Six ponies, one dragon, and two androids rushed to a window and peaked out, seeing Cover Story and Gear Shift coming up to the castle, moving slowly and methodically with their steps in complete synchronization.
Both Trixie and Lightning Dust backtracked like they were scared to death. They then blinked and looked to one another.
“They...scare me...I don't know why...” Trixie admitted. “It's...like instinct.”
“Same here...and well, what they did to me,” Lightning Dust admitted, trembling a tiny bit despite trying to conceal it.
Twilight gave a worried look to the two. “Alright, Trixie; take Lightning Dust and hide in one of the rooms...there's several hundred.”
Trixie nodded. “Come on, Lightning Dust!”
The pegasus android gave a growl...but seemed to shudder when she tried to think of facing those two and reluctantly followed Trixie.
“Alright, girls, I'll try to get them to leave, but if I can't, I'll lead them here so you can ambush them, okay?” Twilight asked the others, looking around to her friends.
“Right!” was the reply as the other five ponies and one dragon got in position around the room.
===
Twilight waited at the door to the castle. The Princess of Friendship didn't know who these ponies were, but she knew enough of what they'd done to know she wasn't going to let them leave without getting answers.
Sure enough, the duo were quick to get to the door, and the door knob rattled and slowly twisted. Twilight decided to summon a feather duster with her magic and pretend to be dusting in a hallway.
The two slowly crept into in, looking around carefully before their hooves even touched the carpet. Twilight waited patiently until they closed the door behind them and started in before revealing herself, coming out from behind the corner in the most inconspicuous way possible.
“Hello?” she asked, holding her feather duster in her telekinesis.
The two remained stone face but took a step back.
“Hello, Princess Twilight Sparkle,” Cover Story replied, giving a ridged bow simultaneously his partner. “My name is Agent Cover Story, and this is my partner Agent Gear Shift. We are with the Equestria Bureau of Investigations.”
The two each showed a badge, which Twilight analyzed closely. Her eyes fell on the gold seal, which had no tarnish. Celestia perched at the top with her wings in front of the shield.
“I see,” the Alicorn said carefully. “And what do you need?”
Without warning, Cover Story's horn gave off a bright flash as it had on the train. Twilight shook her head to clear it, only for a lavender glow to flash over her eyes and shatter the white magic off it. 'This is that spell Trixie and Rainbow mentioned...'
The lavender unicorn merely looked up at them with as little emotion as she could manage.
“We are afraid your friend Trixie is suspected of committing a very serious crime. We're merely trying to take her in for questioning and she is making things worse for herself by resisting arrest. If she is here, please kindly bring us to her, your majesty,” Cover Story recited and bowed.
Twilight noted the manner in which he said it. Not ordering but trying to come up with a believable reason.
“I will take you to Trixie,” Twilight replied without much emotion, remembering Trixie's explanation of the train. She turned and lead them quietly towards the throne room.
===
“I didn't think we'd ever be the saps to use that spell on a Princess,” Cover Story whispered to his partner, giving a frown.
“I don't like it either...It's for the greater good,” Gear Shift whispered back.
“Here we are,” Twilight said, opening the door and leading them in...at which point Rarity's magic slammed the doors shut.
“What?!” Cover Story questioned as the Mane Six and Spike surrounded them.
“It's a trap!” Gear Shift gasped, the two standing back to back.
“Alright, time for some answers!” Rainbow Dash snarled. “What's up with Trixie and Lightning Dust?!”
Cover Story's horn glowed and he sent off the same mind magic spell he'd used, causing the Mane Six to shake their heads in confusion, but each had a different color flicker through their eyes and shatter the magic off.
“Those two are escaped criminals-” Gear Shift started...until Rainbow Dash took him off guard and punched him in the jaw. Cover Story kicked Rainbow back and helped his partner up. “What?”
“Enough with that stupid mind spell!” the cyan Pegasus yelled, getting back to his hooves.
“Those two are escaped criminals...” Spike recited in a trance.
“Spike! You know that's not true!” Rarity yelled, giving a gasp.
The little dragon shook his head and blinked. “You're right Rarity, I don't know what I was thinking.”
“So that's how it works,” Twilight noted. “Your spell can only convince somepony of something they can believe is true, right? You can't convince anypony of something completely illogical.”
“This isn't good, the spell is no longer working,” Cover Story observed, managing to keep his stoic demeanor.
