Decisions...
The dawn broke over the quiet capitol city, as if a hush had fallen and covered everything in a blanket of silence, waiting with baited breath as the new day made its’ appearance.
A single figure sat one of the many balconies of Canterlot Castle, watching as he had every morning, the sun peeking over the horizon to start its’ journey across the blue skies. Skies which were, cleared by pegasus weather teams, making sure the days were comfortable in this spring time. A time of growth, new beginnings, of feeling young and strong again.
A fist clenched tightly, still feeling strength in the bones and muscles, held up to a face which, while not impassive, looked at it as simply something accomplished by things he had known, technological wizardry from so long ago.
In his ear another piece of electronic magic sat, a voice whispered to him from far away in the Crystal Empire, seeing the sun rise through a tiny camera implanted in it, giving Calliope the ability to be wherever Wyatt was.
She, herself, was another item of wonder. Data and programming, intricate processors and code, all making up a being, while not physically present, that was every bit as real as Wyatt.
They had talked throughout the night. Everyone else had left, tending to other things or heading out to the night life which was varied and fun in Canterlot.
The conversation had been heated at times, soft in others, but it was with a sense of togetherness that they discussed all the pros and cons of the absolutely insane-sounding idea that was given them for solving the problem that had been dogging their steps since they awoke.
If it failed, they would end their existence then and there. Wyatt’s nanites would cease to function, they would be unable to bring him back to the level of living he had been enjoying so far. Or, conversely, they could turn them off, giving the spell a chance to work, but then again if it failed, he would die.
Calliope had been even more worried for him. Either way, even if it did work, there was no guarantee the disease within the soldiers’ body would not translate over as well. They were treading in truly unknown territory.
As for Calliope herself, she had to make the same decision. If it did not work, she would be lost as well. There was no way to recover her, even from a backup. The algorithms she operated on were so complex and deep, that even the two mighty war machines could barely keep up with them. They were learning to keep her functioning, but only by looking at it as a combat problem. It was the only way their tactical and processing cores could come up with solutions that would work. To truly learn what to do, they would need the missing minds of Calliope’s other ‘voices’. Long gone since the day Sombra, in his greed and lust for empire, destroyed them.
The battle-comms were silent. Everyone with access to them were lost in their own thoughts on the subject.
While the two talked into the dawn, others were doing the same.
-----
“It is a solution, ‘Tia, only that.” The Night Mare paced the room, still up after hours because of her own thoughts on what was to happen.
“But can we force him into such a decision? He is so different, and though it may solve the problem, would he truly be able to live with being something other than what he’s known for his entire life?” Celestia’s face was almost forlorn, wondering if this was the only answer.
“Are we forcing him? We have tried to come up with anything else that could solve this, some spell or formula. They are from a society we had never heard of, nor envisioned existed, until Crusader awoke. They had wonders we can only imagine. We cannot decide, but leave it to them.” Luna stopped pacing, looking out the window into the glorious morning covering the city now.
The white mare turned her pretty eyes outward, looking at the sun she brought over the horizon each and every day, “If we present it as the only thing to do, I feel we are forcing them.” A gold clad hoof was held up, seeing Luna’s mouth open for a rely, “I know, I know. It just seems as if we have backed them into a corner.”
Luna stepped near her sister, giving a winghug, softly wrapping the taller mare in feathers of dusky night, “They will choose. They will know what is best for them and make the correct decision. We can only support them as best we can.”
Celestia leaned into the strong shoulder offered, both of the immortal rulers lost in thoughts of two beings, so precious and rare, depending on Equestria to heal them.
-----
“I do not know, Athena.” Crusader was sitting on a low settee, seeing the suns’ rays lighting up the suite of rooms. Warmth, grand and golden, flooded the windows and chased the shadows away.
“But..can’t we talk to them? Tell them we could try something else? A cyborging wouldn’t be that...” She stopped, seeing Crusader staring at her.
“What?”
“He would lose everything making him, him. It would be a day to day existence, nothing more. Would that truly be better?” The soft voice was more powerful than any other that would have yelled it. Making the point forcefully without raising the volume one iota.
He did venture another thought, “I have even reviewed the possibility if a personality was downloaded into Bolo cores. There is only room for one. The other would be gone forever.”
Athena shook her head, the gold and cream mane flipping from side-to-side, “No, that’s not an option.”
“It was only that, nothing else.”
Athena could tell it was more than that, knowing her companion’s feelings intimately, it was a shock for her to hear it even broached. To have Crusader even mention it meant he was putting it up for options.
She turned, taking a seat close to the bulky figure, wrapping a wing around his shoulders like she’d had done to her, knowing the comfort from such a move.
“You don’t need to think of that. We’ll follow their decision as we would anyone else’s. They are free to choose their path, as we were.”
The blue eyes turned to her, Athena could see the emotion bubbling deep inside them, though it would not filter through, “I..do not wish him to leave, Athena.”
“I understand. To have a human here, with us, is more than we can imagine. But we can only abide, not decide for him.”
“Of course.”
The two representations of machines from so long ago watched the sun make its way along the path set for it, wondering if they could do anything, anything at all.
-----
“This would definitely be a first.” Twilight was murmuring to herself, writing a few notes on a sheet of paper, some spell formula accompanying it. The possibility of changing the physical form, and nature of a completely different being was a fascinating thought.
“Pardon?” Applejack was enjoying an early meal, used to getting up before the sun on the farm, along with the others, they had been sitting and talking of the whole situation.
“I was saying it would be a first, changing Wyatt into something else.”
“It sure would. Wonder how he’d get along?”
“I’m sure,” Rarity’s cultured voice was low in the breakfast nook, “He would be just fine with all the help he would receive.”
“You bet!” Pinkie was diving, almost literally, into a huge stack of pancakes smothered in a thick syrup, “We’d help them get used to things! Being new ponies, I’d definitely have to throw him and Calliope a party!”
