Part 10: What Friends are For
Shepard sighed as he brought one hoof to his face, the terrible burden of choice bringing a bitter taste to his mouth.
“I’m sorry, Garrus... Looks like you’re on your own…” the stallion said remorsefully. “EDI: activate the antivirus.”
There was a brief hesitation.
“Acknowledged,” the metallic alicorn stated. “Commencing antiviral initiations. Shepard, I confess I am unsure about your reasoning. From a tactical standpoint, the obtainment of the Governing Intelligence would take priority. From a human emotional standpoint, the possible injury or death of Garrus Vakarian and his squad would take priority. The viral contamination of what amounts to six civilians is not fatal, nor is it a tactically sound reasoning...”
Shepard shook his head.
“You haven’t seen them in action,” he tried to explain. “Calls like this are among the hardest things you can ask of any organic, but while you have to consider all vantages; tactically, rationally, and emotionally… in the end, it comes down to what you think is right. They are only involved with this because of me… And without asking for anything in return, they’re helping me. If I can give them an advantage or prevent them from suffering any more than this damned system has made them suffer already… then I can live with myself.”
Shepard looked to the blue eyes of the synthetic intelligence in the mirror, whose expression had remained neutral throughout.
“Make any sense to you?” he asked.
“No.”
“Yeah… me neither. But it still feels like it’s the right thing to do.”
EDI’s glowing eyes pulsed blue as she glanced downward.
“Epona System Update: Viral infection isolated and neutralized. Internal Software Defense System is now on active alert for the next thirty-eight hours. All unregistered hostile coding elements will be deleted.”
Shepard breathed a sigh of relief before EDI’s face turned to one side, clearly taking note of something urgent.
“My activities are being traced, as expected. Retreating back to Normandy.”
“EDI! Keep the crew safe! If… when Garrus takes the Harmony Cannon offline, extract his team immediately then make your way planetside.”
“Acknowledged.” EDI nodded. “I recommend you proceed with your objective as soon as possible... Although, perhaps you should put your armor back on first. Good luck, Shepard. End image capture.”
Shepard nodded, turning to take hold of his chest-piece with both hooves before the A.I.’s last comment hit home.
“Image capture? What image cap--” Shepard turned back to the mirror and saw only himself looking back.
————————————————————
Twilight Sparkle’s head hurt as Pinkie held a hoof to either temple, feeling an odd scratching sensation in her skull.
“Okay, almost got it… aaaaaaand… Done!” Pinkie stated, removing her hooves and taking a step back with a smirk. “Open your eyes.”
Twilight opened her eyes and gasped as a banner was set over the top of her field of vision, cross-hairs quickly pointing out Pinkie and bringing up several text lines of information that blurred in her vision.
EoLa - System Editor - Pinkamina Diane Pie - Status: Pink
“And you are now the proud owner of one basic head’s up display. What do you think?”
Twilight blinked as she turned her head, Milligan and Fluttershy watching her expression curiously as information scrolled in her vision…
EoK - Non-crucial System Repair - Fluttershy - Status: Pink
Registered Nonpony Neural Pattern - Bitter Tart - Status: Mauve
Warning: Subject Declared Hostile - Detain
“What do I think? It’s… disorienting…” Twilight clenched her eyes shut as she shook her head. “And it’s saying that Milligan is ‘hostile’ and needs to be detained.”
“Yeah, that’s a system-wide alert.” Pinkie shook her head. “I got one a moment ago about ‘standing by’ for a viral sweep. Just ignore those.”
“Remarkable...” Milligan smiled, a sight that Fluttershy didn’t seem to care for as there was an almost predatory gleam behind it. “So you are capable of enhancing your own senses by connecting them to the world and altering the very fabric of the virtual setting?”
“Pretty much… I can’t just do whatever I want whenever I want, though.” Pinkie shook her head, amazed that there had been no hint of the "fog" that made other ponies forget what she was saying. “Editing the system takes time. A lot of what I do requires pre-made macros which I have a stash of and access when I need them. That song and dance routine I used outside Bedlam? I spent probably around eighty hours programming that one. Been holding onto it for a rainy day. And all of the things I do have to work within the system: Playing with the ambient sound system, altering the lighting settings, influencing ponies and programs to ‘dance along’... Things like that. The information HUD I just gave Twilight is one of my early designs; I used it when I was little to get a grip on who was really a pony and who was just a program.”
“But, I don’t get it…” Fluttershy interrupted, shaking her head. “…Why are we even in here to begin with?”
“Dunno.” Pinkie shrugged. “I’ve asked, hacked, and tried to figure that out for years, but nothing. No data available anywhere in the system that I can get to. I even tried to tunnel my way into a hardpoint once. Literally. But I got caught when somepony noticed the hole I made. I was in Bedlam for three weeks after that. They finally let me go when I played along and promised I would never do it again.”
“You asked?” Twilight looked up, the information scroll highlighting Pinkie again and causing her to wince as she still was unused to "reading" while she was looking at her friends. “Who did you ask?”
“Cheerilee, duh...” Pinkie rolled her eyes before clearing her throat. “Access Educational Program: Cheerilee. Clearance Level: Pie, Pinkamina. Eee-oh-el-ay.”
Fluttershy and Milligan jumped as an unexpected blurring of light suddenly exploded into being, the two ponies turning before it transformed into a cheerful-looking mare with a pink mane, a stripe of lighter pink down the center. She also had a fuchsia-colored coat and three smiling flowers as her cutie mark. The only difference between her now and the one that milled about in Ponyville was that this Cheerilee had a horn.
“Pinkie. It’s good to see you again, my little pony. How can I be of assistance?”
“Cheerilee... But… how? She’s the teacher in Ponyville…” Twilight was aghast.
“Oh? And who was your teacher here in Canterlot, Twilight?” Pinkie gave a goofy grin.
