Ch10: ...Found
(A/N: This story takes place after issue 10 of the My Little Pony Comic Book and the Cutie Mark Crusaders Micro Series comic. This story also does not officially recognize any events of Season 3 onward. The story primarily takes place in the Transformers Aligned Continuity Family with certain smaller inspirations taken from the Transformers Animated and G1 continuity families.)
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Applebloom: Transform and Rollout!
by Dusty the Royal Janitor
Chapter 10: ...Found
Cheerilee rested on a plush love seat in the sitting room where four of the Elements of Harmony, Princess Luna, and Shining Armor had gathered. She nursed a glass of lemon water in her hooves as she swayed back and forth in the seat. The effects of the sleeping spell hadn’t fully worn off and the schoolteacher was left drowsy and disoriented as she sipped on her drink, trying not to nod back off while telling her story to the gathered ponies. Over the course of her tale, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle had reawoken, though the little bundles of energy didn’t seem to be nearly as affected by any lingering effects of the spell. The two of them nestled up with Rainbow Dash and Rarity respectively, adding in their own brand of commentary as Cheerilee told everypony the tale of how Applebloom came to be.
“...and then Yoketron said that ‘Big Mac’s organic nature had merged with her mechanical one, granting her a complete spark.’ I’m still not sure what that means exactly, but he said that it meant she could find a place where she belongs here on this planet.” She shuffled in her seat and sighed wistfully. “Then he begged us to take her with us. The rest of us were hesitant but Big Mac said he’d take care of her. Yoketron didn’t have the time to say anything else before he died.”
Sweetie Belle cocked her head. “So wait, was Yoketron Applebloom’s dad, then?”
“Don’t be stupid,” Scootaloo said with a roll of her eyes. “Big Mac’s her dad. He’s the one who stuck his hoof in the goo and made a baby.”
Sweetie’s face scrunched up. “But that’s so weeeird!” She shook her head. “Besides, Big Mac is her brother!”
“Girls,” Rarity said sternly. “Let Miss Cheerilee finish,” she chided.
The two little fillies crossed their arms and pouted, but still went silent as Cheerilee continued with a shrug. “There isn’t much else to say,” she said. “Big Mac took her home and told his parents what had happened. They took her in and we all eventually decided she was just a normal foal, despite her origins. When Applejack came back from Manehattan, nopony told her about Applebloom’s origins. I guess they just didn’t want to confuse her or make her scared of her new baby sister or anything. Though, given what’s happened now, that probably wasn’t the best decision.”
The ponies all looked between each other in various states of disbelief and skepticism. Rainbow Dash still looked dubious but seemed like she was beginning to come around when she determined the prank had gotten too elaborate to be a mere joke. Rarity had gone completely silent, looking down at the ground, her brow furrowed as she went over everything she’d ever done with the little yellow filly, trying to remember anything out of the ordinary. Fluttershy seemed to be caught in an odd mix of fascination at the thought of working with a new creature, fear of the threat of aliens potentially attacking, and concern for Applebloom and Applejack. Shining Armor had taken the whole story in with a stoic, stone-faced look, his head resting on his hoof as he silently considered all the facts he’d been given. Pinkie Pie and Luna, on the other hand, were whispering between each other in a corner of the room, though one of Luna’s ears was very obviously twisted towards the greater conversation, letting everypony know she was still listening.
“That is…” Rarity finally spoke, clearing her throat, “...quite a tale, Cheerilee.”
Cheerilee nodded. “I understand it must be hard to believe.”
Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow and snorted. “Things have gotten so weird now, I can believe almost anything.”
“But I don’t understand,” Fluttershy spoke up. “Why is everything changing now? And how did Applejack get locked up in the dungeon? Why is she so depressed? What about that mysterious monster attack outside the schoolhouse?”
“Ooh ooh ooh!” Sweetie Belle chirped, raising a hoof and waving it around slightly.
Scootaloo rolled her eyes again. “This isn’t a classroom, Sweetie.”
“We found the ship!” Sweetie Belle said. “We were crusading for our cutie marks in Whitetail Wood and we found the ship buried in the dirt! We went in and Applebloom poked something funny and she turned into a robot!”
“Then she turned into her wagon and raced us across Ponyville!” Scootaloo added.
“Turned into… a wagon?” Rarity sputtered, taken aback.
“Yeah!” Sweetie said. “Robots like Applebloom can transform into stuff! That’s how she turns from pony to robot and back too!”
Rarity swooned a little, dabbing sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief. “This is too much to take in.”
“Yeah,” Scootaloo said, her eyes narrowing. “It was too much for Applejack too,” she snorted.
“What do you mean, Scootaloo?” Fluttershy asked, cocking her head.
Cheerilee cleared her throat again. “Apparently, Applebloom transformed into her robot form last night and Applejack, well…” Cheerilee paused, trying to find a diplomatic way to put it. “...she jumped to conclusions.”
Rainbow Dash frowned. “What conclusions?”
The teacher sighed. “She… attacked Applebloom.”
“What?!” everypony cried.
Cheerilee raised her hooves in an attempt to placate everypony. “When Applebloom transforms into a robot, parts of her face and body are still visible,” she explained, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo confirming it with nods of their heads. “So… Applejack jumped to the conclusion that Applebloom was a monster who had…” she winced “skinned her sister and was wearing her face.”
A wash of horror fell over the room at the very thought of such a thing. Luna and Shining Armor were the only ones who seemed to remain composed at the thought. “She thought she was a skinwalker,” Shining Armor said with a nod.
“Foolishness,” Luna said, finally speaking up, turning away from her conversation with Pinkie to address the group at large. “Skinwalkers have not existed for millennia. We made sure of that,” she said grimly.
“Doesn’t stop them from showing up in scary stories around campfires,” Shining Armor stated. “There are so many dangerous magical creatures in Equestria’s wildlands that sometimes it’s hard for the average pony to know what does and doesn’t actually exist.”
Cheerilee continued. “In any event, Applejack attacked Applebloom. Apparently rather viciously.” She sighed and shook her head. “I can't imagine how guilty she must feel after that.”
Rarity looked down at Sweetie Belle, pausing. “I… believe I can understand. If I thought something had hurt poor Sweetie Belle here, nothing in Equestria would stop me from tearing it to pieces.”
Rainbow Dash crossed her arms. “Except she ended up attacking Applebloom.”
Rarity raised an eyebrow. “As if you wouldn’t jump to conclusions in a similar situation, Rainbow Dash.”
Rainbow Dash raised a hoof to retort, only to stop and consider her words for a moment. The cyan pegasus huffed and crossed her forelegs again.
“Just because it’s understandable doesn’t change the fact that she attacked Applebloom,” Fluttershy said. “Applejack must feel horrible.”
Finally Pinkie Pie spoke up, breaking away from her whispered conversation with Luna. “That and she got super drunk last night!” she added. “I bet the hangover makes it way worse!”
Cheerilee nodded. “When Applejack finally got calmed down last night, Big Mac told her everything I just told you. She… didn’t take it well. She said that her family had been lying to her her whole life, that Applebloom wasn’t her sister, and stormed out.”
“Then she broke into Sugarcube Corner and drank all our rum!” Pinkie chirped, “It was a lot of rum, too.”
“We see then,” Luna said. “Fair Applejack regrets these actions most deeply, but does not believe she can be forgiven…” she trailed off. “We can sympathize.”
Rainbow Dash’s wings twitched. “Well what do we do?” she asked, seeming slightly annoyed. “I mean, putting aside just how insane everything about this is, what can we do about it? Do we let her stew until she feels better or do we do something?”
Luna shook her head. “It is probable that all of us showing up and trying to force her to relent would only meet with resistance,” she said, standing up. “That said, it would not be of any benefit to let her dark thoughts linger further without intervention.” The princess looked grim as she flattened her lips in thought. “They will only bring her pain.”
“What do you want us to do, Princess?” Fluttershy asked.
Luna looked over the room. “I wish for all of you to go visit Applebloom. She is surely in just as much pain as Applejack is, and I shan’t let either sister suffer any longer.” She turned to look at Pinkie Pie. “All of you, save fair Pinkie. I would have her visit Applejack again in the dungeons now that she’s been brought up to speed.” Luna winked, smiling slightly. “I feel Applejack needs a little laughter at the moment.”
“Roger dodger, Princess!” Pinkie said, saluting.
Luna closed her eyes and lit her horn. After a few moments of silence, her horn went out and she reopened her eyes. “Celestia is on her way to the castle laboratories. I would assume that Applebloom is with her.” She nodded to Shining Armor. “If you would lead everypony there, Shining Armor?”
