//------------------------------// // It's Distracting. Don't Kick Lethal Things. // Story: Legacy // by NFire //------------------------------// I inform Twilight and Applejack as we sit in the library. This is definitely not one of mine. I have accounted for all drones used and stored, running inventories multiple times to make absolutely sure. I cannot understand where this one has come from. From what little remains, it is a standard issue Wyvern, very common, very much in use by all Concordiat forces. Even the pieces are recognizable as metals and composites used by the fabricators. But knowing Wyverns, I can place where each part goes, matching it to a baseline. The one thing that is truly bothersome is the age. It is far beyond what I know of myself and what should be on this planet. It will take a bit for dating, but I can already see it is far older than my thousand years spent sitting before my solar panel was uncovered to provide energy. The metals and even the so-called eternal composites are badly worn, showing deterioration that would have eventually caused it to malfunction. I can only assume what most of the internals looked like. It may be a simple case of the explosion being a malfunction from very old equipment. But questions remain. Whose is it? Why was it over Canterlot? What was it’s mission? Before I was changed, I had noticed no other airborne craft or vehicles anywhere, except for the Pegasi. It had to have taken station between the time I was locked out and the fight with Rainbow Dash and the Wonderbolts. That narrows the time frame. But who would have the capability and where did it come from? I cannot query the Masada program because it was slagged in the fight. Any logs and other reference material went in the destruction as it had its own core to store the data. This is bothersome! If I had not assumed it was mine launched by Masada I could have taken steps to retrieve the data! I slap a hoof on the floor and sigh, “This is frustrating!” Twilight raises her eyebrow calmly, “How so?” “I cannot tell if anything was received by my communications equipment because I destroyed Masada and the data with it! The drone itself has almost nothing left that isn’t so old it contains no information.” Applejack leans against me, “So ya can’t tell if it was trying to say something?” “No. It could be from anything. They were very common, in use all over the Concordiat.” My Applejack gives me a warm embrace, “You’ll figure it out I’m sure, you have before.” “With quite a bit of help.” I smile and return the hug. “It is just a bit frustrating to know that I keep doing the wrong thing. This is not how a Bolo acts. We are logical, thinkers, we plan. I find myself being surprised at every turn, not expecting something as if my psychotronic arrays are off wandering somewhere else!” Twilight snickers, cracking a smile as she winks at Applejack, “Oh I know where they’re wandering to.” I see Applejack covering her mouth with a hoof, her eyes wide, “Twilight!” I narrow my eyes a bit at both of them, “That’s not what I meant. I am not that distracted by my Applejack.” “Ohhh! You sayin’ I’m not pretty enough to be distractin’? Well, I’m not to sure how to take that, huh Twilight?” The Alicorn nodded, her muzzle wrinkling as she tried to hold in another snicker, “I think you’re right, he just said you’re not pretty enough to be all that distracted by.” “I did not say that. You’re putting words in my mouth.” “Oh no sugar, you said it.” She put a leg up across her forehead, “Oh mah gosh!” She let’s her accent get quite pronounced, “Ah’m not pretty enough to be distractin’ to anypony! Whatevah shall ah do!” Twilight moves next to her friend, wrapping a leg around her shoulders, looking off into the distance, “That’s okay Applejack. There’s somepony out there that will find you so distracting they’ll walk into doors! I know it! I can feel it!” “Ah know Twilaht, some day some handsome distracted stallion will sweep me offa mah hooves! Oh my heart longs for that moment!” She leans heavily against Twilight, both of them comforting each other. I am about to retort when Rarity comes walking in, seeing the two mares close and me looking a bit put out. “Well, whatever is going on in here?” I open my mouth to reply... Twilight points an accusing hoof at me, “Crusader says Applejack’s not pretty enough to be distracting!” “Wait..I did not..” How do they do it? How do females of any species always know when there is a joke to be played on someone by themselves or their friends. How do they DO this? Is there some kind of telepathic signal? Rarity gasps, holding a perfectly hooficured hoof to her chest, “What? Oh my that’s simply unbelievable!” She