//------------------------------// // Wish Weaver - Chapter 3: Time to meet the locals. // Story: Wish Weaver // by Limescale //------------------------------// My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Wish Weaver : Chapter 3 Time to Meet the Locals Being a newcomer to a strange land was never easy. Being a newcomer to a strange land with no memory of who you are or where you came from previously was even harder. Being all of the above and also an entity that had never been seen before anywhere on Equestria, well that was making things more difficult than they really needed to be. Sadly for the one now known as Equinox, such was a challenge she now had to face. The only compensation was she didn’t have to do it alone. Following her impromptu christening, the ponies known as the Mane Six had taken her as one of their own, with each spinning their own tale of who they were, what their lives were like and what they did. Over the course of the day, Equinox had learned the basics to the art of dressmaking, the core skills in animal care, a brief history of Equestria and its monarchy, the opening stunts of the Wonderbolts’ flying show, a lively demonstration of apple tree bucking and how much her welcoming party was going to be the best ever in the whole of Equestria. Though she had contributed little in return, the robot alicorn had taken all of this in with gusto. The more the ponies talked about their world, the more she found herself experiencing the strangest reactions. A haze of demand had been sizzling away at the parts of her mind that still worked, repeatedly reminding her that no matter how much data she compiled, she would need more. To an organic being such a sensation would probably be recognized as hunger, but for the machine it was yet another new development in a day that was rife with more new developments than most ponies would’ve been able to handle. When finally the night came again, and the ponies had all finally agreed they could reveal no more, Equinox had her first negative feedback. The cessation of data was strangely…painful to her, demanding immediate relief. Fortunately, Twilight still had a myriad of books lying around the palace, and thus when the ponies had retired; Equinox turned her attention to those. When everyone rose and came down to breakfast the next morning, they thus got quite the shock to find the robot still reading quietly, flipping through the pages of a tome at break neck speed, then levitating it neatly to join its brethren on the shelves so she could start on the next. “Um…good morning, Equinox.” Twilight said, almost as an aside as she now took in her re-organized library. “I see you put the night to good use?” -Indeed. I have currently compiled approximately 85.3% of your available literature. Correction, 85.6%. – The alicorn slotted another book onto the shelf and lifted another up from the piles. – Correction, 86.32%....86.9%. – “That’s fine, Equinox. I get the picture.” Twilight replied, even more amazed than before. “And you still had time to organize them all in between?” - You expressed a strong preference for optimization, Princess Twilight Sparkle. While compiling, I sensed a similar feedback in my core circuits. – The alicorn walked over to her purple counterpart and added another book to the shelves. – Your library has thus now been arranged according to chronological date of publication, core subject material, condition and color. I have prepared a full list of where everything is if you desire. - Though she felt bad for doing it, Twilight giggled softly while Equinox cocked her head. “No, no, I’m sure I can figure it out on my own.” She said. “Actually, that was rather nice of you to do. Spike will be so pleased you saved us so much work.” Though she looked surprised at having done the purple mare a service, Equinox still nodded as if to express her thanks for Twilight’s approval. - Very well. If you will permit me a few more minutes, I will be able to compile the remainder. - The metal pony’s horn lit up with the same neon blue aura and shot out a beam of light to pull another tome to her. Twilight watched in rapt fascination as she then proceeded to flick through the pages with the same speed and efficiency. “Strange, it looks like you can use magic, but that’s not the way levitation usually works…” Equinox promptly halted her reading and looked up at Twilight. - I apologize for the misconception then. According to my systems, this is not a supernatural levitation skill akin to what you would define as ‘magic’. It is an on-board tractor beam assembly installed in my cranial extension. - Twilight politely gaped in silence till she managed to get her head above the sudden tidal wave of words. “I’m sorry, a what?” - A tractor beam. A Bessel beam emitting equipment designed to manipulate the gravitational pull on a given object and force it towards the point of emission. – Equinox stated, still managing to maintain her perfectly polite and pretty tone. Twilight looked halfway between bewildered at the second wave of techno-babble, and confused as to why she'd use such complicated terms to describe what was a fairly basic concept. “Right so it's levitation, you just use it a different way than we do. Interesting. I wasn’t aware you had something like that.” The princess finally replied. Equinox dipped her head, as if ashamed. - Truthfully, I didn’t either. My systems only notified me of its existence once I had acknowledged the problem of trying to read your literature while lacking the required manipulative appendages. – The robot replied. Twilight's curiosity bloomed as the sense of this registered. “So you do have special