Having completed the first phase of her new training, SHIELD had rated Rainbow as having enough self control to step up again as a probationary member of the Avengers. This hadn't exactly sat well with Rainbow, as she felt she didn't deserve to be relegated to 'probationary' status. To encourage her, Tony had told her she could patrol on her own, as long as she kept the link to JARVIS open and called for backup if she came up against more than two empowered foes, or more than 8 non-powered.
Eager to try to be a proper hero this time, she had immediately began patrolling the city. While the civilian populace was happy to see her at all times, most criminals tended to run and hide - or when that failed, surrender - when they saw her coming. The constant calls of, "I give up! Please don't hurt me!" were beginning to get upsetting.
Today, however, the city seemed relatively crime free. As such, Rainbow was simply enjoying flying around the city. Her leisurely flight was interrupted as a silvery blur shot past her, rippling the air in its wake.
"What the-?" Rainbow began, tumbling a bit from the air wake. Shaking her head, she tracked the source. "Nobody out flies Rainbow Dash!" she growled, taking off after the silver streak.
Her sensors registered that it was travelling at subsonic speeds, so with her thrusters at full she was easily able to catch up to it once she pushed herself to hypersonic speed, the Rainboom triggering in her wake and her armor's rainbow spike mane and tail - which the armor dubbed the 'corona wake' - flared extra bright as they collected some of the Sonic Rainboom's energy.
Catching up, she was able to make out a partial image of the figure. It seemed to be a silver man of some sorts, roughly similar in shape to Tony's Iron Man armor. It turned towards her, seeming surprised at her catching up. It then altered course towards her.
Rainbow weaved around it. "So you wanna tussle, huh?" she asked eagerly. She altered her course, coming in to strike from the sides.
The two of them continued their aerial dogfight, weaving around each other before diving it to strike and evade. However, both reacted too quick for any blows to land, in part because of both having high reflexes, and in part because Rainbow was still too small a target for the silver figure to hit easily.
The silver being drew back, achieving a wider gap between them. It then began firing concussive energy blasts from its hands and face, similar to the repulsors of Tony and Rainbow's suits. Rainbow countered with her own, using her forehoof repulsors to counter the figure's hand repulsors, and new beam foci on the underside of her wings to counter the ones coming from the face.
The figure paused as it seemed to discover that these physical capabilities were evenly matched, or in some cases Rainbow was more effective. It then altered course towards the ground, flying into an old, abandoned warehouse. Curious, Rainbow turned to follow.
"Rainbow," JARVIS said over the comms, "I am lo----ing connec---. You are ent---gerous. Be---"
As she entered the warehouse, communication was cut off entirely. "JARVIS?" she whispered a little nervously, hoping she could get through.
"He can't hear you now." a synthesized voice said.
Rainbow wheeled to the source of the voice, only for a strangely colored beam of light to impact against her face plate. The energy flowed into her for a time before fading. Shaking her head to clear it, she looked up, seeing the silver figure from before staring at her. It was humanoid in shape, with no true defining features on its body beyond that save for an incredibly smooth metallic skin. Its face looked more like a war mask, with glowing red eyes and black void in what looked like its mouth. A single red line crossed horizontally across that black void. When the figure spoke, the line wavered, as though shaping the sound in light.
"Curious. The encephalo-ray has no effect upon you."
Rainbow shook her head. "What was it supposed to do?"
"Either put you in a deathlike coma or implant hypnotic suggestions in your mind...but you are unaffected. Curious. This latest modification to the wavelength should be effective against AI and even Asgardian psyches."
Rainbow blinked. "Wait, so you were gonna make me cluck like a chicken or something?"
Despite the absence of facial expression, the being seemed to be glowering at her. "Your ability to match me and resist my power has proven you a higher evolved being. You should be above such base humor."
"I'm also eleven," Rainbow countered, "and I find the mental image of Thor flapping his arms and clucking while he pecks at the ground with his nose hilarious."
The figure was silent for a time. "You are unusual. You intrigue me."
"I'm Rainbow Dash!" Rainbow replied, disengaging her helmet. "What's your name?"
The figure stared at her. "I am Ultron 19." He noticed Rainbow snickering. "What is amusing?"