“Cheeril…” Twilight paused, realization striking her as she thought back to the unicorn that ran the classes in Canterlot during her early years in school. They did look an awful lot alike… and they had the same name… and…
“It never even occurred to you before, did it?” Pinkie was looking smug as Twilight looked to the smiling, content-looking school teacher, her eyes scanning over the text that was brought up in the newly-acquired HUD.
Educational A.I. - Designation: "Cheerilee" ver. 427.5 (Uni) - Information Access Level: EoLa
“Eola?” Milligan queried, looking to the pink pony.
“Element of Laughter, duuuh.” Pinkie, clearly taking some twisted pleasure in being able to point out these things out to somepony without them immediately zoning out and forgetting, took a breath and decided to nail the point home. Cheerilee, please state your function and purpose.”
“Educational Intelligence.” Cheerilee nodded, her tone still that same sweet, eager to teach sound that Twilight realized she had grown up with. “My function is to ensure that all ponies are prepared to interact with their assigned tasks in the Equestria System on a level deemed suitable to their status. As of version one-oh-two point seven, my function has expanded to also impart blanket subconscious education on multiple subjects, including science, applied mathematics, and approved galactic information.”
“Subconscious?” Milligan moved around the pony, who had no physical reaction to him at all. “You mean you can impart information without them even realizing what they're learning?”
“Yes. The knowledge is dormant in the subconscious unless it is required due to direct stimulation of the conscious mind.”
“That’s how I know what computer programs are…” Fluttershy set a hoof to her mouth in realization of the source of her mysterious knowledge.
“Oh, there’s a lot more hidden away in our brains than that.” Pinkie nodded. “I’m not even sure exactly what I know, but I think I got a huge amount of training in computer programming… So much of it that it’s instinctual. That’s why I was able to exempt myself from Equestria’s Memory Adjustment Protocols.”
“But why mess with our memories in the first place?” Twilight asked.
“To avoid neural rejection and panic, of course. Think about it, Twilight: You’re one of the smartest, most open-minded ponies I know… How are you coping with it now that the fog is broken?”
Twilight looked away, as did Fluttershy, neither wanting to admit just how badly they had taken the revelation.
“Don’t worry… you’ll adapt. If there's one thing that we ponies are good at… it’s adapting,” Pinkie offered consolingly before looking over to the man-turned-pony, who was observing Cheerilee with a fascinated gleam in his eyes.
Milligan prodded the fuchsia mare with one hoof, causing her to wobble.
“Please refrain from poking me.” Cheerilee’s smile fell a bit, annoyance in her tone.
“It’s… incredibly lifelike…” Milligan mused, prodding her again.
“If you continue prodding me, young colt, I will put you in a timeout!” Cheerilee turned on him, her annoyance turning to impatience.
“And just what are you going to--”
“Bitter! NO!” Pinkie quickly jumped between them, setting a hoof to Milligan’s snout. “Don’t snark at her! Don’t yell at her! Do not provoke the system! You are not a pony and she will put you down!”
“But she’s just a teacher; what is she going to-- My name is not Bitter!” Milligan snorted in an equine fashion as Twilight’s eyes widened in realization.
“Equestrian Rules of Engagement… I've read about that!” She stomped a hoof in revelation. “Upon first contact, offer friendship. Signs of hostility are given one warning…”
“And if hostility continues and ‘hate’ is detected…” Pinkie nodded, finishing for her. “Eliminate the hate... with extreme prejudice.”
Fluttershy recoiled a bit as Cheerilee continued to glare, Milligan’s expression falling as he realized just how much danger he was currently in.
“I… I’m sorry, Miss Cheerilee. I didn’t mean to…” Milligan held up two hooves in a sign of surrender. “I won’t do it again. I promise.”
The glare in the A.I.’s eyes faded in an instant and the smile returned to Cheerilee’s face, causing Pinkie to let out a sigh of relief.
“As far as I can tell, that way of thinking is hardwired into every A.I. in Equestria. I think it’s how our people operated before we ended up here; Play nice until some jerk wants to do hardball, then take them down. Cheerilee: Discontinue.”
The mare vanished in a minor strobing effect as Twilight’s mind reeled at watching Pinkie dismiss the schoolteacher.
After a moment of silence, it was Fluttershy who spoke next.
“So… Now what?”
“Now?”
All eyes were drawn to the stairs as an armored, refreshed-looking red stallion moved down the steps, a confident determination in his eyes.
Twilight recoiled as information flashed around the stallion, who in her vision had a glowing blue aura around him that was warping the space nearby.
Warning: Neural Anomaly Detected - (No Data Available)
“Now we do what we can to help you ponies and find a way for us to all get out of here alive,” Shepard stated, looking about. “Right, Milligan?”
“O-of course, Shepard.” The ponified human doctor nodded, clearly not wanting to contradict the idealistic soldier.
“I’m sorry I took so long, but it looks like the situation is even worse than we thought. I’m sorry you and your friends were dragged into this Twilight, but we need your help.”
“And you had this revelation in the shower?” Fluttershy seemed part amused, part concerned.
“Hey, don’t knock it…” Pinkie smirked. “I always do my best thinking in the shower.”
“I was just contacted by an associate of mine from outside the system. She said that Rainbow Dash and Rarity found Applejack, as well as ‘Patch,’ who is actually Dr. Hern.”
“P-Patricia?” Milligan stammered slightly. “She’s alive then… Good… good...”
Twilight spared the doctor a slight glance, wondering why he didn’t sound more relieved, before Shepard brought her attention back to him.
“She also said that Discord just tried to send out a virus specifically to disable the six of you.” The red stallion nodded to Twilight.
“A virus?” Fluttershy perked, stunned.
