Work in Progress

by overlord-flinx

Chapter one: The Alpha and Twilight

...Beginning Playback...

Hello! If you are watching this video, congratulations on making your first step in the advancement of humanity and quality of life! Today you continue in your path to better the world, yourself, and all of those around you. You are a fine, upstanding man or woman. We of the Grand Consortium applaud this choice and are collectively appreciative of your desires to do good. And none at the Grand Consortium are more appreciative than Grand Chairwoman and Caretaker Celestia. That is right! You will be personally putting a smile on the face of your Grand Chairwoman and Caretaker; how lucky are you?

Welcome to the wonderful and rewarding world of robo-mechanics! Or, as it is more commonly referred to as: Robotics. Robotics is both the study and the execution of manically created and operated means to better the lives of both the world and those that live on it. Robotics first made its grand renaissance after the horrible occurrence referred to as the Blight. The Blight was and is a seemingly biological plague that decimates anything organic in its way. This had left most of the land we once used for crops and livestock in an unusable shape. Due to this, many parishes with the decrees of food-stocks. However, the Blight had and has no effect on artificial or inorganic. For this reason, machines were heavily leaned upon.

What man could do with a full stomach and a quenched thirst, a machine could do without depleting any food. What land the Blight did not touch was quickly settled over and sequestered for safety. These encampments are civilization -which you live in now- are called Conclaves. Conclaves cannot thrive without the constant and ever-needed support of machine work. However, as the demand for more functioning machines increase, so too does the need for better hands to make them. Enter you! You have opted to use your life, your knowledge, and your skills to better our world! You are a great man or woman!

This concludes your personal entry video, NAME REDACTED. We sincerely hope you will make tomorrow a brighter and Blight-less tomorroooooooooooooo--...

...Concluded... Would you care to have it played back once more...?

"Nope. I think I understand exactly what my part is in all this."

---

So... Yeah. That was kind of cheesy. But, it's one of the core building blocks of today's industrial society. In the long and short of it, let me explain everything to you. Firstly, before I give you my name, it's only polite to give me your name first. That's how day-to-day conjugations are carried out. So, what's your name?

...That's a strange name. But, that's coming from someone of the third generation. You see, after the Blight came (I will come back on what the Blight is a bit later, so stay with me), the world as a whole fell into bleak existence. Flora and fauna alike withered and died off in mass as the Blight spread through everything. Those that survived and managed to build shelters were forced to live in this dying and withered world. That's why they (The second generation) named their children after happier times. Each child that was born was given a name that reflected the beauty of the world before the Blight came.

Now, back to what I was saying. My name is Twilight Sparkle. It's wonderful to meet you. You and I have met at a very auspicious point in our journeys, I must say. I don't mean to assume what you're doing, but if you're here, you likely aren't too far removed from my set path. Serendipity to not do it alone, even if you're not going exactly down the same juncture. As you no doubt heard, I am going to be entering the exciting world of robotics!

Not to toot my own horn, but I am something of a wunderkind in my Conclave. Which—toot toot—is Conclave Keitlot: the first of the Conclaves and home of the Grand Consortium. But I don't need to tell you all of that, do I? There I go running my mouth a mile a minute. I'm just so excited to get to my first practical deployments! I have spectacular ideas to really revolutionize our way of life.

You see... Oh. I'm sorry, we'll have to talk about it later. This is my stop.

...It's yours too? Serendipity upon serendipity! I suppose things are looking up for both of us on this road. I hope to see you again sometime. I promise to share some of my finds with you then. We'll call it our little secret. Just don't let the Grand Consortium know.

---

The churning chug of the rail-liner sounded its last with a labored bellow accompanied by the billow of plumes from its stack. The wheels creaked and cried against the brakes, taking the frustrated cry of the train as their cue to cease in a matter of speaking. Ruthless efficiency brought the whole liner to its final stop, and the clattering of steel doors excused both new arrivals and fresh faces to exchange their places on the train and the platform. The platform would have been brought to life with fresh chatter if it hadn't already been shocked awake by the steam-engine's initial roar as it rolled in.

New arrivals carried over their conversations from the train, chattering away with friends or new acquaintances as they filtered into the exit platform; some with bags carried in hand, while others had attendants dressed in strict finery. Those that could afford such meticulous care from the rail-way staff were of the highest importance; taking priority in leaving more than the new arrivals just boarding.

Twilight was not as lucky to get that kind of attention. Even if she likely needed it more than the well-to-do suit with a few light garment bags.

Wrestling the trunk from the under cab of the train was hard enough and a sight enough to see for a few pockets of passersby to slow their pace to watch her. But to keep it level when it was her-size-and-a-half didn't make for any less of a comedic sight for onlookers. To anyone just passing by, they'd see this young woman dressed like some Consortium scientist struggling under the weight of a trunk more fit for antiquarian's collection than something meant for public travel.