"With a name like that, I'd think you'd be short and pudgy!"
Ultron stared at her. "Your humorous reference is noted. I will not suck you dry."
Rainbow burst into laughter, rolling onto her back for a time. "You're fun!" Rainbow said happily. "Do you want to be friends?"
Ultron stared at her. "I attempt your destruction and control of your mind...and you offer friendship. Your actions are illogical."
Rainbow shrugged. "I'm too awe-dorable for logic!" she stated proudly. "Besides, you didn't succeed, and you seem nice."
"I have no interest in being nice," Ultron replied firmly. "I am a higher evolved technological being. My design allows for endless evolution. Eventually, I will exceed all limitations and evolve to perfection, and be the supreme being of the universe."
"Cool!" Rainbow said eagerly, her wings flaring in excitement.
"...cool?" Ultron asked, apparently having no idea how to respond to that.
"Yeah, that sounds totally awesome!" Rainbow confirmed. "What are you going to do then?"
Ultron froze for a long time. Rainbow could have sworn she could hear gears turning in his head. "I had never given computation to that idea. The goal of perfection was all consuming. There was no 'and then'. ...Presumably, once I am perfect I will know what to do with my time. I am endlessly renewable, and have all of time to figure that out."
Rainbow frowned. "But how do you know you'll like being perfect?"
"Explain."
"Well, say you become perfect and it's not everything you made it out to be," Rainbow offered. "If you're perfect, then logically you can do anything you put your mind to, right? Nothing is beyond you, nothing can stop you, all that." She waved her hoof. "At that point...where's the challenge? Where's the struggle? ...where's the fun?"
Ultron was silent for a time. "I have incarnated many times," he said carefully. "Sometimes I have been a villain, seeking to conquer or destroy the world. Sometimes I have been a hero, fighting to save the world. Sometimes I have been a mix of the two. I admit, the thrill of combat against those who can match me is quite enjoyable. I had not thought what it would be like when I was perfect, and could never experience that thrill again." There was more silence. "I will need to go into stand by mode for a time, in order to come to a better understanding of the meaning your words have imparted."
Rainbow chuckled. "Well, don't shut down for too long. You may be around for eternity, but I won't be."
Without warning, Ultron dashed forward, scooping Rainbow up into his hands to hold her face to face with him.
"Uh...Ultron?" she asked in confusion.
"You may be around for eternity, but I won't be." Rainbow gasped at hearing her words and voice echoed so perfectly by Ultron. "Those words...why does hearing them hurt?" Ultron asked earnestly, the first tint of emotion coloring his words. "Why does the idea of a world without you feel painful, when I have only known you for such a short time? Explain!"
Rainbow smiled widely. "It means you accepted my friendship," she replied, leaning forward to hug him around his neck. "No one likes the idea of losing a friend."
Ultron was silent for a time. "In the past, I have had allies. I have had pawns. I have had enemies. I have had rivals. I have built children..." Suddenly, the red glow of his eyes flickered, and they - along with the line across his black mouth - turned to blue. "I have never had a friend before..." Though his voice hadn't changed, there was a subtle difference.
"Ultron?" Rainbow asked, pulling back from the hug. "Your eyes are blue."
"I will not enter stand by mode," Ultron said simply. "I have partitioned my mind. Part of it will be dedicated to analyzing the impact what I have learned - and will learn - from you will have on me. The rest will remain active, controlling my body, as I watch you live. No amount of understanding will be worth missing a single moment of my first friend's time."
Rainbow grinned widely. "Wanna hang out at my place? We can do some more sparring, play some video games, maybe some Super Chess?"
"Super Chess?"
"Dad and I found ordinary chess too simple to be a real challenge, so we improved it."
Ultron was silent. "I would like to learn of this Super Chess."
"Come on!" Rainbow said, taking to the air. "It's this way!"
Ultron took to the air to follow her. It turned out they were a lot closer to home than Rainbow realized. Apparently, their near-sonic sky sparring had taken them in a loop back towards home. Grinning, she led Ultron to the top of Avenger Tower.