“Ewwwww… Not that thing again!” Pinkie Pie shuddered, her tongue sticking out in disgust. “Last time he hit me with one of those neural bugs I turned into a grumpy grey grouch. If Twilight hadn’t been able to clean it out… Ooooohhh, so that's why the antivirus warnings went off a few minutes ago.”
Shepard nodded, not asking how Pinkie knew.
“My friend, EDI, was able to stop it… at a cost… But she was also able to provide some much needed intel before she had to run,” Shepard continued. “Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Applejack are on their way, looking for us… Apparently, Applejack already learned the truth and has filled in your friends. And perhaps even more importantly, I found out where the Main Archive is and who has been helping me.”
“That would be me...” Twilight deadpanned, grateful when the HUD in her vision scrolled up out of her sight with no new stimulus and the blue aura around Shepard faded as if it realized she was well aware of what it had to say.
“I didn't mean you, Twilight… but I still owe you no small amount of thanks,” said Shepard. “I know you didn’t ask for all of this, but you’ve been absolutely invaluable. You too, Fluttershy. And none of us would have made it out of Bedlam without you, Pinkie. But now… I need your help again… and I’m not the only one.”
He had all of their attentions as he took a breath.
“Princess Luna…” He paused just long enough for the three mares to gasp, although Milligan simply held his reserved demeanor. “She’s been aiding me from behind the scenes since I arrived in Equestria. I think she messed with gravity to keep me from falling to my death in Ponyville before Fluttershy arrived to catch me, and sidelined Celestia’s attempt to keep me out of the system by inciting Discord to let me in. And even before that, when she helped me find the bunker back in the physical world while my friends and I were under fire.”
“But… Luna is Celestia’s sister… If Princess Celestia and even Discord wants to stop you… why would Luna help you?” Twilight asked, clearly more than a bit curious.
“I don’t know… but I intend to find out.” Shepard nodded. “According to EDI: Celestia, Luna, and Discord are the ‘Governing’ Intelligences. They run the show together, but right now they’re fighting each other. Discord is sneaking behind Celestia’s back to strike out at you girls, and Celestia is boxing Luna up in the Main Archive, in the library of Canterlot Tower.”
“So, if we want answers…” a new voice, thick with a clearly southern North American accent, cut through the air, causing Shepard to turn.
In the doorway stood a smirking orange mare, a stetson hat on her head and three red apples on her flank.
“...then we gotta find Princess Luna. Ya’ll must be this 'Shepard' Ah’ve been hearin’ so much about.” Applejack approached the red pony, Shepard relaxing as he nodded, the pony offering a hoof which Shepard reached out to take. “Applejack’s the name… Glad Ah found ya a'fore--”
*KA-ZAP*
Shepard recoiled as a bolt of raw purple energy struck the orange mare squarely in the chest, sending her hat flying as the pony was sent to the floor, a look of horrified shock on her face.
“TWILIGHT!?” Fluttershy gasped in surprise as Shepard took a step back, turning to see the purple unicorn with her head lowered, her horn a literal smoking gun.
For the first time in a long time, Shepard was set back as the unicorn moved forward, the eyes of the earth pony she had attacked alight with the pain of betrayal as the black patch on her fur smoked.
“T-Twi… Why...?”
“Because…” Twilight scowled, glaring as her HUD flashed in front of her eyes.
Impersonation Program - Changeling V.I. 27 of 80 - Current Setting: EoH - Applejack
“You are not Applejack!” she declared accusingly, a point of light illuminating the tip of her horn for a moment before it shot down in a purple, translucent wedge, acting like a scan, washing over the mare from nose to tail.
Shepard brought himself into a defensive stance as the orange fur was purged and replaced by a black shell, glowing blue insectoid eyes replacing the pony’s green ones and a pair of gossamer wings flickering on its back.
The pony-creature hissed as it bore its fangs, Shepard making out what looked like a spine on the hoof he was about to shake.
*KA-ZAP*
Another blast of purple, this time directed straight into the creature’s face, sent it back to the ground. The insectoid body did not move again.
“Changeling…” Fluttershy sounded stunned. “But that means anypony could be…”
“Oh, DUH! I have that app turned off.” Pinkie smacked her forehead with a hoof in realization (or to turn the virtual channel, Milligan wasn’t sure). “Glad you caught that, Twilight… Okay, I have the Changeling Filter on as well.”
“What is it?” Shepard was lost, but clearly grateful that Twilight had stopped what very well could have been a well-versed assassination attempt if that spine was filled with some sort of poison.
“Changeling… A creature that can look like anypony.”
“They’re impersonation programs. They usually just fit themselves into large crowds where it needs to look like there are a lot more ponies than there actually are in the system,” Pinkie explained.
“You mean, like… movie extras? They just fill in the background?” Milligan asked.
“Yeah… but they can only copy the forms of ponies or programs in the system already. Saves on memory. If you watch a crowd long enough, you can pick out the duplicates. They usually aren’t dangerous, but one of the utility A.I.s went renegade about a year back and tried to use them like an army after sabotaging the internal security. We put a stop to that.” Pinkie folded her hooves, looking proud of herself.
“When did that happen?” Twilight turned to look at Pinkie.
“At your fake brother’s wedding.”
Twilight had no words.
“Don’t worry, this kinda thing won’t happen again." Pinkie pointed at her eyes. "Twilight and I can both identify them now.”
“But if they're still trying to get to Shepard like that…” Fluttershy looked up.
“Then we need to get to the Main Archive, now.” Shepard nodded, clearly concerned. “Luna may be the only chance Milligan and I have of escaping this place and trying to help the six of you.”
Twilight found herself agreeing, her heart racing as she did something she never in a million years imagined herself doing…
Planning an assault on Canterlot Palace.
“Follow me!”
————————————————————
The Bunker
Sparks flew from a crevice in the wall where a changeling unit was plugged in, the mech’s body convulsing a few times before it fell out from its alcove with smoke rising from its gears.