Gear Shift rubbed his jaw. “But why? It always worked on them before...I hope the memory alteration will still work.”
“Look,” Twilight stated. “We know Trixie and Lightning Dust are robots.”
The two's expressions didn't seem to change, but they looked to each other. “They're simply machines, we were sent to retrieve them,” Cover Story answered. “Expensive, highly valuable prototypes that cannot be replaced.”
Twilight glared. “After evaluating them, I can say without a shadow of a doubt they're sapient. By the Equestrian Constitution, Article One, Subsection Three, they are as much ponies as anypony else!”
“They are simply incredibly life-like, Princess. They are in no way sapient,” replied Gear Shift evenly.
“Well I'm not taking that chance,” the lavender Alicorn replied. “As a Princess of Equestria, I hereby declare them under protective custody until that can be determined.”
Applejack blinked. “Yah can do that?”
“Only when I have good reason to do so. Which I do.”
The two looked to one another, then bowed. “Understood Princess, we will inform our superiors of your decision...” Gear Shift replied, preparing to walk out with Cover Story.
“Oh no you don't!” Twilight replied, telekinetically moving a bookshelf in front of the door. “Even discounting the fact those two are robots, you still used your mind magic on a train full of innocent civilians and attempted to use it on me and my friends! Not only that, but your EBI badges are fake!”
“We were authorized to use our magic to retrieve the robots, Princess,” Gear Shift replied, keeping his emotionless tone. “And what makes you say that our badges are fakes, your majesty?”
Twilight smirked. “Because my big brother is Captain of the Royal guard, and on the EBI seal, Celestia's wings go behind it not in front of it.”
The group closed their circle around them, forcing the two back to back.
“So who do you really work for?” Rainbow Dash questioned. “And what the buck is going on!”
Cover Story merely replied by unleashing a bright flash from his horn to blind the group. When it cleared, the two agents had gotten behind the group and moved the door blockage. Cover Story jumped on Gear Shift's back and the pegasus tried to take off down the hall.
“No you don't!” Rainbow Dash yelled, the cyan pegasus taking off as fast as she physically could. Gear Shift had entered the high-speed state he'd used to catch up with Trixie's cart...but Rainbow Dash was Rainbow Dash, and quickly closed the gap. She bit down on the fleeing pegasus' tail and pulled back, sending Cover Story flying from his mount and crashing to the ground.
“Let go, Miss. Dash, I don't want to fight you,” the agent replied calmly, trying to pull himself back. “You're invaluable.”
“Well guess what?” Rainbow Dash flew forwards, tail still in her mouth and threw Gear Shift down the hallway. “I want to kick your flank!”
Gear Shift caught himself and tried to fly back to collect his partner as he got back to his hooves, but Rainbow Dash cut the other pegasus off and kicked him back. He replied by catching her leg and throwing her into a wall.
“Gear Shift! Run! I'll get out of here on my own!” Cover Story yelled, a bit of emotion coming into his tone.
Gear Shift gave a look Rainbow admitted could easily be on her face and nodded. “I'll come back for you, partner!”
The agent took off with Rainbow in hot pursuit, flying out a window.
Cover Story turned back to find the Mane Six and Spike charging down the hallway. His horn glowed and he opened fire with energy blasts and stun spells, forcing them into cover behind various objects and doors. Rarity counterattacked by grabbing objects and hurling at him, forcing him to either destroy the projectiles or fall into cover.
Applejack grabbed a book and threw it as hard as she could at Cover Story, nearly hitting him in the head as she took cover from his counterattack. “Twilight, why don't yah put up a shield?”
“It took a lot of my mana to fry Lightning Dust's failsafes,” Twilight replied, looking a bit tired. “I'm still recharging. I can do basic magic but I'm going to need a few minutes before I can do anything too big.”
Pinkie jumped out of hiding and fired her party cannon, somehow managing to fall back into hiding with the large machine when Cover Story fired a spell in counter.
Not having any means of ranged attack (and being a pacifist by nature) and with Cover Story wearing undamaged sunglasses preventing the Stare, Fluttershy occupied herself with applying her knack for hiding to finding more stuff for her friends to hide behind in the fire fight if their hiding place began to erode under Cover Story's attacks.
The unicorn agent tried to fall back further when they were all under cover and then picked up his assault.
