Wish Weaver

by Limescale

Wish Weaver - Chapter 2: Dawn of Equinox

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Wish Weaver : Chapter 2

Dawn of Equinox

Everyone reacted differently to sudden twists of fate. Some worried themselves sick over having to deal with change, some just went with the flow, some tried to pretend nothing had happened, and some would not be satisfied till they understood why changes occurred.

The castle of Princess Twilight provided an interesting case study of all of the above. After having an unexpected machine like entity literally drop out of the sky in front of them, the Mane Six had faced quite the unusual night. Applejack had helped carry the mysterious alicorn inside then promptly gone to bed, Rainbow Dash had done a full sweep of the castle grounds to ensure no other nasty surprises were lurking around, Fluttershy had sated herself with making sure her animal friends were all safe and secure, Pinkie Pie had entertained several ideas of how to welcome the newcomer to their residence before being talked down, and Rarity had pulled all the spare blankets and pillows from her room so the robot pony at least had somewhere comfy to rest while her coma endured.

Only Twilight remained at the strange equine’s side, having the most reason out of everyone to tend to her wellbeing. Though fatigue and exhaustion nagged constantly at her mind, the overwhelming sense of guilt at what she’d done remained superior. She whiled the night away checking every reference book she had, cautiously tried to study the alicorn’s body without triggering another spasm, and fretted constantly over how to fix the damage she’d caused.

It was only in the waking moments of sunrise that the purple equine finally gave herself over to sleep, collapsing by the mysterious robot’s bed and letting dreams chase away her fears. Some time later she awoke to the smell of fresh coffee and the sight of her trusty dragon, Spike, now standing beside her.

“Welcome to wakefulness, Twilight. How fairs our…uh…guest?” The little purple drake queried as he set a steaming cup down for his friend. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Twilight groaned and stretched herself out.

“Still nothing. By all accounts she’s….well…dead…except I don’t think machines can die. Well, I sure hope not.”

The little scaled cutie delicately bit on the lip of his coffee mug as he sensed Twilight’s despair. “I’m sure she’s fine, in her own way.”

Snorting and shaking her head, Twilight turned back to the silvery pony in front of her. “It is still my fault. I just, well if I could have any power at all right now it’d be to turn back time so I could correct that mistake.”

“Even though the last time you tried that it resulted in a complete nightmare of a week for you?” Spike queried before having to suppress a snicker. “Though not without entertainment value.”

Twilight glowered at her drake. “Yes, well regardless I only hope there’s some way I can still do that via the more conventional means.”

Spike scratched his head. “We could contact Nurse Redheart, see if she can help…” He offered.

Twilight shook her head again. “This isn’t a normal pony! It’s made of metal, and wires and circuits. I don’t think her training includes working on things like that.”

Spike cocked his head. “Well if it’s a machine, can’t we just turn it back on?”

“Love to, if I knew where the ON switch is, assuming it even has one.” Twilight hesitantly looked at the alicorn’s cutie mark. She placed a quivering hoof on it, then sighed when that produced no apparent effect. “When Rainbow Dash pressed this it seemed to react, though for whatever reason I can’t get that to happen again.”

Spike idly tapped his mug in contemplation. “Well, you do still have your tool set from the library. Maybe we could take her apart and see about repairing what was broken?"

Twilight grimaced with increasing frustration. "I thought of that too. Believe me I'd love to study and diagram what manner of technological mastery went into making this creature, the problem is I doubt I'd know what needs to be fixed, let alone how to fix it. There's also the issue of whether I'd then be able to put her back together correctly."

Spike furrowed his brow. "Well, there has to be something we can do!"

"I’m sure there is...I just need time to think." Twilight sighed. Ever the considerate assistant that he was, Spike gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"Okay just let me if you need any help. I’ll be in Rarity’s room helping her with her morning grooming routine” He sipped his coffee and departed, leaving Twilight rolling her eyes and turning back to the machine.

“Okay so, you know who I am, but I don’t know who you are. You could tell me, except I kind of fried your brains with magic. Well, more specifically I fried the left side….” Twilight brushed the mecha-pony’s mane away to study the scorch marks on her forehead. “But I missed the right side entirely so maybe if I could provide some way to power you up…wait…”

Twilight’s ears shot up, followed by her wings. In a flash she was darting out of the throne room and back up to the private wing where the Mane Six had their respective bedrooms and personal areas. Finding the door to Fluttershy’s space she pushed it open and smiled in relief at seeing Discord was enjoying a spot of morning tea with the yellow pegasus.

