Before the Storm
Commission: MLP: Marionettes
Chapter 6: Before the Storm
By Kendell2
Commission by Alexwarlorn
“Darling, I do have a question,” said Rarity, looking back at the list of Marionettes. “What was the point of Jet Set and Upper Crust? I've met enough Canterlot elites to know you didn't need robots for that...”
“It was more them looking down on Ponyville than anything else,” Gear Shift replied. The two were still in their prison, after all they hadn't earned enough trust to be let go free. A fact both completely accepted. “Though we also use them to spy on and manipulate the elites and nobility...”
“You didn't really do a good job, darling,” was Rarity's reply.
“Fancypants was just that good,” Cover Story quipped back.
“Manipulating and spying on nobility...” Twilight said, writing down on a list labeled 'illegal things that S.M.I.L.E. has done.'
“Why are you making a list?” Rainbow Dash asked. “We know they're the bad guys!”
“The more crimes we know about they did the harder we can hit them,” the Princess of Friendship replied.
“So we can punch them harder?”
Twilight gave a flat look. “No, we have more grounds to arrest them and we can use more force to apprehend them.”
“So we CAN punch them harder!”
“...Yes, we can punch them harder if we need to...”
Unbeknownst to the heroes and their captives, they were not alone in the castle. Spoiled Rich peaked in, listening to the conversation at hoof.
The rich pony slowly closed the door silently and turned away, pressing a button on a black device modeled after a watch, causing it to open up into a transmitter. All she got was static. “Interference...” she whispered, then trotted off, taking care that her hoofsteps made as little sound as possible. “I should report this...”
“MOMMA LOOK OUT!”
For a moment, she looked hesitantly at the transmitter, her leg trembling slightly. Spoiled Rich shook her head and began to trot out...when she heard a thud from a nearby room. Cautiously, she headed in that direction and opened the door slowly and silently. Inside was Bon Bon, looking like she'd tumbled through the window into one of the bedrooms and was equipped with gear Spoiled knew was agency issue. The older mare assumed she'd been doing the exact same thing the older agent was...but now she was holding her head like it was about to split in two.
It took Spoiled only a second to recognize what was happening. “Reflection Deflection breaking down. A big one,” she whispered.
Bon Bon gasped, eyes snapping open wide, hearing the roar of the Bugbear flash in her memory along with screams.
“Miss Drops. If you disagree with the way in which we operate, you are free to leave. But a cog does not get to decide what the mechanic does with it once it is removed.”
Bon Bon's eyes filled with tears. “No...I...I forgot...how could I...Sweet Celestia they've only gotten worse...” she muttered...then her eyes fell on Spoiled as her head cleared, the elder mare having been sneaking into the room.
The two's eyes locked for a few minutes. “...Miss Drops...”
Bon Bon's eyes fell on Spoiled Rich's wrist device. “...Mrs. Rich...you're an agent...” she asked in shock.
“...Retired...” the old mare said, locking the door and trotting the rest of the way in. “Was looking forward to spending the rest of my life living with my husband actually.”
“...Did you know...”
“...”
Bon Bon narrowed her eyes. “...Did you know what they did to me?”
Spoiled Rich looked away. “They said you were a 'trouble maker' and asked me to keep an eye on you...whatever you did must have been serious, they don't put that big of a Reflection Deflection on somepony unless they really have them worried.”
“...I found out the truth and tried to do something about it,” was the yellow Earth Pony's answer, getting up off the floor. “...And if you're here, you know it now too, don't you?”
“...I heard some things...Let me guess, you're going to try and stop me from reporting this?” the older mare questioned.
“...The better question is why you haven't already stopped me,” Bon Bon asked, approaching her with a confident expression, though still trembling slightly.
Spoiled Rich narrowed her eyes. “And what makes you believe I think I could?”
“Simple: in our line of work, you don't make it to retirement without being good. You either quit when it becomes too much for you or get 'fired' for one screw up too many...and that's if you're working at HQ, field agents have more to worry about.”
“...And what makes you think I wasn't a pencil pusher?”
Bon Bon pointed her hoof at Spoiled crooked nose. “That isn't something that happens to a desk worker,” the mare explained, looking closer. “...It's almost impossible to see the scars unless you're looking for them. Must have had one Tartarus of a plastic surgeon.”
Spoiled Rich gave a scowl. “...Not good enough of one, unfortunately...Maybe I just thought fighting you would make too much of a ruckus and attract unwanted attention.”
“Unlikely, seeing how you found me disabled by the spell breaking down. If you really wanted to, I'd already be unconscious and on my way to have the Reflection Deflection put back in place...you can't do it, can you?” Bon Bon questioned, becoming stone faced.
Spoiled Rich returned her expression. 'Bon Bon the candy maker is out for the moment, Agent Sweetie Drops is in,' she thought. “...I didn't know what was happening to you, that's all.”
“...Prove it.”
The retired agent spun around and threw a kick at Bon Bon's head with surprising speed given her age...
“...It's what they said about Diamond Tiara, isn't it?”
Spoiled Rich's kick missed Bon Bon's head, only taking a lock of her mane. Neither of them had a change of expression. Merely staring at each other emotionlessly.
Bon Bon began circling Spoiled Rich. “They were lying about you being brainwashed, weren't they? You knew Diamond Tiara was a Marionette the entire time.”
Spoiled Rich began counter circling. “I'm retired. Why drag me back into this mess?”
“Let me guess, you've been treating her like a thing you've been burdened with rather than a child this entire time. Trying to make sure she never 'embarrassed' you by failing...then something happened and you realized she was a person.”
If that bothered the old mare, she didn't show it. “What makes you think that?”
“I'm a member of the PTA because of Tootsie, remember?” Bon Bon asked, referring to the filly she was guardian of. “I've seen how you treat her. And I saw what happened at the schoolyard...that was one of the moments, wasn't it? Little 'programmed to be a bully' yelling in your face and defending the ones she was built to hurt...You're scared.”