“Hey! Look at me!” Pinkie shouted, jumping out and doing cartwheels and other moves to dodge his beams, giving the others an opening to charge a bit further and find a closer cover position (with Fluttershy finding a few other objects to place down for that purpose) to continue the shootout.
===
Spoiled Rich sat in her outdoor area in front of the pool, specifically the lawn chair closest to the house (for easy access to hired help). She was simply relaxing in the sun as she waited for the moment she thought her life would become so much better. Her eyes went over to Diamond Tiara, who was getting ready to dive in with her 'friend' Silver Spoon. 'Of course the agency would bother making the Marionettes water proof. What a good use of bits...'
Her mind wandered back to the fear she'd seen on Diamond's face earlier...and what she'd chalked up to a malfunction at the time when she'd called her out at the school. Why would the agency have programmed the Marionettes to be afraid of the agents? 'Must have just been her childish fear protocol kicking in,' she thought with a shrug. The Marionettes were simply life-like machines, nothing more, nothing less. It was easy to forget sometimes when you lived with one.
“Come back here!” Rainbow Dash yelled high up above, catching up with Gear Shift and decking him in the face before getting kicked away again.
“What's that?” Silver Spoon questioned, looking up with a gasp.
“Looks like Rainbow Dash fighting-” Diamond trailed off, looking scared suddenly, Silver doing so as well when she recognized the agent.
Spoiled Rich just ignored whatever the ruckus was. Even if she had looked up to see Gear Shift, she wouldn't have acted. After all, she was retired. She was under no obligation to lift a hoof.
Rainbow Dash did a loop to pick up speed and tackled Gear Shift, slamming both into the roof of the Rich household with considerable force, enough to cause the structure to break and a large piece of it to begin falling.
Diamond Tiara gasped, seeing where it was falling. “MOMMA LOOK OUT!”
“What?” Spoiled asked, looking up just in time to see the broken piece of roof begin falling right for her.
Moments before it could crush her, she felt something slam into her and tackle her free of harm. The older mare had the wind knocked out of her from the impact and was struggling to catch her breath. She looked at the crushed chair, heart racing and turning her trying to catch her breath almost into hyperventilating.
“Ugh...who...” Spoiled asked, then went wide-eyed at the sight of 'her daughter' on top of her, having tackled her out of the way. “Diamond Tiara...you...”
“Momma, are you alright?!” the unknowing android asked, eyes wide with concern.
“I'm...I'm fine...” the elder mare stuttered, looking like she'd seen a ghost. “D-Diamond, why...why did you do that?”
“Because you're my mom,” Diamond replied, her confident and smug attitude returning...but Spoiled couldn't deny the worry still there. “I mean I'm STILL not happy about how you treated me and my friends...but well...you're still my mom...”
Spoiled looked like she'd seen a ghost. “But...but that's not...You're...you're a spoiled brat that only cares about yourself!”
Diamond looked insulted and scoffed. “Not anymore mother!...Mom, are you okay? You look sick...”
===
Gear Shift kicked Rainbow Dash off. “You do not know what you are dealing with, Miss Dash.”
“Try me,” Rainbow replied, standing back up. She'd apologize for the property damage later. “Just who am I dealing with?”
“I am afraid I cannot tell you that. It is classified information. Just know that we are agents of fate who help guide Equestria to a better future and we need our robots back to accomplish that.”
The cyan mare rolled her eyes. “Blah blah blah! You sound like Starlight Glimmer! I don't care if you're working for Princess Celestria's estranged daughter! All I know is you made Lightning Dust and Trixie's lives a bucking Tartarus and it's OVER!”
“They are not real, you needn't concern yourself with them,” Gear Shift explained, getting to her hooves...and getting bucked right back on his back.
“Talk about my FRIEND like that one more time and I'll knock the teeth out of your mouth!” Rainbow Dash yelled, giving a snarl.
Gear Shift caught another punch and flipped her, but she caught herself and flew at him, kicking the agent back. “It would appear my current speed is inefficient to keep up with you...”
The pegasus took a deep breath and his wings began flapping faster and faster, beginning to sweat and breathe faster. He took off at extremely high-speeds back towards the castle.
“What is it with you and running?!” the cyan pegasus yelled, taking off and chasing after him again, but this time finding it more difficult to actually keep up with him. He was almost as fast as she was. “Ugh, I hate it when the bad guy is hiding something!”
