Buzz’s situation.”         “So we’re just tests or experiments?” Quiz asked, her tiny heart feeling like it was going to crack.         Twilight shook her head vigorously, stepping aside to allow further place traffic to come past. Quiz looked to see a number of patiently waiting staff had gathered behind the stopped pair.         Twilight smiled and waved as they shuffled past before turning back to Quiz, “Of course not Quiz. I made sure that any creation that held even a spark of intelligence was treated with kindness and respect. What we discovered was that emotions, true feelings, can’t be created. They develop over time as the magic of this world settles upon any being with thoughts of their own.         Twilight’s eyes became distant, “When I first created Buzz she was cold, mechanical and without feeling: A robot in every sense of the word. It was only when she got out and about among others that she really came to life with Discord’s magic as catalyst.”         She snapped back to the here and now, “I know it’s hard to understand Quiz, but we made Buzz based on plans and studies I made of her back in the past. A self fulfilling time loop that kicked off this whole ‘magical technology’ thing in the first place.”         Twilight’s eyes shone with the glow of the fanatic, “Where as you and the other sprites, you were my first attempts at an original design for ‘Independent Intelligence.’ To see if the theory of developing emotions would hold true.”         Quiz shuffled. It sounded better than she’d first thought, but still a long way from being ‘right.’ Quiz struggled to hold the information Twilight was trying to give her, being far more complicated than she was used to. She glanced up at Twilight, seeing her eager face and shining eyes. Was this wrong or right? Was Twilight playing with fire here but most importantly where did it leave Quiz and the other sprites?         Twilight was lost to the ‘lecture’ now and paid Quiz’s discomfort no mind, “That’s why we made a group. A collection of minds to interact and grow together, like a real society only in miniature. To make the test fair we had to let you develop by yourselves, so I couldn’t tell you the true intent behind the project.....”         Twilight’s eyes lost their enthusiasm and she frowned thoughtfully, “But now you know the test is....”         Quiz felt the fear well up again, “You’re not going to shut us down are you?” She couldn’t keep the tremble out of her voice and Twilight’s eyes went wide with horror.         “What? Of course not! How could you even think such a thing of me?” Twilight’s voice caused several guards to glance their way and she smiled sheepishly before waving away their attention. She rubbed her cheek against Quiz and smiled happily, “You’ve all grown far faster than I could have ever predicted. The fact that you’re asking me these very questions proves that you’re a success. That you’re scared about your future and what we think is simply amazing.”         Twilight’s smile grew so wide that Quiz feared the top of her head would fall off. Quiz scrunched up her muzzle, “So it’s good I’m scared all the time?” Twilight beamed, “Yes! I mean no, it’s more complicated than that.” The confusion only rose in Quiz, “How can it be both Twilight?”         “Because we all have trials to overcome, that’s part of being alive and you sprites are just setting out on that journey,” A confident voice caused Quiz to look up in shock. Wow Luna can move quietly when she wants to.         Even as Quiz stared in wonder Twilight blushed, “Oh hello Luna, I guess you heard about Celestia and I?”         Luna grinned and hints of mischief played around her eyes again, “How could I miss it? I felt the flare of power from the castle’s grounds.”         Twilight’s cheeks glowed all the brighter, “Well yes we did have a bit of tense discussion about history and the origins of species. Your sister did get a tiny bit cross.”         Quiz blinked, What did that have to do with anything and why would Celestia get so upset about such?         Luna was beaming at the pair with pride, “Celestia thinks that the ‘hooves off approach’ is the way to go, but find that gentle nudges do the best trick. Well done both of you.” Luna tilted her head to Quiz who smiled weakly.         Twilight’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, “On that point Luna, I think you told Quiz all that stuff on purpose didn’t you! You wanted her to come and ask me about herself and the other sprites.”         Luna smiled knowingly, “I did indeed, wanting to see how far they had come in their development.” She winked at Quiz, “Like some mutual friend of ours put a book in your path Twilight so that you’d ask some questions yourself? Possibly to see if you would go as far as bringing your concerns to Celestia even though you knew she’d be unhappy to hear them?”         Quiz could only glance back and forth as the two princesses talked, Twilight’s face still glowing with a blush, “Point well made Luna. Though I doubt he had such benevolent intentions, He’s probably laughing himself sore right now.”         Luna nodded, “True, still I must congratulate you Twilight on finding the nerve to stand up to my sister. You did it in a far better way than I ever have.” The wicked grin appeared again, “Celestia really does need a good kick in the flank to make her help us with our current problem.”         Quiz felt events getting away from her; something bigger than simple words were being spoken here, Luna and Twilight seemed to be talking in code and she just couldn’t keep up. Luna tilted her head, “Come Twilight, we should talk of this somewhere more private.” “Your study? Twilight asked only for Luna to shake her head.         “Tia is still a little worked up right now, probably best for us to put a little distance between us,” Luna replied.         Quiz it seemed had been forgotten as both princesses nodded in agreement, which was fine with her. All these double meanings and implied notions were starting to make Quiz’s head hurt. She was just about to drift off when Twilight smiled back at her, “Don’t worry Quiz, I’m not angry at you. Just stay out of trouble while we will talk, later okay?”         Quiz smiled happily and waved as both Luna and Twilight headed in the direction of the gardens. It was all so much to take in and Quiz wasn’t sure if she was happy about all that she’d learnt in the last few minutes.         Luna and Twilight were just disappearing around the corner when Quiz suddenly remembered why Zip had assigned her here in the first place. She was needed to keep an ear out for anything important and if what the two princesses were trotting off to talk about wasn’t important then Quiz was a timberwolf.         Zip would never forgive Quiz if she passed up this opportunity. Checking the guards were not paying her any particular attention she flitted nimbly down the passageway after the retreating rulers.