“I'm not scared of anything,” was the reply.
“...You're scared that all this time you've made a terrible mistake and somepony got hurt by it...that if you tell Masquerade what's really happening here, any chance to do something about that flies out the window. Even if you tell her trying to fix it...” Bon Bon showed a look of sympathy. “...Trust me, I know what that's like, more than anypony...”
The two resumed their stone-faced stare off.
“...So, what's it going to be? We've both got a choice to make and we'll never get another chance at it,” Bon Bon stated, the two stopping their circling and stared for a few moments.
Spoiled Rich lifted a hoof and went to press the button on the device on her wrist...
The yellow mare gasped.
“Woops,” the older mare said, removing her hoof from the crushed device. “Forgot my own strength for a moment, you know how it is, being an Earth Pony...unfortunately I don't have another one and in my retirement getting a replacement would be very difficult. It appears I have no way to contact the agency.”
Spoiled Rich turned and trotted to the door. “Probably for the best, I AM retired. So I really have nothing to do with any of this...see you later, Miss Drops...”
“...It's Bon Bon...”
“What?!” was the universal question, the group looking at Cover Story and Gear Shift.
“Project Siege is intended to kill two birds with one stone,” Gear Shift explained, having been given a chair to sit on by now. “The first thing it was meant for was to test you against a group of villains all at once in an attack on the Crystal Empire.”
“The second purpose,” continued Cover Story, likewise sitting down. “Was to purge 'malfunctioning' Marionettes.”
Lightning Dust and Trixie looked to each other in fright. “Purge?” the turquoise android asked.
“Iron Will, you, and the Flim Flam Brothers. If we'd found her, Trixie as well,” Gear Shift explained, giving a guilty look. “...All Marionettes that had caused us a lot of trouble due to 'malfunctioning,' led in committing high treason by G5T01, allowing us to dispose of all of you in one swoop with no pony questioning it. We were still debating what to do with you after that, from just destroying you outright, removing part of your CPU needed to operate independently and putting you on labor duty, permanent shut down, or...well I'll stop there. Let's just say none of the options are pretty.”
“Yikes...” was Rainbow Dash's reply. “That is all kinds of messed up.”
“I know...”
“When was this supposed to happen?” Twilight questioned, narrowing her eyes.
“Next Crystal Fair,” Cover Story replied, seeming to be more composed than his partner. “The idea was to fake an attempt to resurrect King Sombra, something G5T01 wouldn't be capable of doing. The plan was already in its early stages and Lightning Dust had been deployed to 'wallow around the meet up point' for awhile when we 'borrowed' her.”
Everypony took a step back as Twilight burst into flames.
“Is that normal?” Trixie questioned, staring wide eyed along with her 'sister.'
“For Twilight? Yeah,” Applejack replied, nonchalantly.
“You planned to attack my BBBFF and Cadence's kingdom on the most important day of their subjects' calendar, by faking an attempted return by the one pony they're most scared of in the entire world, all for the sake of teaching us a LESSON?!” Twilight yelled, anger clear in her face, as if being on fire wasn't enough to convey it.
“...Yes...I'm sorry...” was all Gear Shift could say, giving an apologetic bow.
“...Twilight, they're on our side now...let's not be so hard on them...” Fluttershy interjected...right before Spike threw a bucket of water on Twilight to put her out.
The Princess of Friendship shook herself off. She then put a hoof to her chest with a deep breath and breathed out while extending it. “...Fine...but now it's more than just enslaving innocent beings. This is high treason and putting an innocent kingdom in harms way. We have to defeat the Stallions in Black before they ever have a chance to do any of this, the Crystal Fair is in two weeks...”
Trixie's eyes widened. “...Which means we've not got very long before Iron Will and the Flim Flam Brothers are programmed for it, do we?”
“...No, we don't,” Cover Story replied. “Given they were just recaptured, three days is cutting it close. They're probably receiving tune ups first.”
“Then we can't miss our one shot, we have to attack when...does that place have a name?” Twilight asked. “Saying 'the Stallions in Black's HQ' every time is going to get annoying...”
“It's called Moirai, Princess,” Gear Shift added.
“Thank you. We can't miss our chance when Moirai arrives at the rendezvous point in three days.”
“...Need an extra hoof?”
Bon Bon instantly found the entire room turning her direction the moment she was through the door.
Gypsy sat in her dark room, tarot deck beside her and eating a simple meal. Her captors said the darkness was so she had no distractions from her 'duties.'
A small panel slid open and she raised her head, revealing her purple eyes were like those of the Crystal Ponies. “...Hello, Masquerade.”
“Oracle-”
“My name is Gypsy.”
“Oracle, have you gotten any visions lately?” Masquerade asked, her voice never losing it's emotionless tone.
Gypsy gave a bitter sigh and held up her wheel in front of her face. “...Just me going home.”
“No lies,” was the simple reply. Another, decidedly different voice from an unseen second pony giggled at this.
The unicorn gave a sad chuckle, then her eyes glowed blue. “I see a great clash between two flying ponies, equals with great power...that is all...the Tree isn't being very specific today. It never is as precise as you'd like, is it, Masquerade?”
“Any concerning Project Siege?”
Gypsy gave a look at the wheel again. “Ask again later. I'm not lying.”
“I see. Report it if something comes up.”
“Fine...Masquerade...this isn't what the Tree wants...it isn't what fate wants. Just end this...” Gypsy asked, giving a pleading look to the small slot of light. “It wasn't too late when the Tree of Harmony sent me and it isn't too late now...but you never know when it will be.”
“As you have said time and again. Why should this time be any different?” Masquerade's voice asked, maintaining it's cold, detached tone.
“...That's the question, isn't it?”
“Ow...” said Rainbow Dash, rubbing a bruise on her cheek. “Okay...Let's make a note, sneaking into a room wearing spy gear during this whole mess won't end well.”
“Agreed...” said Bon Bon, holding an ice pack to her head.