“We don’t want to scare them, Pinkie.” Dash nudged her friend, getting a giggle in return.
“But...” Fluttershy’s voice came across the low table, the golden mare looking down at the wooden surface, “What if they don’t like it?”
Twilight chewed on her lower lip for a moment, “I don’t know, Fluttershy, I really don’t know.”
The golden orb of the sun kept rising into the new day, covering them all with a blanket of warmth as each of the six friends pondered the implications of Fluttershy’s question.
-----
“Why are we here?” Calliope’s voice was soft, seeing the entryway into the new Museum of History Wyatt was currently standing before.
“I don’t know, maybe just look one more time?” His demeanor was subdued, almost as if giving into his thoughts and fears.
“They are waiting on our decision, Wyatt. We musn’t be rude.”
“We won’t be, they know we need time.” He climbed the steps, opening the heavy wooden door that swung silently outward, standing aside for a few ponies that thanked him with smiles as they trotted out.
Entering the foyer, he was still amazed at the architecture and planning that had gone into making this building. The stonework alone would have been the envy of engineers in his time.
The soles of his combat boots made nary a sound as he walked down the hall, ducking into the exhibition that contained relics from the bunker.
Again, the displays caught his eye, the paintings they’d looked at for years before he entered the sleep of ages, the small things he’d treasured, now shown to their fullest with lights softly shining on or underneath them.
A sign caught his eye, a new display had opened in the area. Walking closer, he could hear a gasp from his companion in one ear.
The sign read:
Calliope, a voice from the past.
It went on to explain what she was, in simple terms, the translation true to form from Equestrian.
They stepped into more wonder.
Once again, a gently lighted area gave forth relics that had been set aside for display, no room having been made ready for them until now. These were Calliope’s favorite things. A painting from a lost master, poetry she had printed out for Wyatt to enjoy. Little things that had meant so much to her, were now shown with care and love for all to see.
Then, there was more art as Wyatt took them past the introductory area.
A representation of Calliope had been painted, another large canvas contained her spitting image as if someone had described her in intimate detail. Wyatt had done so a few times, but never paid attention to who was listening.
He recognized that signature though.
Sky Palette.
There were multiple images of her, laughing, sitting in the morning dawn enjoying a drink, staring at the stars in the sky as if they were new and wondrous. Depictions of an image that was burned into his own mind, were now here to see. Many painters, many styles had them both feeling amazed.
“Oh, my...”
Wyatt smiled, hearing the surprise, “They got you pinned, Calliope. I don’t know how, but they do.”
“How do they even do this?” Her question directed to the paintings which showed her in ‘life’.
“They take your original figure and extrapolate somehow, I really don’t know, Calliope. But they got it right.”
“I’m so glad.” The soft sound made Wyatt turn, seeing Sky standing there.
“It was a little hard, going by a description, but your words were so vivid,” She lifted a hoof, gesturing to a picture which showed Calliope smiling at the onlooker, head tilted, masses of curled hair gleaming in the sunlight, “They were what I and others, needed.” She motioned to another piece of art, a bust of Calliope done in gleaming crystal, her features warm and carefree from the shoulders up.
Another motion, a bas-relief done in stone, depicting Calliope sitting by a lake, arms wrapped around her knees and looking over the water as if pondering something. It was inlaid with precious metal highlights that gave it an unreal ethereal quality.
She nudged Wyatt with her shoulder, “You said you didn’t want statues, but never said anything about Calliope.” A gentle movement with a hoof and another light came on, Calliope standing full figured in a small alcove, one hand upwards, waving as if greeting an old friend.
“That’s me! It’s all me!” The AI was absolutely delighted and pleased.
“We would never leave you out, Calliope. You are as much a part of this as Wyatt.”
The tall human nodded in agreement, “She’s right. It wouldn’t be complete without you.”
Once more, incandescent brightness came from a larger area. Another statue, a larger gasp of surprise from both the time-travelers.
Three figures stood there, as gentle-faced and real as could be, as if the statue maker had printed them from real life. The colors vivid and true, the expressions perfect in every way.
Calliope, Aoide and Thalia.
Standing together with arms around each other, smiles gracing their faces as they looked out onto the world with wide eyes.
“Oh, my.. Oh, it’s..” Calliope’s voice cracked with emotion she couldn’t quite contain, seeing her lost selves as alive and lovely as they had been in the artificial world of her mind. She was using the speaker on the commset, letting Sky know how she felt.
“I hope I did not offend.” Another voice from beside them showed a large Crystal Stallion standing there, a small beard gracing his chin as the muscles of an Earth Pony rolled with each step, “They were described to me, along with the story. I..felt compelled to bring them back, in my own simple way.” The humble demeanor struck a chord with Calliope and Wyatt, seeing the worried expression.
“No. Oh, no.” Her voice was still filled with delight and sorrow as well, seeing her sisters again. “No, this is more than I ever imagined, it’s beautiful.”
Sky beamed as she hugged the big pony, “Marble Point is so worried others will think his creations bad, he works so hard on them.”
Calliope made sure that wasn’t the case.
“It’s like they’re alive. As I remember them, they’ll be here this way forever. Thank you. Thank you so very much.”
“I am glad you’re pleased, Lady Calliope.” The stallion actually blushed slightly, his crystal coat showing it plainly.
“More than, trust me, more than.”
Marble Point bowed towards her voice, leaving the room and the statue to be admired, before anyone could stop him.
Sky sighed, “He’s just nervous whenever he shows something.”
“He doesn’t have to be. He..brought them back, gave me a chance to see them without using my own memories. That is worth everything in the world to me, Sky. Please, tell him so.”
“I will, Calliope, I promise.”
The Unicorn mare stood quietly while Wyatt walked the displays, showing Calliope all the things ponies thought worthwhile about her.
