Meeting of Minds. A Special Delivery.
It is winter here, I see the snow gently falling among the town as my patrol drone sweeps the area. The streets are lined with white, and ponies are traveling from place to place in search of whatever they need or to do. It is calm, like the calm before the storm some would say.
But this tranquility, is in me. I am content, the last few months have been contentious for me, I have been changed.I have learned and lived more than any Bolo ever made, and I have so much to do. It is a peaceful stillness like water upon my data cores, untouched by the ripples of time and turbulence.
One would say it is almost Zen, but it is not. What could I call this? It is surely not the winter of our discontent as the Bard would say. No, it is the winter of contentment, of a peace I have never known before.
My beloved Bard once wrote, and it applies so well here.
“God has given you one face, and you make yourself another.”
Observing as Nightmare Night passed, the breezy autumn turning into halcyon winter days. It was interesting, seeing the costumes, the foals and fillies shrieking in fright at perceived menaces. I watched as Princess Luna made an appearance to the delight of the townsponies, surely she is most loved here. Her magic and style of relating to ponies were truly something to see, for I have heard the tale of Nightmare Moon, another example of redemption.
I played for them holograms among my sensor masts, showing them fierce creatures, things from other worlds to their delight and fright. I watched as the masks were worn, but what truly shined beneath came through. It is a world such as I would protect forever.
I watched my Commander playing games, laughing with her friends, enjoying all the things that are right with this place. I have tasked a singe combat drone to watch over her, sensors always alive searching for threats, as she has truly taught me more than any commander I have ever known. We have spent many long nights talking over the link, or during her work days I have played the best of my music files, she has developed a love for the classics which surprised me.
She is not the ‘hayseed’ some think she is, but she hides it behind a facade. She has layers beneath which are revealed to me when we talk. It is truly a learning experience. She is honest to a fault sometimes, which can be a detriment, but is looked upon by Bolos as a thing to be proud of.
“Well well well, watching our Applejack are we?”
My intruder alarms scream into my mind, power rifles dropping from the ceiling as a figure is standing in my command deck. How did it get here?!? I turn off my viewscreens of the drone scanners.
“Stand where you are, do not move.” All of my intruder defenses are zeroed on target, my interior battlescreens snap to life, surrounding my command deck, “You are an intruder, do not move.”
“Oh I wouldn’t think of it, it’s so comfy in here!”
I see a strange figure standing in my command deck, it looks to be made up of different parts of different animals, it’s eyes are wildly wrong as it looks around at the furnishings with a chuckle, I know this thing.
“Discord.”
“The one and only!” He raises his arms, sweeping them wide, “I thought I would pay a visit to the,” Here he uses his hands to make air quotations, “Hero” who saved our little Fluttershy.”
“I have been warned of you.”
“Oh really! Such a serious tone, don’t you think I’ve been redeemed? The power of friendship and all that?”
“Fluttershy has told me of you and what happened, you are not to be trusted.”
“Oh such drama!” He places a hand over his heart, “You wound me good sir.”
“Do not think for a moment I cannot decimate you where you stand, do not toy with me Discord.”
A paw gets waved airily as he lies down upon a couch, “Oh stop it, such a tough pony you are. I just came to thank you for helping Fluttershy.”
“It was my duty to do so, she is a friend.”
“Of course it was! You are so serious about this stuff aren’t you?” His eyes peer into a camera lens, “So I came to offer you a boon! A gift for helping my friend Fluttershy!”
“I know of Faustian bargains Discord, I will not play that game.”
“Oh I am so disappointed, don’t you of all things trust me? I mean we’re the same you know.”
“We are not the same.”
A chuckle rises into a laugh as Discord covers his stomach with his paw and claw, “Oh you’re a joker you are.” He laughs a bit more, it is disconcerting to hear. “Not like me, bah! We sow chaos wherever we go Crusader! But in your case, it means death!” I see a talon pointed at my camera.
“I have come to grips with that, I know what I wish to do, and that is help.”
“Oh wonderful! That’s why I am here, to help YOU!”
“You cannot help me, I am fine, I do not wish to play whatever game you have in mind Discord.”
“Are you sure?” I see the leer and the malice inside his eyes, “Something you wouldn’t want to have?”
“I am sure, I do not want your deals.”
“So be it, but still,” Discord bows mockingly, “I thank you for helping my friend Flutters.”
“You are welcome.”
I see him raises a paw to snap his fingers, but then hesitates, half a grin on the snaggletoothed face as he looks into the camera, “Have you told her yet of your little ‘gift’?”
“What gift?”
“You are SO bad at lying. Oh you know, the whole.....?”
“STOP! I have said nothing.”
“Maybe you should, I mean it is such a nice gift.” I see the expression on it’s face, a bit of consternation?
