“This is soooo awesome!” Vinyl said as she walked, looking around with excitement.
“We're still outside,” Octavia muttered with a roll her eyes.
“Yeah, but our hooves aren't even wet! We're underwater, about to see things nopony has ever seen before, how can you NOT be excited?”
“The problem is, ponies have seen this before. Your parents, most likely. The doctors, as well. We could be walking straight into a trap...” Octavia glanced back towards the other ship besides theres. “Correction, this is definitely a trap.”
“Yup, so come on! Let's go spring it!” Vinyl said before galloping ahead.
“Vinyl, don't!” the earth pony yelled. The unicorn ignored her and slammed into the massive doorway into the castle. To Octavia's amazement, it opened. Without any explosions, darts or even a pitfall. She galloped after the DJ. “Are you daft? You could have been killed! What if they'd lined the area with explosives!”
“Explosives? Parry the thought!” A loud, excited voice called from above them.
“Oh buck,” Octavia said with a groan. She looked into the room. Then she face hoofed. Dr. Caballeron was standing on a raised platform. However, the two ponies besides him annoyed her far worse. Judging by the look on his face, they annoyed him just as much.
“What is that?” Vinyl asked in hushed tones.
“That, Vinyl... is Dr. Alicity and the Secretary.” The doctor was a white-coated earth pony with a golden mane, wearing a tight white lap coat and golden goggles. The other was a red and white coated unicorn with a black mane. She wore glasses and had a bandage covering her cutie mark.
“Not them. That. Wait, how did you even notice them?”
“Huh?” Octavia blinked and looked down. “Oh. My eyes automatically seek out the most annoying thing in the room. It's how I notice you so easily.”
“Cool!” Pause. “Wait, hey!”
Standing under the platform was a twelve foot tall alicorn robot. Its eyes were glowing red and its massive wings seemed to be crafted from diamonds. “You rebuilt the alibot? I would have sworn you'd given up on that piece of junk by now,” Octavia muttered.
“Hah! Shows what you know! I never give up on anything!” Alicity yelled as he pointed an accusatory hoof. “There will be no tricks this time! No alicorn with weird magic to break its magic cells! No... cutie mark crusaders to run a muck and push all the buttons and break everything! This time, agent 0CT, my alibot is invincible!” The stallion pulled out a small remote controller.
“Your invincible robot is controlled with a... RC remote? Did you salvage that from an old remote-controlled car?”
“Hah! Of course not!” the stallion said proudly.
“It was a remote-controlled helicopter,” The Secretary said.
“Enough!” Alicity roared, before glowering down at them. “No more, Agent 0CT! You've stood in our way for the last time!” He poked and prodded the controller a few times. Caballeron just face hoofed and shook his head, moving away from the other two.
The giant robot began to lift its head, staring down at the ponies with giant, glowing red eyes.
Vinyl grinned. “That is awesome! Tell me it has rocket arms!”
“Hah! What a feeble use of imaginary thoughts!” Alicity raised a hoof. “It doesn't only have rocket arms, it has a rocket horn!” He pushed a button on the controller and suddenly the robot leaped into the air. It's arms shot out from its body, as its head lowered and the horn shot out as well.
“Awesome!” the DJ yelled.
“VINYL!” Octavia screamed, grabbing the mare and yanking her back, out through the door. A moment later the exit behind them exploded, filling the bubble with dust as stones and debris flew over their heads. The earth pony held onto her friend, barely managing to navigate the way as rocks the size of cars rained down on them. After many long, painful seconds of running for her life, the rubble stopped falling and the mare nearly collapsed. “Don't... ever... encourage him.”
Alas, it was too late. “Tell me the giant robot has laser vision!”
“Of course,” Alicity said with a smirk, before poking some more buttons. Octavia shrieked and grabbed Vinyl's hoof, dragging her along as the robot started shooting fiery laser beams after them.
“Who's side are you on?!” the earth pony mare shrieked as she hid behind a massive piece of rubble. “Are you trying to get us killed?”
“Oh, come on! This is a giant robot! It's awesome! Ohhhh, do you think it has a giant sword, too? That would be amazing!” The piece of rubble they were hiding behind was suddenly split in half, as Octavia's mouth fell open. The alibot stood over them, its wings formed into a long, diamond blade which had sliced through the stone. “AWESOME! Do you think it has a--”
The words were cut off as Octavia covered the unicorn's mouth with a hoof. “No! It does not have it! Stop encouraging him! We need to get past him! Not make him unveil its transformations or something stupid like that!” She yelped and covered her own mouth.
“In fact, it does have transformations! Alibot, transform!” Alicity yelled before pushing the button.
The Secretary face hoofed. “Sir...”
“Why can't I just shoot this idiot...” Caballeron said with a groan.
“Silence!”
The alibot went still as it began to shift and fold in on itself. Within a few moments, the alibot turned into a... tank-sized drill.
Octavia stared for a few moments, before face hoofing. “Is that everything?”