She had her own thoughts to consider as they did so, this morning for instance....
-----Hours earlier-----
“I don’t know what to do, Tropic, I honestly don’t.” Sky was joining her new friend for breakfast at Tropical Suns’ home. The meal was being picked at as they discussed what might happen with Wyatt.
The burnished gold mare nodded, “I understand, I really do.” She did, true enough, having felt such strong emotions from Wyatt when he had kissed her in response to her flirting while in the comic book adventure, her heart had never known such feelings.
“You felt it too, didn’t you?” Sky’s words caught her off guard, feeling the blood rush to her cheeks as a blush blossomed forth, showing Sky her feelings about it.
“I..no I..” She sighed, leaning her cheek on one hoof as her meal sat untouched, “I did. I’m so sorry, it..was so..nice.. I’ve never felt that way before.”
The Crystal Unicorn nodded, “I know what you mean. I kissed him that night of the celebration and..I lost myself. I let it happen. I couldn’t help it.” Her magic surrounded a fork, picking a few bites of egg up, chewing disinterestedly before swallowing.
Sky shook her head, “If they do change them, and both become ponies. I..I won’t see him again. I know he loves Calliope, but I can’t help thinking..you know..hoping...”
She saw Tropics’ mane bobbing up and down in agreement, the glorious mass of curls bouncing, “I know. I really do. If..if you weren’t close to him I..I’d try to steal him away..”
The model caught the look from Sky, the Crystal mare chuckling, “You’d so be in for a fight.”
Tropics’ eyes went wide, hearing the determination in the mare across from her, then narrowed to accept the challenge, “Oh, stop, once he got a good look at this tight flank, he’d forget you in a minute!” She lifted one brow, giving the Crystal pony a smug look.
Sky waved it away with a lofty air, “Right. Like it hasn’t already been seen in every magazine in Equestria, booooring!” She grinned, “I can paint works of art!”
“I’m cuter!”
“You are not! I have a lovely crystal coat!” Sky turned her torso slightly, showing her shining look in the morning sun.
Tropic paused, rolling her eyes upward and thinking for a moment, “I..I got nothing else, drat!”
Sky leaned over the table, “You’re an actress in picture shows, on stage as well.” A crystalline hoof gently rested on a burnished gold one, “Plus, you were a perfect Goldbeam.”
The pretty Unicorn blushed to her hooves, blinking her eyes for a moment before looking back at Sky, “You were an incredible Silver Gleam, you were so brave jumping off the roof like that.”
It was Sky’s turn to be embarrassed, remembering the thrill of swinging off the roof and blowing the windows out when they fought Pokey. Her heart had been hammering as she leapt into the air, heading for the building.
Tropic looked at Sky warmly, “You’ll love him no matter what, won’t you?”
“I..I will.” Sky was staring at the table, “I can’t help it, it makes me feel complete.”
Tropic smiled warmly, “I can see it, every time you’re near him.” She nudged the other mare with a hoof, “I..guess we’ll both have to do it from a distance, huh?”
She saw the shock on Sky’s face, admitting something she’d held very close since that moment in the Ulti-Mares lair.
The two mares laughed suddenly, seeing the situation for what it was and knowing there wasn’t much they could do.
“At least Fleur is okay. She hasn’t fallen for somepony like we have.” Sky was giggling.
Tropic nodded again, “She’s always been level headed, not like us.” She sighed, “Let’s finish breakfast and do some shopping later!” The golden mare brightened, “That’s always fun!” She pointed an outswept hoof, “The museum added stuff too!”
They agreed, digging into what was left of their meal in preparation to heading out for a morning of cruising the Canterlot boutiques, ending up at the museum to see the new exhibit.
Across the city, in a mansion as lovely as she was, a model mare sat on a large reclining cushion, glancing up at a poster with strange writing on the bottom and sighing longingly.
-----Present-----
The museum exhibition was fascinating for Calliope, seeing herself memorialized in a way she’d never thought. Statues, paintings, little things that had been designated as ‘hers’. It all was shown with the utmost care and dedication.
She was thrilled, and humbled at the same time. That this civilization would take the time, and all the effort, to make something about her.
A museum curator politely asked if there were any way they could get recordings of her voice, set down in memory crystals that would play whenever somepony touched them. These, too, would be added to the displays for ponies everywhere to listen to.
Her voice, her image, would remain ensconced in this repository for as long as Equestria existed. It was a sobering thought, that after she was gone, ponies would be hearing her voice for ages.
They spent the next few hours with a very polite Unicorn who filled memory crystals with her voice, recollections, and stories of the far past. They took the opportunity to also record Wyatt. His memories and stories, which got very outlandish extremely quickly.
A history session turned into one of tall tales, much, much laughter and recriminations between Calliope and Wyatt who was denying all the things she was saying about him.
Sky was doubled over, trying not to let the merriment bubbling up inside her get out, to no avail. She was laughing harder than ever. Wyatt’s lies and prevarication were getting worse and worse.
Calliope was trying to keep the history lesson on track, fighting a losing battle with a historian that tended to believe everything coming out of the soldier’s mouth, until he was told by Calliope it wasn’t true.
Upon which, Wyatt, hotly denying lying, came up with an even more outrageous explanation.
Sky had started interrupting, agreeing with Calliope as she had heard some of these stories before. Trying to get the tall human to stop his fiction was a fight, although Calliope and Sky gave it their best shot.
Into the mix, somehow Tropic had found them, listening for a moment and braying with delight at the outright lies being said.
The historian, a Unicorn named Past Deeds, was just fascinated with all the things coming from the strange being. He’d stopped recording a bit ago and sat listening to the tales that were told. Stories of battles and fights, of friends and companions, of loved ones dear and near.