rushes over to comfort Applejack. “Now now, don’t be upset, I’m sure he didn’t mean it!” I am on the receiving end of a glare, mock or not, it is a glare. “Ah dunno Rares, seems like I just ain’t pretty enough to be distractin’!” “Here I thought you were a true gentlecolt, treating a pretty mare like a Princess. Hmph! You are a ruffian sir! Telling our friend she’s not distracting enough.” She pulls a fan from somewhere, fanning ‘poor’ Applejack. “But I did not say..” “Hey what’s up!” Is everypony visiting right at this same moment? I’m investigating telepathy later. Rarity points the accusing hoof now, “This..this hooligan says Applejack is not pretty enough to be distracting! Oh I can’t believe we ever said he was such a nice stallion!” Applejack continues her swooning while comforted by her friends, and of course, Rainbow Dash picks up on it. “No way!” She gives me a narrow-eyed look, “Oh you are so not as cool as I thought! I mean, wow, saying that? That’s..that’s..just twenty percent less cool! Applejack’s pretty enough to be distracting to every stallion! I’ve seen em walk into walls!” Wonderful, now all we need is... “Ohmygosh! Here you all are!” Pinkie....and she’s hauling along poor Fluttershy.. “Hey Pinks!” Rainbow Dash announces loudly, “You believe ol’ Crusader here doesn’t think Applejack is pretty enough to be distracting?” “What?!?! Oh that is sonottrue! Shedistractsallkindsofponies!” Her mane floofs out hugely, “Oh she’s been on like every stallion’s wish list for Hearth’s Warming!” Twilight looks a bit confused, “Now Pinkie I wouldn’t say..” “Oh but it’s true! You oughta see the wishes sometimes! I can’t repeat ‘em all here cause..” She looks around conspiratorially, “Spike’s a bit young for it.. But oh yeah! You can’t imagine what they write on those wish lists! I mean wow, she’d probably have a heart att..” She’s muffled by a hoof over her mouth. But I see her smiling behind the hoof, giving me a wink with one blue eye. Fluttershy comes up and gently touches my nose, “That’s just mean, saying she’s not distracting enough. Well.. I never.. Uhm..you know.. and stuff.” I nod to the shy pegasus, “Fair enough Fluttershy, you are right. She is very distracting. I stand corrected.” I turn to face the group comforting Applejack, “Now that we’ve said the word “distracting” enough to run it into the ground, could we continue?” “Ah dunno, I’m kinda distracted right now.” “Applejack..” Twilight giggled, “Me too, we’re all kind of distracted right now.” Now I know why ponies facehooved. ------------- I am outgunned and out maneuvered. I can do nothing but wait for the laughter to stop. Though I do join in, it is so very silly. But sometimes a bit of humor is needed to break a train of thought to try other paths. We sit and discuss the Everfree, I am listening to the different tales told by Rarity, Rainbow Dash and others concerning it. Mostly oral traditions passed down through the generations. It appears no serious study has ever been done on it. It baffles me why this place was allowed to survive and/or thrive at all. While we are talking, I set up and launch more Wyverns, equipped with higher sensitivity scanners to start doing an outward search. This drone had to have been launched from within a certain range. I start the circular search pattern immediately, working out from Ponyville as the center of the AO. They will be going low and slow, scanning as deep as they can. To do any real deep penetrating radar, I would have to move into place, that would cause more damage than it is worth I think. I wonder, could something else have survived after this long? Until the data begins to accumulate, I spend time with the group of friends. I enjoy sitting and just listening to them talk about their adventures. ------------- And so my brothers and sisters among the stars, I greet you tonight with news. Something else may be here, or have survived from the deep past. I do not know what it is yet, but I have hope. I know that I do not send VSRs anymore, but I still send my thoughts to you, wishing you the best. I always shall. Always there is the invitation, come home. Come help me defend this new earth and its beings here. If you are lost or troubled and cannot find your way, look to Earth, the place of our birth. Come home. ------------- It is funny the perspective you have, when sitting among your own sensor masts. I truly did not realize from a pony's point of view they were so big. I have accepted the fact for so long, it takes a new angle to really see things sometimes. I am also a hypocrite I suppose as I am watching young ones play among the masts and along the hillside, the grass green and lush with spring now. I