Fifty-Three Pickup

by blowngasket

There is a Robot among Us

There is a Robot among Us

“Their cold lifeless eyes gazed at the people. They could only watch in complete terror as friends, neighbors, and even lovers stood before them. ‘The rule of humanity has come to an end!’ The one standing in front of the emotionless mob said. The citizens, cornered like rats to the menace that laid dormant within their city, shook in fear, knowing that their time was at an end. ‘Now surrender or perish, for it is time for the rule of the machine!’ All of their eyes glowed red, skin melting off, revealing the truth underneath. They all aimed their laser arms at the group, and with the flash of red that followed, the only people that knew had been silenced. ‘Prepare, for this town is just the beginning!’ The leader yelled out. ‘The robot empire will soon control...the world!”

“EEP!”

“Oh come on, Sweetie Belle. It wasn’t that scary.” Inside of a well-built treehouse, two girls sat on the floor, one clinging to the other, as a third closed up a book. The clingy one wore a simple white dress, her hair a light purple and pink, though it was ruffled up as she was pressed against the one wearing denim overalls over a dusted up yellow tee, a bright pink bow holding back her shoulder length red hair.

“Easy for you to say, Applebloom.” The one called Sweetie Belle said, still clinging to her friend.

“It was just a story, Sweetie.” The one who was reading said. “I think it was awesome!” The last of the young girls had short and messy magenta hair. She wore an orange tee and shorts, with two small wings sticking out of her back, which flittered about with excitement as she thought back to the story.

“Nice job reading, Scootaloo. Ah think you have a knack for that.” Applebloom said, as Scootaloo raised head proudly.

“Nah, kinda boring thing to be good at.” Scootaloo said, shaking her head.

“So, what else do we have planned for today?” Sweetie asked the other two.

“Ah gotta help my sister in town today. Ya’ll can come along if you want!” Applebloom said. The other girls looked at each other, not really that enthusiastic about the idea. “One of those new guys said they would help.” Applebloom said, smirking. The other two perked up, suddenly becoming very excited.

“Is it gonna be Perry?” Sweetie asked nicely. “He’s so handsome and mysterious.”

“Please. That other guy is walking coolness in a sweet outfit.” Scootaloo chuckled, pushing Sweetie out of her daydream.

“Neither, I heard. Some fella named Ark.”

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“Thanks again, pal.” Applejack said, loading up a wooden cart with a basket of apples. She wore a simple work outfit, consisting of a red flannel shirt and jeans, and dusty boots. On top of her long blond hair, which flowed down freely until being tied off at the end, her Stetson hat worked to keep the hot sun out of her eyes. “I know you’re probably busy an’ all.” The man next to her deftly lifted up the last basket and placed it on the cart. He turned towards her, his face still as uncaring as it usually was.

“Not really.” He replied. He wiped a little sweat off of his brow, most of it still covered in his hooded jacket.

“Aren’t ya hot in that thing? I wouldn’t want you to collapse on me. Why don’t ya take it off? It will make this a whole lot easier.” Applejack said, concerned for her friend’s well-being.

“No thank you. I’m fine.” Ark blandly replied. Besides being the most she had ever heard him say at once, Applejack knew better than to try and argue with him. He would just coldly shrug it off and do what he wanted anyways.

“Suit yerself.” She said, checking the cart a final time to make sure it was good to go. “Where in tarnations is Applebloom?” Ark turned towards her, staring curiously. “She’s my sister, and she was supposed to be here helping me load up as well.” Applejack said, mildly annoyed.

“Are you older?” Applejack was a bit taken back by the question. Not the question itself, but more for the person asking it.

“Well…yeah. She’s about a year younger than Spike, Ah suppose. Why do ya ask?” Ark shrugged and turned around, waiting at the front of the cart. Applejack just couldn’t figure him out sometimes, but at least he wasn’t a mess this time around. Frankly, she was unsure if she should ask him after she witnessed the marketplace incident, not wanting someone unstable around her family, but in the end he was defending someone else. Still, violence shouldn’t always be the answer.