She finally caught up with him and grabbed him, but this time he was able to match her reaction time and catch her blow, punching her back, then flying around behind her and kicking her back down.
===
Trixie heard the various spells, crashes, and cannon shots going on, giving a sigh. She didn't like hiding...but she couldn't say Lightning Dust being left alone or taking part was a good idea. They'd made their way to one of the bathrooms. It seemed like a bright idea, given the castle had like twenty. Trixie admitted she was envious of Twilight for having such a beautiful palace.
After spending the entire time in awkward silence, neither really knowing much about the other...she finally got a pair of cups out of the cupboard and ran some cold water into them.
“Water?” she asked, offering one cup to Lightning Dust.
“Why? We're robots...” Lightning Dust replied crossly. “We don't need to do anything...”
“Well, I wouldn't say that...after every performance, I've been very hot and thirsty...” Trixie replied, taking a drink of her's...and finding herself slowly cool down. “I'm not Twilight, but I believe its obvious we have some use for it, or why would we have the need to do it?”
Lightning Dust hesitantly took it and drank it down. “...Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden?”
“Because we're both in the same boat...”
“Oh yeah, we're both nonpony freaks!” the turquoise android replied, a hint of self loathing in her tone. “We're both made by Celestia-knows-who to do Celestia-knows-what! And chased by those two freaks! So yeah, we are in the same boat!”
“...I meant that we've both had our lives suddenly turned upside down...and...try as the others might...I think we're the only ones who can understand each other...”
Lightning Dust gave a blink. “What?”
Trixie looked at her exposed hip with a sorrowful expression. “We woke up thinking we were normal ponies...living our lives...only to find out we're not normal at all...” the azure android looked to her. “...But...I had somepony to talk me through it...and I'm still not sure of everything...you don't have anypony, do you?”
“...No...” Lightning Dust muttered, looking down. “...Rainbow Dash is the closest thing I remember having to one and she ratted me out to the Wonderbolts!...And I'm not even sure if that was real!” she exclaimed, turning and looking in the bathroom mirror at her mechanical eye, the solid blue glow reflecting back.
“...When did it happen?”
“...I don't know, a few months ago...I...ugh...” Lightning Dust put a hoof to her head. “I...I have trouble remembering it...it's almost like remembering it two different ways...”
Trixie put a hoof on her shoulder. “...And as far as we know, I was like this almost a year or two ago...”
“Well I guess that answers that then...” Lightning Dust lowered her head. She looked deep in thought, like she was trying to figure something out. “...You know...it's weird...I...I know she was right to do what she did...just...ugh! It's like whenever I thought about it before now somepony flew in and changed around what I was thinking!...Like I was trying to make one choice and my wires kept crossing and making me make another! Ugh...it...it makes me wonder if I was even me...”
“...Your failsafes just got fried, given what else they could make us do, it doesn't surprise me...” Trixie replied, then gave a genuinely sympathetic look. “...I know how you feel there too...I nearly took over Ponyville with the Alicorn Amulet...and the sad thing is...” The azure mare's face became the picture of guilt. “...The Amulet, apparently, fried all my failsafes...meaning everything I did with it was all me...But something my friends have taught me...is that you can change...And Fluttershy...she told me that if we can feel...we have souls...we're alive...and I think I believe her...so we do have choice...”
Lightning Dust didn't turn to look at her. “...I guess...Thanks...”
Trixie walked up next to her and looked at herself in the mirror. “You're very welcome...We reformed baddies, and robot ponies, have to stick together, right?” she asked, offering a hoof bump.
Lightning Dust didn't give a smile...but did return the hoofbump. “...Why are we hiding in here?”
“Because you were having an existential crisis and were in no condition to aid in fighting off our tormentors.”
The android gave a snarl. “Well...I'm not anymore...thanks to you...And if I have a choice...it's to finally bucking do what I feel like I want to do!”
===
Rainbow Dash received a hard punch to the jaw and was knocked back into a building, cracking it. She hated to admit it, but the pegasus agent was a better fighter than her, and without her big speed advantage it showed. Not to mention he seemed able to pick up speed very quickly, much faster than an average pegasus normally could. The cyan pegasus took off again to cut off Gear Shift before he could return to the castle.
“Hey flankhole!”
The two turned to see Lightning Dust flying full speed at them from the left...and doing a flying kick to Gear Shift, sending him flying back.