“Of course,” Shining Armor said with a nod. “And where will you go, Princess?”
“I shall meet up with Pinkie Pie shortly,” Luna said. “I have an errand to run before I can assist her in bringing fair Applejack around.” She opened the ornate sitting room door with a flash of magic, allowing Pinkie Pie out. “I shall see you all shortly!” she announced, and with a crack of magic from her horn, the Princess vanished.
The remaining ponies all sighed, getting to their hooves. Cheerilee swayed a little bit, still dizzy from the sleeping spell. Shining Armor quickly trotted over to support her.
“I guess it’s off to the laboratory then?” Rarity said. “This day keeps getting ever stranger does it not?”
“Ooh!” Sweetie Belle said. “Wait ‘till you see what Applebloom looks like as a robot! It’s so cool!”
“Yeah!” Scootaloo said, buzzing her wings. “She’s as tall as Princess Celestia and she’s got metal hands and walks on two legs and it’s awesome!”
“I bet squirt,” Rainbow said, ruffling the little pegasus foal’s mane, though she couldn’t quite hide the apprehension away from her eyes.
“Ladies,” Shining Armor said, trotting to the door. “If you would follow me to the laboratories, let’s go meet up with our wayward robot.”
* * *
Shockwave sat motionless in his massive command chair, the silence on the bridge oppressive and stifling. He gazed out the viewscreen at the planet below and pondered his next move as the ship’s computers scanned the properties of the anomalous energon.
Once they understood the strange energies that the energon carried, they would theoretically be able to cut through the strange interferences that surrounded the planet and more fully scan the whole surface without any obstruction. And that was only the beginning. If Shockwave was right, this energon might just be the key to unlocking all the secrets of the ancient Cybertronians. Space bridges, ultimate weapons, and untold knowledge could be a mere stone’s throw away if he could understand this energon. Perhaps, with enough time and research, even a way to bring life back to Cybertron would be available.
Since arriving at 8090-P, Shockwave had sent out scouts and spies all over the planet to observe its occupants and they had come back with fascinating tales. The inhabitants of the planet, though small and insignificant meatbags, were capable of utterly impossible things. The winged ones had been observed manipulating clouds and weather in a way that was previously unfathomable; handling it not with machinery or technology, but with their own hooves and wings. The ground-bound ones were seen carrying loads that should have been impossible given their size and presumed weight, and one had been observed taking a blow to the head that would have brained any other organic life form, only to get back up and walk it off. It was the horned ones that were the most fascinating though. They had been observed doing such a wide range of things that it had been nearly impossible for his scouts to count. Everything from manipulating objects with nothing but their minds to transmuting matter to creating illusions to teleportation. Naturally, most of these things were possible for Cybertronians, but only with the aid of advanced technology. These creatures, insignificant as they were, were capable of accomplishing these feats with naught but their own biology.
And those were just the most common creatures. There were dozens of other sapient species living upon the planet, something unseen in any other inhabited biosphere across the galaxy. Planets tended to have a maximum of two or three native sapient species, and usually they would perpetually be vying for dominance. Somehow this planet had managed to nurture dozens of sapient races, and reports were ever coming in of more and more, each with their own special abilities that defied reason. From shapeshifting without T-Cogs to breaking the sound barrier unaided, to turning invisible… every species upon this planet seemed to be capable of great deeds that defied reason.
But at the end of the solar cycle, they were all still meat.
Shockwave could only theorize why these creatures were so numerous and why they had such abilities, but if he were given a reason to make a guess, he would posit that it had something to do with the field of unknown energy surrounding the planet. The same energy that he too would be able to harness if he could uncover the secrets of the ‘Chromatic Energon’ as he had taken to calling it.
Unfortunately, the scouts could not stay on the planet for very long without being discovered. Most likely thanks to the creatures’ abilities supplying their everyday needs, the planet was very low in technology. This meant that their natural alt-modes stuck out like a sore servo and there was little that they could scan in terms of new alt-modes to keep disguised. They were mostly forced to skulk in wooded areas and in the back alleys of cities and towns, which were woefully small for bots of their size. Nearly every scout had had a close call and had been forced to retreat before being discovered. As a result, there was little they could offer in terms of answers as to just how these strange abilities and energies worked. Hence why he had put almost all his scientific staff and systems on understanding its properties.
His computers and staff were currently running scans, simulations, and tests of the energon back in his laboratory. However, until the computers came up with something that required his input, all he could do was wait.
Shockwave was very patient.
However, he could not sit idly by. Thanks to Dead End’s bumbling encounter with the Autobot Minicon, any Autobot presence on the world had been alerted to their activities. Shockwave clenched a fist but remained silent. He could not let the Autobots interfere. Not when he was so close to the answer he had been searching for for millennia. Surely they would be scanning for Decepticon signatures, now that they had been revealed. Their efforts would no longer go unimpeded.
The Autobots would have to be dealt with.
Given the state of technology on the planet, it couldn’t have too large an installation. The Autobots were all too willing to share their technological secrets with lesser races. There was obviously no medical engineer or scientist among their company. Perhaps a couple scouts or infiltrators, but nobody intelligent or powerful enough to make all that much of a contribution.
Taking care of them would be a simple matter, and from there they would be unimpeded.
The doors to the bridge whooshed open and three sets of footsteps walked in. One was a skittering, clicking shuffle, one a proper, practiced saunter, and the last, a lumbering, thumping gait. Moments later, out of the oppressive darkness, Waspinator, Blitzwing, and Brawl stepped forward towards his command chair.
“Wassspinator has brought Blitz-bot and Brawl-bot, sssir…” Waspinator said with a deep bow.
Shockwave ignored the insecticon and turned to face his medic and heavyweight fighter. He acknowledged them with a nod and began to explain the mission ahead.
“Blitzwing and Brawl,” he said, the two bots in question bowing before him. “Thanks to Dead End’s lack of judgment, our activities have undoubtedly been reported to the Autobot presence on this planet. Given the newfound extent of our mission on this planet, this is unacceptable. We cannot have even a small squad of Autobots interfering with our activities.” Shockwave stood up, looming over his commanders. “Your mission, Blitzwing and Brawl, is to eliminate all Autobots on the planet.”
Blitzwing cleared his throat. “Not that this vill be a problem for us, Herr Shockwave, but how are ve to find the Autobots? Our scanners are still ineffective vhen in orbit, and only good vithin a small radius vhen planetbound. It vas by sheer chance that Dead End and Vaspinator vere able to find vhat they did so close to the crash site, and none of our other Vehicon scouts have been able to find any other trace of Autobot presence.” He shook his head. “If there’s any Autobot force on the planet, ve have no vay of knowing vhere it might be.”
“The key, Blitzwing,” Shockwave said, “is not to look for what’s there, but to look for what isn’t there.” The massive cyclops of a Decepticon strode past the three of them and up to the computer console at the front of the bridge. Turning a few dials on the computer, the main window was replaced by a viewscreen, displaying a large mountain with a shining city atop it.
“Our signal scanners are less than fully operational, even on the planet’s surface. However, there is one spot that we cannot get any read of, even when within the scanning radius.” He motioned with his one hand to the viewscreen. “This mountain,” he finished.
Brawl grinned. “Y’all think there’s a jamming tower thereabouts,” he grumbled in his usual, grating drawl.
“It would stand to reason,” Shockwave said. “An attempt to conceal an Autobot base. It becomes even more clear when you understand that there is a massive deposit of Energon beneath the mountain, and one of the planet’s largest population centers at its peak.”
Waspinator beamed. “Wassspinator find with upgraded energon scanners!”
“The energon scanners are a separate system from the signature scanners and cannot detect Cybertronian signatures. Only energon,” Blitzwing mused. “There’s no vay of knoving how many Autobots are in that city, if any at all.”
Shockwave spoke again. “One can draw the conclusion that there is some sort of Autobot mining operation down there. Beyond that, you are correct. There is no way to tell how many Autobots are down there. It would be illogical, however, to assume that there are enough that they would pose any particular threat. The crashed ship was too small to contain any significant population. Furthermore, the city atop the mountain is obviously built for the local organisms and is, in general, too small to house any significant number of Cybertronians.”
“And even if the City does not house the Autobots,” Shockwave continued, “it is apparent that the local population is at least aware of their presence and in contact with them if Dead End’s confrontation with the Minicon is any indication. If the city comes under attack, the native organisms will surely contact the Autobots, who will come running to their aid.”