“Please, continue,” said Twilight, the group seated after the misunderstanding induced fight.
“We should start from the beginning. I was in S.M.I.L.E.'s monster capture squad, one of the best. I thought stopping monsters and saving lives would be making Equestria a better place, and for awhile it seemed like it was...but, one day, one of the monsters I helped capture escaped...namely that Bugbear...” Bon Bon explained. Gear Shift shuddered.
“Whoa, THAT thing?” Applejack asked. “Geeze, that monster nearly tore Ponyville apart by itself!”
“And that's exactly the problem!” Bon Bon replied, giving an angry look. “A monster strong enough to devastate a town and dangerous enough to be locked up in Tartarus escaped...and no pony was warned...no press release, no alert...I've spent the years since then thinking Princess Celestia knew and covered it up...but she didn't...She never was told. I don't think she even knows the Bugbear you girls beat was the same one...If she does, she probably thinks it just escaped with Tirek...”
“I guess that explains why we didn't learn that thing was coming until the morning it would arrive,” Twilight realized, eyes going wide in horror. “...That monster had been loose for years and no pony even knew...”
“Exactly...Worse yet, it ended up attacking a family and they altered the memories of all the witnesses to cover it up...”
That sent a chill down everypony's spines.
The yellow mare gave a look of guilt. “...You know how me and Lyra are Tootsie's guardians?”
The group nodded.
“...She needs guardians because of that...” Bon Bon explained, a tear going down her face. “...And she isn't even allowed to know it...”
Applejack's face became one of rage. A rage only somepony familiar with the pain of loss could manage. “That's it, who do Ah gotta buck in the face for that one?!”
“That'd be Mindwipe, the leader of the memory squad. Get in line behind me, I have a beef with him too,” the former agent explained, cracking one of her front ankle joints. “But that's when I started realizing something wasn't right...pony's lives were in danger and because of our precious 'ignorance is bliss' mentality, ponies didn't realize there was a monster loose because of us. That family wouldn't have even been there if we'd sent out a warning. Of course when I tried to complain about it, all I got was 'that's not your job, leave it to the memory squad'...then I found out it wasn't just dangerous monsters we were after to begin with. It was anything some higher up said Equestria 'wasn't ready to meet.' And then I found out another rule: if it was out in the open where the public could see it? Let the Royal Guard or the Wonderbolts handle it so our agency remained secret. My department was only being sent on half the bucking monster attacks that were actually happening! Our bucking cover up was more important than ponies' LIVES! If I'd helped fight the Bugbear back then, I'd have been in deep trouble... And then I dug a little more into the Marionettes and 'the Oracle'...I just kept digging, desperate for anything to find something I could do to fix what I found, and found the original ideas of the Stallions. How we were supposed to be...and I tried to reintroduce some of those ideas again...”
Bon Bon's eyes teared up. “...They didn't listen...they thought I was trying to 'mislead' the organization with 'antiquated ideas'...they were so obsessed with their own definition of Equestria being safe, of following 'fate,' that they couldn't stand the idea of anything else, even if it was our original mission statement...so Director Masquerade decided to let me go...and I've spent the last...I think five years (I'm still trying to get my mind in order) with a Reflection Deflection in my head making me think Celestia shut down the organization and covered it up...that ALL we did was what I signed up for while the agency just got worse...Then a couple weeks ago an old buddy of mine (don't ask who they are, be a Changeling and rip it out of my head if you want it so badly) took me and Lyra on a 'fake mission' to 'scare Lyra out of looking for answers she shouldn't'...I realized five minutes ago she was in danger and I didn't even know, that my friend was probably doing it to try and protect me and her...it was my turn to be one of the 'blissful ignorant'...So yeah, I want to help...Maybe salvage something of what I wanted...”
The room was silent, all staring at her.
“...Gear Shift, Cover Story...” Twilight said evenly. “...Were there S.M.I.L.E. agents in Canterlot during the Changeling invasion?”
“Yes...” Gear Shift answered. “Why?”
“...Where were they when the Changelings were ravaging the city?”
Gear Shift blinked...then looked down in shame. “...Bon Bon is right, the Stallions in Black have a strict rule about interfering in public disasters with lots of eyes.”
“Lord Tirek's rampage?”
“...Too public...”
“...You knew, didn't you?” Twilight asked, eyes widening.
“...We knew someone had escaped Tartarus and about the magic draining cases before the Guard caught wind...We were searching on our own, but never reported it.”
“So in other words, Princess Celestia could have learned about Tirek long before she did and maybe saved thousands of ponies from harm if the Stallions in Black had cared more about them than their precious cover up?” the Princess of Friendship asked, glaring.
“...Yes...” Gear Shift said, lowering his head.
“...What about me rampaging through the town?” Spike asked, guilt clear in his voice.
“...Learned of it late, but wouldn't have been involved anyway. Too public...”
“King Sombra?” Rainbow Dash asked, getting where Twilight was going, and seeming no happier about it than her.
“...Too public...” Gear Shift's expression made it clear he'd caught on to.
Twilight said nothing for a few moments, then turned to Bon Bon. “...We're not salvaging anything.”
Bon Bon gasped. “But...there might still be...”
“Bon Bon, I'm a Princess of Equestria,” Twilight interrupted. “Princess Celestia thinks it's for the best S.M.I.L.E. be destroyed, the Tree of Harmony thinks it's for the best, unless it wants to argue.” Everypony looked to the Cutie Map which had no reaction. “...And so do I. Even the part of it that could be good for Equestria has become so obsessed with their cover ups they're letting ponies be put in harm's way needlessly. You said it yourself, S.M.I.L.E. has become so corrupt that they refuse to change even when one of their own high ranking members or the seer of the being they claim to serve tells them they're in the wrong.” Twilight's face become resolute. “The monster fighting squad, the memory wiping crew, S.M.I.L.E. as a whole, it all goes.”