abilities like me, but you just can’t remember what they are?” She asked. -Yes, however, it would seem that my systems have been equipped with a back up emergency activation protocol. If I expose myself to a scenario that requires use of my higher functions, they will activate on their own accord. - Equinox finished her reading and added the tome to the others, though unlike before she did not immediately grab for another one. – Such an excessive amount of contingency planning exposits that those who created me wished that I be prepared for anything. I find this…a fascinating theory to explore. – While the metal alicorn mused, the purple alicorn felt her spirits rise along with the sun. “Me too. Actually that gives me a few ideas as to how we might be able to help you. Let me go speak with my friends and I’ll find you after breakfast.” Equinox nodded in agreement. - I will remain here and continue my compilations. - *** “Ah dunno, Twilight. It sounds like she’s takin’ a little too much after yew fer comfert.” Applejack mused. “Not that Ah mean any oh-fense, but we all know where yer curious mind has taken us bee-four, and frankly Ah’d prefer havin’ just one a yew to chase after.” Though she tried to look dismayed, Twilight couldn’t suppress the snickers as the earth pony smiled at her. “That is a risk, yes, but this really could be what Equinox needs. Being in new situations seems to help her remember aspects about herself so we should try to keep that going.” Twilight replied. “Well, it’s obvious what needs to be done! I’ll take her with me to Ponyville and show her around while I get party supplies!” Pinkie Pie proudly declared, smacking the table and nearly upsetting the plate of breakfast cupcakes in the center. The impulsiveness of this act noticeably didn’t seem to concern the others so much as what was being proposed. “Are you sure that’s a good idea, Pinkie Pie? Don’t get me wrong, I’m just as eager to introduce her to folks, but…well we’ve all seen how our fellow ponies react to those that are strange and unusual.” Rarity spoke up. Twilight winced as the awkwardness around the breakfast room grew that much heavier. ‘Well yeah, but so did we, and we learned to be better. I’m certain I can convince everypony that Equinox is a good soul! And even if not, well, what else are we going to do? Keep her here like a caged animal?” The sheer carelessness of the statement was only matched by how quickly the one speaking realized what a terrible error she’d made. She still got several slack jawed and aghast expressions though. “I mean…um…no offense to you or your animals, Fluttershy.” Pinkie smiled nervously. The pink maned pegasus hesitantly looked to her friends, completely lost on how she should respond. “It’s fine, Pinkie Pie. You do bring up a good point though. Equinox is going to have to meet other ponies eventually.” The air slowly cleared over everyone as they contemplated this and found agreement. “Okay then, you can take her with you, Pinkie. Just please keep a careful eye on her. Yes she’s not an animal, but she’s also not exactly a normal pony either. I have no idea what will happen.” Twilight’s voice caught in her throat as she realized the risk she was authorizing, but Pinkie Pie seemed ecstatic about it. “Great! I’ll go ask her right now!” Like the energetic little earth pony she was, the pink mare was out of the breakfast room faster than her friends could blink. Watching the dust trail that had been kicked up in her friend’s wake, Applejack idly sipped at her coffee. “Maybe we should also ask Equinox to keep an eye on Pinkie Pie in return. Between the two of them Ah dunno who’s more unpredictable.” *** Hours later, for better or worse, Equinox found herself taking her first literal steps into the quaint town known as Ponyville. Though the place was moving at its usual daily speed, and would’ve presented what many would deem to be a boring sight, the mecha-alicorn was soon swiveling her head in as many directions as her neck would permit, systematically drinking in the sights and sounds of her first real exposure to a thriving community. In spite of having more than enough to feast her sensory aspects on, the pony did not lose track of her companion’s rapid speech about the place. “And over there is Sugar Cube Corner! It’s where I used to work and live, before we got that pretty new castle for ourselves.” Pinkie Pie gestured to the decadently decorated establishment. Noting the way the roofing and paint colors had been coordinated to resemble a giant cake, Equinox lifted her nose to the air and sniffed. -I am detecting a myriad of scents embodying the characteristics of sugar. There are also traces of freshly baked bread products. – “Yep, Mr. and Mrs. Cake are the best bakers around. They taught me everything I know about making cupcakes, snacks and goodies!” Pinkie Pie replied. Seemingly encouraged by this, Equinox unfolded her visor and stared intently through it at the bakery. - Infra red scans detect four current occupants: two adult, two newborn. From this information I deduce that you lived with a family there? - Pinkie Pie nodded eagerly. “Yep, the Cakes were kind enough to let me have the loft, and I also looked after their darling babies, Pumpkin and Pound Cake, when they were…OH MY!” Her eyes bugged out as if alarmed. “Oh I promised I’d visit them soon as I got settled. Oh Pumpkin and Pound must be missing me terribly!” The pink mare was off again like a shot, leaving Equinox no choice but to follow her into the bakery. By the time she got there, Pinkie Pie had apparently already gotten through greetings and a rather rushed summary of what had happened since she last saw