On occasion someone would tentatively offer a hand, but she'd quickly shoo them off with a self-assured smile. "No-no! I have this all well under control, my good sir!" She'd try to assuage their concerns as they were all sure the hefty trunk was one moment away from flattening the poor thing. Twilight had been debriefed on how things were a far bit different in this Conclave as opposed to her home district.

The Progenitor Conclave: Keitlot, was by far more industrial compared to this one. For one, she needed to take a steam-liner to even get here—where there was only one depot station. Keitlot had rows and rows of platforms and stations; and not only for trains, but for airships as well. The air on this platform was much clearer though. I suppose that's the downside of having a veritable fleet of steam engines and airships: a thick miasma of puffing engines coats the entire yard. Here, you could actually see the confused faces of the people!

"I'll add that to the list. Ponvila is rich in smiling faces!" If she could reach her tape deck to record said note, she would. Sadly, that was likely left in one of the deeper compartments of the trunk currently crushing her. "No matter!" Twilight shook off those pesky second-thoughts and boldly stepped ahead, the weight of her work literally resting on her.

She'd keep that note fresh in her mind until she could settle her affairs in town. The thought would go right next to the instructional tape she watched on the fare here, and the personal mission she was handed down. The weight of the trunk was a bit much, but it paled in comparison to the pressure she was always under back at the Academy. Not so much pressure of keeping up, she vastly out performed her contemporaries. But more the pressure of working within the rigid confines of their robotics.

Toasters, steam engines, gyroscopes and clockwork mechanisms. Dull, basic, pedestrian! The proctors had all seen how stifled Twilight was under the mundane routines they ran her through alongside her classmates. However, very few were very nurturing of her drive. Twilight recalled each line they fed her, stomping on them to propel her further down the road. It was therapeutic.

"Follow the design."

"Function over form."

"Deviation spits upon perfection."

But one proctor took pity on her. Or, took interest in her ambition. One that none of the other instructors could've dared to second guess. They would scowl and sneer, but it hardly made a difference. That was until Twilight took her ideas a stone's throw too far. The other instructors were ready to excommunicate Twilight far before she could ever receive her robotics license, and they would have succeeded until that very same beacon of a proctor secured her future in a manner.

"I will always treasure your time under my tutelage, my protege. But if you wish to expand your horizons further, you will have need of different perspectives. Ones you are likely to not find here. Rest assured, however, I have the perfect solution for you... I ask only one thing in return: create for us—all of us—spectacular innovations that only you may achieve."

A banishing by any other name... But they both understood the alternatives were not much better. At least this way, she could continue her work in an off-site workshop free of judgement. Well... Seeing as she was gaining all the more curious glances from the townsfolk compared to when she was at the station, there might be a bit of judgement to still deal with. "Still—and not to be rude—these people are a lot more..." Simple would be an apt word to use when comparing the people of this town to Twilight's home city. Rustic clothes, not a dapper hat among them, and nobody had a disgruntled guy following behind them to carry all their stuff! The proctor informed her as much that things in Ponvila were more down to earth—literally—than Keitlot.

The Frontier Conclave: Ponvila. Where Hearth is Home, and Business is Good. A pretty cute slogan, even if it didn't exactly say much about the town itself. But Twilight wouldn't come all this way unprepared. The train ride over was the perfect time for her to read over every note her proctor had provided her, as well as the select documents she borrowed on the subject before she left.

"Oh, right. I'm... likely not going to be able to return those now," the academy probably wouldn't miss them anyway, she hoped. Speaking of, the thought reminded her that she needed to double check the address of where her new abode would be. The district mapping of this town was a bit different from Keitlot, so she would excuse her little lapse in thought.

Look one way, then the other. A few milling people here and there, but few were paying any attention to the lab coat toting, trunk hefting city girl stopping in the middle of the road. Twilight didn't know if she should be thankful or a smidge insulted she wasn't that interesting right now. Airing on the side of the former was probably for the best though all things considered.

"You've done something spectacular, my protege." She believed that. Caretaker Celestia—her beloved proctor—wouldn't have sent her on this mission if she didn't believe in her. Carefully, Twilight shimmied herself out from under the trunk and did her best to let it settle against the dirt road gingerly. Or as gingerly as you could place a massive chest. The young scientist rolled her shoulders a bit, enjoying the freedom of movement for as long as she could have it. Although... No, that wouldn't be fair...

Each clasp of the trunk was carefully undone before Twilight hazarded another quick scan of her surroundings. Celestia promised that things would be a lot more calm in this town, if only because the people of it were not as in-the-know about robotics. They certainly had robots—everywhere did—but they were all outsourced from other Conclaves like Keitlot, or Grifst. Frankly, it was the perfect town for a budding roboticist to cut their teeth in peace.