“...I'm with her, darling...” Rarity said first. Everypony else nodded in agreement.
Bon Bon looked distraught for a moment...then gradually looked almost sick to her stomach. “...I hate to say it...but I know you're right...I just...hoped maybe something good could come of all of this...”
“...If any Stallions in Black want to change sides when they realize what they've been doing, the guard has plenty of room...but as for the rest, it's over...” Twilight replied, still resolute.
Bon Bon nodded slowly. “...Well, looks like you're in charge, Princess...what do we do?”
Twilight looked around at the group. “We find what allies we can, we make a plan, and then we take the Stallions in Black down. Check any choices with Cover Story and Gear Shift, and contact them as covertly as possible. If you've got anything you had planned, do it unless absolutely necessary, we can't let them realize we're onto them. Hurry, everypony, we've only got three days to prepare.”
Spoiled Rich pushed open the door to Diamond Tiara's room slightly, enough to peek in. Inside, the little android was playing her expensive video game console with Silver Spoon. The retired agent found it ironic that despite their pecking order, Silver Spoon was actually Diamond Tiara's 'older sister.' Diamond Tiara had only been created when Silver proved too passive for her role and needed a 'ring leader' to actually perform it.
“...Silver?” Diamond Tiara asked.
“Yeah, Diamond?” Silver Spoon asked, peeking over...then panicking a little and having to catch her character to prevent them from falling to their doom.
“...Think momma's alright? She looked really scared...”
“I'm sure she is. She went to the hospital, right?”
“Yeah...just kind of worried...I mean she's a big jerk, but she's still my mom, you know?”
“Totally.”
The old agent's hoof trembled a bit. She lifted it and knocked on the door.
“Come in!” Diamond Tiara called. Her eyes then went wide when her mother entered. She quickly paused the game and went to greet her. “Momma? How did things go at the hospital? Are you okay?”
“I'm fine, Diamond Tiara...” Spoiled Rich replied. “Just some scratches...” The old mare stared at the unknowing android, noting she seemed concerned. “...Thank you...”
The two fillies' jaws dropped. “W-What?” Diamond Tiara asked in shock.
Spoiled Rich took a deep breath in. “...Thank you, Diamond Dazzle Tiara, for saving me earlier...”
“You...You're welcome...” Diamond stuttered. Spoiled Rich felt a twinge of...something at the realization this was legitimately the only time she had ever uttered the words 'thank you' to the little android.
“So...what are you playing?” the retired agent asked.
“Super Smash Ponies Winnie-U...” Silver Spoon replied, pointing to the game.
“...Mind if I sit in and watch?”
The two looked at each other, then to her suspiciously. “Sure...but mind if we have Randolph get us some drinks?”
“No, go ahead,” Spoiled said calmly. Lemonade no doubt. Changelings were known to not be able to stand the smell of lemons.
“Hmm...” Twilight said, looking at a scan of a Marionette.
“What?” Trixie asked, sitting nearby and reading a book on magic. The others had all went off to do various preparations, but she and Lightning Dust didn't have anything to really do in the meantime, as they couldn't leave the castle nor did either know anypony personally they could call in. Lighting Dust just seemed bored and somewhat melancholy now that there wasn't something happening.
“This is a scan of Cover Story. I'm studying it to get an idea of how other Marionette agents might work and I want to know as much about your kind as possible,” the Princess of Friendship explained, pointing at it. The skeleton, other than obviously being a stallion, still had the wing holes but lacked the locked leg hydraulics that Trixie had. “There's differences, probably due to being different Marionette Series...but the thing that confuses me...” The lavender Alicorn pointed to the horn, which like Trixie contained something to act as a magic projector. However, instead of Trixie's blue crystal with a phoenix feather at it's core, this one was made of the wood from an Elm Tree with a core made of what appeared to be pony hair. “You both have an object in your horn that I'm pretty sure is a magic wand to allow magic, but very different types...in addition, Trixie was made to rival Sunset or me in power.”
Twilight trotted over to Cover Story, who was still in his prison. Gear Shift was currently being kept under guard while using the rest room, something his partner didn't need to do. “Any idea why if they could make a robot capable of challenging me or Sunset Shimmer, they'd choose to make an elite agent without that ability?”
Cover Story looked to Trixie. “Probably because we only had one other wand like hers and I wouldn't expect it to be in my head. It's one of the reasons we weren't worried about getting in trouble with HQ for 'borrowing' Lightning Dust to track her down. Other than the fact Marionettes aren't exactly cheap.”
Trixie perked up. “Only one other wand like mine?”
The agent nodded. “...Ever heard of Magic Star?”
Twilight got in her 'excited nerd mode', as Spike put it at times. “A legendary wand maker and contemporary of Starswirl the Bearded. To this day she's remembered as one of the greatest in her craft to ever live! She was also an Earth Pony, despite popular myth she was a unicorn, which surprises a lot of ponies, including me when I first read it given the time period.”
“...If it has to do with Starswirl the Bearded, Twilight's at least heard of it,” Spike remarked with a chuckle.
“That's correct,” Cover Story replied, looking impressed. “I see why your file calls you a Starswirl fangirl.”
“...I don't object to that,” Twilight replied with a blush.
“But back on topic, after Equestria made contact with Neighpon, Mage Meadowbrook's exploits came over as well. Including the legend of how she summoned a giant Shisa to defeat a dragon and save a city,” the agent continued, seeming to actually like the subject he was talking about. “It was around this time Starswirl defeated the Sirens, so Magic Star requested both of their presences. She had gotten her hooves on a very special and near impossible to get material to make wands, and wanted to use it to make wands for two magic users that deserved it the most. So she worked together with each of them to craft unique wands, custom made for their users. As you can guess, two of the greatest magic users to have ever lived working together with history's greatest magic wand maker turned out two incredible wands. The Stallions in Black managed to find both of them, and Mage Meadowbrook's legendary Crystal Wand, one of her Eight Enchanted Objects, is right there.”