“Is she one of them?” Ark asked, pointing to a group of girls charging at them. Applejack sighed and nodded.

“Figured the whole lot of them might come.” Applejack shrugged and waited for the girls to get closer before scolding Applebloom. “There ya are. You were supposed to be here a half an hour ago.”

“Sorry. Scootaloo picked up this great book, and before we knew it, we were late.” Applebloom said, feeling slightly guilty as she spoke.

“It wasn’t a problem, I guess. We managed to get everything set up in time. Ark, the one with the bow is my sister, Applebloom.” Applejack said to Ark, as he turned to stare at them. They looked at him closely, his cold, emotionless eyes striking a familiar terror into their hearts. “Why don’t ya’ll say hi?”

The three girls slowly walked towards him, becoming more intimidated by his lack of expressions as they grew closer. “uh…er…hi?” They all said at the same time, carefully looking over him. They immediately jumped when he moved his arm to wave, before getting back into position.

“Well, I guess we should get going.” Applejack said, grabbing a hand rail at the front of the cart. “Now why don’t ya’ll hop on and make sure none of them apples fall out.” Applejack asked. The girls quickly nodded, hopping onto the back. “Are ya ready, Ark?” He turned toward Applejack and slowly nodded, before they both started to push. The road was smooth and it was easy enough, but Applejack knew that this would be difficult without help. Thankfully, her brother’s stupid back injury was just about healed, and he could get back to work next week, but for now she had to continually rely on Perry and Catacomb. Unfortunately, both were busy, and it was by luck that she ran into Ark, who was more or less blankly walking around anyways. “Yer not half bad, Ark.” Applejack said, finding out that pushing the cart was easier than she thought it would be with him. “It’s not too hard, right?”

“No.” Ark answered, his tone sounding almost mechanical to the three girls in the back. They both huddled together nervously looking back and forth at each other.

“You don’t think…”

“Ah dunno…”

“Could he be…?”

“A robot?!” They all said together in a hushed whisper. They turned back around, staring at him as he continued to push on, despite being smaller than Applejack and wearing way too many layers.

“That would be crazy! Robot’s don’t exist.” Scootaloo said, not wanting to think that.

“I don’t know…You saw his eyes. It felt like he was staring into my soul!” Sweetie Belle said overdramatically, something she obviously picked up from her sister.

“We can’t be jumpin’ to con…concussions now, ya hear? He could be just another person.” Applebloom said, trying to be the voice of reason, yet she somewhat doubted her own words.

“I say we keep an eye on him. If he really is a robot, then there are sure to be more. We could stop the robot invasion before it even happens!” Scootaloo said, getting a nod of approval from the rest of them.

“Cutie Mark Crusaders Robot Detectives!” They quietly chanted, though still checking to make sure their quarry hasn’t noticed yet. He and Applejack seemed completely oblivious to their plans.

“So, how do we figure out if he’s a robot?” Sweetie asked.

“If I remember correctly. They can’t express human emotions.” Scootaloo said. “You saw him before, right? Someone could kidnap his puppy and I doubt he would care.”

“They also are much stronger than normal folks.” Applebloom said, pointing at how easily he was able to push the cart. “He ain’t struggling at all. Still, we can’t judge em’ yet.”

“The robots had switches on their backs!” Sweetie exclaimed. “I bet he wears those heavy cloths to hide his!”

“Whatcha all talkin’ about back there?” Applejack asked, hearing them loudly whisper for some time.

“Nothing!” Applebloom responded, holding up her finger to keep her friends quiet.

“Alright, then. Just try not to cause any trouble, ya hear?” Applejack said, her knowledge reflected from years of experience.

“We should tell someone.” Scootaloo said, the three going back to whispering.

“Don’t ya remember? No one will believe us! I don’t even believe us!” Sweetie said, flailing about slightly.

