//------------------------------// // Magitech // Story: Cyber Equestria: Shadow's Adventures // by nihilis3 //------------------------------// Celestia: Celestia watched the little colt work. She had never seen any one work so quickly. Shadow for his part was using his spider's fangs as a laser and drill while his wings worked a chemical soldering solution. Pouring the liquid with the clinical precision. 'Wait that's silver how did?' Celestia thought shocked by this small feat of chemical engineering. Shadow continued lost in his work. He weaved the metal and crystal. Continually he cut the shard down to the size he wanted. Within moments Shadow had his processor ready. Celestia could hardly beleive that the little thing could do anything. 'It's smaller then a button.' She thought watching Shadow place the part aside. At this point shadow stood again. 'If that processor works it alone could change Equestria's technical industry.' She noted as Shadow walked over to the now boiling water. 'What is he up to now?' She pondered watching closely. "Storm metal." Shadow said in explanation. "Uhmm, excuse me?" Celestia asked confused as to what Shadow meant. "Storm metal, you know the special metal pegasie use. Non-cunductive, able to stay in the air even with other objects on it?" Shadow offered further. "Wait that's pegasie magic and its the one spell they don't share, even I don't know it." Celestia said leaning back. 'He's good but this is where the game ends.' She thought with a smirk. "Cumulus clouds." Shadow explained placing his hand into the rising steam. Seeing Celestia's confused face Shadow decided to explain further. "Ok, well you see at the top of newly constructed cumulus clouds there's a type of Pegasus magic that takes the form of oil. This oil when used to temper metal of any type creates storm metal." Shadow explained as he began his work with the water vapor. Celestia stared dumbfounded as shadow formed the cloud before her. 'You mean that darn slime that clings to my hooves is the greates secret of the pegasie.' She thought shocked. Still she certainly was enjoying watching the Lunar Pegasus work his magic. Still more fascinating was watching the way the fresh forming cloud was interacting with every touch of his hand. When the cloud was done forming Shadow turned off the stove and move back over to his seat the cloud floating in tow. "How are you doing that?" Celestia asked watching the cloud floating around Shadow's head. "Oh that, technically the cloud believes I'm it's parent since I formed it. This is why most pegasie use machines to craft clouds now." Shadow stated matter of factly. "Infact according to history many pegasie kept clouds as pets." He said giving his cloud some directions. He filled one of his drones legs from the top, as they acted as vials. Again Shadow went to work with his tools. His wings acting once again as extra hands doubling his work speed. Only problem was that Celestia was having trouble seeing what Shadow was up to. Still what she had seen was simply stunning. Shadow clearly had an unusual understanding of several fields of study. 'Then again the boys mother is a teacher.' She thought smiling. After another hour Shadow stopped working. Celestia perked up wondering what road block Shadow had hit. He simply removed two objects from his drone he stuck both into his cloud which flashed with lightning. Shadow brought the two pieces together. He moved the object out of the cloud and presented it to Celestia. Celestia gasped shocked by what was befor her. In his hand was a single hook earring. It had a gold base and hook with a long crystal hanging from it. The Crystal was gradient in coloration going from pinkish at the top to clear in the center and a deep red at the bottom. In the center of the crystal was a iron ball nearly in visible. From this ball shot two bolts of lightning one hitting the top and the other striking the bottom. Celestia once she recovered from her surprise thanked Shadow as she took the earring from Shadow. The moment it was in her hand, she felt a strange sensation starting in her horn. The sensation traveled along her body till it pooled in her hand and into the earring. 'Heh that kinda tickles.' She thought curiosity keeping any and concerns at bay. The moment her magic hit the earring there was a massive flash of light. Celestia was only temporarily blinded and as soon as her vision cleared she was stunned. There sitting in the center of the crystal was a miniature version of her sun. The small yellow white orb was simply sitting there but it stirred all sorts of emotions. Celestia brought her hand over her mouth trying not to let her emotions out to much. Still here eyes teared, for her it was like meeting a dear friend after centuries. The little sun showed perfectly the activity of its larger counter right down to each solar flare. Celestia couldn't hold back her tears anymore. "Thank you, I... I just... don't know what to say." She said wiping away her tears. "Are you ok?" Shadow asked hesitantly unsure how to proceed. Celestia looked back over to Shadow