I decide to hit back, “Have I taken away a future bargaining chip maybe? Were you going to bring it up when she needed it most then? You are a cruel being Discord.”
“Touche’ Crusader. But no, once again you wound me. I would never do that to my friend.”
“You would if it made your sowing of chaos that much better. It is in your nature, you cannot be other than you are, like me.”
I see him huff a blast of air from his nostrils, snapping his fingers. I also see the look on his face as he does not disappear, instead remaining on my command deck.
“Is something wrong Discord?”
“What have you done?”
“Done? You wound me Discord, though I have no heart to grab.” Now it is my turn. “I am a machine Discord, something from the deep past, I have no experience in magic, but I have experience, long centuries of it in battle. I plan ahead, I plan for contingencies, and one of them was magic.”
I watch as he tries again and again to leave the command deck.
“Unlike some, I do not fully understand how magic works, but I can do what I was built to do, fight it. You cannot leave until I let you.”
“This is outrageous, how DARE you..”
“Do not force my hand Discord, you will listen.”
I see him assume a relaxed position on the couch, his eyes rolling as he pretends to a faux acceptance, I am not fooled.
“Fine then, state your case.” He is suddenly wearing a judges robe and wig, one hand holding a gavel.
“You will not tell Fluttershy anything of the circumstances we have discussed, that is for me to do. If you do anything to change it, I will know, she has weekly check ups in my med bay. Also, do not toy with me, I know myself and my weapons down to the quantum level, I will know instantly if anything has been tampered with. If I find that either of these things has been done, there will be problems. I do not threaten, if you know me as you say you do, you know fully well I can now keep that promise.”
“If I say I promise?”
“Then all is well and we shall part as not enemies, but not friends either. I will watch you Discord, make no mistake.”
I see the eyes roll, the waving of a taloned hand as he sighs, “Fine then, I promise I will not tell her or play with you, is that enough?”
“Pinkie Promise.”
“What?”
“I said, Pinkie Promise.”
“What makes you think...”
I interrupt him quite rudely, “Because I have been told, and am assured that a Pinkie Promise has force of law. You will make that promise now.”
I watch very carefully and record him doing so for storage.
“...stick a cupcake in my eye.. Are you quite satisfied now?”
“I am, thank you Discord.”
He waves a taloned hand airily, “Oh you are so welcome, but don’t think this is the end of things, after all I am Discord!” I lower my screens,watching as he snaps his fingers and disappears.
I am introspective for a moment, thinking of the so-called demi-god of chaos, making internal notes to keep my battlescreens up from now on around my command deck. Though I wonder..before I raise them again..is it possible... Twilight has told me of this..
“Losing a friends trust is the fastest way to losing a friend...”
I watch as suddenly Pinkie pops out from underneath a cushion on a couch, confetti flying as she yells onto the command deck, “FOREVER!”
I clamp down hard on the processor overload I am now experiencing, I refuse to ask, I absolutely refuse.
--------------
The days go by a bit slowly, I spend them watching the snow fall. The ground covered in a blanket of pure white from the weather pegasi’s clouds. They sculpt a beautiful scene, a Leonardo of Equestria. It is a few days before Hearth’s Warming and I am wanting to see my friends before they stay at home, I have been told the story of the three tribes and the Windigo, though I find it hard to comprehend, it is a fine tale.
The snow has become a blizzard as my drones patrol the clear airspace, even the pegasi are huddled next to warm fires with family. I hope my friends are doing the same. Fluttershy is staying with Twilight, as my tech spiders rebuild her house, I have not told her of the durasteel beams and armor I have put in the walls and studs, it would take a small nuclear weapon to destroy it now. It appears to be coming along fine, it will be a nice gift for her in the spring.
My drone tasked to my Commander sees the lone stallion trudging it’s way through the drifts, towards Sweet Apple Acres, it is not far and it appears the pony will make it just fine.
--------------
Applejack was laughing at a joke Mac made when the knock came at the door. Applebloom rushed over to open it, seeing a snow covered pony wearing a scarf and saddlebags standing there. “Oh mah gosh Applejack! It’s a pony!”
“What in tarnation is a pony doing out in this weather, c’mon in! Get yourself warm by the fire!”
Shaking himself, the stallion stepped inside, looking around the warm country house. The roaring fire, the decorations, an elderly pony warming herself in a rocking chair by the hearth. Shaking his head once more he sat by the fire, the logs blazing merrily as he slipped the saddlebags off his bulky frame.
“I tell ya mister, “Applejack was saying, “Ain’t fit out for pony nor beast!”
The head nodded as it turned, agreeing with the sentiment. Deep blue eyes met Applejacks for a moment in thank you for the kindness of letting him in.