protect them, as I would any human in the Concordiat. But in the sieges and battles I had participated in, how many others were wiped out by my guns? How many continental bombardments had done the very same thing I am now watching against? How many parents watched as I burned them down? Operation Diaspora, Case Ragnarok. the Final War. Words that mean so little now, but should be remembered as pure folly. So many mistakes. So very many. The burden is not so heavy now, weighing lightly upon my shoulders. But I am something old and terrible, being remade into another being. In this new life though, I am become other than my memories of war. Being forgiven lightens the soul and heart, the making of a new life is mine and I take each day anew. I do not ponder absolution so much these days, for what is done, is done. I do not beg for forgiveness for it is granted to me without thought. My history is known, I have no worries now of scorn, ridicule or of even hate. The smile on my avatar’s face is a true reflection of how I feel, happy, alive. I will stand my watch, it may not make up for the past, but that is gone now. It is time for newer, brighter things. ------------ If I thought even for a femtosecond, a fleeting instant that maybe the forest I face had a smidgen of good in it; it is all erased. I was still watching the young ones at play. The clouds making it nice and cool for such things when I noticed something oddly out of place. They had been playing a game called hoofball, sort of a soccer type game. A large inflated ball was kicked around with much yelling and excitement. I saw them kicking a different type of ball now, it was a leathery round object that did not seem to be very resilient. I immediately check my drones and sensor logs, nothing is moving in the forest, there appears to be no massing of creatures as there usually is. Nor are there any large beings that are tripping my perimeter sensors as well. Seismics are showing no movement or tunneling. Nonetheless I stand to Battle Reflex, something is not right, I feel it in my metal bones. My guns fold out, i hear the whine as they spin up, I am watching carefully the group of older fillies and colts with the ball getting closer to the hill. Every sensor I have is straining outward, piercing the forest nearby as my Dragons turn in line, facing outward from my hill in a wall of durasteel. I walk my avatar over to the group, standing back from the object they are kicking around. It is not a hoofball. “Colts, fillies, leave that object alone; come over here now, please.” “What’s up Crusader?” They know me by now, I am always on the hill when they play nearby. “Stop kicking that thing and come over between the poles, please. Call your friends as well.” “It’s just an old ball Crusader, we found it near the bushes over there, just something to kick around.” They are motioning to their friends though, the children are gathering near my sensor masts. “Listen to me. Stop kicking it and get over here.” A roll of the eyes accompanied a weary sigh, “Yeesh yer just like all the other parents. Go there, do this..” The little colt gives the ball one last kick. I am slightly faster than the thing, I see the object open to reveal razor sharp teeth trying to wrap around the colt's leg as he screams in terror. My avatar bounds the few feet between us, planting a hoof dead center in it, smashing it to a pulp before it can take a chunk out of the colts leg. “Follow me!” I lead them to the hatchway, pushing them all in to the tunnel as there is no time to take them back to town. I slam the hatch shut and turn to see the ground erupting all around the perimeter area. Round objects are popping out of the dirt and rolling towards the town. I do not hesitate, I open fire. I open all command channels, advising all links to get ponies inside, shut the doors and do not come out! This is a definite emergency, these things are small and fast, I cannot get them all in time. My repeaters thunder, targeting anything near the hill and moving outward, my avatar is racing for the town, seeing ponies rushing inside as Twilight and others are screaming at them to do so. There is no time for niceties, they must get to cover. I tell the colts and fillies in my command deck to relax, they are safe. There is nothing but the faint sound of my guns in their ears, I play music for them, making sure they are comfortable before turning my attention back to these hideous things. My Dragons open up with their turret weapons and co-axials, sweeping the field as they split up, roaring along the perimeter line, crushing what they don’t shoot. The Hellbores they bear are overkill for this, they can only use smaller