Trixie blinked as Cover Story pointed at her horn. “...Trixie has a legendary magical artifact for a horn?!” she asked, blinking and staring at her own horn in amazement. “...Trixie is not opposed to having a legendary magical artifact for a horn..”
“Why is it that prototypes are always stronger than everything else?” Spike questioned, noting that Trixie was the original Marionette and the first G4 Marionette.
“Lots of reasons, but in this case, to rival somepony we projected to be a Starswirl, Meadowbrook, or Snowfall Frost level unicorn, potentially an Alicorn one day. We didn't really have a choice but to use the best we could get. We just didn't expect her to be able to do anything with it outside her programming like she has,” the agent explained, then looking back to Trixie. “It's one of the reasons that we reused your AI: the Crystal Wand just didn't seem to want to work for another Marionette.”
“Not surprising,” Twilight said, looking a bit closer at Trixie's horn than the android seemed comfortable with. “Powerful magic wands tend to grow very loyal to their owners, it's likely it considers Trixie just that. It also explains her proficiency in show magic; what I've read about Meadowbrook suggests she had a love of kabuki theater.”
“Twilight, Trixie appreciates you being interested in her greatness, but this is bit much,” Trixie said, Twilight examining her horn only a few inches from it.
“But it's a legendary magical artifact!”
“Yes, but it's Trixie's horn, and Trixie would appreciate it remaining untouched on her head...look, don't touch.”
Twilight blinked, then blushed. “Sorry...I just get carried away around ancient magical artifacts...”
Trixie gave a sigh, then smiled excitedly. “It's alright...though Trixie IS quite happy that her horn is a legendary magical artifact of great note! Between that and her being made of mithril, Trixie must be worth a pretty penny!” she exclaimed in her typical, hammy way. She followed this by giving a thoughtful look. “Twilight, Meadowbrook was an Eastern Unicorn, right?”
The Princess of Friendship nodded. “Yes, often considered the eastern equivalent of Starswirl the Bearded. I've researched her a bit more since the Starlight incident.”
“...Do you have any books on eastern magics?”
Twilight nodded. “Lots! They're in the library!”
“Which one?”
Twilight blushed slightly. “...The one on the third floor. Spike, can you show her where it is?”
The baby drake nodded. “Sure, Twilight.”
Trixie nodded. “Trixie believes she will go take a look at them...” she replied, getting up and trotting towards the door. “...Lightning Dust?”
Lightning Dust jumped. “Huh? What?”
“Do you want to come with Trixie?” the azure android asked her 'sister.' “You look quite bored.”
The turquoise Marionette blinked. “Uh, okay...”
“Enjoy the books!” Twilight said, looking far more excited than the average pony would at ponies wanting to read. As the three left, she tapped her chin. “...Cover Story, if Meadowbrook's wand is in Trixie's horn, where's Starswirl's?”
The gray android shrugged. “Sorry, Princess. That's classified information, even for me. And what I just told you about her wand is so classified only elite agents and higher even know it.”
“So...” Rainbow Dash started, walking Gear Shift (who was in a force field bubble with a magically generated chain tethering it to her ankle). “Were you always a creepy agent or did you do something before that?”
Gear Shift blinked. “You care?”
“Just curious. That, and you're one of the only ponies I've ever met that can keep up with me that isn't a Wonderbolt,” the cyan pegasus replied, giving a smirk. “So I'm interested now that you're on our side.”
Gear Shift actually chuckled. “...You guessed it when we fought: I used to be a professional sprinter,” he explained, giving a nostalgic smile. “Got my Cutie Mark flying track and cloud as a colt. I wanted to make it the Equestrian Games one day...” he continued, then frowned. “Then a S.M.I.L.E. recruiter came up to me and offered me a chance to protect Equestria...they made it sound so convincing. That I would be doing such a great service for everypony...made me feel guilty for considering turning them down for what I wanted...If I took it, I'd be an agent, if I refused, they said the whole meeting would just be a dream...I took the bait...”
Rainbow Dash frowned. “...You still want to be a sprinter some day?”
“...You think I still can?” the stallion asked, blinking. “I'm probably looking at jail time for all this...”
“We're 'friends' with Discord, one of our Princesses was Nightmare Moon, and I did all of this for a mare who publicly humiliated me and three of my friends, then took over my town...Plus, I kinda want an actual race with you one day,” the cyan pegasus remarked. “So anything's possible. Especially if you help us out here.”
“Thanks...I'll think about it...”
Rainbow Dash's face then became serious. “But if you turn on us, I'm totally kicking your flank. Again.”
“Fair enough.”
Trixie sat at a table in the library, a book open in front of her with a paper and quill beside it. She kept writing a Neighponese symbol with her telekinesis over and over. Spike had simply left to go keep Twilight company after dropping them off.
Lightning Dust...just sat tapping a hoof on the desk in a bored...but also strangely somber manner. This continued for several minutes until she finally gave an annoyed sigh. “...Trixie?”
“Yes, Lightning Dust,” the azure android asked, carefully writing the symbol again.
“...I've been thinking, now that we've actually got time to think, and...does it bother you that...you know...”
Trixie looked up from her studies. “What?”
The turquoise android sighed. “Ugh, I'm not good at this stuff...just...”
“Trixie is the only one you can talk to that will understand other than Cover Story and you still don't trust him yet?”
“Yeah...What I mean is...you know, does it bother you that it was...never real?”
The unicorn Marionette cocked her head. “Which thing?”
“ALL of it!” Lightning Dust replied, looking...uncertain...pained. “I get it, we're real...we're ponies. We have souls, whatever. We've covered that...I mean...everything before we were made...”
“...Oh, that...” Trixie replied, now looking a bit somber now as well. “...One thing does bother Trixie...”
The pegasus android looked up, exposed optic focusing. “What?”