He watched the interplay between the four, the two mares snuggling close to the tall figure who gestured expansively with his forelegs, telling them of a time when he and others had stood off an attack by some other beings who were, to his mind, worse than Sombra.
But then Wyatt had become sobered somewhat, Calliope and he telling them of things that rang so very true to ears that were perked high. Silence reigned among the gathered ponies, as more had slipped in, hearing the laughter and wondering what was happening, drawn into the jokes and fables as well.
A crowd had formed behind and around them, the museum staff sat in rapture and wonder as they were envisioning things from so long ago that not even a memory remained, but here was a pony telling them of it because he had lived in that era.
Fleur had stepped into the room quietly, seeing the gathering filling it. Being waved over by a smiling Tropic, the three companions listened to Calliope’s voice as she told them of the galaxy and stars that had been traveled to in their day. What things had been seen, what wonders had been charted and recorded for, what they thought would be, eternity.
One thing caught Sky’s attention. Throughout the whole thing Wyatt had never once been the hero, nor the one who saved the day. It was others. Always it was someone else who did the fantastic deeds that brought it all to a conclusion. Her heart thumped loudly, to her, at this. Seeing in him a humbleness he tried not to show, ever, being the soldier he was.
She felt herself fill to bursting with emotion, knowing he was a true hero, and in her mind would always be. She glanced beside her, seeing, and knowing Tropic felt it too. The large eyes on the lovely mare never wavered as more stories were related, watching Wyatt’s every move and delighting in the descriptions of things long lost.
Then she saw it. Light violet eyes that were watching the hands make motions and gestures, each smile and laugh. Though the movements were hidden somewhat by long lashes that covered them, Sky could see the results from her spot near Fleur, who had slipped quietly into the gathering.
She smiled to herself, leaning over and brushing a cheek up against the slim mares’ in a confidential way that said she knew, and understood.
When in the comic book world, one thing they had never mentioned to anypony, was that Wyatt had argued against their ever exposing themselves to danger. He’d been coming up with plans where he’d be taking the brunt of the action, to present himself as a shield to keep them all from harm.
He never knew that had only warmed them all to him, his slight suggestions he’d obviously thought were never noticed for what they were, had been. Over and again they had managed to vote down anything that would keep them from fighting as a team. He’d gotten a little frustrated, but couldn’t hold up against a united front.
That had been something other ponies would never know, except the three who’d been there. Wyatt never said anything, and neither would they, knowing what he’d tried to do.
It was still plain to see. He didn’t want to be considered anything but himself, and for those surrounding him that was fine. Ponies had told and listened to stories for so long, they caught between the lines, the undercurrent, the real story. They could tell he was not including himself because he was just that way, as nudges were exchanged, looks traded whenever he brushed off a comment.
That did not stop them from throughly enjoying the half-truths and outrageous things that he was saying. The interplay between Calliope and Wyatt had them rollicking with laughter, the entire room listening to them ‘fight’ about what was true and what was not.
To Sky, he would be that figure coming out of the smoke that one fateful night. Dressed in armor and carrying weapons that kept the monsters at bay, he’d been a frightful apparition to them at first, until they saw the smile on the strange face, the calm words and actions. Leading a group of ponies, who’d given up all hope, into safety.
She’d been let in on what was going on, the decision he’d have to make this day. She was fine with it, content to be near him, if somehow, they brought Calliope into the world as a new being along with Wyatt. He would be welcomed with all the warmth Equestria could give.
The museum had practically shut down by the time the interview was over, ponies scrambling to get back to their jobs with not a hint of embarrassment, having enjoyed the time with the beings from the past immensely. Past Deeds thanked them profusely, leaving with saddlebags full of memory crystals that would be pored over and cherished for generations.
The crowded room was suddenly large again, the museum staff and quite a few patrons thanking them for a wonderful interlude as they left.
Fleur had stayed, chatting with a few ponies and signing some autographs along with Tropic when they were recognized. A few posters had appeared, prompting Sky to beg for quill and ink to sign as well. But after all was said and done, they were alone again, among the myriad things of the past and the two who had watched over them.
Wyatt tilted his head slightly, an old habit when listening to the commset.
He reached upwards, removing it and leaning down to Sky, “Someone wants to talk to you.” He clipped it gently on her ear, stepping back as the lovely voice talked to her and her alone.
“Can you hear me all right? Just speak out loud.”
Sky nodded, forgetting Calliope couldn’t see her, saying, “Yes. Yes I can.”
They saw Wyatt walking away, giving them a half-salute, “I was asked to go someplace else.” He waved and walked down the hall, far away from the group of mares.
“I asked him to leave, so we could all chat in private, would that be all right?” Calliope’s voice was always soft, now coming through the speaker built into the tiny device.
Wyatt had disappeared, leaving them on their own with Calliope.
The three mares stood looking at each other for a second, waiting for something, anything, to happen. Nervousness crossed Sky’s features as Calliope had never, as far as she knew, asked to talk to anyone, always remaining with Wyatt.
“Um...” Her voice ventured into the air.
A gentle laugh, “Don’t be nervous. I just wished to talk to you all alone for a few minutes.”
“Oh!” Sky rubbed one foreleg across the other, seeing Tropic doing the same.
Fleur tapped them both, heading for a small private seating area which had a door they could close. A study room for perusing manuscripts and other things in private. She was sure the curators wouldn’t mind for a few minutes. After they had entered, she closed the door, turning the ‘Occupied’ sign around to show anypony wanting to enter it was already in use.
Settling down around a low table, the three waited for the voice from far away to say something.
“I’ve called you all here today, because I am going to expose the murderer!”
Shocked looks popped onto faces as Sky’s heartbeat ratcheted up, she saw Tropics’ jaw go adrift with pinpoint eyes, Fleur gasped, pressing a hoof to her chest.
“WHAT?” All three mares’ voices were raised in surprise.