“So basically,” Brawl said, “y’all want us to stir up a whole lick’a trouble and get the Autobots to come a’running.” The massive, forest green Decepticon punched a fist into his open palm. “Then scrap the lot of them.”
“Correct,” Shockwave said. “In addition, you will be assigned a small squad of vehicons to help you in the task.”
“Pfft, we don’t need any a’ them stinking skidmarks,” Brawl said, hooking an arm around Blitzwing. The doctor chuckled in his embrace as Brawl continued. “The two of us can handle a few Autobot miners and scouts. We ain’t gonna be taken off guard like Dead End was.”
“Nevertheless, it is illogical to go into a fight without reinforcements,” Shockwave said. “A small squad will accompany you. There will be no further argument,” he commanded dangerously.
Brawl grumbled, letting Blitzwing go. The mad doctor gave him a pat on the back, then turned to Shockwave. “Vhen do ve depart, Herr Shockwave?”
“You have three hours to prepare for departure, Blitzwing. Make good use of them.” He loomed over the two ‘Cons under his command. “I expect nothing less than complete success.” He looked back and forth between the two of them before nodding. “You are dismissed.”
The two decepticons bowed deeply before quickly striding out of the room. “Come, mein freund!” Blitzwing said as he and Brawl exited the room. “I have just the thing for you for this mission…” he trailed off as the door whooshed shut behind them.
Waspinator made to follow them, only for Shockwave to clear his throat. “Waspinator, a moment.”
The insecticon turned and bowed deeply again. “Wassspinator is at your command, Lord Shockwave.”
Shockwave gazed at Waspinator unreadably with his single eye for several moments before speaking. “Your performance as of late has been startlingly commendable, Waspinator. Your find of the Chromatic Energon was most valuable to our cause.”
“Wassspinator lives to ssserve,” Waspinator said gleefully, continuing to bow.
Shockwave continued. “I would normally reserve this mission for Dead End, but his performance of late has been less than favorable, and with him currently resting in the sickbay, I am incapable of giving him a chance to turn his performance around. Therefore, I must entrust this latest mission to you.”
“Anything, my Lord,” Waspinator said.
Shockwave stepped up to the insecticon and put his single hand on the insecticon’s shoulder. “While Brawl and Blitzwing are taking care of the city, there is something very important that you must do...”
* * *
“Twilight?”
The purple unicorn still lay motionless, eyes wide and unblinking as she lay on the sterile, tiled floor of Celestia’s private laboratory. The princess had carried her the whole way through the castle hallways draped over her back as she and Applebloom made their way to the labs. Now that they had arrived, Celestia and Applebloom had been trying to wake Twilight from her stupor, and had met with little success.
“Twilight, c’mon, wake up!” Applebloom said, shaking the unconscious unicorn. It was still surreal to loom so tall over somepony who had been a head taller than her just the day before.
Applebloom looked up at Celestia with a pleading expression. “Are you sure she’s gonna be okay, Princess?”
Princess Celestia smiled and chuckled lightly. “Let me give it a try, Applebloom,” she said softly.
Applebloom nodded and backed away from Twilight’s prone form. Celestia stepped up next to her and leaned down, whispering into her student’s ear.
“Twilight, that paper you owe me is two days late.”
Twilight Sparkle sprang up from the floor and started trotting in place panickedly, her head darting around and her eyes even wider than before. “Ohmigosh, Princess I’m so sorry! I didn’t even know I had a paper due! I’ll get right on it and have it in for you by the end of the day! No wait! That’s too long! I’ll have it ready for you in an hour! I just need to know what it’s about first and then I can run down to the library and--”
Twilight was cut off by a princessly giggle. She suddenly came to her senses as she realized where she was and what was going on. Her face scrunched up and she turned on the chuckling Princess with an embarrassed blush. “I overreacted again, didn’t I, Princess?” she asked sheepishly.
“Just a little, Twilight,” Celestia said, patting her on the head with a hoof. “No harm done.”
Twilight gasped again, looking around the room. “Applebloom!” she suddenly exclaimed. “Princess, I went to the tea room and I thought I saw--”
“Er… Over here, Twilight,” came a voice from behind her. Twilight wheeled around.
Then she looked up.
Applebloom chuckled nervously, her pupilless yellow eyes narrowing embarrassedly and her mouth cocking into a nervous grin. The robot waved sheepishly down at the purple unicorn, who stared up at her, mouth agape.
“Hey…” Applebloom said weakly.
Twilight stared, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. A faint squeaking noise escaped her lips and she wobbled on her hooves.
“Ah ah ah,” Celestia tutted, placing a hoof gently on Twilight’s withers. “Easy, Twilight. It wouldn’t do to pass out again.”
Twilight shook her head, trying to reorient herself. “A-Applebloom?” she stammered.
Applebloom chuckled weakly. “Eeyup.”
“This is…” Twilight’s mind threatened to shut down again as she took in the alien robot in front of her. “You’re a…” she stammered, trying to settle on something to say.
The filly-bot chuckled. “Erm… surprise?” she said, awkwardly holding her arms out to her sides.
Twilight shook herself again, steadying herself and then trotting around Applebloom, getting a look at her from every angle. Applebloom gulped nervously as Twilight took in every inch of her. After a good few minutes of silence as Twilight circled the uncomfortable bot, she finally spoke again. “This is…” she stammered, looking for her words.
Applebloom felt a nervous quiver in her gut as she wondered what Twilight was about to say.
“This is incredible!” Twilight shouted, her voice a mixture of shock, excitement, and nervousness. She leaped forward and embraced Applebloom in a tight hug around her waist. The robot felt relief and warmth wash over her, when Twilight spoke again. “I don’t know how you built this, Applebloom, but it’s really amazing! I mean, successfully building a robot is downright astounding on its own for a filly of your age, but full remote control over it including vocal telecommunications? It was always plain to see you were smart, Applebloom, but this is simply extraordinary!”
Applebloom felt her previous relief waver as Twilight continued to ramble on. “And such an articulate design too! Look at all these joints!” Twilight leapt up and grabbed Applebloom’s hand, playing with her fingers. “They have such a range of motion and work so smoothly! And this face!” she shouted, grabbing Applebloom’s face, the robot letting out a startled squeak as she continued to rant. “What is this even made out of?” Twilight asked, poking and prodding at the fleshy, semisolid metal that her face was made out of. “Did you actually develop an entirely new material just so your robot could emote?! Applebloom, you’re a downright prodigy!”
“Um… Twilight,” Applebloom stammered. Princess Celestia merely stood off to the side, desperately trying to stifle her giggles with a hoof.
Twilight tapped at Applebloom’s chest. “It’s a little strange putting your face on the robot like this, but it does add a definite personal touch. What’s the power source? What does it run on? Ooh, so many questions! You’re sure to win a Clover Award for this, Applebloom! The advancements we can make with these in construction, security, and daily life are almost limitless!”
“Twilight...” Applebloom deadpanned, her eyes narrowing.
Twilight looked around the room. “Where are you controlling it from, Applebloom? Is it strictly short range or are you elsewhere in the castle entirely? Either way it’s impressive but I can’t see you anywhere in the lab here.”
“Twilight!” Applebloom shouted, causing the purple unicorn to stumble back onto her rump.
Twilight shook herself and blinked. “Sorry,” she squeaked, clearing her throat. “I might’ve gotten carried away.”
“A little,” Applebloom muttered, crossing her arms. She opened her mouth to speak again only for Twilight to cut her off and continue.
“But it’s truly one of the most phenomenal things I’ve ever seen!” Twilight said giddily, clapping her hooves together. “A filly your age building something so advanced… Everypony always knew you were a clever engineer but this is breathtaking! You could get into the Manehattan Institute of Technology or ColTech in a heartbeat with something like this!”
“Twilight, y’all don’t understand!” Applebloom said, putting her hands on her hips. “I didn’t build a robot. I AM a robot!” She motioned up and down her body with her hands. “This is me; Applebloom!”
Twilight blinked for a second, her mind trying to catch up with what Applebloom said.
Then she burst out laughing.
Applebloom’s face scrunched into a deep frown. The filly-bot stamped her foot in protest. “Twilight, I’m serious!”
Twilight wiped her eyes as her laughter died down. “That’s a funny prank, Applebloom, but that’s impossible. Ponies don’t just spontaneously turn into robots.”
“Unless, my faithful student,” Celestia said, stepping up next to Twilight, “they were never actually ponies in the first place.”
Twilight blinked. “Princess Celestia…?”
