My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Wish Weaver : Chapter 5
Pulling your weight, and everyone elses.
Time could be such a fickle mistress. One week it would drag itself by like a tortoise with a broken leg, then the next suddenly it would get a rush of energy and zip past faster than you could blink.
For the first few days after her arrival in Equestria, time seemed to crawl by for the cybernetic entity known as Equinox at a very slow pace indeed. Then, suddenly, one fateful day the group of ponies known at the Mane Six had found new uses for her and her unusual skill set, and before she knew it, two weeks had passed in an instant and the time of her official introduction was at hand. Thanks to Pinkie Pie’s careful planning, such a momentous event was also set to coincide with the beginnings of the natural phenomenon that she shared her name with, so the robot alicorn was busier than ever. At all hours of the day it seemed one of the ponies needed her for something, and like the dedicated friend she strove to be, Equinox made sure she was there to do as asked.
“Alright, that’s a good haul for this side o’ the orchard. Go help Big Mac so we can get his side done before the sun goes down. Ah wanna make sure Ah got enough to cater to every pony in Ponyville on the big day!”
- As you wish, Harvester Applejack, though might I suggest that Harvester Big Mac be reassigned to the south section instead? If you require an urgent supply of apples it would be a better distribution of the available workforce. -
Applejack dubiously looked up from her counting. “Well…maybe, but Big Mac’s side is the largest in ahll o’ Sweet Apple Acres! Without him there is no way we’ll get all of them harvested before nightfall.”
– Then I will continue to work till the job is done. The lack of illumination will not hinder me. – Equinox stated plainly.
Applejack looked even more dubious. “Are yew shur about that? Ah once believed myself capable of workin’ ahll day and ahll night, and boy that did NOT end well for me.”
With an astounding show of confidence, Equinox nodded. – Allow me to resume my activities and I will prove true to my words. –
Wiping her brow, the Stetson wearing Earth Pony finally sighed. “All right, go tell Big Mac to focus on the south side. Let me know if there’s any issue.”
***
Several hours later…
As the sun set and the first chirp of crickets were heard, Applejack and her brother, Big Mac, sat on the porch of their house, sipping glasses of sweet apple cider and watching in awe as Equinox continued to buck and carry apples with nary a sign of fatigue.
“She really does have a fire to her spirit that refuses to be extinguished, huh?” Applejack commented.
“Eeyup.” Big Mac simply replied as the metal pony filled up another bucket and went right back to bucking trees.
“Makes you regret she couldn’t have turned up a few years ago when we really had problems running this place.”
“Eeyup.” Big Mac repeated as darkness fell and Equinox resolutely kept at her task.
***
“Okay, so I really hate to tell you this Equinox, but I just got a call from Sapphire Shores. Apparently she got Octavia Melody to agree to do a duet with her at her latest show, meaning they’re going to have a full band on stage in addition to the dancers…” Rarity nervously rubbed her hooves together as she looked to the forest of hanging clothes surrounding her. “So we’re going to have to double up on the dresses for her order. Do you mind staying a few extra hours to model for me?”
- Not at all. – Equinox stated simply, much to the white unicorn's combined surprise and relief.
“Oh thank you! Everyone else is busy with their own parts for the upcoming party so I have literally no one to help me today!”
- All the more reason for me to assist then. – Equinox stated before looking to Rarity’s design table and sewing machine. – In fact, having now studied the mechanics of your equipment, I might be able to lend additional assistance, if you will permit me. -
Rarity looked unsure, but with another glance to the heaps of cloth and designs still waiting to be done, she gave a tired sigh.
“Considering I’m grasping at straws already…sure, let’s see what you can do.”
***
Several hours later…
“Well, it seems what you can do is quite a bit.” The white unicorn said in amazement as Equinox presented her with another finished dress. “I had no idea you could sew so accurately, or so quickly!”
- It is not a complicated task, Designer Rarity. I merely have to calculate the dimensions of each garment then transfer them onto a three dimensional plane. After that it’s merely a matter of repeating the processes and making adjustments as needed. -
Rarity rolled her eyes and yawned as she looked at the clock. “Well still, least you helped me get through more of these than I would have on my own. I’ll just have a little bit left over for tomorrow.”
