Alchemical Empire

by NineOneThree

10: Ruiner

Twilight smiled as she watched Template and Spike; today had been a pretty eventful one, and it was nice to relax and listen to the two.

"... and she saved Ponyville from a giant rampaging me! Suffice to say, after all that we're pretty much an official couple."

Lying on her back, Template looked at the young dragon upside down. "Really? That's amazing... you're so lucky!" She stared up in awe. "Miss Rarity is so pretty..."

"And smart, and kind, and brave, and obviously she has excellent taste in men." Spike grinned, flexing his little biceps.

Twilight looked up from her book, giggling. "Lucky for you that she's willing to overlook humility, or lack thereof..." She checked the clock, then set down her book. "By the way, Template, there's one last thing I'd like to show you today."

Rolling onto her hooves, Template stood and nodded. "Sure!" Standing, she smiled and followed the alicorn and young dragon out the door and into the cool evening air. It was a bit of a walk, taking them up to Sweet Apple Acres.

"Twilight, why's it seem so quiet? So few ponies are out and about..."

Twilight took them up to one of the older barns, smiling. "Oh, evenings are usually pretty quiet here in Ponyville... except for this one." Her magic gripped the door handle and pushed it open, unleashing a burst of confetti upon the Equinculus mare, along with the voices of dozens of ponies.

"SURPRISE!"

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ARCHIVED HISTORICAL FILE
CATEGORY: EARLY PERIOD
CLASSIFICATION: TABOO. NOTE THAT READING ANY FURTHER WITHOUT EXPLICIT AUTHORIZATION WARRANTS IMMEDIATE DISCORPORATION.
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FILE CONTINUES

Day 14: Hardship and good fortune have come to us side-by-side.
On one hoof, the native ponies from the easterly island are helping us build a life here, and their kindness and generosity is something for which we should all be grateful.
On the other, I don't want to have to build a life here. I want myself and my troops to be home with Mother. Is she still fighting that tyrant?
The troops are holding up well, but that's because I'm putting on a brave face. Even if I didn't, I don't think they have the capacity to be all that sad.
For now, we have to keep ourselves safe. We have decent houses now, helpful neighbors, and our environment's about as good as we can get it.
But it's hard, Mother. It's hard doing this, and nopony understands.

---

Template couldn't believe it! A party just for her! She was having so much fu<Are you enjoying your betrayal of your nation?>

She was trying to have fun and putting up a reasonably good facade of enjoying herself. Aleph had been picking away at her all week, and going to Ponyville just seemed to aggravate her further.

<Do you truly not understand the situation? You are befriending the enemy.>

'They're not the enemy, they're good people! You say how they hate us, or how they will, but these ponies have been nothing but kind to me since I arrived!'

<It is true that these ponies have been agreeable. However, you are just one golem, and an Equinculus at that. Do you think they will be so pleasant when faced with thousands of standard golems?>

'So what are you saying? Are you going to tell me we have to... to...'

<Kill them? Not necessarily, if they can be made to comply. To submit.>

'Submit?! What you want to, to... take over Equestria, is that it? I thought you loved Mother!'

<I do, and what I do is because I love her and our people. What is it that holds you back, sister? You want your subjects to be safe and happy, don't you?>

"Template?"

The grey mare jumped a little, turning to come nose-to-nose with Pinkie. "O-oh, Pinkie, hey..."

Usually chipper, the party pony looked concerned. "Hey, are you alright? You seem kinda spaced out and a little tense..."

"O-oh, I'm fine... actually, er, could you maybe point me to the little filly's room?" She tried her best to smile. "Even golems have to, y'know..."

Pinkie hesitated, then nodded. "It's in the next building over, the little blue one with the hose coiled up on the wall... you sure you're okay?"

"I'm alright, don't worry..." Template gave her a quick nuzzle before trotting out.

<I am waiting for your answer.>

'I do want my subjects to be happy, but that doesn't mean---'

<Yes it does.> The words hit like a hoof to the stomach. <If you want a safe, happy world for all golems, it must be built on the backs of those ponies you were having so much fun with.>

'N-no...' Template bit her lip, closing the door behind her.

<Pinkie Pie must kneel, her celebrations regulated.>

'No...'

<Fluttershy must kneel, the animals in her cottage returned to their natural environments.>

'No, it's...'

<Applejack must kneel, her orchards kept under supervision.>

'I don't want to...'

<Rainbow Dash must kneel, her dangerous speed kept in check.>

'Stop it...'

<Rarity must kneel. You find her desirable, do you not? She could belong to you.>

'I-I can't!'

<Twilight must kneel, her magic directed to serve us and only us. This is the way paradise will come to all golems.>

"NO!" She felt sick, her legs shook, her eyes stung with tears. "N-no more, please stop..."

---

"... And that's why my flight school yearbook listed me under 'Most Perilous Posterior'."

Twilight couldn't help but giggle. "Oh, Ditzy Doo... that'll be one to tell Dinky when she's older." A hoof tapped her shoulder and she turned. "Hey Pinkie, what's up?"

Her pink friend looked a bit worried; an unsmiling Pinkie was never a good sign. "Twilight, I'm a little worried about Template... she's seemed pretty stressed just now."

"Oh, um... Ditzy, hold on a sec, please." Twilight slipped off to a corner with Pinkie, frowning a little. "I... I guess throughout the last week she's been looking kind of... off at times, like she had something on her mind... I asked, but she said she was fine. You think we should talk to her?"

Pinkie nodded emphatically, walking toward the barn door and slipping past the other ponies. "She just went to the bathroom in the next building, so maybe we should pull her aside when she comes out..."

"NO!"

Both mares' heads snapped toward the source of the sound, the small blue building next to the barn. "That sounded like her..."

They hurried in, knocking at the white bathroom door. "Tempy, you okay?" Pinkie shifted on her hooves, getting more anxious by the second. "Everything alright?"

A sniffle and a soft whimper emanated from the other side of the door; Pinkie leaned in closer, her voice softer and gentler than Twilight had heard in a long while. "Could you say that again for us, sweetie? It was a little hard to hear..."

"... 'M sorry..."

Twilight leaned in next to Pinkie, biting her lip in worry. "What do you mean, Template? You haven't done anything wrong, there's nothing to be sorry about..."

"Th-thanks for being so kind to me, both of you... I j-just wish it didn't have to be this way."

Pinkie's body juddered all over; she went tense, forehoof scraping the floor nervously. "W-what do you..."

"Tell the others I'm sorry, and please step away from the door for me..."

The mares stepped back to let the door open, ready for the golem to come out.
They weren't ready for her to come out quite so fast.

The door practically exploded off its hinges, narrowly missing them both. In their haste to dodge it, they missed the gray mare as she sprinted out of the building.

Pinkie gasped, starting after her with Twilight just behind. "Get Rainbow Dash after her, quick!"

"But---"

"Just do it!"

Twilight knew better than to question her further, teleporting into the barn.

"Rainbow, we have a problem!"

Comments

[CV12Hornet]

Damn it, Aleph!

[C_II_R]

The emotional intelligence of the cast here is the stuff I would love to see more of in the show.