Celestia nodded. “Applebloom is not playing a prank on you, Twilight. She’s telling the truth.” She pointed at Applebloom as Twilight’s face went from giddy laughter and excitement to confusion and anxiety. “This is Applebloom. Not a robot she’s using as a mouthpiece. The real, genuine article.”
Twilight blinked. “No, that’s impossible,” she protested. “I’ve known Applebloom for three years now. There’s no way she’s secretly been a robot all this time… is there?” She shook her head. “No, that’s ridiculous.”
Celestia chuckled and shook her head. “Twilight, I’ve lived for thousands of years and seen what was thought to be the impossible or the absurd come true more times than I can count. Fantasy is not always so removed from reality as we tend to think it is. The sooner you come to accept that the world we live in is, itself, ridiculous, the better.” She pointed at Applebloom. “But if you still doubt, then why not try scanning for Applebloom’s magical signature?”
Twilight looked back and forth between Applebloom and Celestia. “Princess?”
Celestia shrugged. “If it is truly just a robot, it won’t have any magical signature at all. But Applebloom, same as any pony in Equestria, has a magical signature all her own.” She nodded. “Scan for it. See for yourself.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow and looked at Applebloom who stood there fidgeting with her fingers. Twilight shrugged and lit her horn, closing her eyes and focusing upon the magical wells of power in the room with her.
Immediately she sensed her own signature and well of magic, deep and vast, thrumming with inner power and glowing a bright violet in her mind’s eye. Right next to her she felt the immense and nigh-infinite magical well of Princess Celestia, burning bright as the sun and white as flame.
It was the third signature in the room that made her take a step back and gasp.
There, standing in front of her was a third well of magic, unlike any that Twilight had sensed before. The power was paradoxical, in that it was both familiar and alien at the same time. Part of it burned an earthy yellow and, the more she focused on it, the more it felt like the well she sensed in Applejack every time the six of them used the Elements of Harmony. At the same time, part of the well glowed a bright green, twisting around and blending with the yellow flame, feeling otherworldly and foreign to her in every way. The well of magic was vast and crackled with power that rivaled or perhaps even surpassed her own. There was no doubting it; this was not just an ordinary robot.
Twilight’s eyes snapped open and she gasped deeply as she stumbled and fell backwards onto her back.
“Twilight!” Applebloom shouted, standing over the prone purple mare. The robot looked down at her, concerned. “Are y’all okay?”
Twilight stared at her in a mixture of horror, fascination, and bewilderment. “A-Applebloom?”
“Eeyup.” Applebloom smiled nervously. “That’s me.”
* * *
Applejack lay unmoving on the cot in her cell. The only sound present was her own breathing as she lay almost perfectly still. The orange farmpony sniffled a little as she clenched her eyes shut, trying to ease the headache that still pounded in her brain to no avail. Closing her eyes did little to shut out the light in the cell, which shone through Applejack’s eyelids and turned her world red. It didn’t help that every time she closed her eyes, she saw the terrified face of Applebloom as she bore down on her in the orchard.
The farmer twitched, letting out a shuddering breath as she rolled over in the bed, trying desperately to go to sleep. As she shifted though, something tickled the end of her muzzle, disturbing her even further. Snorting a little, Applejack opened her eyes only to gaze into a lock of curly mane dangling in her face and two wide, blue eyes.
“Hey, Applejack!” The pink pony in bed with her chirped.
“GYAAH!” Applejack yelped, twisting around and falling off the cot onto the rug with a thump. Applejack groaned as she lay on her back on the ground, gazing up at the ceiling as Pinkie Pie poked her head out from off the bed and looked down at her.
“Pinkie Pie!” Applejack snapped, getting to her hooves. “What in the hay are y’all doin here?!” The farmer jabbed a hoof at the cell door. “Get out!” she barked.
Pinkie giggled and snorted a little. “Applejack, I can’t get out! We’re locked in here!”
Applejack raised an eyebrow, looking back and forth between the pink pony and the cell door. The farmer stepped over to the door and gave it an experimental push. It didn’t budge. She turned back to the pink party pony with a boggled expression. “How did y’all…”
Pinkie just looked at her with a big grin, her tongue hanging out the side of her mouth.
AJ blinked. “Right. Whatever. Don’t care how y’all got in, just leave the same way.”
Pinkie Pie shook her head and slid off the bed. “No can do, sister!” she said cheerfully, trotting up to her friend and placing her hooves on Applejack’s cheeks, pushing them upward and twisting her mouth into a forced smile. “Not until I turn that frowny upside-downy.”
The farmer swatted Pinkie Pie off of her. “Ain’t gonna happen, Pinkie,” Applejack huffed, sidling back up to the bed and sitting down on it. “This ain’t something anypony can just fix with a hug and a party.”
“I know,” Pinkie said solemnly, sitting up on the bed next to her and draping an arm around Applejack’s shoulders. “Cheerilee told me and the girls what was up.”
Applejack sneered at the mention of the schoolteacher, but her face quickly fell again. “Right, so y’all know what I did then,” she muttered.
“I know that you jumped to conclusions and attacked Applebloom when you saw her all robotty for the first time,” Pinkie said, patting Applejack on the shoulder. “And that after you found out who she was you were so frazzled that you projected the anger onto your family and friends who kept the secret from you in an attempt to spare yourself from your own wrath.” Pinkie shook her head. “But even with all the rum in the Cakes’ basement, you couldn’t lie to yourself for long.”
Applejack snorted at her, turning away. “Quit it with the fancy shrink talk, Pinkie. I weren’t lyin’ to myself,” she grumbled, kicking at the air gently. “I mean, I’m still mighty pissed off at them for not tellin’ me nothing. All’a this could’a been avoided iff’n they’d just told me, and maybe I’d a’ been prepared when it… happened.” She sighed. “But y’all are right about one thing. I hate myself for what I gone and almost did to Applebloom.” Applejack fell backwards and slumped into the bed. “Alien robot thing not even countin’ for nothin’, how can I call her my sister after what I done?”
Pinkie pursed her lips, pondering her words for a moment. “Well…” she began slowly, “why did you attack her in the first place?” she asked.
Applejack raised an eyebrow again, looking askance at her pink friend. “Y’all already know that. I done thought she was a monster walkin’ around in Applebloom’s skin.”
“So you didn’t think you were attacking Applebloom then,” Pinkie said, pointing at Applejack. “You thought you were attacking something that had, well, killed her.” Pinkie shook her head. “I dunno, AJ. If anything that tells me how much you care about her.”
“‘Course I care about her!” Applejack snapped. “She’s my sister, blood or no.” The farmpony’s head drooped and her eyes narrowed. “Still don’t change the fact that I did what I did. Don’t matter the reason behind it, I still chased her halfway across the orchard and tried to…” she trailed off, her chest heaving. “It don’t matter is what I’m sayin’.”
Pinkie patted the farmer on the back. “I think it does. The fact that you’d go after something that hurt Applebloom so fiercely shows just how much you care about her; just how much you’d be devastated if something actually happened to her.”
“Something I almost caused myself,” Applejack muttered.
Pinkie nodded. “You jumped to conclusions. You didn’t let her get a word in, and when she did try to explain, you didn’t believe her. You had to be tied up just so that your family could get a word in edgewise.” Pinkie shrugged. “That’s all on you, sister.”
Applejack hung her head as Pinkie continued. “You’re stubborn, AJ. When you decide on something there’s no getting you off track, even if you decide on an idea or action that turns out to be harmful.” Pinkie stood up off the bed, pacing back and forth in front of her. “On top of that, you don’t exactly have a short fuse like Rainbow Dash, and you’re actually normally pretty cool-headed. But once you get burning, you burn hotter and longer than anypony I’ve ever met.” Pinkie stopped pacing and looked into Applejack’s eyes. “You need to work on that, AJ. You don’t get angry often, but one of these days it’s going to happen again, and you’re going to get so mad you’ll do something you can’t take back.”
The farmpony huffed. “Y’all speak like that ain’t what just happened.”
Pinkie shook her head. “You’re not listening to me, AJ!” she insisted. “I’m saying that everypony understands why you went and attacked Applebloom. Everypony gets that you did what you did because you care about her so much! You just made a mistake. A big mistake maybe, but we can forgive those! It’s not like you just woke up one morning and said ‘I’m gonna drop a tree on my sister today for horseapples and hee-haws.’ We understand.” Pinkie crossed her hooves. “And it’s kinda insulting to Applebloom to assume that she won’t understand too!”
Applejack was silent for a minute. Finally she sighed and shook her head. “I just can’t, Pinkie. I can’t face her.”
Pinkie scowled. “Why not?”