Equinox raised her ears. – Did you not state that the show itself is tomorrow?–
Rarity sighed and nodded. “Yes but I’m absolutely exhausted, so I’ll just have to do a little rush in the morning, then hop on the first train to Manehattan. It won’t be the first time I’ve run the gauntlet on a deadline. –
Equinox looked to the remaining dresses and cocked her head. –Would it not be more prudent for me to finish the remainder over the course of the night so you could make the final adjustments in the morning?-
Despite her fatigue, Rarity still managed a wide-eyed look of surprise. “You would…do that for me?”
- It would seem the most practical solution to your problem.-
Rarity looked at what was left, pursed her lips in uncertainty, then finally had to admit defeat as another huge yawn came upon her.
“Okay, just do what you can. I’ll see you tomorrow morning. “ The tired unicorn replied as she slipped off to bed. Bidding her friend good night, Equinox sat back down at the sewing machine and resumed cranking out dresses.
***
“So Gummy needs to have his food cut up in small enough chunks for him to swallow. Make sure he doesn’t try going for too big a piece.” Fluttershy said as she read off her checklist. “Angel gets two bowls of salad, in the morning and at night, and make sure Owlowicious’ feeder is kept full, he has quite the appetite. Opal gets a can of wet cat food twice a day, but leave a small dish of dry out too in case she needs a snack. Then there's Tank's enclosure which needs to be kept at around 80 degrees, and oh yes, you'll need to make sure the squirrels I've got in the pen have enough water...”
Equinox nodded as she recorded each point clearly and carefully.
“I really don’t mean to have to dump all this on you, but Discord’s been feeling under the weather again so I think he needs to go see the doctor.”
-Do what you must, Caretaker Fluttershy, I will make sure your animals remain well cared for. –
“Oh thank you so much, Equinox. I’ll be back as soon as I can!” The yellow pegasus replied before flying off.
***
Several hours later….
“Uh, hello, Equinox? This is Fluttershy. The doctor thinks Discord needs to be kept overnight so I’m not going to be able to get back as soon as I thought. Would you mind bathing Angel and preening Owlowicious’ feathers? Also could you clean the raccoons' area out too and change the water in Tank's pond? I didn’t get a chance to do so before I left.”
Looking to the numerous animal enclosures and seeing the state they were in, Equinox nodded to herself.
- It shall be done. I sincerely hope Anomaly Discord’s condition improves.- The metal alicorn replied. Hanging the phone up she grabbed a bucket and sponges and went forth to her work.
***
“Yes closer, I said move that formation closer! You’re too scattered out all over the place!” Rainbow Dash yelled as her fellow pegasi tried to get back into line. “Watch your sides though, we don’t need another…”
SMACK! THUD! Two of the recruits accidentally got too close and ended up whacking each other on the head with their wings. Knocked for a loop, they tumbled out of the sky, leading Rainbow Dash to hang her head in frustration.
“For the love of…EQUINOX! WE GOT TWO MORE!” The blue pegasus yelled as she dropped her clip board and raced to the rescue. Quick as a flash, the robot alicorn was there by her side to catch the falling ponies and slow them down enough that they could be safely retrieved. “I swear, we are never going to get this right if these foals don’t start paying more attention to their surroundings.”
- In which case, may I suggest trying an alternative- Equinox queried. She activated the projector in her horn as paramedics came over to tend to the downed pegasi. – It still needs some refinement, but if you were to have the recruits form into a pentagon shape instead of one horizontal line, the difference in altitudes should reduce the risk of collisions.-
Rainbow Dash lifted her sunglasses and studied the hologram, watching as it ran through a radically different formation to the one her team had been practicing.
“Geez, I don’t know, Equinox. That’s going to require quite a lot of reorganizing to pull off, more so considering we don’t have a lot of time left to practice.”
A groan as her injured recruits came to made the pegasus’ ears wilt.
“Then again, we’re having no luck with the current set up so I can’t see any harm in trying a new approach.” Dash flew back up to the other recruits and blew her whistle for attention.