“Good Morning Twilight!” Fluttershy greeted.

“Ahh the daringly destructive princess graces us with her presence again. How is the unfortunate victim of your little display of might doing?” The dracoequine replied. Twilight purposefully acted like she didn’t catch the teasing tone in his voice.

“Hopefully she’ll be much better in a minute. Listen Discord, are you still dying in agony or can you help me with something?”

Checking the inside of his ears, the chaotic god grinned and leapt into the air as his whole body ignited like a star.

“Not any more! It seems that just as the morning sun has vanquished the horrible night, it took away my pain along with it! For the moment at least, I am as fit and ready as can be!”

Another flash and Discord was now dressed in a tank top, shorts and a headband, flexing his manly muscles for the ladies.

“Excellent. Could you create a very small, localized lightning storm for me? Just out in the courtyard?” Twilight queried. “I’m thinking maybe we could jump start her mind, just as I had to jump start the machine I used on Pinkie Pie.”

Discord dispensed with the work out attire and summoned a lab coat and glasses for himself.

“Oooh, planning a little Frankenstein experimentation are we? I never thought you had it in you! Come then, to the courtyard!”

The dracoequine charged with gusto out of the room. Fluttershy nervously put down her teacup and looked with concern at her friend.

“Are you sure that’ll work, Twilight?”

Twilight’s confident visage slipped a bit. “Well, not entirely. But it’s the best I can come up with right now.”

While still not convinced, Fluttershy nevertheless followed her friend out.

***

Moments later, the Mane Six were gathered around a very gothic themed outdoor laboratory, provided in part by Discord. Twisted, black metal pylons stood around a rickety wooden slab, strapped to which was the mysterious equine.

“So…mahned explainin’ to us what this is supposed to do, Twilight?” Applejack queried.

“It’s simple. Remember when we tried testing Pinkie’s ‘pinkie sense’ a second time with the recalibrated mind reading machine, and it broke down? I got it working again by jump starting it with a few shots of electricity from a battery. Since this creature is of a likewise mechanical nature, maybe we can do the same to get her up and running again.” Twilight replied, to many dubious stares.

“Even though we have no evidence this creature works like anything on Equestria?” Rainbow commented. Noting the way her friend tensed her mouth she quickly added. “Then again, you make a fair point, Twilight, so it’s worth a shot.”

Discord whistled merrily as he pulled levers and adjusted dials on a control panel by the slab. Deeming all was right, he then picked up a bowl shaped helmet and placed it on the metal equine’s head. “Alright, I think we’re ready to begin. Now to make the weather a little more favorable…”

He pointed at the sky and began making circular motions with his finger. A black cloud presently materialized above the metal alicorn, flashing and thundering ominously as Discord stirred it up into a frenzy.

“And with a little extra juice we have bippity, bobbity, boop!”

Lightning crashed down onto the pylons, which then directed it to strike at the alicorn’s head. She lurched violently up as if taking strength from the surge of power, only to then flop back down onto the slab. Studying the readings on his control panel, Discord thoughtfully scratched his chin.

“Hmm…maybe a little more juice? Around 1.21 gigawatts oughta do it.” Discord whipped the cloud up in size, then laughed like a mad scientist should as it sent more lightning down to the pylons. The alicorn gave another mad lurch as it was shocked into consciousness again…while to the side, Rainbow Dash gave a yelp of pain.

“Oh yes, I do hope everyone remembered to not get in the way of the lightning strikes.” Discord mused as the blue pegasus hit the ground and blew on her singed wings.

“Awww man, I just had these preened too!” She lamented. Everyone backed well away as more lightning cascaded down from above, making the silver pony thrash this way and that.

“Okay that’s enough, Discord.” Twilight commanded. The chaos god looked disappointed but duly dismissed the cloud. He grabbed a crank on the side of the slab and wheeled the alicorn up to where everyone could have a look at his efforts.