“Yes! Now fear my ultimate robot! It is undefeatable, unbreakable, the perfect--” He began rambling his victory speech, making the others shake their heads.
Vinyl pulled away from Octavia and tapped her glasses. She aimed at the platform and after a second, laser beams shot out from her face, striking the base of the supports.
“Impossibly aerodynamic, comes in thirty-five different colors, works with--” The platform shook under the doctor, as he paused. “What was that?” The platform shot to the side, teetering haphazardly on its side. The earth pony toppled over the edge, but one hoof managed to latch onto the rails. “Ahhhhhh! Secretary!” He looked around wildly.
“I'm down here, sir,” the mare said with a groan from her position on the ground. “Ow...”
“Help me! I don't wanna die!”
“It's not that far a fall,” she muttered.
Caballeron was holding onto the platform, above the other doctor. “Give me the remote!” he yelled, holding out his hoof.
“Pull me up!” Alicity screamed.
“Give me the remote and I'll pull you up!”
“It's like a fifteen foot drop,” The Secretary muttered. “You might twist your ankle...”
“Fine!” Alicity held out the remote, which the other pony took.
Caballeron burst into laughter. “Heh heh. Now, good bye, doctor.” He kicked with a hoof, sending the pony toppling down below.
Alicity screamed as he fell, his hooves flailing. He landed on the ground a few moments later. “Can't... go on...”
“Sir... please get up,” The Secretary said with a roll of her eyes. “You're fine.”
“But... but that hurt.”
“It's about to hurt a whole lot more!” Caballeron yelled, one hoof wrapping around the rails while the other poked the buttons. “Now, alibot! Destroy them all! Mwa ha ha ha!”
“... They can't be this dumb,” Octavia said with another face hoof. “Vinyl, would you?”
“What? But it's just getting good! Who knows who's going to betray next?”
“How could you?!” Alicity yelled, pointing a hoof at the betrayer. “We're a team!”
“You're a fool, Dr. Alicity!” Caballeron yelled, as the alibot turned back into its alicorn form. It slowly turned around, towards them. “With your precious robot under my control, we no longer need you. You useless, stupid foal! The horn is mine! AHHHHH!” He shrieked as the platform toppled forward, from another laser blast of Vinyl's glasses. He landed on the other doctor, sending the remote crashing to the ground. It shattered, sending bits of plastic everywhere.
The alibot's eyes began to glow bright red. “Controls disengaged. Entering elimination mode.”
Alicity squeaked and stared up at the robot. “Oh... oh dear.”
“What's elimination mode?” Octavia called out as she slowly inched back behind cover.
“That's where it boots up the sensors and runs it's destruction program. Eliminating every living thing within sensor range.”
“WHY WOULD YOU HAVE IT DEFAULT TO THAT?!” Caballeron roared as he got to his hooves.
“It, it seemed like a good idea at the time! After those school fillies broke the remote and--”
“Elimination mode activated.”
“We should run now,” Alicity said before grabbing the Secretary's hoof and running out of the castle, towards the stacks of rubble.
Caballeron looked up as the giant robot glared down at him. With a squeak, he started after them. “Wait for me!” Lasers slammed into the ground behind him, narrowly missing.
“Hey! This is our rubble hiding spot! Find your own!” Octavia snapped, ducking behind another rock before a laser could take her head off. “Dr. Alicity! How do we stop this crazy thing?!”
The robot picked up large pieces of rubble, tossing them aside as it searched for the ponies amongst the destroyed rocks. The stallion gulped and peered over, before ducking behind more rocks. “I don't know! I removed the self destruct feature after the mark two!”
Vinyl grinned and shot up. “Oh! I know!” She jumped onto one of the rocks. “Eat hot laser!” Her glasses glowed for a moment before a laser shot out, straight into the alibot's face. It took it head on, its horn glowing. A moment later... the glasses poofed into ash, leaving nothing but a long coil of rope to fall on the ground. She stared. “What... was that?”
“The alibot absorbs magic!” Alicity yelled.
Octavia yanked Vinyl's tail, pulling her back behind cover right before a laser hit where she had been standing.
“This isn't as fun anymore,” the unicorn said with a gulp. “So, think we can run past it without getting killed?”
“Probably not, come on!” Octavia grabbed Vinyl's hoof and dragged her behind a new hiding spot. The alibot appeared over where they had been, before looking confused.
“Ah hah, I've got it!” Alicity yelled, making the robot turn its head towards his hiding spot. A second later their protective rock was vaporized, leaving him and his secretary exposed. “E-eep.” He scrambled away.
“What is it? What's the plan?” Octavia screamed.
“There is one weak spot I developed for it! However, knowing that the princesses would obviously try to use their magic to defeat it, I was smart enough to ensure that magic wouldn't work on it.” He nodded proudly. “And, as I knew they might try to force me to defeat it, I made sure it couldn't be stopped by an earth pony, either! Only a pegasus can exploit the one weakness I left!”
For a second there was nothing but the sound of many hooves smacking against their owners faces.