Another laugh, this time louder and warmer, “I am sorry, I just couldn’t resist a small joke.”
“Oh,” Sky heaved a great sigh of relief, her pulse lowering as she blinked in surprise, “You..oh, Celestia’s name that caught me off-guard!”
“My apologies, but you all looked as if you were waiting for a pronouncement of doom. I assure you, it’s nothing like that, I just wanted a chat with you.”
Tropic giggled, the merriment turning into a full-throated laugh, “You are so bad!”
“I am, and once again, I apologize. May we now talk like friends, without all the nervousness?” She had noticed the small things that added up, the camera being a wide lens, she picked up mostly everything. That and Wyatt clipping it to Sky’s ear, gave her readouts on heartbeat, etc.
The mares settled onto thick cushions, Sky still a little on edge.
“So..wh..what..uhm..”
“I only wanted to say, Miss Palette, I do know how you feel.”
The Crystal mare started, seeing Tropic glance her way quickly, “I..I’m sorry? I..uh..we..”
Once again the voice was gentle and soft, “Please stop panicking, Miss Palette, it’s fine.”
Sky couldn’t help it, blurting out to the room, “But we didn’t do anything! I..I kissed him and...and..oh, it’s such a mess!” She was leaning into one hoof, elbow on the table next to her, eyes welling up with emotion, “I didn’t mean..I never..”
“Sky, calm down, please. I just wanted to talk. Nothing more. There is no blame here, no recriminations.”
Tropic snuggled against her friend, “I guess she..and..well..me too.. feel like we may have hurt a friend, you. You’ve been so kind, and we..we...” She shrugged, her eyes looking at Sky.
A laugh came through the speaker, warm, golden like Tropics coat, it washed over them like a comforting touch. The three looked at each other in confusion.
“He is easy to like, is he not?” Calliopes’ question was simple and direct.
“He is.” Fleurs’ voice making the others look at her, seeing the small smile playing around the edges of her mouth, “Selfless, courageous, and wants nothing of awards or recognition.”
“I can see why you care for him so much then, especially you, Sky.” The voice waited a moment, “I understand, honestly. That’s why I asked to have a few moments alone with you all. Tropic seems to be enamored of him as well.”
The burnished gold mare perked up, hearing her name, then blushed deeply, ears slowly going flat in embarrassment, “I..” She stumbled in the silence, her words tripping over each other on her tongue before she got out what she wanted to say.
“I’m sorry. He..it.. One time, Calliope. One time with such passion, I never knew...” She stopped, hearing the warm voice chuckle again.
“He is passionate and, beneath the rough exterior, as kind and caring like any other. I do not blame any of you for feeling anything.” The voice laughed once more, “I would have found it very odd, had you felt nothing at all.”
“Then, “ Sky’s voice ventured carefully, “What..why this?” One hoof rubbed against the opposite leg, “I..I can leave. I..we..know the decision that’s coming up and if..if I am in the way..I can go back to the Empire. I promise I would never..” Her voice getting smaller and more distant at each word, Tropic laying a hoof on her shoulder as she stopped mid-sentence.
Tropic nodded, “I can too..I.. I’ve got my career and..”
Once again Calliope interrupted, her tones caring and comforting, “I did not do this to ask you to leave, nor would I. We both have decisions to make, and I wanted to make sure that if anything happened, Wyatt would have someone to care for him. This is something never tried nor attempted, from what I understand, and who better to ask than three who obviously do?”
“But what if..” Tropic blurted out, stopping herself with a hoof on her mouth.
“What if...?”
The golden mare shook her head, “Nothing..nothing..”
Fleur laughed, her voice sweet in the room, “What Tropic is trying to ask, if it works, what do we do then?”
“That does pose interesting questions, does it not? Then I suppose there will be quite the competition for his attentions, won’t there?”
Fleur’s ears shot straight up, looking at the others before saying, “What? You mean..”
“I am not so blind, nor blinkered, that I would see what a new world, a new life, would hold for him.” Calliope laughed, honestly laughed, out loud, “Though I do warn you, I have a good head start, you would not win this race.”
“That is so not fair!” Tropic complained, “We’ve only just met him!”
“I guess you had better try harder then, no?” The words were merry and light, “Or perhaps give way to the inevitable?” The challenge was plainly implicit in the dulcet tones.
Tropic forgot her earlier reticence, pointing a hoof in the direction of the speaker on the headset, “Oh, it is SO on, mare, you haven’t got a chance!”
Fleur looked a bit taken aback, “Tropic, what are you doing?” Calliope had always been kind and polite, Fleur liked talking with her.
Large lovely eyes turned her way, “She said..”
“I know what she said, but it’s not right, just because we.. I mean you..like him.”
Sky heard her and pounced on that statement, her face gaining a wide grin, “Oh, no. I heard that, you said we!”
The slim mare started, a blush rising to her light-colored face, encompassing her cheeks quickly, “I..I’m sure I didn’t..”
Tropic nudged the light-colored mare, “Oh, yes, you did!”
A slim leg lifted a polished hoof, pressing it against her chest, “I would never.. I mean I’m not.. I wouldn’t...” Fleur couldn’ seem to find the right words as Tropic and Sky waited with grins.
“What was that?” Tropic turned her head, one hoof behind an ear, “Can’t quite make that out. Sky, does that sound like denial to you?”
The Crystal mare nodded, “Oh, my, yes. It certainly does. I wonder what she could possibly be denying so much?” Sky’s hoof tapped lightly under her own chin, listening to the protests from Fleur, “Hmmm, something definitely worth looking into.”
“That’s not what..” Fleur was still stuttering, stamping a hoof lightly on the floor in front of her cushion, “I didn’t..” She let out a sigh of exasperation and stopped speaking, even Calliope was chuckling over the speaker.
“Fine, I like him too.”