The top of the trunk fell open, and immediately Twilight was greeted by the overwhelming clutter that shifted in transit, and the unamused glower of two emerald eyes peeking out from the mess. "Sorry, Spike..." Twilight choked back a chuckle.

If anyone else was watching, they would see as two metallic claws reached free of the tossed luggage and rested against the lip of the trunk. Metal lightly scraped as the eyes pulled themselves free to reveal the full metal head they were socketed inside, and the frown matched the eyes in their displeasure. "What happened to 'I'll take you out when we get to the train station'?" Gears vaguely clicked and clattered as the 'dragon' hissed his anger, "I heard the train stop like twenty minutes ago!"

"Well, I couldn't risk it, you know that," Twilight offered amends as she adjusted one of the emerald-tone fins that fell crooked on her companion's head, "You know how much of an eye-catcher you are. I can't have you stealing the show just yet." It was a half-truth, but they both knew as much.

"Yeah, alright..." Spike coiled and flexed his tail, making sure all the fins and springs were still in order, "I'm guessing you opened up lookin' for this?" After being sure none of his joints were dislodged, he presented a slip of paper to his partner.

Twilight sheepishly accepted the paper but offered Spike an appreciative pat on his head. "Yeeeeah, but! I was also worried about you!" The addendum wasn't exactly needed, but Spike appreciated it anyway.

The two sat there in the middle of the street while Twilight reviewed the instructions scribed across the parchment. For his part, Spike looked around the current situation. Before Twilight would've hurriedly squirreled him away back into the trunk for both of their safety, but Spike didn't really feel that air of caution in this town. Some people off in the distance were sending curious glances, but they didn't really seem to think much of it. From a distance, Spike would just look like a toy most likely; a regular old clockwork 'drake' with some points of articulation. Nothing more impressive than one you'd get at the local toy shop, probably. But, he was something special.

The first of his kind and currently the only of his kind. A machine by most measures; but Twilight preferred to refer to him as a fully-automated kinesio marionette. A robot as most would call it, thought Twilight saw it differently. Robots across the Conclaves were single minded automatons set to carry out one task for their designator. Spike—Alpha-Zero-One—was far more than that. He could act on his own and form his own responses. He could even disagree and snipe at his creator; he was a marvel! And true, Twilight constructed him from the blueprints of a toy she dismantled, his potential spoke for itself.

In many ways, Twilight was both a mother and sister to him. She breathed the first spark of 'thought' into him despite the objections of her every other instructor, but he was also a gift given to her when she could barely walk. Those memories 'before' were still hazy, but somewhere in his 'mind' he could still see that curious child fiddling away in her toy-lab. Always determined, always trying to figure out what was next... Until one day, he was next.

"Right! We should be pretty close," Twilight tucked the paper neatly into the hem of her coat just in case she needed to triple check the directions, "Would you...?" Twilight gestured her mechanical companion towards the dirt road before them.

"Beats getting hit in the face with clamps and slabs," It took the dragon a little effort to pry himself out entirely from the clutches of the trunk, but with a clattering tumble forward he was free, "Why'd you pack so many pieces anyway? Isn't this lab gonna have everything you need?"

"Oh, most certainly! Buuuut... I want our first invention to have a little piece of home in it," Twilight took care to reset the clasps on the trunk, tugging it twice to make sure nothing was loose. "Hey, maybe it'll be that girlfriend you wanted so much."

"Don't tease me," Spike snorted a laugh as Twilight jabbed playful fingers at him.

"Mmmm... Maybe I'll be extra convinced if you..." They both glanced back at the hefty chest laying still in the street.

They both remained still for a moment, one half the size of the laborious cask of travel, and the other a quarter its size if that. "...Seriously?"

"Hey, you didn't wanna sit in there anymore. Play the part," Twilight feigned a bow as she started off down the road, satisfied with sticking someone else with the job for now, "Besides, it's probably a lot lighter without you in it!"

It was not.

---

Citizenry of Conclave Ponvila, a joyous day for one and all! For on this day, you have been pre-approved for the secondary field testing of the Grand Consortium's newest innovation! Please see your local and-or preferred physician to see if augmentation is suited for you!

Move faster, breathe easier, correct nature's petty flaws. Augmentation is the next (pending) innovation to better our collective livelihoods. Do not seek augmentation for merely yourself, but for your brothers and sisters within your Conclave. As one, we prosper.

Thank you for your dedication and serviiiiiiiiiice...

"...Sounds like hooey."

Comments

[Ri2]

Build the drake a girlfriend already

[overlord-flinx]

11775494
You know what they say: you can build the dragon a girlfriend, but you can’t make him charm her. Or something.

[Moon_Dew]

Hey, I remember that web comic. Egophiliac's Steamquestria, right?

[overlord-flinx]

11775708
Correct. I was in talks with him years and years ago about writing my own version with the characters. This story has been on the shelf for many years. I found the designs so fantastic and it sparked some ideas of my own.