“Okay everyone, change of plans here. Since you obviously are finding our current routine too difficult to master, Miss Equinox here is going to show you a different one that might be more to your liking. I want everyone to listen closely as she runs through it with you!” Rainbow Dash donned her shades again and patted her friend on the shoulder.
“Don’t go easy on them, understand. These foals may be green, but they’ll learn soon enough.”
Equinox stoically stared at the pegasus. –And if they still seem to have difficulties?-
“Keep running them through it till they get it right.” Rainbow Dash grinned.
-Understood. May I presume you will still want me to handle the nightly sky cleaning afterwards?-
“Yeah if you can. I feel I’m going to lose my mind if I don’t go home here soon.” Dash sighed and held her head.
***
“Hey, Pinkie Pie? Can I possibly borrow Equinox now?” Twilight poked her head around the door.
“Oh, uh, can it wait? She and I need to finish refining her routine.” The pink mare protested before turning back to where her intern and Equinox were facing each other. “Okay, try that part about parasprites explaining how reproduction works again, but this time sound like even you can’t believe what you’re saying.”
A very annoyed grumble was cast at the earth pony, who failed to register anything was amiss as she was too absorbed in her work.
“Pinkie, seriously, you’ve had the whole day to work on this, I need Equinox now to organize the new collection of books that got delivered.”
“No, I had to wait till she was finished helping Rainbow Dash so you can wait too. We’ll be done in another hour, maybe two if we can figure out a way to work that rap song back in.”
Twilight glowered, narrowing her eyes as if trying to set her friends’ mane on fire via the intensity of her stare. When that failed to produce any worthwhile results she turned around to find Spike staring up at her expectantly.
“I guess WE’LL have to do the organizing ourselves. Is that okay with you, Spike?”
“Sure, I mean it’s not like I’ve got anything else to do.” The dragon replied, casting his own distrustful stare at Equinox. “Seriously, since she turned up it seems like I almost never have anything to do.”
***
“Equinox, where have you been??? We started practice an hour and a half ago!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed upon sighting her friend.
- My express apologies, Aviator Rainbow Dash. Designer Rarity was most insistent that I help her finish her dress order before she departed for Manehattan. -
With a cocked eyebrow and a disappointed sneer, Rainbow Dash turned to view the town of Ponyville visible several miles below them.
“What? I told her specifically that we needed you here on the dot for the new formation. I can’t do a completely overhaul of everything by myself!”
Equinox dipped her head in apology. - I will find a way to make up for my tardiness. -
“Never mind that! Get the recruits in line! I’m going to have a few words with my friend.”
The blue pegasus tossed her clipboard aside and dove for the town below.
- You may also wish to speak with Harvester Applejack. She requested my assistance back at Sweet Apple Acres. -
Rainbow Dash groaned as she flew faster. It seemed good help came at an increasingly high premium these days.
***
“There you are!” Rarity declared as the robot stepped into her boutique. “I was wondering if you got my message. What I can only describe as the most wonderful disaster has befallen me!”
Equinox cocked her head. – Were my efforts on your dresses not to Entertainer Shore’s liking?-
“Oh no, no, quite the opposite. She loved every one of them! So much so she wanted another two dozen made to give to the other performers during her final show this week! Oh it’s the kind of demand I always dreamed of, and I have practically no time to deliver on it!”
Equinox nodded in quiet relief. – We shall have to get to work immediately then. –
“Yes you must! Oh there’s so little time left as it is, and now I’ve wasted so much of it waiting around for you!” The unicorn began to toss cloth and threads to the alicorn, pausing only when a thought emerged. “Where were you all morning anyway?”
- Caretaker Fluttershy was forced to rush Anomaly Discord to the hospital again. She requested I take care of feeding her animals for her. -
Rarity blinked in disbelief, which then slowly faded to outright rage as Equinox sat down at the sewing machine.
“That’s it!? Doesn’t she know some of us have slightly more important needs for you? Oh, this is so typical! I’m giving her a piece of my mind once she gets back!”
- Shall I be working alone then?- Equinox queried. Looking to the mountain of cloth and raw materials still waiting to be made into ensembles, Rarity sighed and threw up her hooves.
“Well I’m too frustrated to concentrate right now!” She exclaimed before storming out.