Tropic gasped, clutching her chest like a schoolfilly and looking at Sky with wide eyes, “Oh, no, Fleur’s got a crush!”
“Oh, my!” Sky turned towards Tropic with a wise, knowing look, “She’s doomed, you know. Unrequited love. Nonono, this would never do for the papers to find out.”
It was the model mares’ turn to gasp, “You wouldn’t!”
Her two friends bust out in paroxysms of laughter.
“Fleur, we would never do that!” The two conspirators laughed once more, seeing a sigh of relief from the single mare, “It’s between us, nopony else.”
“I know, I know.” She waved a hoof airily, “I didn’t know, really know, until listening to him earlier, hearing him put others before himself like..like..”
“A hero?”
“Yes!” A hoof tapped the floor, “That’s it.” She leaned a cheek on one hoof, stretching out along the cushion, “I guess it’s every filly’s dream to have a hero.”
“That’s not so bad, Fleur. I mean, he did save us up in the Empire.” Sky was lying down as well, taking the opportunity to relax after being so nervous earlier.
“And he was really brave in the comic book world!” Tropic added, her eyes growing warm and faraway as she remembered.
Fleur turned to Sky, but was really talking to Calliope, “I am so very sorry, Calliope. This must all seem like such a tangled web of feelings.”
“There is nothing to apologize for, as I said, I do understand.”
“How can you do that, though?” Sky was wondering, “Anypony else would be protective..or..or at least say stay away..or..or something!” She threw her hooves up in exasperation.
“Because I am not, and never have been, alive like Wyatt. I am subject to emotions, but I also see the logic in things. They war occasionally, and I am the better for a little internal conflict. In this case, there is none, I wish only to make sure he is happy. Whether in this old-new life, or a totally different one.”
“That’s..different..” Sky was exchanging glances with the others, “I..I’m not quite sure what to say.”
“There is nothing to say. Except perhaps you will think about honoring my request?”
“No,” Fleur was shaking her head, “Nono, not ‘perhaps’, we will. We promise. As friends and confidantes.” She saw the nods of agreement, as did Calliope when Sky turned her head to make sure the voice from afar saw them agreeing.
“Confidantes?” Calliope was sounding a little confused.
Fleur leaned in with a sly grin on her face, “Tell us everything!”
-----
Sky blushed, standing in the museum, thinking of the conversation after that. Calliope telling them of Wyatt’s life, little things that made them laugh, or sigh. His stature only grew in their eyes as the AI told them only the true things, no embellishment or stretching of facts.
She had been open and honest, sharing with them as someone close would. Making sure they understood why she had asked that of them.
Now, she tried to compose herself, as they had all sworn to never say a thing about what they’d discussed. To a mare they had promised Calliope, should anything untoward happen, they’d do their very best for Wyatt.
Her embarrassment turned into another smile though, watching him talking with the pretty voice about the statues, the other art and displays that were dedicated to her.
They’d been told that the historian had recorded not only their voices, but pictures and moving scenes, so they’d all be laughing and smiling for the ages. It was sort of intimidating, Sky thought, to know that maybe somepony a hundred years from now would be wondering why they had been teasing poor Wyatt so much.
That was neither here nor there, as she trotted to catch up with them, standing close to the tall human who put a hand along her shoulders, letting her know that the company was wanted, and appreciated.
And that, was worth any price.
-----
The sun was high, and starting in it’s descent to the horizon when the golden rays fell upon a single figure once again ensconced on a blacony. Standing, leaning on the railing and looking over the fantasy city, he nodded to an unseen voice.
His eyes swept over the mountainside capitol, remembering the museum display and knowing it would be there for a long, long time. They had told him, history, lore, stories were loved in this society, more so then riches and power. Except for a few, but he could understand that.
Calliope would be traveling through time with him again, but in this case, through pictures, stories, and art.
He thought of the smiling picture that had traveled so far through the ages, which now sat in prominence in a building where a race of beings that had not even been imagined would cherish it.
Pictures of the past weeks flashed through his mind, his own memories sliding with them. He wasn’t perfect, no one was, he had his faults and made mistakes.
He laughed out loud, so many mistakes. But he wouldn’t take back a single one, balancing them with all the good he hoped he’d accomplished through his life. If anything, maybe this was a reward for something decent he’d done long ago, for it surely couldn’t be anything else.
This crossed his mind as he watched the sunlight glinting through the waterfalls, exploding in color across the mountainside, down to the pools where it collected and fell ever downward. Gleaming marble buildings, architecture that soared into the skies. Skies that were full of flying ponies who controlled and created the weather.
I still don’t believe that weather factory nonsense. He chuckled, remembering the explanation about where carbonation in the sodas sold across the land came from.
As a gray pegasi flew close by, giving him a happy wave as she delivered mail from a town nearby, he smiled back.
But..then again...
He and Calliope had come to a decision. Long thought, longer talks, and not a few points to argue over, they had at last.
It wasn’t easy, it never was, though he’d made tough decisions in the past, this had been one of those that ranked upwards to the top ten.
There was nothing left to say as he stood back up, letting the warmth from the golden orb soak into his bones for a moment.
“Ready, Calliope?”
“Ready!”
To be continued.....
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Aaaargh! Another cliffhanger!
But, it's ok. I'll just console my feelings with another box of tissues.
Wyatt. Equestrias first husbando.
You Monster!
9114377 Oh it's not that bad on the feels!...is it?
9114388 Oh, nah, just a guy:)
9114390 It's just the end of the chapter! It's not that bad! :P
You massive tease you.
9114397 I refuse to be called that, minor maybe
Turning him into a pony would ruin the story.
9114465
It is also a form of death in itself.
His brain is the problem so by fixing him they are pretty much just making a pony and transfering his memories into it.
It would not be him.
Also turning an ai into a pony!!!