“...My mother, an orange unicorn with a sunflower wand Cutie Mark...she was a good, kind pony...she always encouraged me...she was kind to me....” Trixie explained, showing a bit of sadness and dropping the third person speech. “...And she never existed at all.”
Lightning Dust gave a nod. “Same with my dad. I remember him being this awesome flyer, always making me want to get better and be like him...then he died in a crash...” The pegasus then blinked before rubbing her head. “...Okay, that last part being fake is kinda a good thing the more I think about it...”
Trixie cringed. “Agreed...seriously, who the buck came up with these back stories?! That's just messed up! Not to mention purely for shock value...However...”
Lightning Dust cocked her head. “What?”
Trixie chuckled. “...Her mother is about the only thing that bothers Trixie...” the azure android gave a smile. “Because Trixie was, to put it mildly, a self-centered, narcissistic plothole.”
The turquoise android merely stared in shock.
“Trixie's life, or what she believed to be her life, consisted of 'go from town to town telling self glorifying stories, then publicly humiliating anypony who heckled her.' That was literally Trixie's existence. Well, that and going to the School for Gifted Unicorns, but that actually happened...at least to Trixie 1.0. Meanwhile, after her failsafes were fried, Trixie has been Queen of Dimondia (Trixie was a fair and just ruler for her brief reign), apprehended a master jewel thief...and made more friends than she ever made in her fake memories. Trixie's best memories are her real memories...Trixie realized that when we discovered everything after the Alicorn Amulet was Trixie, it's only more true now.”
“Wow...hadn't thought about it that way...I was kinda a plothole myself...I think Spitfire called my actions 'sociopathic'...can't say she was lying...Feels better being the good guy...”
“Oh undoubtedly...” Trixie then gave a serious look. “Also, if you tell anypony that Trixie got this sappy, she'll deny it. She's only telling you because no pony else would understand and us reformed baddies and robot ponies gotta stick together...also you're kind of Trixie's baby sister and Trixie doesn't want to be a bad big sister.”
“Same here...wait, baby sister?!”
The azure android gave a smirk. “Trixie is the oldest Marionette by a large margin and she is going to enjoy it...In fact, come to think about it, Trixie is probably the only Marionette who looks her age given Twilight was a filly when she became Princess Celestia's student and Trixie is older than that.”
Lightning Dust rolled her eyes (well, eye and optic). “Fine, 'big sister', just don't go bossing me around...”
“Trixie can respect that, she doesn't like being bossed around either...Also, Trixie doesn't like the name 'Marionette,' as soon as we save our brothers and sisters, we're so changing that.”
“Oh yeah, agreed, big time...Ponydroids?”
“Good one. Trixie was going to suggest Equindroids...and it just occurred to Trixie that Iron Will and Well-to-Do are minotaurs and Long Horn and his group are bulls...”
“Oh yeah...Dang it!” Lightning Dust muttered...then her depressed mood returned. “You know, 'big sister,' there is one other thing that bothers me though...”
Trixie looked serious. “Yes?”
Lightning Dust looked down at her hooves. “...I like to push myself. I know that's me. I like to go to the limit then push past it...” she explained, flexing her forelegs. “...Now I know my limits are built in...I can't do that anymore...That really does stink...” the turquoise android noticed Trixie start laughing. “What's so funny?”
Trixie started practicing the symbols again. “...'That's not real magic, it's fake,' or 'Stage magic is all you're good at, you're not a real magician.' Those are words Trixie knows well, both in her fake memories and her real ones...she also distinctly remembers our new friends saying the words 'she's not capable of freezing or wind spells. Lightning magic is the most advanced she should be able to do.' Trixie proved them wrong...Trixie has always been called limited, even before she realized she was an android. And she never liked listening.”
Trixie finally seemed to get the symbol to her liking and set it down, focusing on it. “Are our physical limits built in? Maybe...but Trixie will do what she's always done.”
The azure android looked at the book one last time, then her horn glowed. She quickly swung her head, each swing of her horn leaving a glowing line of magic in the air until it formed a '桜'. She then swung her head through it, causing it to spin. The magic turned into a swirling mass of cheery blossoms that circled beautifully around them. She looked to her 'sister' with a smirk. “Make up for what she can't do with what she can do.”
Lightning Dust watched the blossoms swirl around them in awe. “What is this?”
“An eastern form of magic using the Neighponese written language as runes. It charges in a different way: instead of building up magic in the horn, it builds it up in the symbols. While it takes much more time and effort, requiring precise strokes with no errors, it allows a unicorn to perform a spell with much less strain on their horn, sometimes a spell their horn couldn't handle the strain of normally...Trixie's horn has Meadowbook's wand in it, and she was an eastern unicorn after all, so of course her wand can do it...” Trixie explained, giving a theatrical bow. “...You've still got pegasus magic, that means there's a lot more you can do even if your muscles can't grow. If you can't push one limit, just push another you can.”
Lightning Dust let one of the petals land on her hoof. “...Thanks...big sister...”
“You're welcome, baby sister...”
Princess Twilight continued examining the projection of Cover Story's Marionette body. She noted that he had more solid parts than Trixie, specifically in his legs and neck. His horn also had less of it's base inside of him. “Interesting...what do you think your Series code stands for? EA?”
“Probably 'Elite Agent,'” replied the android. “That's what I am.”
“And I take that there won't be that many?”
Cover Story shook his head. “No, there won't be. Even if my number is 072, if that were the actual number there'd be more Elite Agent Marionettes than there are Elite Agents. And even with our resources, that'd be hard to afford. Probably more likely they've been constructing, retiring, and...recycling them before the G4 Trial Series were introduced. Explains the time gap between the G3s and the G4s.”
That description made Twilight shudder. “Noted...” She then gave an uneasy look, looking to the android. “...Sorry...I just realized I've been treating you as a reference guide this whole time...”
Cover Story chuckled. “Princess, I AM being interrogated. Kinda to be expected.”
“True...but...all this discussion about the Marionettes being ponies instead of just machines...” the Princess of Friendship replied. “...Cover Story, what are you going to do after this is over?”