Tali’s head turned as Mordin reflexively readied his omni-tool, both looking away from the pod they were observing.
“Forty-Two, what was that?” Tali asked, trying to calm her heart after being so startled.
“Uncertain, Technician Tali’Zorah…” the drone stated, a degree of concern in its voice that was again making the quarian question how much the Changelings blurred the line between V.I. and A.I. “Power surge indicates unit Twenty-Seven of Eighty was terminated in Equestria System by an Administrator; circumstances unknown. However, growing fissures in the program prevented safe disconnection from the system back into the unit's hardware.”
“I thought you said that you couldn’t interface with Equestria.” Tali gave the changeling a pointed look as Mordin returned to his work, apparently pleased with something as he scanned and looked over the small yellow-coated, red-maned pony-creature that floated in the pod.
“That is correct. My unit is designed for upkeep of the physical systems as well as interaction with organics inside the facility. As such, I was not equipped to interface with the Equestria Virtual System.”
“That’s too bad... It would be nice if you could take a message to Shepard.” Tali shook her head, turning to Mordin hopefully. “Well, Mordin? Have you finished your examination? Can I go in after him?”
“System astounding. Far beyond current galactic technological curve. But not without limitations. For example: Incompatible with quarian biology. Nutrient system alone would likely prove fatal,” Mordin answered, not looking up from his omni-tool as he was clearly working. “Also incompatible with salarian physiology. Points of contact between brain and system designed to supplant cognitive functions. Substitute stimuli from system for those of sensory organs. Corresponding spots in salarian brain of completely different form and function. Example: Area of equine brain responsible for visual input used to control hormone levels in salarians. System attempts to show salarian flower in field, brain mistakenly interprets impulses as ‘release massive doses of endorphins.’ Salarian dies from shock.”
“So how are they in there?” Tali pointed a finger over to the three humans still on the highrise, the six pods containing the "System Administrators" still set with them on what was clearly a causeway for entrance and removal from the system.
“Brains of Earth Homo-sapiens and Equestria inhabitants similar… as is hormonal and genetic structure. System seems capable of adapting to relatively slight variations.”
“Similar?” Tali was intrigued now, as was Forty-Two... if the quarian had figured out how to judge the changeling's expression. “How is that possible? I thought these creatures were locked away for millions of years in here.”
“Negative. Highly likely these are not the same individuals present upon activation of these systems. Bioscans indicate extended, but not indefinite, lifespan. Most probably descendants of original facility builders. Controlled evolution through genetically scheduled procreation. Certain traits encouraged; cultivated. Others bred out… but base similarities in physiology with Earth-based lifeforms leads to only one conclusion.”
“...Being?”
“...Shared ancestry.”
It took Tali a few seconds for the implications to sink in.
“Wait… Hold on! You are telling me… that these creatures… are from Earth!?”
“No. No, no. Improbable. Impossible,” Mordin’s voice became slightly elevated, expressing his annoyance at his companion’s uneducated assumption. “Sol System too young for such an occurrence. More likely hypothesis: Equestrian species capable of space travel during early stages of mammalian evolution on Earth. Seeded Earth with DNA; accidental or intentional, doesn’t matter. Evolution took course different from Equestrian home planet… Rather than Equine species developing sentience, Earth apes evolved into modern day Humans. Implications are... intriguing,” he stated simply, pausing to take a sharp inhale through his nose. “Still just a hypothesis, though.”
Tali looked around at the pods filled with colorful equines… some with horns… some with wings, others lacking either, with a new academic astonishment.
“Troubling...” Mordin said suddenly.
“What is?”
“Physical system integrity failing. Power systems nearly depleted. Facility infrastructure on brink of collapse,” Mordin clarified, shaking his head, looking up to the red-maned filly, who seemed blissfully unaware of her troubles as she slept. He took another deep sniff of air as his tone dropped sadly. “And they cannot get out.”
————————————————————
Canterlot Palace Grounds
“The Canterlot Library Tower…” Twilight squinted as she peeked out from behind a statue at the edge of the palace grounds, looking up at the glistening spire.
There were dozens of guards in the sky and on the ground, clearly moving in patrols as she took note of what looked like a moat and a heavy-grade barricaded metal door that had not been there on her last visit to the palace.
Pinkie pulled herself out around Twilight, her head just above the unicorn’s as she set a pair of binoculars specially designed for her enormous eyes to her face.
“Jeez, could they have been any more obvious?” the pink pony noted, stifling a giggle. “All they need is a dragon perched on top of the tower and a big sign in neon letters that reads ‘Captive Princess Here!’”
Milligan, sitting behind the statue with an annoyed look on his face, set his hoof against his snout.
“I cannot believe that we are actually on a quest to rescue a ‘princess,’” the Cerberus doctor grumbled. “Of all the things to have to do, we’re being thrown into cliché like we’re in a bad extranet fiction or a children’s vid. All we need now is the damn white steed.”
“Do you ever stop complaining?” Fluttershy scowled at the brown-coated colt, who sulked as Shepard joined Twilight, borrowing Pinkie’s binoculars.
“According to EDI, Luna’s locked in the ‘restricted’ area of the library,” the stallion stated, to which Twilight set a hoof to her chin, clearly deep in thought.
“I used to browse the bookshelves of that tower all the time. I don’t remember any particular section being cordoned off… but then again, my memories aren't exactly the most ‘reliable’ thing right now.”
“Psssttt!”
Three earth ponies, a unicorn, and a pegasus all turned on the sound, clearly on the defensive with nerves on a frayed edge.
“Eep!” a squeal from a nearby bush stammered a moment before a somewhat disheveled-looking white pony with a purple mane stepped out, her eyes wide in horror and shock. “It’s alright! It’s me!”
“This has to be someone’s idea of a joke…” Milligan grumbled to himself, the cliché having come full circle.
“Twilight…? Pinkie…? Fluttershy…? Is… is it really you?”