“Lightning Dust?” Rainbow asked in confusion at the android in front of her.
“...You were right...” was the only response she got as Lightning Dust hovered there.
Rainbow Dash blinked in confusion. “Huh?”
The turquoise pegasus turned her head, only the half with her good eye looking at Rainbow Dash. “...About the Wonderbolts...I think I've wanted to say that the whole time and...just couldn't...you did the right thing...I'm sorry for everything...And I don't know what I am, or who I am...or why I was built...but I know I sure as Tartarus want to kick this guy's flank nine ways to Sunday!” Lightning Dust exclaimed, turning all the way around and looking Rainbow Dash in the eyes. She didn't smile, but offered her hoof.
Rainbow Dash gave a smirk and took it, shaking it. “Alright.”
Rainbow Dash turned to look at Gear Shift as he recovered from Lightning's surprise attack...and noticed something. He was breathing heavy and sweating up a storm...panting... While it was natural that somepony doing this stuff would be (heck, she definitely was), he was definitely doing it much heavier than she was.
The mare got a devilish smirk. “But follow my lead, okay?”
“Alright...Lead Pony...” the turquoises android replied...feeling free, even though she just couldn't put her hoof on why.
“Impossible...Your optic is exposed why didn't you retreat...” Gear Shift muttered, looking at the two in shock. That expression worsened when he heard what they'd said. “We fixed that glitch...you can't remember...” He redoubled his efforts to reach the castle and escape them.
The two came at him...but this time, Rainbow Dash merely focused on blocking his path (he seemed to be trying to lose her and go back to his partner, which she had a begrudging respect for)...and putting all her effort into dodging his faster attacks rather than fight him. Lightning Dust fell in step and did the same, the two working like a well oiled machine to keep him from making headway back to the castle.
“Come on! You're gonna have to do better than that to get away from me!” the cyan pegasus taunted, dodging a punch.
“Don't you mean US?” Lightning Dust asked, dodging a buck. The two still took a few hits, but it was easier to evade when you were only doing the bare minimum to attack.
===
The group had continued their shoot out with Cover Story, with the hallway looking like the warzone it was. Applejack was currently messaging out a stun spell paralyzed limb with Fluttershy's help.
“Ugh! I finally finished fixing this place after the Yaks trashed it!” Spike complained, Twilight grabbed him in her telekinesis and held him up, allowing him to breath a surge of flame at the agent, forcing him into cover.
Pinkie Pie produced her party cannon again to fire...and Cover Story fired a beam right into it, causing it to explode.
Fluttershy pulled the stunned pony to cover. “Pinkie Pie, are you okay?!”
“Boneless, I know you miss Cheese Sandwich but he's throwing a party in Las Pegasus...” the pony said dizzily.
Fluttershy shot Cover Story a glare.
Twilight joined her in that expression. “Alright, recharged enough now!” the Alicorn exclaimed, jumping out and firing a magic beam right as Cover Story fired his. The beams of magic collided, but the Princess of Friendship's blast ripped straight through Cover Story's. The agent was taken off guard and sent flying backwards when the beam slammed into his chest, crashing through a door.
“...And that's why you don't make an Alicorn mad...” Spike commented as the group stared in shock.
===
Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust dodged several more of Cover Story's blows (now taking turns), the Pegasus agent panting and wheezing. He finally managed to land a punch to the organic pony's face...only for Rainbow Dash to smirk as it finished (even though it hurt more than she showed).
“Looks like you're running on empty pal,” the cyan pegasus remarked, grabbing his hoof and flipping him over her shoulder. “Let me guess, special talent great for sprinting? You'd give me a real run for my money there! Too bad you were trying to win an endurance race!”
Lightning Dust gave a smirk, her exposed optic seeming to flash brightly. “Alright! It's payback time, jerk!”
Gear Shift panted, catching himself in the air, but being unable to defend himself against a flying tackle to the barrel, followed by Lightning Dust flying behind him and tackling him right back into a buck from Rainbow Dash.
He managed to catch himself before he could fall and looked around as the two flew around him like a pair of demented humming birds. His emotionless expression dissolved into panic. “Stop this! You don't know what you're doing! G4T08! You're a machine! Follow my orders! Manual Override: Code Cancellation!”
Lightning Dust felt like something in her brain was trying to click in but couldn't. She gave a smirk. “Yeah, maybe I'm a machine...but you know what I'm not?”
