I must insist we go with selection number two as it provides the most significant increase in efficiency to our goal.
I rolled my, well technically Shields’, eyes at his mental assertion. “Seriously, Sheilds? ‘Efficiency to our goal?’” I said aloud, “we’re picking colors to repaint a cottage not planning world domination. Besides, I see way too much yellow in this world as it is. We’re going with blue.”
If I am to suffer the indignity of sitting trapped in my cranium while you use my body for menial tasks, we should at least to so as quickly as possible so we can separate and go back to our original objectives.
“Don’t be such a drama bot, Shields.” I could sense him sulking in the back of my consciousness. “Inq wanted to learn about organic thought processes and the abstract concepts that motivated them in the war, right? The best way to do that is to mingle amongst them. We got the first step out of the way by making a positive impression during our first contact.”
I take it you are not including your ‘art’ that flooded the psychiatric offices with activity for weeks afterward? Shield’s thought came snidely.
“Shut up, Shields,” I snapped irritably as I tossed the color cards aside and started moving equipment from the walls. “Anyway, the next step we have to do is establish a safe ‘home’ that they can visit. We can’t have them thinking this place looks like a rusty chop shop out of a horror movie.”
So…the next step in diplomacy is making a rusty chop shop look like a blue chop shop?
“Hey, I didn’t say it was a big step.”
You realize there are more…essential matters we could attend to, correct? Shields hesitantly projected the thought with all the caution of navigating a mine field. Such as checking our restraints on the indoctrination fields to prevent further casualties? It may be wise to examine the mare’s level of deterioration to insure-
Shields never finished his thought as I activated the biotic generators and flicked my ‘borrowed’ hands sending streams of blue-white streams of energy lashing about me before fading away. Seconds later, a nearby titanium ingot burst into paper-thin ribbons separated at the molecular level.
“Shields, you will shut the Hell up and listen very closely,” I spoke in a voice that sounded cold and devoid of all emotion as it hadn’t in millennia. In fact, it sounded more fitting to my Reaper predecessor. “We caught the slip up in time. Nopony was indoctrinated to a point beyond treatment. Everything possible has been put into effect to insure this doesn’t happen again. And, more importantly, the mare has a name. Unless you want your minuscule personality purged from the system, you will not flippantly bring up that past incident again because of being pissy at having your body directed for a little home improvement. You will not describe her as some random variable in a report or an experiment. Do I make myself clear?”
…affirmative.
After letting the silence stretch for a time, I nodded my head and let the mood lighten up. “I realize using your platform so often has left a strain but I have a new platform in the works. Until it’s finished, I ask that you bear with the situation a bit longer. Then this platform will be strictly yours and you’ll be a proper assistant not a mental roomie stuck sharing one cranium space. Fair enough?”
Fair enough, sir.
After clearing some boxes, I stepped back and studied the wall through a frame made with Shields’ fingers. “So, MS,” I said, all trace of the cold anger gone from my voice, “got any ideas for a good theme? Perhaps something borrowed from my old memories on Earth? Something that would be similar enough to them to be familiar but still have than alien quality. I’m thinking either Hello Kitty or My little Pet Shop?”
I heard Shields give the equivalent of a snort from the back of my consciousness, Perhaps something along the parameters of ‘won’t break their universe if a pony walks in and sees it’ would be more called for?
“Oh, come on MS,” I groaned, “please don’t start again with your rubbish about the entertainment industry seeing the existence of other worlds across the fabric of reality. I refuse to believe the multiverse is so unimaginative as that.”
You would be surpr- WARNING! Incoming multiverse disturbance detected.
I looked quickly to my left to see a rift in the air. “What the He- Ack!!” *Clang* Something flew through the rift and smacked the side of my head, knocking me to the floor. After a moment sprawled on the ground, I shook my head clear and forced myself up to get a look around. The rift was closed and the offending object, a canister of some sort, lay beside me. I picked it up and gingerly opened it to check its contents. It was a letter.
To you who find this folder-
If you are reading this, you are what I refer to as a Displaced. Some of us are being held here, in worlds not our own, by one known as The Merchant, a Void-Dweller of great power. If you can use these notes to find your way back to your relative home, I wish you the best of luck. Either because The Merchant is not to be trifled with, or because finding your relative Earth in all the Multiverse is like trying to find a grain of sand in a sandstorm.