“‘Cause she’s a plum selfish coward, that’s why!” came a low, drawling voice from outside the cell.
The two little ponies turned to see a big red stallion standing at the cell door. A scowl was etched on his face and his cropped, orange tail was swishing in irritation.
“Big Mac?” Applejack asked, slipping off the bed. “How did y’all get here?”
“That would be our doing,” came a voice from just beyond the view of the cell. A moment later, Princess Luna stepped into view. The mistress of the night nodded to Pinkie Pie. “Hello again, Pinkamena. We hath returned from our errand,” she said, motioning to Big Macintosh.
The stallion in question glowered at his sister, continuing. “She’s a self-servin’ coward who can’t face problems that she went an’ caused herself.”
Applejack shrunk back. “Big Mac…” she whined softly.
The draft stallion held up a hoof, cutting her off. “Now you listen here, AJ,” he said. “Y’all went an’ tried ta hurt our sister. Y’all chucked trees at her and tried to buck her into paste.” Applejack shrank further and further with each word. “Y’all were a darned fool and jumped to conclusions without lettin’ anypony explain ‘cuz once y’all stick to somethin, y’all stick harder than tree sap to a filly’s mane.”
“...I know…” Applejack sniffed.
“And y’all know what else?” Big Mac said. “I forgive y’all for that.”
Applejack blinked, looking back up at her brother. “You do?”
Big Mac rolled his eyes, still frowning. “A’course I do. All of us do! Y’all flew off the handle but we understand and forgive you.” He jabbed a hoof at her. “What I can’t forgive, at least not yet, is what y’all went and said after that!”
Applejack shrunk in on herself again, looking smaller than a mouse at the mercy of an angry cat.
“Y’all went and told Applebloom she weren’t your sister in front of the entire family! Y’all went and drank yourself into a stupor, crowin’ it to yer friends later. Y’all abandoned her, even after what you went and did, y’all were too stubborn to admit you were wrong and slunk off into the night like a coward! Y’all blamed it on us instead and took it out on poor ‘Bloom! An’ that’s just sick, little sis!”
Applejack’s eyes started to water again as Big Mac went on. “Now maybe we were in the wrong, me an’ Cheerilee an’ Snowflake an’ Carrot an’ Ma an’ Pa an’ Granny. Maybe we were all in the wrong keepin’ this from you. But that don’t change the fact that y’all didn’t own up to yer horseapples when it counted and y’all still took it out on Applebloom, even after what y’all put her through! Y’all should be ashamed of yerself!”
“I am, Big Mac!” Applejack snapped, tears freely flowing from her eyes now. “Y’all don’t think I look ashamed?! Y’all don’t think what I done ain’t eatin’ me alive?!”
Big Mac snorted, stamping a hoof and cracking the bricks beneath. “Iff’n y’all are so ashamed then DO somethin’ about it!” He pointed behind him with a hoof and continued. “Right now, somewhere in this castle is a filly who done thinks her sister hates her. She’s confused an’ probably blamin’ herself for something that ain’t even her fault. She’s been through a lot these past two days and she needs somethin’ stable in her life right now; somethin’ to let her know that things are gonna turn out okay! But she can’t even count on the love of her own kin, the one thing she should always be able to count on, ‘cause her sister is too busy selfishly wallowin’ in her pity, more worried about how she can’t forgive herself than what’s goin’ on in her sister’s head, and too cowardly to face her sister an’ apologize like a proper pony!”
Applejack sputtered tearfully. “B-Big Mac…” she stammered.
Big Macintosh turned on a hoof and stomped away from the cell. He turned to Princess Luna. “I’m takin’ one of yer guards, Princess. I’m goin’ ta see my sister.”
Princess Luna nodded. “Very well, Sir Macintosh. Speak to Dirge. He’s the stallion guarding the entrance to the cell block. Tell him I’ve given the order to take you to Celestia’s laboratory.”
Big Macintosh nodded and stomped out of the cell block, the door to the prison creaking behind him as he left.
Princess Luna turned back to the cell. Applejack was practically curled into a ball in the middle of the floor, weeping. Pinkie Pie sat next to her, stroking her mane and shushing her gently. Luna sighed and lit her horn, unlocking the cell and stepping inside. Steadily, she sat down on the bed across from the weeping farmpony and spoke softly. “I apologize, Applejack. I knew not that he would be so harsh in his message.”
Applejack sniffled. “S’all right…” she managed to croak out. “I deserved it.”
“Harshness aside,” Luna continued, “you do know he was correct, yes?”
The farmpony nodded, sobbing. “I know…”
Pinkie Pie snuck a hoof beneath Applejack’s chin and gently lifted her head up. “Then are you ready to apologize to Applebloom?” she asked softly
Applejack hiccupped. “I don’t know if I’m ready…” she muttered softly, letting silence reign for a moment before she climbed to her hooves. “But y’all are right. Somewhere in this castle, my sister is scared and confused and she needs me. It don’t matter how I feel about it... s’gotta be done.”
Princess Luna nodded and lit her horn. “If thou wishes it, we can teleport you to her now.”
Applejack shook her head, wiping her eyes. “Iff’n it’s all the same to you, I’d rather walk,” she muttered. “I need time to think of just what I can say to Applebloom to make it right.” She chuckled, wiping tears from her puffy red eyes. “An’ frankly, I don’t want her to see me like this.”
Princess Luna nodded. “Very well then,” she said, alighting her horn. The cell door glowed for a second before it unlocked and swung open. “If you’d follow me then,” she said with a nod and turned towards the main door to the cell block.
Applejack took a deep breath and turned to look at Pinkie Pie. The pink pony grinned and gave her an enthusiastic nod. Steeling herself, Applejack followed Luna out towards the door, Pinkie pronking along in her wake.
The trio reached the large doors to the cell block in but a minute and with a wave of Luna’s horn, the massive doors swung open. As they exited the block, Applejack was surprised to see her brother waiting in the hallway.
“...Big Mac,” Applejack started to say, only for the draft stallion to hold up a hoof and smile gently.
“Let’s just go see Applebloom,” Big Mac said softly.
Applejack nodded, the four of them and Luna’s two guards ascending the stairs into the castle.
* * *
Applebloom, Twilight, and Princess Celestia had all taken a seat around a conjured metal table in the center of the lab in an attempt to clear the air. The lab was strangely void of the sort of equipment Applebloom had expected to see. She was expecting massive whirring computers and mystery machines; pylons, tesla coils, and those funky plasma balls that had weird strings of energy radiating out from the center. Instead, the lab was mostly an empty room. The walls were lined with countertops which did hold some equipment. Applebloom could spy microscopes and glassware like flasks, beakers, and test tubes, but it seemed like if there was any particularly interesting equipment most of it must have been stowed away in the cabinets set into the counters. Other than the countertops lining the walls, though, the room was completely empty save for the conjured table they now sat at. The floor was a tough, white ceramic tile, sterilized and slightly reflective, giving the large chamber an eerie, void-like appearance. About the only thing that looked at all unorthodox, though, was a series of strange spotlights set into the ceiling over their heads, along with a large tank covered in odd valves.
Twilight was busy breathing in and out of a paper bag and intermittently sipping on some chamomile tea that Princess Celestia had had delivered for her. She had nearly fainted once again upon discovering that the robot she had been speaking to was, in fact, Applebloom, so overwhelmed was she with excitement, worry, shock, and a mix of other emotions too numerous to count. The shock had been so much that she’d lost all coherent sense and was still yet to regain it, despite attempting several relaxation techniques all at once.
Celestia sat next to her student, a comforting wing draped over her shoulders. Meanwhile, as she continued to observe the strange laboratory around her, Applebloom had been retelling the story of her origin and how she came to discover her nature again in an attempt to fill the time and hopefully get Twilight up to speed. The vacant look in Twilight’s eyes gave her pause though. Applebloom looked up at the princess with a brow raised. “Are y’all sure she’s listening Princess?”
Celestia patted her student’s back and Twilight gave a slow nod, despite still gasping for breath in the paper bag. The purple pony coughed a little and looked down at the table. “Yes, I’m still listening,” she croaked weakly, lowering the sack. “It’s just so much to take in at once.”
“Alright,” Applebloom nodded, continuing with her story. “Anyway, the next day I went to school, hopin’ things might get at least somewhat back to normal. ‘Course, then we were attacked by Decepticons; those guys that Yoketron said was the bad robots. I used some sorta… copy ability and managed to turn into a vampire robot or somethin’ and sucked their energon out.” She paused. “Energon is their fuel by the way. It’s basically their blood.