“Did it work?” Pinkie Pie asked as Twilight carefully nudged the robot’s muzzle. She whipped her hoof back as a spark arched across to it and the pony gave another lurch.

“I don’t know.” The purple equine felt her spirits sink as her mysterious charge went limp, not even reacting to the electricity flashing around her body. “Ummm…maybe we could try again?”

“Wait, look! Her eyes!” Rarity pointed at the alicorn’s fluttering orbs. Like one who was coming out of a hypnotic trance, the metal being blinked once, twice, then finally rose to peer at everyone with her newly glowing stare.

“Yay! She’s not dead after all!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. The metal filly gave a very alien whirrrrrr, followed by a garbled bunch of what could almost have passed for speech as she looked down at her restraints. Discord flicked a switch on the slab to release them and the alicorn slipped down onto her hooves. She jostled her mane and watched it light up with the same neon blue tint as her eyes as she returned to staring silently at the ponies.

“Ummm, hello?” Twilight asked hesitantly.

- Greetings. - The silver mare politely replied. Twilight felt cautious relief wash over her.

“You can understand us?” She asked.

- Yes. – The robot replied.

“Are you going to attack us?”

- No. – The metal mare replied.

Everyone breathed a little easier.

“Okay, umm….forgive my jumping straight into this, but you said my name when you saw me last night. Have we met before?”

A beam of red light shot out from the equine’s horn, entrapping the Mane Six while her visor folded out over her eyes.

- No. – The equine replied once she’d completed whatever she was doing.

“So how do you know who I am?” Twilight asked. The mare shut off the light and stared intently as words and symbols of some manner flashed across her visor.

- I do not know who you are. – The mare simply replied. – Please excuse me for a moment. -

A low whirr filled the air while the robot equine continued to study the data running past her eyes.

- Error. Error. Severe corruption of memory files detected. Higher recall functions inoperable. Attempting to repair….-

While everyone gave each other strange looks, the metal mare beeped and jostled her mane. Finally she retracted her visor and beheld the ponies.

- Repair failed. Memory files cannot be retrieved. Higher system functions inoperable. Basic operations only. – She stated as plainly and politely as before.

“Right…and that means?” Rainbow Dash asked.

- My core systems are functioning nominally, but all of my memory files have been too damaged to use. I cannot recall who you are or how I was able to identify you. -

Twilight’s relief promptly went out like a flame in the wind.

“Does that mean you can’t tell us who you are either?” Fluttershy asked.

- No.- The mare replied. She sounded so proper, and unbothered by her condition that Twilight feared her heart was going to break in two. Sensing the stares from her friends, she stepped up and asserted herself as she knew a pony of her stature should.

“Okay, well my name is Twilight Sparkle, I’m a princess of Equestria, and these are my friends, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Spike, and the one behind you is Discord.”

The mare turned to view the grinning dracoequine.

“You…well, you appeared on our front lawn last night, during a lightning storm. When you saw me you…..” Twilight felt her legs growing weak, her eyes watering with tears. “You said my name…and…I kind of panicked and blasted you with a magic attack.”

She bit her lip as the mysterious pony stared at her blankly. It was getting hard to maintain a polite air as the guilt within her grew like a fire out of control, but Twilight fought to not show any of it.

-That would be a sufficient explanation for all the corrupted data and inactive circuits I am detecting. - She finally replied. Twilight felt the tears fall beyond her control and wiped her eyes.

“I…I am so sorry. I spent all night trying to think of how to fix you. I thought I found a solution, but I guess I only half mended things.”

The mare’s irises rotated like camera lenses upon seeing the wet streaks coursing down Twilight’s face.

- What is wrong with your eyes? – She asked, prompting Twilight to rub more vigorously.

“Nothing. I’m just…well I didn’t mean to do what I did.”

The robot mare cocked her head. – Are you damaged as well?-

“Wow, she really has been knocked down a few pegs on the smarts.” Spike whispered, earning himself a kick from Rarity.

“What? I mean, no, no not at all! Just a little overemotional.” The purple pony quickly replied. Her guest nodded as if thinking things over. “Look um, we really got off on the wrong hoof last night so I want to try again. I’m not entirely sure if anypony in Equestria can fix your memories, but my friends and I will try our hardest!”