the Cakes, as all eyes turned to the silver alicorn as her name was called out. “And then after Twilight got her awake again we discovered she couldn’t remember anything about herself, so here she is, trying to make a new name. Literally speaking!” The pink mare gleefully exhaled, drew in a quick breath then continued right on. “Oh and how are your foals doing? I’ve been missing them so terribly since I moved but it’s been soooo busy getting Twilight’s castle ready for everything.” Mr. Cake, a tall, lanky orange stallion in a red and white uniform just pointed to a set of swinging doors at the back of the bakery. “They’ve been fine. Still keeping us up all hours of the night with colic, diaper changes and feeding times, but such are the perils of parentage.” He yawned and shook himself awake. “I’m sure they’d love to have a few hours with you if you’re not too…yeah.” The horse politely cut himself off as Pinkie Pie had already dashed through the doors before he could finish his sentence. An instant later there were the sounds of happy squeals and gleeful giggling as three kids, two properly aged, one just a tad older than she should be, reunited. “Well, it seems for once we have a chance to devote full attention to the shop again.” The tired stallion said happily. “Mmm, and just think, another year or so, we might even get back to sleeping through the night again.” Mrs. Cake joked as she came in from the back. Unlike her husband, she was shorter and on the plump side, with a striking light blue hue to her coat and a striped spiral pattern to her mane and tail. The contrast between the two had Equinox staring inquisitively. “I rather wish she hadn’t left, but then again, it’s nice seeing her looking so excited over something again.” - Her reaction to spontaneous stimuli is…incomprehensible in comparison to those of her companions. From my data on recent events, and the opinions expressed by her and her companions, she seems to gain only positive feedback from surprises. As an example, Princess Twilight and the others exercised an understandable level of caution when I was reactivated. Entertainer Pinkie Pie, on the other hoof, seemed exhilarated upon seeing I was again functional. - The two older ponies looked down at the mecha-alicorn, still regarding them with ever the curious glint to her eyes. They seemed somewhat perturbed at the mouthful Equinox had just spewed, but ever the considerate folk, they silently gestured to each other to just run with it. “Pinkie’s always been like that. Strange new things seem to cater to a core need in her to always have a source of excitement and fun. It’s kind of why we now realize how much she added to this place, and how much of a help she was with the foals. “ Mr. Cake smiled as another burst of happy squeals came from behind him. Presently Pinkie reappeared, grinning like she’d just won the lottery. “Uh, Mr. Cake, do you perchance have any spare flour lying around that I could use?” Equinox caught a resigned slump of Mr. Cake’s shoulders as he pointed to the storeroom door. “Thanks! Pumpkin and Pound would never forgive me if I didn’t do this before I left.” She ran into the storeroom, then came back out hoisting a bag of flour over her head. Disappearing behind the swing doors again, there came the sound of a great load being dumped all over the floor, followed by two tiny voices laughing and clapping their approval. - Even despite her rather schizophrenic nature, you would still prefer her to be in closer proximity to you and your children? – Equinox asked. With an even greater air of resignation, both of the Cakes turned to each other and sighed. “We’ve never been able to make the foals laugh like that. Pinkie just seems to have a knack for bringing a light to everyone’s day.” As if to announce her triumph, the aforementioned mare appeared from behind the doors, her coat now bleached white with flour and two brightly beaming babies riding on her back. “Ahhh that works every time. I’ll just get you too cleaned up and changed, then I have to show Equinox the rest of Ponyville.” Both of the infants turned, then gurgled with curiosity at seeing the strange silver metal pony. Said pony whirred with similar curiosity upon noticing one of the babies was bearing a horn, and the other wings, features that their parents strangely lacked. “Make sure Pound doesn’t get near the faucet. He broke it again the last time we bathed him and we just had it fixed.” Mrs. Cake cautioned as Pinkie Pie swept her children up to the bathroom. “I tell you, between the strength those two have, plus being able to fly and use magic, I sometimes wish our family didn’t have such diverse roots.” Equinox’s ears rose and she turned back to see the Cakes nuzzling each other, tiredly but lovingly. “Just think of how powerful they’ll be when they grow up. Hardships aside, you gotta admit it makes you proud to be their mommy.” Mr. Cake soothed. His wife giggled cutely. “Well one of us has to be, Mr. ‘Oh I have to go sweep the floor for the tenth time, you can do the changing.’” Mrs. Cake nudged her husband and walked back to check on the ovens. The show of such affection despite the trials both of the horses had described, it made Equinox have to ponder. Indeed when Pinkie Pie finally came back down with two freshly cleaned foals, the robot pony was still staring intently at the floor, completely lost in her contemplation. “Alright, here’s two nice and sparkly fresh kids for you! Thanks for letting me have some time with them again.” The pink mare smiled. “Please, feel free to come back whenever you can. The place hasn’t been the same without you.” Mr. Cake replied as his wife reappeared