***
“Equinox? Equinox??” Pinkie Pie called out as she ran into Sweet Apple Acres. “Equinox, where are you? We agreed we were going to practice the dance routine today!”
The pink mare glanced around the sprawling orchard but the only signs of life were a few muffled sounds coming from the barn. Placing hope upon hope, she ran over and pried the barn doors open…and immediately regretted doing so when all she got was a wall of harsh language.
“Look I need to know my team is safe, and she’s the best insurance I have for that!”
“Well AH still got apples to harvest and she’s giving me a chance tah finally have the whole orchard done on time!”
Sighing in dismay at the sight of her two friends locking horns, Pinkie Pie stepped into the barn and cleared her throat.
“Um, excuse me, but would this fascinating conversation perhaps concern a certainly silver machine friend of ours?” She said, braving the scorn that was cast at her like a wave of molten lava. “Cause I seem to remember asking her to help me today, only to then wake up and learn from Spike that she left at dawn to come here!”
Rainbow Dash cocked an eyebrow. “Really? That’s funny, cause I told her to turn up for practice early, only to see her leave the castle and having to pursue her to find out the same thing!”
Applekjack pushed her Stetson forward and bared her teeth. “As Ah jest said there is the little matter of me needing some extra help here! She’ll be done sewn enough!”
“Yeah she’d better, cause I’m not having the recruits run through her formation without her there to coach them!”
At that Pinkie Pie felt her own hair rise as she gave Rainbow Dash a glare that could have cut through steel.
“No, you, are, NOT! I’ve worked waaaay too hard to make the perfect celebration for her and I have had no time at all to get her prepared because you all keep hogging her for yourselves!”
Applejack snorted. “She’s a darn fine worker! Ah need her fortitude!”
“Well she’s also a heaven send to get the recruits flying properly and keep them safe so I need her more!” Rainbow Dash shot back.
Pinkie Pie turned from one friend to the other, trying to decide who needed to be sneered at more.
“Well….well…well I’m the one who has to make sure she gives the best first impression…though granted it’s now more of a second impression since quite a few ponies already met her when we went to Ponyville…BUT STILL, I can’t have her slip up on anything!”
The two other ponies shot back with a pair of stares that fiercely proclaimed how little they could believe of what their friend was saying.
“Besides, when did you become such a lazy layabout? Isn’t harvesting apples your job?” Pinkie Pie said to Applejack.
“Ah…whuh…when did YEW decide to forget about ahll those lessons on how parties should be fun, and that taking them too seriously jest ruins everything?” She snarled. “And on that, didn’t Capn’ Spitfire make YEW the leader of the Wonderbolt recruits? Why yew gotta keep calling in others to do yer job?”
Rainbow Dash was about to hurl her own two cents back, when suddenly a brilliant white flash lit up the barn and revealed a very pain stricken Discord holding Twilight, Spike and Rarity in his arms, with Fluttershy hovering by his side.
“Ladies, ladies, ladies, I’m sure whatever you’re all shouting about is a matter of the upmost importance, but considering that I can hear you all the way back at the castle, I don’t think it could hurt to lower the volume just a tad.” The dracoequine set the other two ponies down and flopped onto a bale of hay. “I’ve had these two at each others’ throats the entire morning over the absence of our dear metallic visitor from elsewhere, now I come here to find a similarly heated argument in full swing. How IS a poor soul supposed to rest and recover with such racket?”
He touched his forehead then yanked his hand away when it began to sizzle and smoke from the heat of his fever. Fluttershy grabbed a rag and wetted it so she could mop his brow.
“Ponies, I think the time has come to admit we may have a bit of a problem here. It seems we’ve all found Equinox to be a very useful asset to us, but it’s getting out of hoof.” Twilight said. “As Spike was helpful enough to point out, we’ve become increasingly reliant on her doing all our work so we can focus on other stuff, so much so that it’s driving a wedge between all of us.”
“Not to mention it’s made life for me incredibly dull since she’s basically made me redundant.” The little dragon commented. The other ponies looked at each other, their ire dampened just a tad at the realization of how bad the situation between them had become.
“Well, but, she’s been so eager to help, and she never seems to get tired or need a break.” Rarity said.