“Us?” Fluttershy dug at the ground, her newly-acquired aggressive streak rearing its head again. “What about you?”
Twilight squinted a little as the information flashed in front of her eyes.
EoG - Cultural Maintenance - Rarity - Status: Pink
“It’s okay…” Pinkie relaxed, saying it before Twilight could. “It’s her.”
“But what about you...?” Rarity still glared suspiciously. “I’m pretty sure that’s Shepard, but Patch was nearly garroted by a changeling Fluttershy less than half an hour ago. So how do I know that you are--”
“Shepard!? As in Commander Shepard? THE Commander Shepard?”
A new voice broke, this one lined with an Australian accent as a dappled, patchwork-looking mare moved forward, wearing a vest faceted together with a large turquoise, with no symbol apparent on her rump. She was then followed by the technicolor-maned Rainbow Dash and a combat-ready Applejack, this one clearly ready to pounce at the first sign of hostility.
Twilight looked each of them over quickly...
EoLo - Apex Specimen (Peg) - Rainbow Dash - Status: Red (Strain/Exhaustion)
EoH - Apex Specimen (Earth) - Applejack - Status: Pink
Unregistered Nonpony Neural Pattern - Status: Unknown
Escort To Nearest Medical Facility For Registration
...and gave a sigh of relief as Fluttershy squeaked and darted over to Applejack, wrapping her forelegs around the mare and causing her to recoil at first before the intent of the hug became evident.
“OHMYGOSH! I was so worried! Are you girls okay? What happened? Are you hurt?” she asked in a rapid-fire manner.
“Yeah… Yeah we’re fine, ‘Shy.”
“That’s me.” Shepard said in response to Patch’s question, thinking it best to confirm his presence with the only other human he had come into contact with in this system besides Milligan. “Commander Shepard of the Normandy. N7 Alliance Marine and Citadel Spectre. Doctor Patricia Hern, I presume.” The armored pony nodded at the patchwork mare, who returned it with a respectful huff.
“That's right. Oh, you have no idea how glad I am to see you, Commander.” Dr. Hern grinned as she relaxed.
An expression that immediately tensed up again as a brown stallion approached her.
“Ahh, Patricia. Good to see you agai--”
*CRACK*
Whatever relief or moment of joy was found in friends being reunited was lost in an instant as the patchwork mare shifted and slammed a hoof into the elder stallion’s jaw, sending him half-spinning as he fell back and away from her, a thin trail of blood running down his lip.
“You! This is all your fault!” Dr. Hern glared, her voice carrying a barely-contained outrage as she dug her hooves into the ground. “You’re the reason I’m a bloody quadruped! You’re the reason they attacked us! They’re all dead because of YOU!”
“Whoa! Steady girl!” Applejack moved forward, cutting off Patch before the mare could start an attempted one pony stampede. “Snake in the grass or not, now’s no time fer us ta be at each other’s throats.”
“What do you mean, Doctor…? What happened?” Shepard turned as the ponies watched them, Rainbow sparing a moment to dart up towards the top of the statue, checking to make sure that their "reunion" had drawn no attention.
Patch huffed in an entirely equine fashion before straightening up, managing to regain her composure.
“Our team came into this system following a radiation signature that we were hoping might unlock a new alternative to eezo-based drive systems; something to give Cerberus an advantage over the other species if they ever tried to encroach on human territory or cut off our supply lines.”
“That’s classified intelligence, Patricia!” Milligan pulled himself up, wiping the blood from his mouth. “Cerberus intelligence!”
“Look around you, Milligan! To hell with Cerberus Protocols!” Dr. Hern glared accusingly as she turned back to Shepard. “They didn’t tell us that the radiation signature was found on a weapons system. We showed up, thinking that we were looking for a downed ship or the carcass of an ancient power plant… then this bastard…”
“Dr. Hern, that’s enough!”
“…had us bombarding the planet from orbit as soon as we arrived!” Patricia growled. “He said it was to try and break through the crust to where sedimentation had likely covered up whatever it was we'd come to find!”
“That was a perfectly reasonable hypothesis given the age of what we were looking for! We found the point of origin of the Klendagon Great Rift valley buried in a cave a mile below the surface!”
“Then why were you already in the lifepod before they started firing back!?”
The two were glaring daggers at one another before Shepard stepped between them.
“That’s enough, both of you!” the Commander stated calmly, his tone booking no argument before he looked to Dr. Hern. "Now, Dr. Hern... continue. Calmly."
“Our ship was debris before we got a dozen meters away. I just happened to be on the lower levels before the first shot hit. Horace was already at the helm of the lifepod and prepping to launch when I clambered in right before he closed the hatch.” Patch’s lips pulled back, showing teeth in an angry sneer. “Six of our fellow associates dead before they knew what was happening… and he joked about how he 'didn’t have to do all the heavy lifting after all!'”
“I was as much in shock as you were, Patrica! I was trying to cope and stay in control!” Milligan defended himself. “I certainly didn’t intend for any of this to happen!”
“Wait, how did you two go from escaping your ship in a lifepod to being in the bunker?” Shepard asked, clearly directing his question towards Dr. Hern as the six native ponies watched the three human-ponies’ tense stand off.
“Something took control of our lifepod’s navigational V.I. before we even got into orbit,” Milligan admitted as he looked away. “They reeled us in and put us down in the middle of some sort of ship graveyard. We got out just as those black pony mech things started dismantling it like soldier ants tearing apart a corpse, and we followed them back towards the entrance. They ignored us; I thought we could get some answers.”
“As soon as we were in the bunker, we were snatched up by these metal tentacle things…” Dr. Hern shook her head.
“Yeah… Sounds familiar,” Shepard noted, his voice flat.