Personally, I do not desire to leave. True, abandoning my life on Earth seems cowardly. But the power I now wield confers a responsibility, one that I fulfill willingly. And life in Equestria is more likely to be peaceable than life on Earth.
To those that want to return, I wish you the best of luck, and tell you that the best of results could be gathered by using something that you brought with you.
To those that wish to remain, I tell you that these notes can easily be reversed and used to shield your home from intrusions. Most notably, Discord could find them useful.
To those of you that wish to try to fight The Merchant, I tell you that he will likely not go down easy. Your best bet is to find the one known as Xante and team up with him.
And to those of you that wish to drag us all back...
Do not test me.
-Auric Fulcrum, Master of Psynergy, Wielder of the Flames of Alchemy, Slayer of the Wise One, Knight of the Eclipse, Lord of Eureka, Blade of Understanding
So, he continued his little schemes, Shields said thoughtfully.
“You think this ‘Merchant’ might be the same one Inquisitor ran into?”
You needn’t make hasty assumptions, sir, Shields remarked dryly, I’m sure it could be one of the other Interdimensional beings using enchanted items to fling humans across the multiverse while calling himself ‘The Merchant.’
I face palmed at the remark. “Yes, MS, I’m well aware the foundation of your AI is based on my own cynicism. Even so, would it be too much to ask you crank down the snark?”
No promises.
I sighed and looked back at the letter. “Still, I’m actually surprised the guy kept on with his little pranks after that scare from Inquisitor.”
The multiverse is in a constant flux. It is possible this letter was written by and to displaced that were thrown around before we ever met The Merchant, Shields pointed out. Furthermore, the only agreement made regarding his activates was that nothing would impede the mission left to us by Inquisitor. That doesn’t necessarily forbid him in interfering with the lives of others.
“True enough,” I conceded, looking over the letter with an intense stare, “and this Auric character sounds interesting. Alchemy? Blade of understanding?
It could just be organic superstition.
“From someone able to send messages throughout the Mulitverse?”
Fair point, Shields said darkly.
“I wonder how many others may be out there?”
Well, if- WARNING! Incoming multiverse disturbance detected.
“Aw, crap. Not this agai-” a rift opened in the air again, this time burying me in an avalanche of knickknacks and memorabilia. When the rift finally closed, I pulled myself from under the pile and took stock of how much came through. There seemed to be enough items to start a curio shop. And every one of them had a magic signature indicating links to another universe.
Based on the evidence before us, I would say that many, Shields said sarcastically.
I ignored his attitude in favor of staring at my new treasure-trove of interdimensional beacons.
“Shields,” I breathed, “do you realize what this means?”
Indeed I do, sir, Shields said grimly, so many displaced in the universe poses a significant liability to our mission and the safety of this universe. I will see to-
“THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE I CAN TALK TO NOW!!!”
FOR THE SAKE OF ALL SENTIENCE, WOULD YOU SHUT UP AND THINK THINGS THROUGH FOR A CHANGE!?! I blinked at Shields’ outburst. After taking a moment to collect himself, he started speaking in slow tempo and a tone one might have heard an adult use to a child; a very hyperactive child with the attention span of a gnat and severe brain damage. I realize your old human needs for interaction are still flaring after a very very VERY long time in solitude, but let’s go over all of the facts, shall we? Considering the impact our own intrusion has had on this world, it may not be prudent to introduce more influences from other sections of the multiverse.
He waited for me to nod slowly in acknowledgement before he continued, What’s more, even factoring how erratic humans in general can be, there’s no predicting how each one may have been affect by the artifacts they received from The Merchant. Some, if not all, may well have been driven violently insane by their own journeys and artifacts. And even if only a few are hostile? They could very well still be in conflict with one another; the sort of conflict that tears whole worlds apart.
For both the sake of our mission and the safety of this world, the best thing we can do is focus on using this equation to seal off our section of the multiverse; whether putting this Discord to work, using our own resources, or a combination of the two.
After listening to Shields lay out his points, I nodded sadly and gave the pile of beacons a dejected look. “You’re right, of course, MS,” I sighed. “It’s probably for the best. Afterall it’s the only logical, responsible choice. It only makes sense that we should- YOINK!!!” I yelled out grabbing a random object before Shields could object and reveling at the pull by another universe.
DAMN IT, WHY DID MY CREATOR HAVE TO BE SUCH A GLITCHY BAST-!?