with a box of cupcakes. “And take these. It’s been a while since I last got to bake for you.” She replied. Pinkie Pie happily accepted the gift, while Equinox slowly lifted her head as if coming out of a trance. “And also, for you Equinox. Hopefully next time we can have some more time to chat before Pinkie drags you off to elsewhere.” The alicorn blinked as she was handed a special cupcake done up with silver candy balls and blue frosting. - Your generosity is most appreciated, Confectioner Cakes. I admit I was not expecting such going on what I’ve learned of Equestrian society. - The Cakes looked to each other again, and shared a laugh laced with heavy unease. “Well, Pinkie Pie has also taught us to be more forthcoming with new friends of hers. I only hope the rest of Ponyville is the same.” Mr. Cake bid as the two ponies left the shop. Pinkie Pie bounded happily to the next port of call, while Equinox followed slowly behind. The gift hanging in a bag around her neck was triggering an unexpected conflict within her, and it didn’t help that the door to the bakery closed just slowly enough that her ultra-sensitive ears could pick out a few words the Cakes clearly didn’t intend for her to hear. “Do you think she saw me staring at her? I didn’t mean to, but she’s just…well the strangest thing that Pinkie Pie has ever brought home.” “I know. She didn’t seem like she was royalty, but she had the wings, and the horn…oh I hope I was polite enough!” “The town is going to have a field day soon as they get an eyeful of her!” “I know, I know honey! But she’s with Pinkie Pie. I’m sure all will work out fine.” Equinox closed her eyes as she felt her circuits sizzling with a whole myriad of new sensations. As she and Pinkie Pie walked into the central plaza she picked up other bits of speech, a tidal wave of banter flowing into her mind to be carefully sorted through. “So I’ll be needing two gallons of the cadmium red, oh and do you have any brushes in the…the…any….huh? Sorry, I just…do you see that pony over there?” “Are my eyes deceiving me, or is that an alicorn? Doesn’t look like anypony from the palace…is Princess Celestia having family over?” “Look at her coat! It’s like, reflecting all light off her! I’ve heard of Shining Armor but that’s getting ridiculous!” “Who is that with Pinkie Pie? Certainly doesn’t look like any pony I’ve ever seen!” “Mom, what kind of pony is that over there?” “Who is that?” “WHAT is that?” “So next we’ll be needing balloons, and streamers, oh and plenty of little umbrellas for the drinks, those are always fun. Hmmm, do you have any preference on colors, Equinox? Equinox?” Pinkie Pie stopped and looked around her, finding she was now alone in the square. “Equinox??” A shiny flash drew her eyes to a nearby alleyway, revealing the robot had darted to the shadows and was holding her head as if in pain. “Equinox! Hey are you okay?” She asked running over. The metal pony gave a few frantic beeps and drew further up against the wall. -I…cannot say. Everywhere around me I hear voices expressing puzzlement about me, distrust, fear. It is triggering an overwhelming amount of negative feedback in my systems. – Pinkie Pie smiled and patted her friend on the shoulder. “Awww that’s just shyness. Nothing to worry about.” - Negative. I have been detected. I feel the urge to…I must conceal myself! – Equinox stated. Pinkie Pie was about to mention that was going to be difficult as she was rather hard to not spot…but no sooner had she opened her mouth than the silver mare opened her eyes, revealing they were now glowing with a fiery ferocity. Equinox turned, centered her gaze on a brown earth pony that was walking past…and suddenly a most incredible transformation occurred! The robot’s horn retracted into her head, a metal panel sliding over to hide it from view. Her wings gave a frantic flap, then folded themselves up and likewise retracted into two slots on her back. The mare’s metal body sparkled with an aura almost like glitter, gradually darkening to a shade of brown that matched the earth pony’s, with the aforementioned’s cutie mark replacing her own. With a quick flick of her head, Equinox’s mane and tail altered their colors as well to match the red hue of the earth pony’s, and her eyes ceased their glow and changed to look like a normal pony’s eyes. Feeling her jaw hit the ground, Pinkie Pie watched, as the newly transformed equine looked herself over, likewise acting as if she couldn’t believe what she had just accomplished. - Strange. This was not at all what I was expecting. – Equinox commented. “No kidding! I just…you…how…how did you do that?” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. - I am unable to explain, but the sensation was identical to when I attempted to read Princess Twilight’s books. I can only conclude this is another of my higher systems that was triggered by my emergency activation protocol. - Having no idea how to respond to that, Pinkie Pie just nodded blankly. “But…okay then, WHY did you do that?” - Again I am unable to explain. However, as this occurred in reaction to my acknowledgement of the public’s unease, it is possible my creators equipped me with this ability so I could avoid potentially upsetting folk. Perhaps they were aware of the value of being able to blend in to a given environment. – Equinox bowed her head as if to apologize for not having a better answer. Pinkie Pie, however, soon found a smile working its way back onto her face. “Well they certainly did a fine job then. If I first saw you like that, I’d have never guessed you’re actually a machine!” She gushed while walking a circle around her friend. Aside from her voice remaining