“…and the next thing I know, I’m wandering the streets of a place called Ponyville buck naked with a fur coat on all fours! Oh, and by the way, HANDS MISSING!” She brought up both front hooves, clearly hearkening back to what must have been a horrifying revelation.
Twilight’s vision flashed, surprised to see a small blue pegasus wing in a circle at the lower left corner of her vision.
“LT… LT… LT…” Pinkie chanted slightly under her breath, grinning as she watched the exchange, a box of popcorn in her hooves.
Before Twilight could ask what Pinkie was muttering about, the brown stallion offered a sharp rebuttal.
“I haven’t done much better you know,” Milligan snapped. “They threw me in a mental hospital.”
“If the Commander and Applejack weren’t holding me back, I’d put you in an actual hospital you piece of--”
Twilight was amazed to hear a chime in her ear as the image in her vision disappeared.
“Enough!” Shepard took command, silencing the two ponies with one word. “Both of you!”
The two doctors… Milligan and Hern, looked away and down at the ground as Shepard took the attention of everypony present.
“We’ll sort out who did what and who was in the wrong later. I want answers just as much as the two of you, but we aren’t getting them by shouting at each other! Our focus should be on getting us out of this situation.” He glanced first at Hern, then at Milligan, driving the point home. “All of us. Until then, I expect you to put the past to rest and follow my lead... We won’t survive unless we work together.”
Shepard took a step back, waiting for his plea for cooperation to sink in.
“Am I understood?”
“Yes, Commander.” Patch nodded without hesitation.
Shepard turned his attention back to Milligan.
“Yes… Commander.”
“Good. Now...” Shepard turned towards the six ponies, who were stunned at seeing how these three humans interacted. “Girls… I know that this isn’t what you were expecting when you got out of bed this morning. I’m sorry that these things happened… that I upset your lives and damaged this place you call home. I know that you’re all probably overwhelmed, and right now, you’re following me into the jaws of something that none of us really understand.”
The Elements of Harmony stood (or in Rainbow’s case, flapped) uneasily as the red stallion moved towards them, looking to each of them as he spoke.
“Fluttershy, you’ve saved my life twice tonight already. Rainbow Dash, if not for you, those timberwolves would have torn half of Ponyville apart,” he stated, his voice taking on a respectful tone. “Rarity, your concern for the well-being of others over your own personal comfort is a very rare thing in this galaxy… And Pinkie…”
The pink mare grinned, causing Shepard to chuckle as the sheer size of her smile looked to be a physical impossibility.
“You’re completely and utterly insane.”
“In a good way, right?”
Shepard smirked.
“In the best way.” The stallion nodded before turning to Applejack, the orange mare still eying him suspiciously. She was slightly reminded of her brother, Big Macintosh. There was an innate inner strength and character… except that unlike her brother, Shepard had an ease in the spotlight and leadership in buckets.
“Applejack, you kept Dr. Hern safe… and went after her when the wolves--”
“Ursa…” Applejack corrected, clearly understanding what Shepard was doing, but not objecting as she smirked.
“When the ursa came to your door… Even though I haven’t seen one of them yet, I can just imagine. And if that isn’t courageous, I don’t know what is.”
Finally, Shepard turned to Twilight Sparkle, the mare watching him with awe as he moved among them.
What she saw there was a strength and charisma that made her realize why Patch and Milligan spoke to him in such a revered tone. Why everypony he met seemed almost instantly willing to throw themselves into the line of fire for him.
“Twilight… You’ve done more to help me than I ever deserved. You’ve stood up against everything you’ve known to be true your whole life… and even when it was all overwhelming, you still pushed on.”
He set a hoof to her shoulder.
“I have no right to ask anything of you… or of your friends. My troubles are not yours to deal with and you have every right to walk away; to go back to your perfect, peaceful lives.”
She looked up to him as he withdrew his hoof, then started back.
“I’m about to rush into impossible odds… with almost no chance of success... against guards and traps and weapons that I don’t understand… in a situation I can’t possibly comprehend… All to try and save a princess on the chance that she can explain what’s happened and tell me how to fix it. Even though I didn’t ask any of you to come with me, already you've each done more than I could have hoped, expected, or deserved,” he explained, laying it out plainly. “This is the point of no return… What I’m doing here will likely be seen as an act of treason against your Princess Celestia. Whatever her reasons, she’s intent to make sure that we don’t reach Luna.”
The six mares looked to one another, clearly concerned.
“I can’t ask any more of you…” Shepard stated. “…but I won’t turn down help from my friends.”
Shepard’s gaze settled on Twilight, the mare having to take a moment to look about, realizing that all of her friends' eyes were on her as well.
She considered...
He had never lied to her. From the very beginning, even when she dismissed him and told him to his face she thought he was insane, he had been honest.
He had come to the aid of Ponyville when it was under attack, putting his own life at risk to save who knew how many lives.
While she had panicked and run to Celestia at the first sign of trouble, he had gone to help his friend and hers… while ensuring that Applejack and Patch were also in good hooves by giving the hot-headed Rainbow direction.
He had put himself on the line again and been captured just to ensure they had time to help Pinkie Pie escape from Bedlam.
And he had saved the six of them from Discord’s evil scheme. If the virus he and Pinkie spoke of had done the same thing that had happened last time they had faced the draconequus, then she would have likely been either an emotionless wreck or at her friend’s throats again.
Twilight stomped one hoof, her mind made up.
“We’re in,” she stated, a determined smile on her face that was instantly shared by her five friends.
If there was one thing that she had faith in, even if the rest of her world was crumbling around her… she had faith that the bond between friends was the most powerful thing there was.
————————————————————
“Okay…” Twilight was crouched low along with Shepard, looking over the map of the tower that had been drawn in the dirt over the past few minutes based on Twilight’s memories of the place and what schematics Pinkie had managed to access before she had been inexplicably ‘cut off’ from her search engine. “They know you’re coming, but I don’t think my ‘mentor’ realizes that the six of us are together in this, or they would have a whole lot more security.”