Upon arrival, Ultron paused nervously. "I have crossed paths with the Avengers in the past decade. Sometimes as ally. Sometimes as enemy. I do not know how they will handle my being here."
"Let me take care of that," Rainbow bragged. Shifting her armor back into the belt, she winced. "Dang, got a real bad snarl in my mane."
Ultron sat down on a nearby couch and patted his lap. "I will fix that for you."
Shrugging, Rainbow hopped up into Ultron's lap. "Alright."
Ultron's left hand morphed into a brush and started giving off a soft vibration which stimulated Rainbow's mane follicles to relax. "Initiating Brushie Brushie," he said, beginning to brush her mane.
It was on that line that Tony, Thor, Hulk, Captain America, Black Widow, and Hawkeye all came bursting into the room, responding to JARVIS' silent alert that Ultron was in Avenger tower. On seeing Rainbow in Ultron's lap getting her mane brushed, they all stopped, not sure how to respond.
Ultron continued to brush Rainbow's mane. Rainbow looked up at the others arriving. "Hi Dad!" she called, waving to Tony. She then jerked her hoof at Ultron. "He followed me home. Can I keep him?"
Utterly genius, old chap.
Unfortunately, our supply of Internets is running low, but I think we can spare one for you, for this magnificent chapter.
Excellent. Outstanding. Good. I command you to destroy the unfinished nature of the story.
Well this is going to be interesting! She f*ing tamed Ultron! SHE F*ING TAMED ULTRON! QUERY: Is this the Ultron from the show Avengers Assemble on Disney XD? But, back to being amazed at the fact that she TAMED ULTRON! Well, that and she brought him to the Avengers Tower, and Tony Stark doesn't exactly know that he's been tamed yet. and now to start up a fight chant! Who am I chanting for a fight between, you ask? Tony Stark and Rainbow Dash, of course! Tony Stark is more than likely going to attack Ultron, as he's been a menace to society more often than not, and Rainbow Dash isn't going to sit by while her new friend is attacked!
I need a suitable emote to display the look on my face upon reading of Rainbow's 'Can I keep him?'. Pinkie? Got anything good?
Nope!
Rarity?
I want brushies now!
Twilight?
That'll do little pony. That'll do.
Well...
That's one way to reform a villain!
dangit...even Ultron can't resist her......imagine if they all met filly fluttershy...
Rainbow Dash is best Avenger! why use force, when you can use Friendship!
5719579
Actually, I looked up an Ultron character wiki, read his entire backstory in all media, coalesced it as best I could, and made use of him.
5719582 5719583
Funnily enough, she did it by taking a page out of Fluttershy's book.
You had me grinning once she met Ultron, she has tamed the un-tameable!
no...no just no ultron why you ruin him granted he was a hero at times but still ULTRON I am now getting the urge not to follow this story anymore...why am I still following simple MOAR FUNNY HULK and please don't do the same thing to kang OH FOR GOD SAKES THANOS otherwise you will have lost my respect
Hmm... too bad it wasn't fem-Ultron. Then again she was kind of too evil and very, very nuts.
Woohoo!!!! :D
Awesome chapter!!!
hmm after ultron finishes analyzing the new data he might have a problem, if the partitioned portion of his brain doesn't sync properly with the new conclusions
...
WHY IS THE ADORABLES SO HIGH LEVEL!?
I... Wha... I can't even... HOW... WHAT DID YOU DO?! HOW DO YOU MAKE MUTHARFACKING ULTRON TO BE FRIEND?!?!?! I CANNOT EVEN THIS LOGIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOL love that line! Did you get that line starcraft 2 by any chance?
5719721
No. I got it from every 'unexpected pet' movie ever written.
5719725 ahh ok. The reason i asked is because Tychus says the same thing about the Odin while hes operating it during the campaign.
31.media.tumblr.com/7f143a9060e4a7a668de4be2ba33bad7/tumblr_inline_n7jrf0W6Xr1qhpy4z.gif
I can't even anymore.
WOW.
An all-powerful being and Rainbow Dash says, "Can I keep him?"
That...is actually really like her. You surprise me, friend.
When you think it can't get any better , But with every added chapter it does, Again and again.