“And she comes up with so many good ideas.” Rainbow Dash replied.
“Not to mention she seems to really enjoy what we have her do.” Fluttershy added quietly.
“Yes, those are all good points, but we’ve gone too far in taking advantage of them. Just because Equinox never says no, or asks us to lay off doesn’t give us the right to keep abusing her like this.”
Rainbow Dash got a weird look on her face. “Well still, I mean, this is a special case. As we’ve all said, she’s not a normal pony, she’s a machine!”
Twilight glared, not in anger but in dismay. “So what does that mean? That she’s thus below us because she’s not like us?”
Now the pegasus looked extremely uncomfortable. “Well, I mean I…”
“Allow me to ask you all a different question.” Discord said while sitting up. “Is this still a friend of yours we’re talking about, or a slave? Cause right now it’s sounding a lot more like the latter to me.”
And like that, the mood in the barn shattered like a glass pane that had just been hit with a barrage of rocks. Six jaws hit the ground simultaneously as the terrible truth descended upon everyone. Unfortunately this was only the first part of Discord’s one-two punch.
“Seriously, you’re all standing around discussing the value of dear Equinox like she’s nothing more than a tool for you all to use, and what’s worse, you don’t even have the good grace to let her be present to offer her own opinion. What kind of friends are you?” He said, letting a small smile pass his lips as the Mane Six looked utterly horrified.
“What kind of friends…are…oh dear Celestia, no!” Rainbow Dash uttered breathlessly.
“Ah…didn’t think of…but Ah never meant…oh star apples, what have we done?” Applejack stammered.
“What have you done? What have I done!?” Rarity stared at her hooves as if disgusted by them.. “I bear the element of generosity! I myself was abused for my services in Manehattan! And then the instant someone tries to offer me the littlest bit of help I do the exact same thing! Run them ragged like a selfish, horrible…monster!” Her eyes began to tear as guilt began to well up like a sickness within her. Fluttershy looked equally pained as she dropped the rag, while Pinkie Pie slumped onto her rump as if on the verge of fainting.
“This…well this has to be amended! Now!” Twilight declared. “Applejack, where’s Equinox?”
The brown earth pony weakly pointed out the window. “Ah told her to go finish up the north section.”
The Mane Six ran out of the barn, Discord’s protest that nobody was tending to him falling on deaf ears as they tore across the orchard in search of their friend.
“Equinox? EQUINOX!” The ponies called out as they scanned the trees. “Where are you? We need to talk to you!”
The six spread out across the acres, vainly hoping to see the tell tale reflection, the sparkle of a silver metal entity somewhere. But to everyone’s horror, all they found were trees and the torturous silence of a scene undisturbed by life.
“Equinox!” Twilight yelled as Applejack and Pinkie Pie rejoined her. “I can’t see her anywhere.”
“She’s not in any other section of the orchard. Ah just checked with Big Mac and he ain’t seen hide nor hair o’ her on his end!” Applejack reported. Rainbow Dash fluttered down from above.
“No sign from the air either. She’s just…vanished.” The blue pegasus gasped.
“Oh no, she must have heard us talking about her and run off! Oh, this is all my fault!” Pinkie Pie cried.
“Your fault? I had a role too! And there are no words for how much I hate myself for that right now.” Rarity declared as she wiped her eyes.
Twilight cringed as her whole body felt like it was going to crumble from the weight of her own guilt. First the damage she did to the poor robot’s memory, now this? How could she even dare to call herself a princess of Equestria at this point?
“We’ve got to find her. She can’t have gone far.” The purple alicorn declared, though it sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than her friends.
“Um, pardon me, but I couldn’t help hearing you all shouting over here. Are you looking for Equinox?”
The ponies turned to see an elderly green mare staring at them.
“Granny Smith, yes we are! Have yew seen her?” Applejack said.
“Certainly, she left with Apple Bloom in the direction of the Everfree Forest a little while ago. Seemed to be in a bit of a hurry they did.”
Fear gave way to confusion, which then gave way back to fear.
“With Apple Bloom? What would she be doing…nevermind, come on ponies, we gotta find our friend!” Twilight declared. Leading the charge, the Mane Six tore hell for leather out of the orchard.