“...I don't know...” the android agent replied, looking thoughtful. “...I never really had any goal other than to do the agency's will before now. To be honest, I think I'm still growing a personality at the moment...I guess maybe I'll just go wherever Gear Shift goes. He's my best friend, that much I know. I go where he goes, just you know...slower...”
Twilight gave a smile. “That's noble of you, Cover Story.”
Cover Story trotted to the edge of his prison and looked at the Cutie Mark. “...Think I should change my name?”
The alicorn blinked. “Huh? Why?”
“...Cover Story has to be the least creative name I've ever heard for a secret agent. What idiot that thought up?”
Princess Twilight stifled a laugh. “...You're right...How about Shades?”
Cover Story looked at his Cutie Mark. “Hehe...not your most creative suggestion, princess.”
“Hey, I never had to name somepony before!” Twilight replied.
The two shared a laugh, then got back to research.
“So I need to press this button?” Spoiled Rich asked, trying to hold the controller with her hoofs.
“No, that button!” Diamond Tiara said, pointing to another one.
“Oh, I see...” the old mare replied. She blinked, looking down at the young android...It was strange seeing her enjoying having her 'mother' around...
“Oh come on!” said Rainbow Dash, giving an annoyed sigh.
“Sorry, Rainbow Dash,” replied Gear Shift, now back in his prison with his partner. “The Wonderbolts were infiltrated fairly early on...though I can suggest Surprise if you can contact her covertly.”
The cyan Pegasus gave a blink. “Why?”
“She was our original guess for Element of Laughter...” Cover Story explained. “So we kinda...forgot about her after we shifted our interest. She's the Bolt we're paying least attention to, period.”
Rainbow Dash stared in blind shock for a few moments.
“Makes sense!”
Everypony jumped a foot in the air as Pinkie Pie suddenly appeared behind them. “Lauren Faust wanted me to be her in the first place!” Everypony just stared at the smiling pink party pony in confusion. “...Hey! Is Cheese Sandwich a good pick?!”
“Uh....yeah, he's a traveling version of you, he's kind of impossible to keep track of...” Cover Story replied, looking like he was trying to will himself not to think too much about Pinkie's random interruption.
“Cool! What about my sister Maud?!”
“She rarely showed anything of note frequently enough for us to pay attention, she's fine...” Gear Shift replied. “You're...not upset about Surprise?”
“Thank you! And why would I be, silly?! She's a big important Wonderbolt now! That's just as fun as being Element of Laughter!”
“...This is one of the reasons we kept using such advanced AIs...” Cover Story admitted, looking to Rainbow Dash. “We projected Pinkie Pie would cause any less advanced AI's head to explode from her mere existence.”
“...Can't say I blame you...” Rainbow Dash replied as Pinkie hopped behind her throne and vanished. “...What about Gilda?”
The two agents looked at each other. “Gilda? You're friends with her again?” Cover Story asked.
“Yeah, long story short; Cutie Map, Griffonstone, us friends again,” replied the cyan pegasus.
“...It appears the Tree of Harmony didn't tell Gypsy any of the things it used the Map to tell you,” the gray android replied. “Gilda is in the same boat as Surprise. She was our original guess for the Element of Kindness before Griffonstone...'ruined' her and we changed gears to Fluttershy.”
Fluttershy, who had been sitting at her throne, trying to make a call on a phone shaped like a Discord-shaped lamp holding a Fluttershy-shaped lamp that Discord had left her to contact him (no such luck), looked up. “What?”
“We only had you to go on,” Gear Shift explained. “Gypsy's visions were vague at first, getting more precise as we got closer, and even then they weren't exact...and to be honest, we still got all but three of you wrong...” he explained, rubbing his head. “Gilda was our first guess about the Element of Kindness...we changed our guess to Fluttershy after that.”
“In retrospect, the fact we ended up on a wild goose chase the night you defeated Nightmare Moon trying to get Lemon Hearts, Minuette, Twinkle Shine, and Moon Dancer to Ponyville and by the time we realized that we had the wrong ponies, you'd already won should have clued us in that Gypsy was right we were doing something wrong. Instead we just assumed we'd gotten her vision wrong,” Cover Story commented. “Then again, she only said 'we were neither wrong nor right'...she tends to speak in riddles a lot of the time...”
“...No offense, but you guys are morons...” Rainbow Dash replied flatly.
“No, we were zealots, there's a difference,” was the android agent's response.
“Whatever...” the mare replied...then noticed Fluttershy looking somber. “Fluttershy?” she asked. The pegasus flew over to her cream colored friend. “What's wrong?”
The shy pegasus jumped a little. “Oh! Nothing just...” Fluttershy said, looking down. “...I just realized...they're right. Me and Gilda were really alike back then, we even met you the same way...and...and she could have been me or me her...I mean, you've seen 'New Fluttershy...'”
Rainbow Dash cringed. “Yeah...”
“...Do you wish she'd been the Element of Kindness instead?”
Rainbow Dash's eyes widened. “What?! Why?!”
Fluttershy turned to her with a sad look. “...She's athletic like you...she's strong like you...I'm just...shy little Fluttershy...I thought maybe you'd...”
The cyan pegasus put her hooves on Fluttershy's shoulders and looked her in the eyes. “No.”
“Huh?”
“No, I don't wish it'd been her,” Rainbow Dash replied, completely seriously. “Gilda is Gilda, you're you. Do I wish Gilda didn't get screwed up by her hometown? Yeah, I do. Big time. But the Stallions in Black are the only ponies who see you as a 'back up' Gilda! And I don't give a flying feather about their opinion and neither should you!”
Fluttershy sniffled. “Really?”
The cyan pegasus nodded definitely. “You're my friend. Don't beat yourself up over 'what ifs' or 'coulda beens.'”
“...Okay...thank you, Rainbow Dash...” Fluttershy replied, giving her friend a hug.