“You seem awfully confident in your abilities...” Milligan rolled his eyes at the somewhat childish bravado, earning a very pointed nudge from Patch, who glared at him.
“There’s only one place that the ‘restricted’ area can be,” Pinkie stated, pointing out a hoof at a central portion of the tower’s third floor. “There’s a huge empty space here that was unmarked. No doors or windows; just walls. A room without any entrances.”
“At least none that are on the schematics,” Shepard noted. “Those first two floors could have all sorts of traps and nasty surprises. Couldn't we just fly up and in? Rainbow? Fluttershy?”
“No chance,” Rainbow Dash shot him down matter of factly. “Even if I wasn’t still aching from carrying three ponies over that huge abyss, I wouldn’t risk it. I’m fast, but all it takes is one solid hit or a booby-trap on a window and you’re falling three stories to the ground. I could probably walk away from that, but pegasi fall soft. You earth ponies and unicorns… not so much.”
“Ah reckon that means we go in on the ground floor and fight our way up,” Applejack offered, pointing out the locations of the staircases.
“And we have to hit fast,” Fluttershy spoke up, her recent rush of self-confidence showing itself as she motioned around. “If we take too long, we’ll probably get Princess Celestia’s attention. I don’t know what she truly is anymore, but I don’t think we can take her head on.”
“I agree…” Shepard nodded. “Confronting Celestia has to be an absolute last resort.”
“I say… Full-on frontal assault… Nine of us go smashing in the front door and overwhelm any opposition. Between my speed, AJ’s strength, Twilight’s brain and Pinkie’s… uhhh…” Rainbow Dash trailed off slightly as the pink pony grinned. “…stuff that Pinkie does… they won’t know what hit ‘em."
“I expected something like that from you, Rainbow… Attack, attack, attack.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “There’s a reason that you lose every time we play chess. We need something more subtle. I think that we need to split up. Rainbow, Applejack and I move in first and draw the guards away from the main entry… then the rest of you sneak in. We’ll withdraw, either taking the guards with us or causing them to turn back to deal with Shepard inside… In either case, we can drive back in wherever they are weakest.”
“Standard guerrilla tactics,” Shepard remarked with approval. “Draw away the main fighting force, avoid them where they're strong, hit them where they’re not. It’s probably our best shot…” Shepard nodded. He had seen both Rainbow and Twilight in action, and by both mares’ admission, Applejack was the physically strongest and most versatile of the three.
“You guys are all over-thinking this,” Pinkie suddenly spoke up, rolling her eyes before pointing to Shepard, Rainbow, and then Twilight. “You’re thinking like a soldier, you’re thinking like a pegasus, and you’re thinking like a unicorn. Now, I’m not a genius or anything…” She then lowered her voice in a hushed tone. “Except I actually am… But I would think that somepony as smart as Celestia would have considered those plans.”
“Then what do you suggest?” Twilight crossed her forelegs, clearly bemused by the pink pony.
“A Pinkie Plan…”
“And… what exactly is a ‘Pinkie Plan’?” Patch asked, her eyes narrowed curiously.
“...It’s a secret…”
“So… you want us to follow a plan… that no one knows about but you… in a charge to break into a fortified stronghold to try and rescue Princess Luna,” Shepard deadpanned.
“Yep!” Pinkie smiled enthusiastically.
“Might I remind all gathered here that of the six of you, she’s the only one who actually has a technical understanding of how this virtual world works?” Milligan pointed out with a rare showing of support for the party mare. “And if my observations have any merit at all, she is notoriously difficult to predict.”
“Pinkie Pie is Pinkie Pie…” Rainbow admitted. “But I still feel more comfortable in a straight fight. We need to stick together.”
“Not to sound self-aggrandizing, but my plan has the best chance of working. It’s the logically-sound option,” Twilight put out again.
“Well, we only get one shot at this...” Shepard remarked as he considered what to do.
Both Rainbow and Twilight had valid points.
From what he understood of their abilities, keeping the six Administrators together would allow their abilities in this world to complement one another.
On the other hoof... No, he meant hand…
Great, now I’m starting to think like a pony. This mission can’t end soon enough... Shepard thought bitterly.
On the other HAND, Twilight made a solid case for divide and conquer. If they didn’t have to worry about as many guards, it meant that the rest of them could focus on the traps and other barricades. Also, it would prevent Milligan and Hern from being exposed to too much of the live fire. He didn’t fancy their chances against those lightning-slinging hoof-bands that the advanced guards wore.
Then there was Pinkie...
While he appreciated that there was always a time for "unorthodox" methods, the mad hacking pony was asking all of them to implicitly trust her and take part in an unknown plan that she was unwilling to share. And from what little he had gathered in the time that he had known her, he realized it would be a pointless exercise to try and convince her to share any details.
But whatever they were going to do... they had to do it soon.
Choices:
Diversionary Tactics (Twilight's Plan)
Follow the Pink Pony (Pinkie's Plan)
Full Frontal Assault (Rainbow's Plan)
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Pink.
Also stop using so many ellipses (... < These). It's annoying. A comma can do wonders.
Follow the pink party pony's plan. It can not go wrong.
Follow the Pink Pony. Insanity always has some of the best solutions.
Twilight Plan. I expect some Dues Ex shit here.
follow the pink pony, you heard the mare now go do it!
Who wouldn't follow this face into battle?
1209194 uhhh, any sane soldier?
You've gotta hit 'em with the unexpected, throw the left when they're thinking you're gonna give a right. Follow that Pink Pony!
Follow the pretty pink pony, what could possibly go wrong? When facing an opponent that you know is much smarter than you, you have to realize that they will take almost all factors into consideration. So how do you beat the smart person, you do what they don't expect.
I do enjoy this very much
and I am with Pinkie's plan
Pinkie Plan.