calibers as they are swinging around to face Ponyville, catching stragglers who have broken the line. I turn around at the edge of town, seeing one leathery ball roll my way. As I smash a hoof down on it, the thing unrolls into a centipede like creature, the underside covered with teeth it uses for locomotion. I’ve never seen such a creation before as it wraps around my leg like a flat worm, trying to chew through my covering. I slam it against the nearest wall as my pain indicators go off, hitting it with my other hoof and peeling it off me. How did they pass my sensors? I detected no movement in the forest or underground! That forest could not have moved so many without me noticing it! I pay very very close attention to lines of fire, breaking it off when they get too close to the town or buildings on the outskirts. My Dragons cannot move within the urban environment, so it is up to me, Twilight and whoever she and I can gather to take care of the amount breaking through. I see the lavender mare blasting the things with magic, throwing them away from her in a heap. Pinkie has a serious look on her face as she smashes them around a group of adults caught in the open, she’s quite the warrior, and quite a bit stronger than she looks. I catch a sight of rainbow colored mane as the cyan mare streaks through town, grabbing ponies in harms way and taking them to safety. I catch a sight of Rarity leading off groups of ponies to shelter in her boutique. She has a mean left hoof as I see her smashing a centipede into a wall. The centipede like creatures are crawling everywhere, looking to take pieces out of living things as they wrap around them, undulating to use the teeth on the underside to chew through. Even in my long years of waging war I have never seen anything like this, definitely some sort of construct from the forest. But how did they get inside the perimeter?!? I link with Fluttershy, asking if she is secure. She tells me nothing is going on near her, that the forest is quiet. I advise her to stay put and lock the door. I’m not seeing anymore coming out of the forest along the line, my observation drones are working their way back and forth. They are unable to do runs with their repeaters as what is left of the things are already inside the town wreaking a bit of havoc. It would be ludicrously funny if the things were not so intent on killing. Leathery balls rolling around, unwrapping to show rows of teeth on the underside, using them as legs for locomotion. It truly would be to laugh. My ears pick up screams from somewhere off to my left. I take off at top speed rounding the corner to the schoolhouse. There are a crowd of them trying to get inside, crawling along the walls pressing against the windows and doors. I can see Miss Cheerilee and the young ones inside, piling the desks against the glass. I have no choice, I snap my kinetic screen on and run into the fray, stamping and smashing the leathery things. It is not so clean as the whatever that they use inside them for blood is thick and viscous, splattering everywhere and dripping off my screen. I pay no mind as I continue my rampage, making sure the last of them are stomped into the ground before turning to leave. I give a wave to Miss Cheerilee and shout at her to stay inside as I run back to Twilight. I find her leading a group of adults who are cleaning up the last of the centipedes I can see. She is using powerful magic to blast an area clear, allowing Pinkie to move in with a mop-up crew hoofing pitchforks. My sensor sweeps are showing nothing of their size moving outside of this area. It appears not many got through the line, for which I am grateful. I drop my screen and join her, helping with the last of the things. Rainbow Dash is sweeping over the rooftops, making sure none are on top of houses by slapping them down to Pinkie and her crew of ponies. It takes an hour or so for the adults to come out of their shelters, helping to sweep the town for any remnants of the attackers. Ponyville citizens have become so used to strange disasters, they are actually laughing and joking as they get rid of the remains, hauling a few carts of them to the forests edge and dumping them there. I guess you can get used to anything if exposed to it long enough. I ask Twilight if I may borrow a cart, and to come with me to the hatchway. She watches as I first release the frightened colts and fillies from my command deck, assuring them everything is fine. One minor thing though.. “When I tell you to stop kicking something will you listen next time?” The colt, who’s name is Digger, rubs the back of his neck, “Yeah, I will, I’m sorry.” “Don’t be sorry, just listen to adults when it’s