the same, Equinox’s new form was perfect. There was absolutely no hint that she was anything other than a standard member of Equestrian society. “Ooooh, just wait till I tell Twilight about this!” Equinox looked to the saddle bags and the list hanging from Pinkie Pie’s flank. - Do you wish to return to the castle then? Or finish our business here first? I feel…ready to step back out into view again. - Pinkie Pie stopped in her tracks, looked to the other ponies milling about, and grinned mischievously. “Hmmm…let’s actually see if you can pull off being a normal filly. This could be fun!” The two headed out into the square again. Equinox prepared for the return of questioning and distrustful commentary, but it seemed that as her appearance had changed, so did the other ponies’ opinions. There were still a few echoes of query as to where the bizarre silver alicorn had disappeared to, but to the public at large, she might as well have now been invisible. Equinox felt oddly calmed by this. “Anyway, as I was saying, we need a theme for your part of the party. Any ideas on what you’d like?” The mecha-pony turned as Pinkie Pie presented her with several packages of different colored streamers, balloons and other party favors from a nearby stall. “Silver is pretty hard to do with matte colors, but we can at least do the blue if you want.” The pink mare smiled as her friend gazed silently at her options. The smile faded, however, when Equinox gave no answer, and indeed seemed troubled by the task of having to make a choice. “Um…is that okay with you?” Equinox’s brow furrowed again, and like before she bowed as if in pain. - I….I am unable to comply. There is no available data to answer your query. - Pinkie Pie was momentarily stumped. “What do you mean?” With increasing worry, Equinox continued to swivel her head like a surveillance camera as she studied the party favors. - I find the nature of your question comprehensible, but I am unable to replicate a suitable response. There is no discernible difference between one set of the presented options than another, save for the stated colors. In terms of practical application they are all identical. - The pink mare’s mood slipped down to join her friends as she got the gist of what was being said. “But don’t you have at least some inclination of which ones you like more?” - No. – Equinox stated simply. – I acknowledge that I should, but with the damage to my memory as it is, I have no recollection of preference. To summarize: I simply do not know if I like one color more than the other. - Now Pinkie Pie had to wince. The reason for Equinox’s unrest seemed so obvious she could’ve kicked herself for not realizing it from the beginning. Course then she’d had the Cake babies on her mind, and that just made her feel worse that she’d been neglecting the one she expressly brought with her to help out. “Oh right. Uh…okay then, we’ll just use all of them!” The pink mare whirled around and poured out the required amount of bits for everything she was holding. The keeper of the party supply stall leaned in as he accepted the tender and whispered softly to the mare. “Not that it’s any of my business, but is your friend okay there? She’s speaking very oddly.” Pinkie Pie promptly blushed and shook her head. “Oh she’s fine. She’s just…um…new here.” The mare shoved her supplies into one of her saddlebags and turned back to her friend who was now staring at the ground. “I’m so sorry, Equinox. I guess I didn’t stop to think how bad your memory loss was.” Equinox raised her head and stared at the bag around her neck. – Your apology is unnecessary. You have caused no offense. Rather you have highlighted a rather troubling issue. – She nabbed the bag with her mouth and set it on a nearby table. – Back at the Sugarcube Corner I observed the Cakes making a variety of baked goods. I was able to comprehend the appeal of each and why they would entice a pony to consume them, but I simultaneously noted that they did not trigger such feelings in me. – Pinkie Pie cocked her head as her friend unwrapped the special cupcake she’d been given. - Take this as an example. By all accounts I should want to eat it, however, my systems can only summon up feelings of appreciation for its aesthetics. In terms of the sensation you would know as ‘hunger’ I feel nothing. - Pinkie Pie was now feeling terribly awkward. On one hoof she could tell Equinox was upset, but on the other, she hadn’t the slightest idea of how she could help. “Well, let’s look at this a different way. You’re not the same as other ponies, so you don’t have to behave exactly like us.” She said, feeling her face twitch at how feeble her words sounded. - No, Entertainer Pinkie Pie. As I am observing now, your society would prefer it if I tailored myself to suit their expectations. If I cannot behave like they do then I will most likely fail to integrate myself into their numbers. - Suddenly the pink mare felt her dismay at herself swirl into dismay at her friends’ surrender to the norm. “Absolutely not, Equinox! The things that make you different are what make you an awesome pony! I mean look at you! You can change your looks like Chrysalis! You have wings, and a horn! You read through Twilight’s entire library in one night! And that’s just skimming the surface!” Pinkie Pie placed a hoof on her friends, giving her a brave and very bright smile. “Trust me, I know what it’s like being ‘normal’, and honestly, it sucks! If these other ponies take issue with you as you are, then I’ll just have to make them see the errors of their ways!” Several heads turned at the declaration that they were all apparently guilty of some misdemeanor. Feeling dozens of eyes on her, Pinkie Pie’s smile lost its bravery. “Ummm…maybe I should do so at a slightly lower volume though. Let’s move on!” She dragged Equinox out of sight, then quickly darted back to grab her cupcake off the table. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to call more attention to us.” The pink pony grinned with embarrassment. “I DID mean every word of that though.” Looking to the swirled neon blue cupcake as it was handed back to her, Equinox extended her tongue and licked some of the frosting off. A sensation of extreme sweetness mixed with just a hint of spice assailed the sensors lining her synthetic mouth, making her servos creak and her joints tremble as she hastily compiled and stored this new data. - Regardless, I sense that if I cannot naturally form an opinion to stimuli, perhaps I could teach myself how to do so. - She licked some more and concentrated on sorting the flavor into its individual components. It was fascinating to examine what manner of culinary artistry had gone into forming the taste, but as to whether she ‘liked’ it or not, the mecha-pony still could not say. Even worse, she still couldn’t summon up the desire to eat any more so she wrapped the cupcake up again and slid it back into the bag on her neck. She could always try again later, and anyway something else had now caught her attention. A cute red toned pegasus was chatting to her friend a few feet away, and with a bit of concentration Equinox’s body shifted again to now mimic her new target’s looks. Her wings returned and shifted to complete the disguise, and the robot took a moment to check herself out. Seemingly satisfied, she looked to the pegasus’ friend, a green unicorn, and changed herself accordingly to now resemble her. “So…what are you doing now?” Pinkie Pie asked as she watched her friend continually switch body parts and mane styles like a normal pony would switch out clothes. - Gathering a larger reference pool. It is only sensible that I be able to assume the looks of several individuals so as to not arouse suspicion, plus it will allow me to build a consensus on which ones I find appealing. – Equinox stated, with a new edge of pleasure to her voice. Pinkie Pie looks somewhat saddened. “Well I think you looked just fine as your normal self, but it’s your choice. Come on, we gotta get the rest of your party supplies.” The pink mare walked off, leaving Equinox momentarily stunned at both her words, and the morose tone they’d been spoken in. Following behind, she cycled through her looks, adding to the customization with each new pony she saw. The ease with which she was able to change her appearance stoked the spark of contentment within her mind, yet the possibility that she had somehow disappointed Pinkie Pie refused to extinguish itself. As the aforementioned mare bought paints, hats, party favors and gift wrap, Equinox searched further for other appearances. Ironically, though she was aiming to remain hidden among the crowd, the mecha-pony was now after something more unique. Most of the ponies around the town were very similar in their builds, heights, and facial structures, and now she wanted to test what the true limits of her shape-shifting abilities were. For that she would need a complex form that deviated from the standard…and soon Equinox would find the perfect candidate. On the other side of the square was a being with a striking black and white striped color scheme. Her face bore a cute blend of both masculine and feminine features, and unlike the other ponies her mane was styled like a short mohawk rather than a longer, flowing do-up. While Pinkie Pie turned her back to haggle over options for entertainment, Equinox focused on this strange and very fitting entity, feeling her body go through the necessary changes to match her. It took a bit longer since she had a more complex pattern to replicate, but nevertheless her hair retracted and stiffened to suit that of the mowhawk, and after some fine-tuning her coat got the contrasting stripes perfect. For the finishing touches, Equinox added the gold jewelry her target was wearing and sensed a glow surging through her circuits, a white hot jolt of electricity that could possibly have been identified as pride that she had successfully pulled off such an unusual mimic. “Okay so I was thinking we could go one of two ways, either have you as the guest of honor to watch everyone perform for you, or have you perform with them if you want to find out what some of your other abilities are.” Pinkie Pie explained as she turned around. “I’m leaning more towards the latter if that’s, oh, huh?” The pink mare blinked as if her eyes were deceiving her. “Huh, hi Zecora! I’m sorry, I thought you were someone else.” She smiled in embarrassment then looked around the square. “Uh…Equinox? Equinox, where did you get to now?” At the sound of one she knew too well, the second zebra turned to behold the pink mare. “And who is this that I hear, why it’s Pinkie Pie my dear!” She exclaimed, walking over to the pink mare, which in turn gave both of them a major shock. “What? Zecora? But if you….” Pinkie Pie looked to the other zebra, who was now backing away as if realizing she had just made a very costly mistake. “Then….oh no.” The pony found cause to follow her friend’s lead and back away. “I just really screwed things up didn’t I?” Zebra regarded zebra, one with a dumbfounded expression, the other standing uncomfortably to attention. “Spirits of earth, winds and sea, what is this I see before me?” Zecora demanded. She walked around her doppelganger trying to make sense of how a perfect duplicate of herself could be standing there