“All we are is earth ponies and unicorns you daft nut job!” Octavia yelled. “The royal guard is filled with pegasi, too! Not to mention the princesses can fly! What's wrong with you?!”
“Oh. Huh, I guess they-- AHHHH!” The robot's sword cut through his hiding spot, revealing him. He turned and ran. “Its back! There's casing on his back! If you can blast it off, you can hit the control board beneath it, disabling it! HELLLLLP!”
The alicorn bot leaped over the doctor, landing in front of him and blocking his way. He turned to run, but the robot jammed a hoof down in his path, before pulling him back to its body.
“Sir!” The Secretary yelled, as her horn began to glow. Pieces of rock and stone were picked up in her magic as she readied herself to throw.
The robot paused, looking up at her. “Secretary! Run!” Alicity yelled. “I designed it to capture the princesses! It's attracted to magic!”
The unicorn stared at the robot bearing down on her, before flinging the rocks. They bounced harmlessly off its armor. The alibot then tossed Alicity aside and charged after the mare, who turned to run.
With the robot's back to them, Octavia narrowed her eyes and looked at the back. There, on a small plate between where it's wings had been, she saw the words 'Do not touch'. She face hoofed, but smiled. “Okay, I've got an idea. Secretary, keep it distracted!”
The unicorn kept running for her life, the robot plowing through rubble as it chased, knocking aside rocks the size of cars. Octavia glanced to Vinyl. “I've got a plan. If it doesn't work I--”
Vinyl gave the mare a shove, pushing her against the wall and making her freeze in surprise. “You're not the only one who gets excited by danger. I got this one.” She leaned up and gave the earth pony a kiss on the lips, before galloping towards the machine.
“What? STOP!” Octavia screamed, her eyes widening as her mouth fell open. “You don't know what you're doing!”
“I'll be fine!” Vinyl yelled, before her horn started to glow. She gripped some rocks in her magic, before hurtling them at the robot. It paused for a moment, before starting to turn. She took the few seconds she had, leaped into the air and gripped its tail with her front hooves. Her back hooves wildly kicked until she got a nice solid foundation and she pushed herself up, climbing the tail.
The alibot turned its head around, before standing on its back hooves. It then flipped all the war around, reversing its position so she was now on its stomach, dangling from the tail. “O-oh dear.” Its hooves reached out to grab her. “AHHH!” She kicked her back hooves out, pushing against the metal hooves. She let the tail go and gripped one of the limbs with her hooves. Without pausing, she lurched forward and her hooves shot out. They connected with the small 'Do not touch' plate, shattering it. The plastic fell apart, revealing the board within.
Unfortunately, the alibot's hooves grabbed her before she could smack the control board, slamming her down into the ground. She gasped for air as the robot stared down at her, its eyes glowing red.
Gunshots split the air, one after the other. Slowly, the robot's eyes began to dim and then, after a few seconds, it fell over onto its side. Vinyl stared up, her eyes wide as she saw the bullet holes through the control board. “H-how?”
“As I was saying,” Octavia muttered as she slowly trotted forward. “Alicity is an...” She glanced to the stallion. “Idiot. If a pegasus could break through it, chances were my gun could too. Are you okay?”
“Oh... fine. Heh heh... ohhh. Next time I think I'll wait for you to tell me the plan.” She closed her eyes and laid back. “Soooo. Does this mean we've won?”
“No. There's still one more doctor. Athruz is in there, waiting.” Octavia turned to glare at the castle, though the first chamber was a complete wreck, with large chunks of stone falling apart through the holes.
“I think you're getting a bit ahead of yourself, Agent 0CT,” Dr. Caballeron said with a smirk. “You haven't captured us yet, we-- oh.” He went silent as the gun was leveled on him.
“It's been a long day, don't think I won't shoot you. Vinyl, see if the rope from your glasses survived. It should have jettisoned when the glasses were... vaporized.”
The DJ nodded before galloping over to where she had lost them. Within a few minutes, all of the ponies were tightly tied, grumbling angrily as Octavia held her gun on them. All their gadgets were removed, even Alicity's goggles. She then held the gun out to Vinyl. “Take this.”
“Huh?”
“I'm going in.”
“But--”
“Somepony has to watch them and make sure they don't escape. You'll need this to keep them under control.”
“But--”
“Vinyl, I know you want to run off and follow me. But we can't, not this time. Somepony has to watch them. I need you to do this for me, please,” the earth pony said as she nudged the gun to her.
Vinyl looked down at it, before slowly gripping it in her magic. There was something in the earth pony's voice, actual emotion. Fear. For her. “I... I understand. Fine.”
Octavia nodded. “Thank you. I will be back before you know it. With the horn.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.” With those words, the earth pony turned and galloped into the castle, leaving Vinyl alone with their prisoners. The DJ watched her leave, chewing her lower lip nervously. She could do this. She... had to do this. Twenty minutes passed, with no sign of the mare and her pacing back and forth. She finally glanced at the prisoners, then the castle “Buck this.” She reared up and galloped towards the castle. “I'm coming!”