“Anyway, I found out that I had some sorta hammer weapon and used that an’ the vampire ability I copied from the leader to fight them off,” she explained. “I managed to help save the school, but Miss Cheerilee is the one that actually managed to end the fight when she threw acid on the leader’s face. During the fight, though… I ended up killin’ one of the Decepticons.”
The little filly-bot sighed. “An’ the rest is history. That Ballista guard went and put some kinda spell on me and my friends and the next thing I knew, I was in the dungeons talkin’ to Princess Celestia. ‘Course she was a dog at first.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow at that and turned to look at her teacher. Celestia however, only smirked and took a sip of tea. The studious purple pony eventually turned back to look at Applebloom with a bewildered expression. “That’s…” she gulped, taking a deep breath. “That’s quite a tale, Applebloom.”
Applebloom shrunk back a bit. “Y’all don’t believe me?” she whimpered.
Twilight shook her head. “No, no! It’s not that!” she said quickly. “It’s hard not to believe you given… well…” She motioned at Applebloom’s body with her hooves. “...you being what you are,” she finished weakly.
Applebloom hung her head. “I understand iff’n y’all don’t want nothin’ to do with me anymore.”
Twilight gasped. “No, Applebloom, it’s not that either!” she protested. “It’s just… there’s so much to take in from all this.”
Twilight took a few more deep breaths and went on. “Applebloom, you’re our answer to whether or not the people of our planet are alone in the universe. Our planet has always had an abundance of sapient species on it, but one of our biggest questions has always been whether there was life on other worlds. You’ve given us that answer, and that life is more fascinating than anything we could ever imagine!” Twilight motioned to the little bot. “Living machines! If I hadn’t sensed your magic with my own horn I’d have never believed it! I don’t even know how something mechanical in the way you are can be alive, but you’re living proof that it can happen!”
Applebloom would have blushed if she could. She looked away shyly as Twilight continued.
“Even ignoring the nature of your physiology, there’s the implication of the sort of technology that the rest of your species holds. Ships that can warp through space faster than light, for example. Imagine what we could learn from such technology!” Twilight gushed. “The things we can learn from this will occupy scientists for decades if not centuries!”
“Exactly, Twilight,” Celestia said with a nod. “Which is why I want you to be the first to study young Applebloom.”
If Twilight had regained any of her composure, she instantly lost almost all of it once again. “M-m-me?!” she stammered. “Princess, you can’t be serious! Surely there are ponies more qualified to investigate Applebloom and the ship.”
“The ship and the Decepticon body will be investigated by a team of ponies at a later date,” Celestia explained. “You can choose to be a part of the team that investigates them later if you wish. For now, Applebloom needs not only a scientific mind, but a friend. I can think of no pony better qualified to help Applebloom better understand her own nature, and take our first step into this new world.”
Twilight’s face split into an excited, if nervous, grin. “Princess… I’m honored.” She dipped into a bow.
Celestia chuckled. “None of that, please, Twilight. After all, this is as much helping a friend out as it is giving you an opportunity.” Celestia turned to look at Applebloom. “I hope that this will help you better understand who you are, my little pony.”
Applebloom sighed. “I hope so too.”
“APPLEBLOOM!” came a sudden cry from the doorway to the lab.
The three of them turned to the source of the cry, only for Applebloom to be tackled to the floor by white and orange blurs. Applebloom’s head spun for a second as she reoriented herself, only to hear the babbling voices of her friends.
“...so glad you’re okay!” Sweetie Belle rambled, burying her face in Applebloom’s chest. “We were so worried that you’d been carried off to some prison somewhere where you’d be experimented on and taken apart or something and it’s just so good to see you!”
“...thought that the town guard had been replaced by a bunch of those Deceptifreaks and they’d taken you to their mothership where you’d have to fight a million guards but by the time you got free you’d be out in space on another planet or something!” Scootaloo went on at the same time.
Flipsides trotted into the room after the two fillies, looking exasperated and abashed. “Your majesty, I deeply apologize. I was guarding the door as you ordered when these two blindsided me.” She cast an annoyed look at the fillies. “They practically trampled me to get in here. Should I remove them and have them sent back to their families?”
Celestia tittered. “I don’t think that will be necessary, Flipsides. Their families should be here shortly. Thank you, though.” Flipsides bowed and returned to guarding the door of the lab.
Applebloom smiled weakly and propped herself up on her elbows, chuckling lightly. “I’m fine girls,” she said, interrupting the two of them mid-ramble. “I was thrown in a dungeon for a bit, but Princess Celestia came and got me out.”
The two little fillies only just then seemed to notice the presence of the princess at the table smiling down at them. Sweetie Belle squeaked and dipped into a bow, practically smushing her face into the floor. Scootaloo on the other hoof, just gave the princess a wave. “‘Sup Princess?”
Both Sweetie Belle and Twilight Sparkle gasped and stared at Scootaloo’s casual nature but before they could say anything the Princess laughed and nodded at the little orange filly. “Scootaloo,” she greeted.
“Sweetie Belle! Scootaloo!” came a chastising voice from outside the room. “How many times must we tell you not to run off?!” A moment later, Shining Armor and the Bearers of Harmony, sans Pinkie Pie and Applejack, turned the corner and trotted into the room, Rarity leading the group. Rarity gave the two fillies a disapproving look before turning and bowing to Princess Celestia, along with the rest of their company. “I apologize, princess. They’ve been very excited since they woke up.”
Celestia nodded again and gave her a smile. “Understandable,” she said serenely. “It’s not every day a little filly finds herself in the castle, though I suspect that they were more excited to be reunited with their friend,” she said with a wink and a sideways nod towards the floor where the fillies sat.
It was only then that Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy got a look at the robot currently getting to her feet and looming over them with her impressive six-foot height. Rarity and Fluttershy both gasped, the latter seeming to freeze in place, while Rainbow Dash’s wings flared instinctively. Shining Armor’s eyes widened a little but the captain managed to mostly keep his composure as he looked upon the filly-turned-alien-robot that had caused all the trouble of late. Moments later, the three mares managed to shake themselves of their shock as well and they started to take Applebloom’s new form in with less shock and fear and more curiosity.
Applebloom shuffled a foot and waved to the newcomers weakly. “Uhh… hey,” she managed to mutter out.
Rarity managed to regain her composure when the filly-bot spoke. “Applebloom?” she asked, still seeming slightly stunned. “I take it… that’s you?”
Applebloom sighed. “I guess there’s a lot to explain again…” she started to say, only to be stopped by a final voice.
“You don’t need to worry about that, Applebloom,” Cheerilee said, turning the corner into the lab. “I already told them everything.”
“Miss Cheerilee!” Applebloom said, crossing the room in only three strides, the ponies all scattering out of her way as she approached the teacher. “Are y’all okay? Last I saw the guards was knockin’ y’all out and you’d already taken a beating from that Decepticon and--” Applebloom was stopped as Cheerilee reached up and gently placed a hoof on the little robot’s midsection.
“I’m fine, Applebloom,” she said with a tired smile. “I’m more worried about how you’re doing.”
Applebloom looked around the room at all the ponies surrounding her; from the serene face of Princess Celestia to the excited faces of her friends, to Twilight’s anticipation, and to the fascination of everypony else. After a moment, Applebloom smiled as well, and turned back to the teacher. “I think I’m doing a mite better now, Miss Cheerilee.”
Cheerilee nodded. “I’m glad to hear it.”
Suddenly a sharp, yanking pain in the back of her head snapped Applebloom out of her calm. “OW!” she yelped, reaching back with a metal hand and clutching at the back of her head, whipping around to see Rainbow Dash hovering there with a strand of bright red hair in her hoof.
“Rainbow Dash!” both Rarity and Twilight chastised.
“What?” Rainbow asked, raising an eyebrow, holding up the strand of hair for all to see. “I just wanted to know what the hair was made of!” She brought it up to her muzzle and sniffed at it. “I think it’s just hair. What kind of robot has hair?”
“I do!” Applebloom grumbled with an angry pout.
Twilight rolled her eyes, getting up from the table. “Of all the various mysteries Applebloom presents… you wonder why she has hair.”
Celestia tittered. “I’m sure that that, among many other things, will be answered when we begin testing.”
Fluttershy gasped. “T-Testing?” she stammered. “Are you going to… experiment on her?!” The room seemed to grow cold as the various ponies turned to look at the princess.
Celestia shook her head. “You could put it that way, but not in any way you might be thinking, my little ponies,” she said with a reassuring smile. “There won’t be any dissections.”
“Well, not on Applebloom, at least…” Twilight mumbled under her breath, looking askance.