who had lost all his bravado. He was right back to being his shy self. She also noted that he had cleaned up, the spider was no longer on the table. "It's alright my little pony. I also must apologize I didn't fully believe you." She said still sitting at the table. "Its alright I didn't mean to make you cry." He stated still nevouse. "Don't worry they're tears of joy this is the best gift I've had in years." Celestia stated putting the earring in. "By the way how would you feel if I was to ask your parents about being my second personal student?" She asked smiling broadly. "But I'm not a Unicorn?" Shadow said shocked enough for his wings to flare. "Hehehe, yet with this and a book you've pretty much become the poster child for magitech." Celestia giggled causing some of Shadows nervousness to fade. "Magitech?" Shadows head tilted in confusion. "Yes magitech the fusion of magic and technology in harmony for the worlds betterment." Celestia announced happily standing. "Now wait here I think your parents might wish to talk to you privately in a bit something about a lab in a government building." She said coyly as she moved towards the kitchen door. Cancelling her spell as she left letting in the noise from the still ongoing party. "Oh and I'll grab us some cake." She happily stated. 'This is going to be fun.' She thought leaving the room. Iron: Iron watched as Twilight examined his gift to her. It was a traditional in Lunar Pegasus society to give a child their first weapon upon the appearance of their cutiemark. In this case he had gotten permission in advance to gift Twilight a combat knife and scabbard. It was designed to attach to her thigh like a garter belt. Crimson was nervously pacing waiting to hear from Celestia about their boy. Iron kept glance between his wife Twilight and the kitchen door. Celestia opened the door and strolled out. Iron let out a sigh there was more than one reason for him to be here. 'I guess its now or never.' He thought solemnly walking towards the princess. She was looking around the room and smiled when she spotted him. The look on Iron's face made that smile disappear. He motioned Crimson over to join him. "General what's wrong?" Celestia asked her face showing only concern. "I have to discuss something with both of you." Iron sad saddly. 'Why does it have to be my child?' He questioned himself. "What is it darling?" Crimson asked confused. "Shadow can't come home with us." Iron stated sadly. "What do you mean he can't come home with us!" Crimson nearly screamed. "Crim do you know what my brother does?" Iron said grabbing Crimson's shoulder. "Yeah he's some kind of religious leader in the northern rookery." Crimson replied confused. "You can't possibly mean he leads the Children of the Nightmare!" Celestia sighed yet again the cult dedicated to serving her corrupted sister reared its head. "What do they have to do with this." She asked clearly upset. "What does this have to do with our Shadow." Crimson was nearly begging to know what was wrong. "Celestia there is a prophecy as you are aware of her return." Iron began a touch of sadness in his voice. "Well there's a second part. This part describes her king the key to her victory if he's raised to know her." Iron shook his head. "My brother will stop at nothing to get that child." "And that child is shadow?" Celestia asked skepticism seeping from her voice. "My brother thinks so." Iron replied his own skepticism showing. "Be that as it may Shadow is in danger. Steel will take him and brain wash him to serve Nightmare Moon." Iron stopped to let his words sink. "Your Highness I know our people don't always get along, but most of my rook want the real princess back not the thing that claims to be her." These last words caught Celestia off guard so use was she to people knowing only her sister's corrupted self. "Well this might work out, anyway I was going to offer to take on Shadow as a secondary student. Hed be learning with Twilight as well." Celestia offered helpfully. "That would be perfect best protection would be at the castle." Iron replied thinking. "No I'm not giving up my son because of some loon and a dumb prophecy." Crimson declared savagely. "I'll be buck up anyone who dares touch my child." Her horn lit a savage blood red aura. "Crimson please, even steel wouldn't come to attack Canterlot. The rook, however that's another story steel would gladly turn our home into a war zone." Iron looked off into the distance, distant battlefields dancing before his eyes. "I don't want to see children lying in their own blood not in my rookery." "True urban warfare always leads to civilian casualties, and thusly should be avoided as much as possible." Celestia said her own experiences rearing their head. "But my child..." Crimson couldn't help but lightly sob the thought was crushing. "Trust me Crim this is what's best." Iron said saddly. "We'll stay for a week make sure he gets settled, but for now Princess could you take Twilight to go play with him. My wife will need a few minutes to calm down." Iron said wrapping his arms around Crimson.