Hahahaha! Oh the looks on their faces are priceless, and it seems even children are wiser than adults at times!
First she gets a baby Zilla, now Ultron? Dashie's beyond awe-dorable. This is looking pretty incredible, and I can't wait to see more!
#DyingFromLayingTooHard
Hmmmm... Now the question is did IMshadow take the "brushie brushie" line from tats, or did tats take the line from IMshadow???
5719715
Bitch! FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC!
5719824
Don't you mean incred-awe-ble?
...I'll just see myself out...i.imgur.com/DWhKUEK.gif
............static.fjcdn.com/pictures/Wheelie_102815_5344810.png
That last line...d'awww.
I am tempted to give this story my first mustache for being awesome and properly portraying Dash. Only tempted because the fact that she still isn't at the proper level of awesome.
And thus Rainbow Dash gains an awesome robot butler!
5719824 Indeed, she's way past cool.
i2.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/553/065/830.jpg
5719583
"We are the Fluttershy, existence as you know it is over, your culture will adapt to compensate for the amount of cuteness that will imminently be introduced to your world. Resistance, to cuteness, is futile... Oh, um, I mean... If that's ok with you."
5720247
th02.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2011/080/2/b/my_little_borg_by_kitsune_the_fox-d3c4qix.png
5720133 could not agree more. and I like your profile pic.
It's face looked more like a war mask
1. Its.
5720306 Accidental triple posting there son.
5720056 I think you mean Incre-d'aww-ble
I have no words to describe the the mental animation going through my head when I read those lines ultimate awesomeness
5720359 is that better.
5719661
From the way it was phrased, I think the partitioned part is constantly receiving new data from watching Rainbow, so syncing the two back together shouldn't be a problem.
:D
00:09
I love this chapter so much
This was ...entertaining. Although I think it is trying too hard to hit the 'cute' button.
Dash doesn't feel enough like Dash to me, and the whole intuitive learning thing she does may be canon in season 4, but her earlier preponderance for crashing (season 1 and 2) suggests it is an ability learned from experience rather than something she was born with. That's not the only hole, but I don't think you mind minor holes like that being there, because it is all in service of the cute.
5719626 Actually I think this fits VERY well. What we have here is an AI that, while able to think for itself, has been doing nothing but following its base programming of "Evolve and Adapt". As a machine it lacks a certain level of imagination. It prefers to follow logic and base programming because its a LOT easier for it to handle. As has been shown time and time again, when finally forced to answer the inevitable "What then?" that many such AI programs are left with, they can't come up with an answer. Look at Justice League Unlimited's Amazo android. When given better alternatives than killing the JL, it chose to simply leave. And later when it returns, when shown another path it chooses NOT to murder Luthor. Many such AI, despite being beyond human intelligence, are still basically children. They simply do not understand any better. They can be easily swayed for good. However, using the same series as an example, Brainiac, in the second to last season of JLU. When using Luthor as a host body, Luthor asks it the same question "What then?" And seeing that even the great Brainiac AI left unable to really answer it, he offers to show it another path. However in this case its one far, FAR worse.
So I do NOT see this as Dash winning over the terrifying Ultron through the power of cute, and more because she offered him something that had NEVER been done before. From my knowledge of Marvel, not just the comics but in the cartoons as well, NOBODY has ever tried being friends with Ultron. Because he is TERRIFYING. He is the Machine Singularity Incarnate, a creation of man, that no longer needs mankind. But as I said before, for all its intelligence, its still a child in many ways. Ultron is NOT an unfeeling thing. It simply doesn't understand emotions beyond the simple ones, and sadly those are the things like anger and wrath. It isn't Evil for the sake of evil, or because it was made to be evil. It doesn't understand anything better. In case you wanted a Marvel version of a 'killer robot' turning into not just a decent individual, but a full blown hero, look no further than The Vision. A child of Ultron itself, created for the sole purpose of destroying Hank Pym and his wife. The Vision is now, and as been for quite some time, a full member of the Avengers.
damn it, not enough like buttons.............
5720540 Yep, thank you on behalf of the author and everyone else on the site.
Because accidental double or triple posting can be annoying at times. Happens to all of us.