Celestia cleared her throat, diverting everypony’s attention from her student. “We just want to measure her capabilities, take some samples, and spend some time observing her to try to understand a bit better how she works. It’s as much for her benefit as our own.”
“I… I have to know what I am,” Applebloom agreed. “I need to know how I work. Maybe then things’ll make sense,” she sighed.
Fluttershy trotted up to Applebloom’s side and placed a hoof on her leg. “Oh, you poor thing,” she cooed. “This must be so confusing for you.”
Applebloom nodded, reaching out and grabbing her chair from the table and taking a seat. “It’s been a tough couple of days,” she agreed with a weak chuckle.
“Well, we won’t begin the testing right away, then,” Princess Celestia said, standing from her chair and trotting into the middle of the room with the rest of the ponies. “I’m sure everypony is exhausted after such a long day. You’re all welcome to take rooms here at the castle for the night.”
“It is getting rather late in the evening isn’t it?” Rarity agreed, looking out a nearby window to see the sun hanging low in the sky.
Celestia stepped over to Applebloom. “Come, my little pony,” she said, draping a wing over the robotic filly’s shoulder. Applebloom instinctively started to look up before correcting herself, still having trouble getting over the fact that she was at eye level with the princess as the wing fell over her. “Let’s get you and your friends set up in a room and perhaps order you some room service. The testing will keep until later.”
Applebloom smiled weakly and nodded. “Thanks, Princess.”
The two of them stepped towards the doorway, only for the robot to turn the corner and nearly collide with a familiar orange face.
The filly looked down at her older sister, the two of them staring at each other for what seemed like an interminable moment. Pinkie Pie, Big Macintosh, Princess Luna, and two lunar guards stood a few paces behind her.
A tense silence fell over the room as everypony collectively held their breaths. Finally, after what seemed like hours, Applejack finally managed to speak.
“...Applebloom?”
Applebloom backed up a few paces, her face going through a series of emotions as she looked at her sister. Finally, her eyes broke away and her gaze fell to the floor as she mumbled an answer. “Hey, Applejack.”
The gathered cluster of ponies all fell silent as the two sisters awkwardly stood in the hall outside the lab and said nothing, both opting to look anywhere but in the other’s eyes. Flipsides and Shining Armor both tensed slightly, keeping an eye on the Apple sisters. After a minute, Princess Celestia spoke. “Perhaps,” she began, “we should make our way to the living quarters while Applebloom and Applejack work things out?”
“No.” Applebloom’s voice was not loud, but it was forceful. “Please don’t go,” she bade them.
Celestia raised an eyebrow, noticing Applejack wincing as if somepony had spat in her face. Nevertheless, the princess nodded, merely backing up a few paces. The other ponies all followed her lead, save for Big Macintosh. The draft horse stepped up towards Applejack instead, clearing his throat.
Applejack slumped a little, looking bereft. “Right,” she muttered, lifting her head and looking at Applebloom. The filly-bot was still avoiding her gaze as she spoke. “Applebloom,” she began, “I’m… I’m mighty sorry ‘bout what I gone and done, attackin’ you like some kinda crazed animal,” she said, hanging her head again. “‘Tain’t right what I did.”
“It ain’t that you attacked me,” Applebloom began firmly. “I got that part. Y’all thought I was a monster or somethin’ right then. That part ain’t even the bit that bothers me,” she explained, taking a deep breath before continuing. “Y’all said I weren’t your sister.” Applebloom mumbled as she continued to look anywhere but at her sister, her voice surprisingly steady and neutral. “That I was just some thing from outer space.”
“I know…” Applejack admitted with a long breath. “I was wrong. I weren’t thinking when I said that. I was angry and confused and scared and proud and I… I was a mess, Applebloom. I am a mess.” She shook her head, fighting a grimace and a sniffle as she continued. “And it took too long for me to see just how much of a plum fool I was bein’.”
Applebloom chuckled humorlessly. “‘Tain’t even been a day.”
“Fact I had to even take time to see it at all means it went and took too long,” Applejack said, before continuing. “But when I heard that the schoolhouse had been attacked and when I saw y’all bein ponyhandled by them town guards, all I could think was ‘My sister’s in trouble.’” Applejack trailed off and went silent for a moment. Finally, she took a deep breath and kept on. “Y’all’re my sister, Applebloom, and I couldn’t bear the thought of losin’ ya.” The farmpony looked away. “‘Course, after what I done, I understand iff’n y’all don’t want to talk to me again,” she mumbled, her voice going silent.
Applebloom let loose a long, shuddering sigh and finally looked at Applejack out of her eye’s corner, still not turning her head. “I thought y’all hated me. That y’all’d never see me as a sister again.”
“Sugarcube…” Applejack said, looking back at her, “what I gone and said… I dunno if I can ever make up for it, but none of it were true.” She shut her eyes and chuckled. “Were all me lettin’ trash spill from my mouth. Some element of honesty I am…” she trailed off.
Applebloom was silent but finally turned her head to look at her sister, a tear dripping down from her eye. “Why’d you say it at all then?”
Applejack felt a knot tighten in her throat as she opened her mouth to answer, then closed it again. Then she opened it again, only to close it once more. Finally, she answered. “I don’t even know myself, Applebloom. Standin’ here now, I don’t know how I could’ve felt like that or said those things. Maybe it was me comin’ off the rush where I thought y’all was dead and I was still scared and angry and confused and I took it out on you. Maybe I felt I gone and made a fool of myself there and I was tryin’ to save face, only to make a bigger fool of myself. Maybe the thought that I’d been lied to for twelve years made me so mad and hurt me so much that I felt I had to strike back, even though it weren’t y’all who did the lyin’ in the first place. Maybe it was all three. Whatever the reason, the point is it weren’t true and I’m an idjit for thinkin’ and sayin’ it. And I’m sorry, Applebloom. I’m so sorry.”
Applejack took a deep breath and continued. “What I’m tryin’ to say, Applebloom, is I gone and done you wrong. I done you wrong as any sister can do. Not just that I went and attacked you, but that I went and hurt you. I went and hurt y’all in the lowest way I could, sayin’ that you weren’t my kin. And that’s just a lie. When I thought I lost you, when the school was attacked and the guard swooped in and took you, I felt the world collapsin’ in around me. I couldn’t bear to lose you, Applebloom. I can’t lose you.”
Applejack hung her head, tears dripping down onto the floor. “I’m sorry, Applebloom,” she croaked. “I’m so sorry.”
There was silence in the hallway for a moment as Applejack just stood there, sniffling. The once proud farmer looked a sight as she stood there, her body shuddering as she was wracked with sobs. Her mane and tail fell in stringy, limp tangles around her and her ears were flat and downturned.
Finally, Applejack felt something embrace her. It was both foreign and familiar. Hard as steel and yet soft as a pony’s coat. Applejack opened her eyes to see that Applebloom had knelt down next to her and had her arms gently draped around her neck. The filly-bot nuzzled into Applejack’s shoulder and sniffled, tears wetting Applejack’s already sweat-dampened coat. Applejack took a deep, relieved breath and wrapped a hoof around her robot sister and gently rubbed her back. At her sister’s touch, Applebloom hugged her sister a little tighter and managed to murmur into her ear.
“I forgive you.”
Applejack clutched her sister tighter, tears flowing freely as she finally managed to smile.
The two sisters stood there undisturbed for a few minutes as the tension in the hallway disappeared. Eventually, though, the two of them noticed something amiss and opened their eyes to see that a third pony had joined them in their sisterly hug. A wildly grinning Pinkie Pie had embraced the two sisters and was cuddling up to the two of them.
“Uh… Pinkie?” Applejack said awkwardly.
Pinkie bounced back from the hug without missing a beat. “So now that that’s all cleared up, how about that cuteceñera-slash-‘Surprise, you’re an alien robot!’ party?” She squealed with a chipper grin, flipping her mane and pulling a day planner from it. “I’m thinking Thursday!”
And with that, any tension that might have remained as the hallway descended into a fit of giggles. Even the Princesses couldn’t help but let out relieved chuckles as the party pony’s antics signaled a return to normalcy. Or at least the closest thing to normalcy the group could ever expect.
Finally, Princess Celestia cleared her throat once again. “Well,” she began, “it’s certainly been a very eventful day. Perhaps it’s time we got out of this cramped hallway and made our way to the living quarters? I’m sure we’ll have more to discuss when we get there, but I’m sure some of you would like to get some re--”
Suddenly a door slammed open in the hallway and three guards came rushing onto the scene.