without the aid of a mirror. “I…uhhhh…why don’t we find somewhere nice and private to talk, Zecora? I promise I’ll explain everything once I know we’re not going to attract too much attention!” Pinkie Pie hastily tried to shoo both zebras out of sight, but the damage had already been done. All around ponies took notice of the bizarre occurrence and promptly stopped in their tracks. “What the? Am I seeing double?” “Is that Zecora? And…sister?? I didn’t know she had a twin.” “Another zebra? Do they all just come in one look where she’s from?” “What the heck is this? Are these new glasses playing tricks on me?” Pinkie Pie sighed heavily as, for once, she found herself the center of attention when she didn’t want to be. Equinox defensively backed away as Zecora continued to scrutinize her. “What odd anomaly can this be? One who both is and isn’t me?” The zebra pondered looking suspiciously at her quivering double. - Entertainer Pinkie Pie, I have encountered a functional impasse. Can you please advise on what to do? - The gathering crowd gasped and drew back as they heard the second Zecora speak in tones that were barely equine, let alone similar to the first’s. “Well I think you just made things worse so let me do the talking here.” Clearing her throat, Pinkie Pie leapt onto the town square fountain and clapped her hooves. “Ponies, ponies, if I could all have your attention please?” The crowd silenced itself and all eyes turned to her in demand of an explanation. “Thank you. Okay, I guess we have a confession to make here. My friend, the…um…the second Zecora standing right there, is not actually a zebra but a…um…a…pony of a different color!” She gestured for Equinox to come and stand with her on the fountain. The mecha-pony complied reluctantly. “We found her at the gates of Princess Twilight’s palace a few night’s ago, and I just thought it’d be nice to have her come to meet you all.” With a heavy swallow, Pinkie Pie nudged her friend, conveying a silent message. Resigned to the inevitable, Equinox dispensed with her disguise and braved the horrified gasps as everyone got a look at her silver metal body. “Yep, that’s what I thought.” The pink mare sighed as the echoes of worried chatter and fearful words rose from the crowd. “Hey everyone, if I may just make use of the rather twisted irony here, can I please just remind you all how we reacted when Zecora herself first appeared in Ponyville all those years ago?” The fevered banter died down again. “And did she vindicate any of our worries then? Any at all?” A very uncomfortable silence descended over the square, with the crowd now giving each guilty looks. “But, why does she have wings and a horn? And how is she able to shift forms like that?” A braver soul spoke up. “Is she a changeling?” -No.- Equinox assured. – I am not allied with the entity you know as Queen Chrysalis. I am merely able to change my form because my creators deemed it suitable. – “Your..creators?” Zecora asked. - I am a construct, built by others for a given function. Sadly, due to a misunderstanding, I can no longer recall what that function is. - “She lost her memory and we’re trying to help her get it back.” Pinkie Pie said, realizing her bluntness might have been a bit too much as Equinox bowed in sadness. - With my original purpose forgotten, Entertainer Pinkie Pie and her companions have opted to help me find a new one. I concluded that integrating into your society would give me the best chance, however, as has been stated, you are naturally inclined to fear that which is different. - Now Pinkie Pie had to wince at her friends’ bluntness, but the crowd still seemed to be listening intently. - When I discovered I had the ability to mimic your shapes, I was beset by internal positive feedback. It seemed suitable to all parties if I did not appear so unusual to you all.- Ponies looked to ponies, and saw they were all thinking the same thing. Zecora saw fit to voice it for everyone. “And yet for your choice of form you chose one far removed from the norm?” -It was merely a stress test. I needed to know how wide a variety my systems could accommodate. You were by far the most unique individual around. It…pleased me to try and replicate your looks.- Rather than look offended, Zecora seemed touched by this. “You and I have never met, yet you do not see me as a threat?- She asked. - No.- Equinox replied. – Logically if you were, you would not have been allowed to walk amongst these ponies. They see you as one of their own, so I had no reason to do otherwise.- Though the comment may have been slightly backhanded, it seemed to further thaw the atmosphere around the square. Zecora even found herself smiling as the metal alicorn bowed politely to her. “Yes, so, to get this all wrapped up so we can get back to our daily lives, her name is Equinox and she’s my new friend. I ask everyone to please give her a chance like you gave Zecora.” Pinkie Pie proclaimed. To her enormous relief, the crowd nattered their approval of her request. “She has a point.” One blue mare intoned. “And, weird as she looks, that silver pony hasn’t shown any signs of being dangerous. “ A green stallion mentioned. All eyes turned back to the robot, signifying it was her turn to speak again. With lighter steps, Equinox jumped off the fountain, spread her wings and bowed to the populace. - Citizens of Ponyville, and of Equestria, I am Equinox, a construct in need of your assistance. While I no longer know why I was sent to your world, I believe I can still find a purpose among you. Allow me to join your society, exchange my data with yours, and I promise I will be a worthy addition. - The sheer humbleness in her act