Her green eyes looked a bit confused as she watched him, so many new ponies lately she hadn’t had a chance to meet them all. “So whatcha doing out in this weather for gosh sakes?
“I am delivering gifts, it is what is done for Hearth’s Warming.”
Wait a second, she KNEW that voice, but..no...
“You sound so familiar, ya know kinda like..” Her eyes go very wide.
“Hello my Commander.”
Of all the reactions I thought and planned for, this one surprised me. I had never thought she would faint.
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What, in the name of all that is unholy, did Discord do?!?
There is no way I am NOT faveing this magnificent story!
5513621 The Everfree looses.
Crusader has a Pony drone now????? AWESOME!!! I DEMAND HE TAKES ON APPLEBLOOM, SWEETIE BELL, AND SCOOTALOO IN A SNOWBALL FIGHT WHEN THE WEATHER PERMITS!!!!! Oh, and scare Diamond Tiara to pieces by speaking up right behind her when she's bullying them.
5513779 yay!
I was expecting something just like this to happen too!
Wonder what Fluttershy & Twilight's reactions will be like...we all know that Pinkie's gonna try to throw him a party.
I'm a little disappointed at Crusader's limited expectations of both himself and Discord. Even if you're defined prominently by one thing, rarely means there's no room to grow...but the guy's got time to learn.
5514782 Thank you so much for the comment, I'm glad what I'm writing is enjoyed so much!
5515276
You are absolutely correct on that. I know it's disappointing, but remember, Crusader has had a long life, knowing only one thing, war. He will learn, it'll just take a bit of time. Of course, hilarity may ensue as well
This story is not just about redemption, it's about growing, to know and to live. It may get boring sometimes, but I promise, there is always a reason.
5514999
You are having far too much fun with this
>input received.
>analyzing...
>analyzing...
>~ERROR~
>input does not match parameters.
>attempting redistribution.
>~ERROR~
>attempt failed.
>rebooting.
>~ERROR~
>cannot analyze data.
>shutting down.
I wonder how long it will take Discord to find a way around Crusader's magic jamming. Because, well, I'm sure he's going to try, and he has quite a bit of experience with twisting his own magic into impossibilities.
So... Fluttershy's house is now a comfortable camouflaged bunker of safety... Awesome
Flutters lives in bunker... I like it
Was it ever elaborated what Crusader did to Fluttershy here?
Hahaha! I'm willing to bet Crusaders like Terminater now! Beneath that synthetic skin and flesh, is a robotic pony skeleton!
Awesome!
It would even more awesome if he gets into some sort of fight with another pony, and somehow gets half his face ripped off...
So when he turns around, all the pony sees is half of his face peeled back to reveal a robotic skull with a glowing eye socket!
Hasta la vista... baby.
Called it.
Pinkie pie the ultimate troll
encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQtykURpKlBkV5YvfdNF2QU0VmBd56xEjt_JZ6uPblkj_uCOKMw8w
Its Glorious!!!! He is PONYFIED!!!!!!!!
5996619 What a twist!
HEEEEEEheeeeeeeeheeeehee
After the drama of the previous chapters this felt right. Also Crusader's absolute refusal to analyze Pinkie:media2.giphy.com/media/SFYfi2f8p45Ec/200.gif
5515334
" “Have you told her yet of your little ‘gift’?”"
This gift ... is it Crusader's ponification?
5643702
If I was to hazard a guess I would say that he has made her functionality imortal. If I am reading between the lines correctly.
Wut
There are a number of powerful, immortal, god-like beings that watch over and protect Equestria.
Crusader is one of them.
7853424 my guess is that he has created either an android or a synth, and before you ask the difference, a synth is biological.
Ha! Called it!
Pffft, Ahahahahahahaaaaa!
8981517
*laughs as well* MY thought’s exactly.
https://youtu.be/UHrDpIqx-G0.
9026082 Nice, I'd say that would get somepony's attention :)
8984016
8981517
8984016
9135047
*dies of laughter*
Every time Pinkie shows up I think Crusader is seconds away from the Bolo equivalent of a stroke
9343892
*Poking with a stick* I think this fella is dead.
"And this, colts and fillies, is a Melconian. If you see one, it's too late, you're already dead."
I don't think that's what Shy said about him.
Not yet, but only because he hasn't opened fire.
I wonder if Crusader could actually kill Discord without scouring the planet clean of life.
Pinkie, the ultimate 01 error XD
Y’know thinking about it, where was Discord during this? After his reformation he wasn’t good, no, but after Tirek he was fully convinced and was very good friends with Fluttershy. The fact he wasn’t there when she got hurt, and acts so aloof about it… is unlike him. Also unlike him to be so destructive. Being of chaos, sure, loves to play pranks and do weird things, but certainly not entropic or uncaring as he’s portrayed here!