“Princesses! Captain Armor! Lieutenant Flipsides!” came the ragged pants of a unicorn corporal as he wearily saluted them, the two privates behind him looking even more worse for wear than he.
Captain Armor immediately snapped to attention, saluting the corporal in turn. “At ease, Corporal Ethereal!” he said, looking over the three weary guards. “What’s the matter?”
“Monster attack, sir!” Corporal Ethereal managed to blurt out between his ragged panting. “Down in the Theater District! At least a dozen of them and they look…” he pointed at Applebloom, “well, they look like her, but bigger! They’re tearing apart the city, and they’re shrugging off the guard like it’s nothing!”
Applebloom blanched, stumbling back as she broke out into a cold sweat. “No…” she gasped softly.
“They’re demanding for something called an Autobot,” the corporal said, horror in his eyes. “And they say if they don’t get it, they’ll tear Canterlot to the ground!”
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Note: When I say I'll "Immediately" be posting the next chapter, I apparently mean "In a short while." I seem to have jumped the gun and overestimated the readiness of the chapter. Isn't that just like me?
gifs.joelglovier.com/crying/jim-cry-happy.gif
I own a homemade scythe and would love to hold it to a douchebag's neck.
Sorry. I thought I'd type out my dark realistic fantasy out on a comment section to get it off my back.
Might still do it though.
Anyways, toffee waffles.
Interesting chapter.
Too bad there aren't any. Just a minicon.
I think it would be cool if Apple Bloom could copy Rainbow's speed and agility. Nothing like a mach 1 hammer strike to a Decepticon knee joint.
Well this is unfortunate.
I do hope we'll be seeing some other Autobots though, ones which can actually fight instead of being crippled like the other guy (not a dig at you and your story just a hope of mine). Personally I really hope for the Dinobots to show up, however unlikely, after all if you're basing this on the Transformers Aligned continuity, they'd have some personal beef with Shockwave. Also I just love dinobots.
Ah, another addition to one of my oldest and dearest favorites on this site. Lovely surprise for the evening.
I wonder how the distress beacon works and its effective range. It's obviously an FTL transmitter of some sort otherwise the Decepticons wouldn't have noticed the signal for millennia. Would an Autobot ship have to be relatively close by to notice the beacon or is it broadcasting galaxy wide?
In the Aligned continuity Shockwave has a certain team of atypical autobots constantly on his trail spoiling for revenge for his experiments. If anybot has a reason to be close enough to notice the signal it would be them.
6428727 OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY F**KING GOD YOU ARE HILARIOUS!
No seriously, that was beautiful. You get a follower for that.
Get the joke? Cause' a 'minicon' is like, an MLP version of a 'minigun'? Holy shit, you're genius! You are seriously best person on this comment section! Following you...now!
It's alive! AFTER ALL THIS TIME, IT'S FINALLY ALIVE!
6428912 ...uh...wat?
6428928 YOU SIR ARE A GENIUS OF COMEDY AND DESERVE A LOT OF F**KING RESPECT FOR IT!
A MINICON, THATS LIKE AN MLP MINIGUN! GENIUS! You earned that follow from me all the way through, dude! Tell me your YouTube channel so I can give you a subscription! You won! You scored! You lost your virginity! Wait, scratch that last one, but you won a follow with your flawless comedy, you funny person you! WOOT!
This chapter really explains three simple, and important things to those close to Applebloom.
She isn't pony.
She isn't machine.
She's more.
6428944 can't tell if stupid, or just trolling.
6428984 Eh, if he's trolling, he's doing it in a nice way at least.
Good chapter by the way. When you say "a short while", do you mean today?
6428652 Okay, one? That Pinkie gif is just a bit creepy. Two? Yay, chapters! Bittersweet as they may be for reasons I already mentioned. Still a great update, and I'm looking forward to chapter next.
6428994
Ideally, it'd be today. It might/probably won't be. I was a big fat stupid and neglected to ask my editor if he was actually DONE with the chapter when I started shouting "HEY GUYS THE CHAPTER'S GONNA COME OUT IMMEDIATELY" like a dumbass goon. That's all on me. I'm not going to rush him though. It'll be out when it gets done.
6429049 That's okay, I just didn't want to keep checking my updated stories if I didn't have to.
6428944
'Minicon' is the Transformers: Armada name for a Transformer of about human size.
6428984 Seriously?
Did I just follow you? Yes?
THEN IT WAS SERIOUS YOU TWIT!
6429079 how do you not know what a minicon is? Because it ain't an mlp minigun.
6428984 Funnily enough, I see both sides of this coversation. I don't think this guy saw the seasons of Transformers where minicons were relevant. I think he pulled a 'brilliant' play on words out of his hat and gave you credit... Roll with it?
6429062 No shit.
I'm talking about the M-I-N-I-C-O-N, dude.
The joke? That the guy I just followed told?
6429100 AH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! You're getting a f**king follow too! 'ROLL WITH IT'! Cause' that's what Autobots and rocks on the top of a hill do! Jesus christ, it's a f**king comedy central club up in here, yo!
6429094 I prefer minicorn when I'm hungry. It's small so it counts as a bite-sized snack.
6429126 What the hell are you talking about dude?
6429130 Oh great. This dude again...
Now that you've officially called it a "Copy Ability", my mind has been made up.
Applebloom is now to be considered 1/3 pony, 1/3 Transformer, and 1/3 Star Warrior.
Can't wait to see what else she can do!
Yay! He's not dead!
i.imgur.com/3p4YG3u.jpg
I'm sorry, I couldn't resist.
6429131 You remind me heavily of one of my old friends younger brothers...
It's always a delight seeing this story update. And now, of course, I'm left with suspense for the inevitable clash between Equestria's best line of defense (backed by the princesses and Applebloom) and Blitzwing and Brawl.
Speaking of old Blitzy, I approve of you bringing in some elements from his Animated incarnation. Is it too much for me to hope that at some point, he utters "I zee nothink, I know nothink," or that at a later point, Lugnut appears?
This story seems pretty cohesive and well written to me. I can't wait to read what you have in store for the fight.
The real question is: Will the princesses finally get off their butts and actually do something about a threat for once?
Two chapters in short order though? I await!
have
wishest
That was playing dirty Celestia, she could have blown up the entire Castle right there and then.
Well we be able to see my favourite Decepticon Starscream? Perhaps he and Rainbow Dash can have a rematch from their Death Battle.
Got to say, this was a very heartwarming chapter...well, until it got interrupted by some bad news. At least the issue with Applejack have been fixed, thanked to some good ol’ intervention. And it is especially going to hold true very soon.
C&Cs will be PM.
Well, if Death Battle's Rainbow Dash can kill Starscream and eat his eternal Spark, let's see how Applebloom gets along. Or if Celestia'll just create two opposing points of gravity inside their chassis and tear them to shreds and then slag the remains because she's tired of their shit.
Given
I think Two Princesses, the EoH, the Royal Guard, and Applebloom should be able to take the Decepticons... and hopefully some Autobots will show up and help out.
Awesome chapter, I'm glad all major characters are up to speed and the Apple Family is reunited again! I can't wait to see how Canterlot vs Deceptiocons goes! Also: compitent Waspinator... should I be scared or amazed????
6428765 STOP! HAMMER TIME!!!
6429706
Nah, I think she'll just vaporize them, you know, sun and all
6429245 Really? Men in white coats stuck needles in him and injected him with stuff that made his blood burn like internal fire and itch like as he had maggots in his veins too? How strange. To think I thought I was alone in such a nightmare! Who is this friend? He could help me remember those wretched evils in the house with the rusted weather vane!
6429596 I watch your shadow, but it just points and laughs at me. I don't think we'll get along well, your shadow and I...
why cant I thumb up this more then once?
Cant what for next chapter, good thing its going to be posted immediately
6429986
Praise dat sun.
6430068
i.imgur.com/hkUidOz.jpg
6430020 You are trippy as heck... So yeah, dead on for Jared... I don't know about illegal human experimentation though. I'll ask him next time I see him. It would explain the jaded outlook he developed a while back.
6429049
6429060 I'm working myself to the bone here! Literally!
3dprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/cyptids-lizard-man.jpg
my only question is will more autobots show up or naw
6430293
"Friendship is the right of all sentient equines!"
6430244 I'm not trippy. I'm UniqueSKD.
You insensitive asshole! How could you!?! We're done! We're over, you and me!
Nah, that's too mean. I'll give you another chance. We all deserve one after all. Unless we're murderer and child rapists. Then we deserve to go straight to Hell.
This story is finally on a roll again.