“Didn’t they have some sorta weakness?” Applebloom asked, trying to remember what it was. They all sat in quiet contemplation, trying to remember what it was. It seemed that it came to them all at the same time as they quickly shouted it out once they realized it.

“WATER!” They all quickly covered their mouths, afraid that they were busted. Applejack turned her head, looking at the three. They were sitting, smiling innocently at her. Applejack raised an eyebrow, before turning towards the front.

“If ya’ll are thirsty, Ark could take ya to the soda shop. That alright with ya, partner?” Applejack said.

“Sure.” Ark said, not bothering to look at her. The three girls shuddered once again as he spoke.

“We’re old enough to go by ourselves!” Applebloom quickly complained.

“Last time I gave ya money, ya spent it all on a ‘magic’ lamp.” Applejack said, slightly annoyed. “Thanks again, Ark. I owe ya a lot.”

“It’s fine.” Ark nodded, not at all bothered.

“Applebloom!” Sweetie whispered over, trying to get her attention. “I got an idea, just say yes.” Applebloom stared inquisitively at her friend before nodding slowly.

“I guess its fine then. Thanks, sis.” Applebloom tried to say as sweetly as possible.

“Operation soak the robot go!” Scootaloo said quietly. They all smiled. It was a good plan.

----------- ----------- -----------

“So…um…Ark, right?” Sweetie Belle watched Ark nervously as she continued to sip her drink. He nodded, sitting back in the chair, not really paying much attention. “You thirsty?”

“No.” He replied.

“Are ya sure?” Applebloom asked, sipping her drink casually. All eyes were on him, not that he actually noticed, as he shook his head no yet again. He also didn’t care to ask why they each got a soda and a glass of water, but it wasn’t for him to say anything anyways. “Do you not like water?” Applebloom asked, looking over at the other two. They both nodded, prompting an odd stare from Ark. It happened in just a single moment, as water from three different directions blasted him in the face. “ROBOTS ARE ATTACKING!” Applebloom cried out, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle making their way outside with Applebloom following closely as quickly as possible in case he exploded.

Ark quietly sat there, all eyes on him, as the person at the counter went over to him. “Are you okay, sir?” She asked. Ark took a deep breath, and turned his gaze towards the woman.

“Do you have a towel?”

----------- ----------- -----------

“…And that’s what happened.” The three girls finished their retelling of how they single handedly saved Equestria to Applejack, who seemed less than amused by their actions.

“So, let me get this straight. You think that Ark is a robot?” Though she was upset, she had to struggle to hide a laugh, otherwise her point wouldn’t get across.

“It was all so easy to see. Every single sign of being a robot! There was no other explanation!” Sweetie said, waving her arms about to try and express the importance of their actions.

“And ya left the shop screamin’ and hollerin’ with poor Ark soaked. “Applejack continued to verify the story.

“He was gonna explode!” Scootaloo said. “Did ya want us to explode with him? Could you live with yourself if Applebloom got exploded?!”

“Did ya’ll even hear an explosion?” Applejack asked. The three girls opened their mouths to speak but nothing came out. “Ah though so.”

“Hello…” The three girls’ eyes widened, recognizing the monotone voice from behind them. They slowly turned around, staring up at the damp face of Ark. He simply looked at them, no emotion in his stare whatsoever. Bending over slowly, the girls huddled close together in fear. “Waterproof coating…” With those few words, the Cutie Mark Crusaders ran like the wind screaming about the upcoming robot invasion. He stood up and looked at Applejack, who stared in awe at the stoic man.

“Did you…Did you crack a joke?” Applejack asked, staring into his eyes. For just a brief moment, even though he shrugged, she could see a hint of emotion in his golden eyes, the slight spark of mischief.

“Did I go too far?” He asked, slightly concerned figuring he could still hear them screaming about a robot attack.

“Nah.” Applejack said, a grin on her face. "I'm sure they'll figure it out sooner or later."

Comments

[Moak]

Im enjoying Ark more and more :D