brought a tear to many eyes. Clearing their throats, the ponies gradually began to disperse, individually letting Equinox know their responses. “Sure, hey, all are welcome here in Ponyville!” “Sorry if we gave the wrong impression. We’ll let you get on with your day now.” “Yeah, uh, didn’t mean to infer we had an issue with you being here. Let us know if we can make it up to you!” And so the greetings and apologies, and affirmations of acceptance continued. To be sure though, Equinox kept her head bowed till she sensed she, Pinkie Pie and Zecora were alone again, then turned and bowed again to the zebra. - And to you, Zecora, I offer my own apologies. It was not my intention to cause trouble by mimicking your appearance. - The zebra could only snort and laugh. “Dear alicorn, you are too kind. Please pay this issue no further mind.” Spotting the time on a nearby clock tower, the zebra turned to leave. “Sadly I must now get back home and take stock. But feel free to stop by soon, I would most enjoy a longer talk.” She departed; leaving Pinkie Pie to breathe easy and mop her brow, while Equinox just stared in confusion. “Well, that went better than I was expecting.” The mare commented. “I think we should likewise call it a day. Now that the public knows about you, and thankfully accepts you, I’d like to change a few things about your party.” Equinox turned her gaze to the ground again as she ran over what had just transpired again. - Strange. Before I felt a pressing need to remain hidden, and while I still do, there is now a significant amount of positive feedback that my being discovered has not caused further complications.- “Good, then you won’t need to change your looks every time you go out from now on.” Equinox turned her confusion upon her friend. “Now don’t get me wrong, we can have a lot of fun with that ability, but only under certain circumstances. For the rest of the time, well, I think I prefer you to look like you. Like this.” Pinkie Pie gestured to the robot’s natural appearance. Equinox followed her gaze and pondered. - You believe it is more suitable to my identity?- She said. “Precisely! Now with that out of the way, I still want to tell the others about what’s happened, cause this is too good to keep between ourselves!” *** Some time later…. And so, in conclusion, I propose that we all take the time to reflect on the past and the good that has come out of bad events. That way, if other entities like Equinox should turn up we can help smooth things over more easily, and without scaring anyone off. Pinkie Pie paused and tapped her quill on the journal page. She had an idea for what to add next, but felt her wording might be too harsh. While today proved that our fellow ponies are still quick to fear and judge She made a face and crossed part of the sentence out. While today proved that our fellow ponies are still quick to fear and judge need time to adjust to new arrivals, I did take heart from the way they stayed and listened to what I had to say. I am certain that soon they will embrace the unusual as easily as my friends and I do. Pinkie Pie set down the quill and carefully closed the journal. Nabbing the lantern off the desk, she turned to leave, and ran straight into the same pony she’d been hanging with all day. “Oh, hi Equinox! I was just coming to see you!” - I am mapping out a complete layout of this castle. It seemed prudent to know where everything is so no one gets lost.- Equinox eyed the journal curiously. – More so as there apparently is still data in every room I have yet to compile. - Pinkie Pie followed her gaze and giggled. “Yeah, Twilight decreed that every time we discover something new about friendship we write it down in this collective tome. It’s helped us learn quite a bit about our own…well, I guess you could call it functions.” Equinox’s eyes widened. She looked to the journal again with newfound amazement. “You’re welcome to have a read if you want.” Pinkie Pie opened it and flipped to the first page. “I think my sections are the most entertaining, but the others still have some very useful insights.” Equinox levitated the journal and perused its contents for a moment. Interestingly she did not speed through it like Twilight’s other books but read at a normal pace. - Actually, I wanted to ask you a somewhat personal question: you stated previously that you had experience being what would be deemed ‘normal’ and found it distasteful. Would you be willing to share more of that part of your life? - Pinkie Pie blinked in surprise. “You want me to tell you why I hate being ‘normal’? Wow, none of the other ponies have ever asked me that.” Equinox seemed unsettled by this. – It is not my intention to pry, however, I am having difficulty comprehending your point that my own attempts are unnecessary. With more of a developed viewpoint, it would be easier for me to compile your logic. – Pinkie Pie looked to the clock on the wall, then to the journal still hovering in the air. “It may take a while. I have a lot to tell, and I also wanted to speak to you about the new party plans I drew up.” Closing the tome, Equinox set it down, and then set herself down by the desk. – I believe I can spare the time to listen. It is the least I can do in return for your speaking in support of me.- Feeling an unstoppable burst of excitement rush through her, Pinkie Pie put down her lantern and made herself comfortable. “Oh alright then! I was born on a Tuesday on a small rock farm. Things were as dull as dishwasher and I desperately sought after excitement….” The talk continued long into the night, with both ponies finding their friendship rising to the next level. So far, so good.