//------------------------------//
// Settling Down 
// Story: Dream Come True 
// by SprocketProductions 
//------------------------------//

I was tinkering in my shop, something I rarely got the opportunity to do. I remembered developing my OC's- my character, having her build a small mechanical solar powered fairy as a companion. I had made the round metal chassis with small intricate mechanisms inside as well as a small computer programmed with an extremely advanced AI that would interact according to external stimulants. I had tightened the audio sensors in place and connected to the AI. I then began connecting the optical sensors and applying them to the small robot. Once it was in place, I attached four wings to it and set the whole thing on a stand. I opened the skylight above, letting light poor in. The gears began to turn inside the robot, but it wasn't working properly quite yet. I had to make it sentient.

My horn started to glow as I charged it up for my spell. I then shot a beam into the chassis, enchanting the robot with a magic spell as it ticked to life. The wings started to twitch as the spell was applied and the gears started performing different functions instead of spinning n a single direction. Upon completion of my spell, the small robot fluttered off the stand, but not outside the sunlight, as it was still charging. It turned ant looked at me for a moment. I never thought I would get the chance to interact with Gear, my OC's mechanical sidekick. He looked at me, simply fluttering for a moment. I then heard a mechanical chirp, followed by a click and a whirr.

"Hello to you too, Gear." I said.

I didn't know how, but I understood the intricate bot. I figured that it was because I designed and built him. I knew every single detail put into him down to a microscopic level. I had put not only my blood, sweat, and tears into him, I had put my heart and soul into making him just like how I imagined. I didn't have the technical know how as a human, but I definitely did as Sprocket. I now had a useful assistant I could always talk to that only I could decipher. Others would probably be able to catch onto the basic idea of what he's saying and how he's saying it, but only I had the knowledge to know exactly what he was saying. He gave me a few swift informative clicks to tell me that he was fully charged before fluttering out of the light and hovering next to me, attentively.

He followed me out the back door of my shop after I closed the skylight. Metalwing had told me he had a surprise for me for when I got home that day. If I knew him, I knew he would have something big. I walked through the streets followed by my new mechanical friend taking in stimulants for the first time. He was doing well. Way better than my first experience in Equestria, considering I walked straight off a cliff. I got to my house, opening the door a little. I peeked in, but there was nothing. Just a light on and a view into the kitchen. It looked devoid of any ponies including my significant other.

I slowly stepped inside, quietly putting one hoof in front of the other. Gear had mechanisms designed to be near silent as long as he was properly lubricated and cleaned. Which meant i needed to use a can of pressurized air and an oil can on him when he started to get squeaky. Whoop dee freakin doo, right? Though the way I designed him does make him more susceptible to damage. At least the mechanisms were securely in their places. I just dreaded having to replace any microscopic clockwork. Those bearings were an absolute pain to install.

I walked further and further into the house. I stepped up the stairs, looking further, still seeing nopony. I looked down the hall and saw the door to the home office open. This was an odd occurrence, considering this door was nearly always closed. I walked in and sitting on the keyboard of the computer was a note.

"Hey, Sprock. This note is from Metalwing, if you didn't already know that... There's a USB stick somewhere in our bedroom. Find it and it'll lead you to the next clue for the surprise. Sorry, no riddles because I couldn't really come up with anything. I was never good at that."

I giggled a bit at what the note said and proceeded to the bedroom. I walked in and began searching. I checked under the pillows, nothing. Under the matress? Nothing. Under the bed itself? Still, nothing. A crafty changeling, Metalwing was, I bet he expected me to look under those. I looked in both nightstands as well as under them. I finally opened the closet door to see the  portable form of data storage hanging from a caribiner on a hanger. I unclipped it, and thanked Celestia he hadn't used a keyring. I was awful with those suckers with HANDS. I dreaded how much of a laughing stock I would be trying to get things on and off a keyring with hooves.

I went back to the home office and plugged the USB stick into the computer, booting it up to look at the contents. I had no idea how, but hooves actually worked surprisingly well on keyboards. Of course it didn't hurt that ponies were in mind when these keyboards were made. On the USB stick was a video file of Metalwing.

"Go up to the attic." he sneezed, "There's one more note, but a lot of dust, fair warning..."

I endered the attic and sure enough, there was a lot of dust. I walked through the clutter and dust until I found a note. I picked it up and read it.

"Go out front"

I bolted down the ladder, quickly closing it up and racing down the hall and stairs. I set the notes and USB stick down on the kitchen counter as I exited throught the front door and hastily stepped out into the yard to a hot air balloon landing in it. Metalwing was in the basket of the balloon with the attendant. I got in with the stallion I had fallen in love with, hugging him closely as we ascended. We got above the clouds before I realized why he didn't just use his wings. He got down on his knees and looked up at me.

"Sprocket? Will you make me the happiest stallion in the universe and marry me?" He asked.

I smiled widely, "Of course I will!"

He rejoiced and embraced me for the rest of the ride, only letting go for a short time after we landed to get out of the balloon. He then hugged me again, taking off with me and carrying me up higher than I had ever been before. I looked into his eyes before kissing him on the lips. I was so happy that he proposed to me, and it was quite a way to do so.

"Does this mean we're settling down now?" He asked.

I replied, "Are you kidding me? This just means we'll always go on our adventures with each other now. Just no quests to take any legendary creature claws, alright?"

We both laughed before enjoying the view together. The day had been my first perfect one in hopefully many to come.