important alright?” “I will Crusader, and thank you!” He and his friends run off to join the townsfolk. Twilight gives me a curious look, “What happened there?” “I told him to stop kicking one of those things, they thought it was a hoofball.” Her eyes get a bit wide, “Wow, lucky he didn’t get hurt.” “I agree.” I go into the hatchway, dragging out a few boxes one at a time. I had planned on releasing them later but now seems as good a time as any. I open one to show Twilight what is inside. Pulling out a small, thin green gel-pack I show her the adhesive underside. “Just take off this covering and stick it over any wound. Scratches, cuts, minor things. Anything deeper use one of these,” I point to another box containing larger packs, “This will clean and disinfect it, closing it up within a day. It’s also biodegradable.” She gives me another puzzled look. “That means there will be no garbage left, it will just break apart and turn into soil.” “Wow that is really neat! Are they hard to make?” “Not at all, they were very common in my day Twilight. I was going to release them soon to the hospitals and medical services for use by everypony. I’m bringing them out now in case those things that inflicted any cuts are envenomed or just filthy from being underground. If ponies ask, charge a bit or two for each one, that will make sure that folks don’t rely on them for every little ill.” Twilight smiles, getting a thoughtful look, “We’ll say emergency funds from Canterlot covered these. I like that idea.” She rolls her eyes a bit, “Ugh, you have NO idea how many ponies come to me for every little thing being a Princess!” I tilt my head, listening closely as I settle down near the cart, waiting for the explanation to begin, and it will. She waves a hoof around as we stand there in the bright sun, “Somepony stole my apples, or he charged me too high a price for that cart. I broke a cart wheel help me fix it, argh I’m not a wheelwright!” She continues on in the same vein for a bit, I don’t mind, I’m a good listener. Eventually we get the cart loaded with the packs, taking them into town for any hurt ponies. But it was nice listening to Twilight, I love all of Applejack’s friends. ------------ I later inspect the holes that the creatures popped out of, looking in them I see tendrils that have been ripped off the outside covering of the leathery things. Now I know why the forest was quiet all winter, it was growing these slowly in place inside my perimeter. That proves murderous intelligent intent. If I have ever doubted before, this takes care of it. Time to update or make new sensors to prevent this happening again. ------------ “Mind if ah join ya?” I nod, sitting on the hilltop gazing at the stars as I always do. “You are always welcome, you know that.” She settles next to me, warm and soft, leaning against my shoulder, “Some crazy day huh?” “That’s one way of putting it love.” “Ah dunno, so many weird things have happened here I guess we’re all kinda used to it by now.” “I think you can get used to anything if it happens often enough.” “Ain’t that strange though? Things comin’ out of the forest to hurt ponies, and now Pinkie’s planning a “We Beat the Critters” party for tomorrow.” I can’t do anything but laugh, loud and heartfelt, “You can’t stop Pinkie, ever.” I get pushed playfully on the shoulder by Applejack, “And you ya big lug, stop tryin’ to be everywhere at once. We can take care of ourselves too ya know.” “I am learning that, you should have seen Rarity, she’s quite the fighter.” “Yeah she gets all kinds of upset when her hooficure is messed up. I’m sure she’ll be hitting the spa tomorrow.” Applejack laughs, taking her hat off and leaning against me once again. “Sending another message to your friends out there?” She points to the sky. I nod, “I know it seems foolish, but I do it. I have shut down my long range communications, but I still send my thoughts to my comrades.” “Ah dunno, doesn’t seem anymore silly than falling for a pony who’s not real.” She hugs me tight, kissing me warmly, “Nothing’s ever that way if your heart’s in it.” “Then I guess we can be foolish together.” I hold her close, looking back up into the starry night. “That, we can do Crusader.” ------------- Another day passes my brethren. Evil fought, good triumphs. As my beloved Shakespeare once wrote, “The evil that men do lives after them; the good oft interred with their bones.” I think in this case my brothers and sisters, the good shall far outlast such evil things. I still stand as sentinel, my watch secure as I can make it. The Dinochrome thrives under the colors of a new nation, a world. Applejack and I send you our best from old Earth, be well, be safe.