This idea is like building up to an emotional scene and then using a deux ex machina to just crapily close it so you can continue on.
9114465 I think it would depend on how it's handled. Although some ways can be a bit..underwhelming, there are certain storylines that would make it a poignant end, or something heartwarming.
9114471 You do make good points. Other authors have handled the same thing, some good, some bad. Hopefully the way it goes does please folks, although I know I'm not going to please everyone. :)
Live or dies the outcome would be interesting to see, not as exciting as finding Hera though.
Oh I can't wait to see what happens!
9114518 True that, very true :)
9114558 Neither can I! :)
Why can't each bolo take one of them? For example, Crusader could house Wyatt's soul & Athena would house Calliope's soul. Just a thought.
9114620 In Bolo stories, when a personality was taken into a Bolo's cores, the original Bolo 'mind' was lost. There is only room for one.
Ugh, the suspense is killing me. Though I partially suspect that perhaps Wyatt and Calliope are ready to die.
-sees new chapter, thinks it gonna give us a yay or neigh on the going pony or not option.......NOPE!- You sick little monkey.
9114475
By his logic, moving the AI into a pony body would "kill" the AI and no one has a problem with that oddly enough. And I think it's really up to the character (author) if they want to get turned into a pony. He's got a fatal condition, people sometimes do really weird stuff when they know the Reaper is almost there and the doctors all say you have a few months to live. Personally, I wouldn't think twice about rolling the "species dice" and see what I get if it means I get to avoid an absolutely certain death by pain (or numbed into a drooling stupor).
Everyone keeps assuming pony too. This is Discord and even he doesn't know what the Big Wheel of Chance is going to stop on.
9114696
Nah. While they're both realists, they certainly aren't defeatists. And Wyatt seems far too much a fighter to simply lay down and quit. Besides, what happens if the "pony-fication" doesn't work? They die. What will happen in a matter of months, if that long, from the present time if no option is found? They die anyway. Crusader and Athena have already said they've all but exhausted all other ideas as have the alicorns. So basically Wyatt and Calliope have three choices: (A) dying in a relatively short time (a few months) from doing nothing, (B) dying very soon due to the "pony-fication" failing, or (C) living for who-knows how much longer because the pony-fication worked.
9114471
How would it "not be him"? I don't think you understand the context of the plan at all. They aren't "transferring his memories" into a new pony body, they're transforming his own body into that of a pony, just as a caterpillar changes into a butterfly.
As for "turning an AI into a pony" as you so crudely put it, this has already been done long ago in this story when Discord turned Crusader into a flesh-and-blood pony. Or rather, his mechanical pony-avatar body was turned into flesh-and-blood while his mind was in it. So sure, Calliope would lose her super-computer abilities just as Crusader did, but it would still be 'her'; same mind, same intellect, same memories, same everything but in a physical, living and breathing body.
And the last point I will touch on; the transformation of Wyatt and Calliope from human and computer AI into ponies would certainly not ruin the story. We have here two well-developed characters who have built quite a rapport throughout their albeit short time in the story. For their existence to continue throughout the story would add more presence and body to the story than if they were to simply be gone. With them still around, there's the added branches throughout story development of "When this thing happens, how many other interesting ways could it turn out with new factors introduced by these new characters?". Yes, there is a good chance that they will die due to what has happened to them. Yes, something new could happen where they would sacrifice themselves to save someone else, and it would be quite emotional for all. However, simply having a character "give up and accept fate" is near the peak of laziness on the part of the author in my opinion. Sure, characters die all the time. Not everyone makes it, that's just the way things work. But in writing, when there is no opposition, no enemy, no real 'battle' going on, for a well-developed character to simply die off in what basically amounts to "Oops, that didn't work" is rather anti-"Deus Ex Machina" in the sense that while the possibility of failure does exist, there's no good reason that failure is the path to take.
9114711
I think Wyatt would do pretty well as a gryphon, what about you?
9114630
There is an exception in one novel I read, but it's one that proves rather than disproves your point about the storage space requirements to put a human mind into a Bolo. The Bolo in question had been upgraded with a secondary storage capable of holding a complete separate backup of himself or a second Bolo personality after being brainkilled twice previously, and that was where his commander's personality ended up. It was the novel Old Soldiers by David Weber.
Even worse cliffie than the previous chapter. Looks like Wyatt is getting a herd of gorgeous mares eager to make him happy.
And then they all hugged in one great big snuggle pile!
Truly, it would be better to fully flip a degrading system to whole or destroyed than be forced to endure agonizing recurrent debilitating degradation until destruction anyways.
9114711
Oh no! LMFAO! I just had a hilarious-yet-horrible idea that's absolutely riddled with irony. What if the "Big Wheel of Chance(™)" landed on diamond dog for Wyatt? You know, because Melconians?
vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/keithlaumer/images/3/33/Laumer_alien_2.JPG/revision/latest?cb=20131013005724
NFire, I know that you have every little detail about how this will go down already well planned out, but what do you think? Would you be capable of doing something as ironically cruel as having Wyatt get turned into a diamond dog? And speaking of, when is the subject of diamond dogs gonna pop up in conversion with either Crusader and/or Athena? Most likely at the most inconvenient time, right?
9114696 I know, and I do apologize, I tend to forget you treasured readers hate long things like this. I just keep writing and see what comes out.
9114710 And again, apologies. But you guys sure keep coming up with new names to call me :)
9114711 Good point, it is Chaos magic, and can be quite unpredictable. It could be quite the toss-up.
9114920 I shall have to go read that then, thank you so much!
9114948 Can't beat that then, can ya? :)
9114983 Agreed.
9114826 You do make very good points.
9115043 Oh it will pop up at the absolutely most inconvenient time I can possibly arrange :)
9115043 I recognize that pic, from Plague of Demons, the new cover. I have the original book :) Yeah...well..would be kinda..awkward? :)
Why must cliffhangers exist?!! Why?!?!