I'll go with Twi's plan. Rainbow's plan is simplistic and relies on our team having more combat power than the opposition, and Pinkie's plan isn't a plan, while it might work, it could also be failing horribly and there would be no way to know/adapt.
As if there was a choice...
Pinkie's plan.
follow pinkies plan... her hacking skills might land shepard with some proper weapons for a good fight! maby a tank... or an big army of krogen warlords under his comand!
It's Pinkie Time.
nuff' said
Pinkie's plan. I'm hoping that it will involve Shepard dressing in lingerie.
Also I would like to say that I am loving the way you you seem to be giving a reason for EVERYTHING. Nothing 'just is' or 'it's based on a cartoon, just accept it'. You're approaching Bioshock levels of depth here.
1209276
Famous last words...
In any case, I agree with the majority of the votes so far about following Pinkie. I'm very skeptical on placing that vote however. Usually I would go with the most logically sound plan, Guerrilla tactics. I would never choose a full frontal assault because that's just asking for trouble. Now then, on to the point of this post. Fluttershy mentioned that they would have to be quick in finding the Princess. Using Guerrilla tactics takes time, too much time that they likely won't have. Knowing Pinkie, following her plan involves a certain amount of risk, but more than likely it will be the fastest option with the least amount of attention being brought to them. If you think about it from a logical standpoint in how games work, they give you a 'bum rush' option, a half stealth, half battle option, and then the stealth option, so taking that into consideration I can come to the conclusion that Pinkie's plan is the stealth option, thus making it risky but at the same time, it will give them the most time as the clock truly starts ticking on how long they have to get there once they do get discovered, so the farther they can get without being detected, the more time they have, essentially high risk, high reward, which is always the most fun option.
Oh boy, to be honest In these situations my Shepard would have gone with Rainbow's plan, however we do have non combat personal who we need to get out so that might be problematic if they get caught in the line of fire. That would put me onto Twilight's as a more sound and capable one but Pinkie did make a good point about how Celastia has probably anticipated these.
I don't like it, since I won't know what's gonna happen so I can't adapt but in this situation but Pinkies plan probably has the best chance of working So I'm gonna follow the Pink Party Pony
there is only one answer, Pinkie, she's been aware of things the longest, she knows how things work and how to get around things and unlike the others she isn't working on a changed paradigim so she's not got incomplete information, Follow the Pink Pony, that is all
1209303 You said it.
I mean, we all know we're going with Pinkie's plan.
The filly's a subversive genius. Nopony could out-prank the premier party-purveying prankster of Ponyville. She's the perfect professional for the job.
Follow the Pink Pony!
Pinkie Pie potentially proceeds to program plenty powerful parasprites to pierce all protection and practically paralyze the puny pony Palace!
Like there was every any doubt
Follow the pink prancing party pony's plan!
the insane ones plans tend to usually work out, so im going to vote pinkie, and hay, if they all die and go to hell, i'll be there to pick them up.
follow pink pony obviously
Follow the Piink brick road oh wait thats Wizard of Oz *whistles for Taxie and gets in* Follow that Pink Pony
Follow the pink pony! Also that was a nice little fourth wall break thar
Follow the Pinkie Pie
1209838
That's a lot of words beginning with 'P'....
Anyway, I would also suggest going with Pinkie's plan. she has been aware of the situation for far longer, is a mad genius, and it would totally throw Celestia for a loop because she'd be expecting something along the same lines as Twilight's or Rainbow's plans from them.
Pinkie Pie is almost an unknown in this situation, as Celestia would expect everyone to immediately dismiss Pinkie Pie's plan as her just being her.
pinkie style!
pinkie's plan.
Pinkie pie plan. Do it.
Pinkie's plan. No duh
I like how you applied the Mane 6's elements to their admin positions (i.e. Laughter = Editor, Kindness = Non-Crucial System Repair, etc ). I'd like to know two things: what exactly does 'Apex Specimen' mean in this context, and second, what does being EoM count as?
Oh, all the softies want to take the logical(?) plan, wheres the fun in that? I will take the complete opposite choice, CHARGE!
PINKIE PLAN
1209196 Good thing Shepard is feeling anything but sane. Look, if anything, plan Pink will be th emost interesting to read.
Hm... Pinkie's plan is the safest as far as i can tell.
When you think about it, I've rarely seen Diversionary tactics work out for both parties. And while a frontal assault might work when im playing in skyrim and can turn anyone into swish cheese up close and send them flying with a shout or two, Shepard's not me, and we're not in skyrim.
LETS PINK IT UP!
1209303
Holy crap! The great Wanderer D watches this fic? I'm amazed.
Anyways, full frontal assault is out of the question because Patch and Milligan would get caught in the crossfire. As for Pinkie's plan, I'm pretty sure that's going to win out so I'm going to buck the trend and go with Twilight's plan.
As much as my in game Shepard would go with Twilight for the traditional tactical advantage, I have to go with the Pinkie plan for the simple fact that she has the most intel and thus has the best chances of getting in without the non-coms being attacked.
Follow the Pink Pony, follow the Pink Pony, follow, follow, follow, follow, follow the pink Pony.
Oh well, why not cut the voting period already, we have already reached a consensus it seems.
Holy freaking crap!
I ... wha... HUH!? 
ooookkkayyy... uhhh... well, this reaction was... unexpected. Hold on, I need to go... uhhhh... figure out...something... *RUNS AWAY*
Okay... the ponies are crazy apparently. Seriously, I intended pinkie's choice to be something of a joke... I didn't think...
*gets a glare from 2dextreem*
Yes...I know you warned me...
*glare hardens*
Repeatedly... but I thought that the fans would take the more tactically sound strategies into account due to Shepard's...
*dodges daggers with 'I told you so' etched into them shot from 2dextreem's eyes*
Ughhh...