Gear Shift turned right in time to get decked in the face by both of them at once, sending his shattered glasses flying off his face.
“A self righteous flankhole like you.”
The pegasus agent fell unconscious and Rainbow Dash caught him on her back. She turned and gave Lightning Dust a salute. The mare returned it.
“You know what's weird? I feel like this is how it should've been all along...” Rainbow Dash admitted.
“You know what's weirder?...I kinda agree.”
===
Cover Story fired several beams while getting back to his hooves, but Twilight could put up a barrier now.
Realizing he was outmatched, the unicorn agent turned to make a run for it...only to be blasted head first into a cabinet's glass window by a beam of magic.
“You're not leaving, the show is far from over,” Trixie remarked dramatically, stepping forwards. “You still have to get to the Q&A section!”
“Trixie?! Where's Lightning Dust?!” Twilight questioned worriedly.
“...You talked me through this, I talked her through it,” the azure android explained, giving a smile. “She's helping Rainbow Dash with the other one.”
“Gear Shift?! G4T08 is going to help Rainbow Dash?!” Cover Story asked, pulling his way out of the cabinet, glass having cut into his head. His glasses had been knocked off, revealing his eyes were the exact same shade as Trixie's. “I have to go help...him...”
Cover Story blinked, looking at the hoof he'd held to his head...and finding it black instead of red. “What?”
The group stared in shock, Cover Story's head bleeding oil, just like Trixie's hip had. The unicorn looked in the reflective crystal walls and saw the now exposed mithril casing. He backpedaled like the wall was on fire.
“I'm...I'm a Marionette?!” he asked in utter horror. “It...It can't be...”
“...Plot twist!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, spontaneously recovering from the cannon explosion.
“Why would one of 'em be a robot?!” Applejack asked, eyes wide as dinner plates.
“...Simple...how many ponies in Equestria would willingly do that job?” Twilight asked in realization. “If they are part of an organization, I doubt recruitment is very high...not with what they do. They'd need to make at least a few robots just to fill out the bare minimum needed to keep running.”
Cover Story's horror...suddenly seemed to shut off, his face becoming emotionless.
“G4EA072. IDENTITY DISCOVERED. RETREAT PROTOCOL ENGAGED.”
The stallion's eyes and horn gave off another bright flash, earning the same result from the mane six's eyes as his spell before. Spike looked dizzy and blank.
Trixie was only blinded for a second rather than dazed, and thus was able to hold Cover Story when he tried to run for it, but he simply ignored her and continued running.
“Ugh...” Spike muttered, shaking his head. “What happened?”
“The unicorn one's a robot!” Applejack exclaimed.
“He is?”
Twilight blinked. “You just saw it, Spike!”
The little drake rose an eye ridge. “I did? Last thing remember is we were in a fire fight with him...ugh, did I get hit with another mind spell?!”
“...That's important, but we need to look into it later! Now come on!”
Trixie held onto the other android for dear life. “You're not getting away, even if you are like me!”
The mare manifested some scarfs and tied up Cover Story's front legs, causing the agent to trip and fall. She grabbed onto his hind legs to stop him from crawling forwards as Twilight galloped up. “I want answers!”
“Twice in one day, this won't be fun!” the Princess of Friendship remarked, using the x-ray spell and finding the proper wire before touching her horn to Cover Story's head. Mana transferred and a loud sparking sound emitted, Cover Story gasping in shock like he'd suddenly woken up.
“I'm...I'm a Marionette...how...It...it can't be...it just can't be...”
“Hey girls! We caught the other guy!” Rainbow Dash announced, flying in with Lightning Dust triumphantly. Gear Shift had been firmly tied up and was being carried on her back, though the sudden stop jostled him awake. All three's expressions changed seeing Cover Story, Gear Shift turning his head to reveal dark blue eyes his now shattered glasses had been hiding. “Wow...didn't see that coming...”
“Gear Shift...how...” Cover Story managed to squeak out. “Did you know I was...”
“I...Cover Story...this...this can't be...” was the pegasus' stunned reply, looking like he'd seen a ghost.
Rainbow Dash turned a stern glare back to Gear Shift. “Not so easy to say he's 'just a machine' when he's your buddy, is it?”
Gear Shift didn't respond...he merely continued to stare in complete shock and disbelief.
To Be Continued.