“Awww yeah! No ponies are better than us at fixing problems like this! Even if we can’t, we’ll find another way to make you an awesome part of Equestria, cause we’re awesome like that!” Rainbow Dash proudly declared.

“And while we’re at it, you can hang out with us. The palace has more than enough room for another pony.” Fluttershy smiled.

“Precisely! You can hold onto the blankets and pillows I used to make your bed. And if there’s anything else you need, you only have to ask.” Rarity added.

“Not to mention I can introduce you to everypony around and get you settled into Equestrian society. I know everypony and they know me!” Pinkie Pie’s eyes widened like saucers as another idea struck her. “Oooh, I know! We can throw you a ‘Welcome to Equestria’ party! I’ll make it a combo celebration along with the housewarming and the Equinox commemoration. Ooooh this is going to be the best ever! There’ll be so many waiting to meet you!”

For the first time that day, possibly ever, the metal equine betrayed an emotion. Her ears rose and she took a step back as the impact of such affection and generosity from souls that had only just met her registered on some still functioning part of her mind. Noticing Twilight was smiling again, she resumed her very upright and proper stance.

- Then co-operation favors mutual goals. You wish to permit me entry into your society, I require new data to compile and replace that which has been lost. - She replied.

“Meanin’ you wanna learn?” Applejack queried.

- Yes.- The robot replied.

“Well heck, that’s easy! Twilight’s like the smartest pony around. I’m sure if there’s one who can help you find out who you are and where you come from, she’s it.”

Purple mare and silver mare regarded each other again, the latter politely waiting for the former to add her bit to her friends’ claims.

“That does seem like the least I can do. Although there is one thing still remaining…” Twlight looked embarrassed. “We need to think of something to call you. Can’t just keep on saying ‘hey you’, whenever we want your attention.”

“A good point. Hmmm.”

The mare turned as Discord lowered his head to conduct a more thorough investigation of her.

“You are unlike any pony we’ve seen before, yet you cut quite the distinct image with that all metal body, and the glowing eyes and mane….” The chaos god snapped his fingers. “I know, we’ll call you ‘Iron Mare’ The pony from another world! We just need to make you a little more suitable!”

In another flash, the robot pony found herself wearing a metallic red and gold toned superhero outfit, complete with boots and a more wild green color to her mane. The other ponies found this less than thrilling.

“Have you been reading my comic books again, Discord?” Spike asked.

“We all draw inspiration from somewhere. You can’t deny there is something extravagantly pulp fiction-ish about this pony.” Discord replied.

“No, but we CAN deny you the right to choose something that should be up to her! Not to mention those colors are utterly garish when paired together.” Rarity replied.

- In addition, there is no iron in the alloy that my body casing is made from. The moniker would be unsuitable. – The mecha-pony added, sounding very apologetic.

Though he looked hurt beyond words, Discord dismissed the costume.

“Hmph! Well excuse me for trying to help.” He said while the alicorn adjusted to being back in her original form again.

- If you would prefer me to choose…there is something that Entertainer Pinkie Pie mentioned: the word ‘equinox’. -

Twilight nodded. “Long story but my fellow princesses control the scheduling of when the sun and the moon are out. Things got a little out of whack due to some recent trouble so they’re working to re-establish the state of Equinox, when both have an equal amount of time in the sky.”

The silver alicorn’s brow furrowed. Her eyes slipped down as if deep in thought.

- Equinox, a state of balance achieved between both day and night. This word triggers a positive feedback in me. The data could best be described as…satisfaction. -

The mare snapped back to her full, proper stance like a puppet on strings.

- I am Equinox, a new construct ready to receive input. With your permission, I will integrate into your society and establish a function for myself. -

Though she didn’t quite understand all of that, Twilight felt herself beam proudly as she offered a hoof to the newly christened pony. She looked at it as if confused, but after a moment seemed to understand the significance.

- I anticipate the exchange of data.- She said, pressing her own hoof to Twilight’s. Though she knew she was the higher authority, the purple alicorn bowed to her new friend.

“Welcome to Equestria, Equinox.”

Author's Note:

After a fitful night trying to care for the new arrival, Twilight has a sudden inspiration for how to get her up and running. Though the effort proves successful, the mysterious mare does not return to wakefulness without some complications.