9115196 For people like me to get abused :)
9115257 Hmmmm...that's a good idea if I haven't already:) And yes, feel very sorry, look at the havoc with her Party Cannon :)
Nice Chapter! I have a feeling they are going to do something else than either of the choices presented.
I am ready for what was decided Nfire, surprise us all
9115070
Oh its not that I don't like a long arc, its just a bit of a tease it seems. But hey, you have more talent for writing than most, just keep up the good work and you'll always have a fan here!
Also, just more of a inquiry than anything, when Wyatt was wondering about the space port, are we going to see any continuation of that line or is that unfortunately wrapped up? Because part of me really wants to find something out there, like maybe a lost Bolo twin or something?
But in all seriousness, it feels like you brought it up to raise attention to it and it feels like it got dropped off the map after the museum opening.
9115374 Thanks very kindly! I'm gonna try to come up with something :)
9115430 I'm gonna try!
9115453 Oh, nonono. That little thing has not been dropped, just got sidetracked. Trust me, there's more :)
I can't tell if this is "filler" or nice SoL fluff. Why not both? :D
9114471
The brain would get repaired during the transfer as well. Besides, it's not the brain itself, but the thought patterns. If they are slid over to the new/repaired one, or it is repaired in-place, it's the same person.
9114826
I agree with that sentiment. I disliked the fact that they couldn't heal him, and having a human somehow appear in a quadrupedal story bugged me. And the original works had too many heroic sacrifices for the other option to work, and I like the character despite my initial misgivings. I just hope that he gets to keep the features that made him special, like the camaraderie with Bolos that makes them work better (although it was mentioned that the "fire" might do that too, so perhaps there's a workaround if that's still active) and the "magic vision."
Calliope is trickier. I'd like for her to keep her AI abilities or still be special in some way (databanks carry over, or some sort of special magic related to her archives, like displaying them...?). Then there are her missing sisters; I feel something needs done there, and yet that feels cheap somehow (not to mention that he already has enough prospective mares or not. Let's add a few more!...).
I find it funny that he never had a chance and still doesn't know it. I wonder if they are ever going to let him leave the house for several reasons I can think of?
9115509 Slice of life with a bit of drama, misdirection and so forth. :) (This way to the Great Egress!) Add a few more? Good grief, he doesn't even realize about how many now except maybe for Tropic and Sky. Poor guy..or lucky, depending on how you see it I guess. I understand the displeasure about not being able to heal him, but remember, this is a type of anti-matter related disease. Magic may be able to do a lot, but they'd never even heard of Anti-Matter before this. And even Concordiat scientists hadn't figured out a cure, so there is that. As for the other parts of your comments, good thoughts, all of them. I try to come up with something that is not cliche' and when people basically vote in comments, it's hard to try and keep the original vision I had. Trust me, you folks are pretty insistent about things :) And honestly, not letting him out of the house? Yer awful :P
It would be sad if one of these lovely girls got her heart broken because the love of their life chose somepony else(mirror pond)
9115494
Great to hear! I can't wait to resume the hunt! And maybe we can find something to help the gang do some advanced mapping of Earth as it is now, like a mil-sat launcher? Give Crusader a new hobby as a slice of life chapter? Comparing the geography of New Earth to Old Earth and comparing rough geographic positions and such fun things. I am sure he would enjoy such a task!
9115070
It fine, you are too valuable and good a writer to harm. I'm just being grumpy -chuckles-
9115665 I'm sure something neat will happen :)
9114962
A decade ago, it would be called Mojo(tm), the power Austin Powers has in spades. Yeah baby! Does that make you horny?
i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/001/199/746/1f1.jpg
memegenerator.net/img/instances/33490148/brave-yourself-a-new-chapter-incoming.jpg
The problems peole are having as technology advances, is actually having to drop even common stuff because, it makes things too easy. Currently, our best Graphene XBar or Molecular Storage densities are about 30 Petabytes a cubic millimeter. That is, the storage requirements for a brute force duplicate of the human mind, not teh far smaller connectome layout in about teh size of a grain of rice. If Intels Hafnium crystal straining gate velocity methods are abuse for data storage, then theoretically a 4 dimentional strain array in nudged atomic crystals can be considered for firstly storing information,which could be approaching Grahams number for a certain crystal volume, or even in place run time store processing.
Currently the excuse that can be used for not going back in time and dumping mand states from origionally, which Calliope won remember due to teh attack, is that Twilights spell is only good for a few seconds, even Crusader should have anough time in Full Access, security uplink, verification etc to do the transfer, given that Starlights spell doesnt exist as yet and even if it had, no longer does because they burnt it?
And Discord wont do it because he probably believes thats too boring? The most chaotic timeline being the one thats going to happen next?
Discord knows the true Deep Secret. Life is chaotic, because Chaos is Life.
If the universe undergoes Heat Death, everything decays into the lowest state, then there is no variation between any points, no variation possible. A state of Absolute Zero Entropy. Perfection. but, for time to flow, Entropy must increase. At some point, overall Entropy reverses. It is then possible for a Positive Absoute Zero entropy to collapse back to a compact point as Negative Absolute Zero entropy, before going Boom again. It might be that this reverse run goes through an entropic peak as well.
Time for The Final Command.
Go, No Go.
*finishes reading chapter*.........................
REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!
9115908 No worries at all! I just love the creativeness :)
9114962 I'm sure there would be tons of buyers :)
9116136 I'm writing, I'm writing! :P
9116558 Oh yes, much yes :)
9116633
For the Federation!
9116628
*Pulls out cattle prod* I can provide motivation for you to write faster.
9116765 Hey! I just posted a chapter! Jeez! :P
9116784
*Puts it away disappointingly* I never get to have any fun.