Rainbow Dash shared it...then separated quickly. “Alright, enough with the sappy stuff, okay?”
“Okay...” Fluttershy replied with a small smile. She then returned to the phone.
Rainbow Dash gave a smile, then turned back to the agents. “Got a few more...”
“You have reached the voice message box of Discord, supreme overlord of chaos. Please leave a message after the explosion. If you are Fluttershy, press one now.”
Fluttershy blinked. “That's new...” she muttered, then pressed one.
“Hello Fluttershy! Not available right now! And won't be until Hasbro can afford another John De Lancie appearance! But if you've called this many times in a row, you must be in need of my fantastic company. Here's a Mini Discord I prepared for just this situation! Be careful not to overwork him, he doesn't have that much power!...Because he's a mini Discord, not an awesome full-sized Discord like me.”
“Hello!”
The shy pegasus fell backwards with a shout as a tiny Discord appeared in front of her.
Bon Bon carefully stirred a batch of candy in the castle kitchen, a downtrodden look on her face.
Slowly, Pinkie Pie peeked her head up over the side of the banister with a slide-whistle sound effect.
“...No, you can't have any yet...” the yellow Earth Pony replied...then blinked as Pinkie Pie hugged her. “What are you doing?”
“Hugging you.”
“Why?”
“You looked sad!” the pink party pony replied. “What's wrong, Bonnie?”
Bon Bon sighed. “...I'm not going to ask how you can tell.”
“Pinkie Sense!” Pinkie Pie replied, but elaborated no further than that.
“Right...I...” the Earth Pony candymaker gave a sigh. “...I guess...it's just...I tried to make everything right. I tried to fix all of this years ago...and I failed...I guess I just feel like this is my fault...” the mare put down the pot of cookie mix. “...I tried to do the right thing...just...it didn't work. I could have done a million other things but the one I did just got me brainwashed and let S.M.I.L.E. just get worse and worse...I feel like a failure...”
“...I know how you feel...”
Bon Bon blinked, looking the pink Earth Pony, who's mane seemed to go a little straighter. She gasped at the sight of Pinkie not smiling “...I try to do the right thing all the time! I mean all the time!...But...sometimes I mess up...like when Fluttershy was being a singer, I thought I was being funny but I was just making her feel bad!...Or when I tried to sing to stop the Buffalo and Appleloosa from fighting...” Pinkie Pie explained, mane going a bit straighter. “All I did was make them start fighting again...but...”
“What?”
The pink party pony's mane suddenly poofed back out. “But we're doing the right thing now, right?!”
Bon Bon jumped a little bit. “Uh...yes...we are...we're trying to stop the Stallions from hurting anypony else so yes, we are...”
“Then we shouldn't be down in the dumps about it! We should do our best to make sure we don't mess up now when it really counts! Right?!”
The former agent looked conflicted. “...How do we make sure?”
“We can't...but we can do our best! That's all anypony can do, right?!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “We beat big meanies like Discord, Chrysalis, and Tirek! We can beat these big meanies!”
“...Hehe...I guess you're right...Thanks...”
“You're welcome!” the pink party pony exclaimed gleefully. “So, what are you making? It smells good!”
Bon Bon blinked. “Oh, right...these are special candies designed to help ponies recover mana faster. We're going to need it, especially if we're going to have to fry multiple Marionette's failsafes. Plus, our Marionettes can use the sugar for a boost to their engines. I can kick plenty of flank, but I want to help more than just that.”
Pinkie gave a wide smile. “See, Bonnie! You're not a failure! You're a big help!”
The yellow mare blinked...then laughed. “...I guess you're right.”
“Good, because we're about to have a preparation montage, so everypony will have to do their part!”
“Say what now?”
[=Super Bomberman Boss Battle [DeMolay Remix]=]
“Twilight, Trixie isn't sure about this...” Trixie said, her and Lightning Dust currently in sitting on in one of the many rooms, Twilight floating a blue crystal that seemed to give off a fog in her telekinesis. The Princess of Friendship set it in a silver metal casing with absolute care.
“Don't worry, Trixie. According to Cover Story and Gear Shift, the Marionettes are made to be modular and the G5 ones will have a cooling component,” Twilight explained. “This is probably what they'll be using...” She saw that Trixie still wasn't convinced and put a hoof on her shoulder, feeling the heat her body built up. “Trust me, Trixie. I wouldn't even be considering this if I wasn't sure it was safe. You're my friend, not a science project.”
The azure Marionette looked thoughtful, then gave a sigh. “...Only because you're Trixe's friend.”
Trixie reared all the way up, exposing her chest, right under her neck.
“How do you feel?” Twilight asked.
Trixie looked down as Twilight used a spell to finish patching up her chest. She could hardly tell anything had been done. Probably because intangibility spells had been used to minimize any damage. “...Cool...” she stated, blinking. She didn't feel the heat she normally did. It wasn't unpleasant, quite the opposite. It felt like stepping into the shade. “Much better in all honesty.”
“Good! That should take care of the heating problem! Your efficiency should go up tremendously!” Twilight replied, giving a smile. “Your turn Lightning Dust!”
Lightning Dust jumped. “Uh...okay...”
“Uh, okay, I get you installed some weird crystal in my chest to keep me cool, but what are you doing with my eye?” Lightning Dust asked as Twilight finished working on her exposed optic.
A crystal lens had been installed in front of her optic such that it moved with it, a small button attached to her endoskeleton and connected by wires. While not quite as refined as the metal around it, it'd still fit underneath a synthetic eye fairly well and the button positioned such that even if it'd been hidden beneath her false skin should could press it. Twilight had done a good job.
Twilight's horn glowed and the lights went off. “Press the button.”
Lightning Dust blinked and raised a hoof, pressing it to the button. The lens glowed green and, from her perspective, the room became as bright as daylight. She closed her other eye and looked around. “Whoa...what did you do?”
“Night vision spell imbued into a crystal! Just like the cooling crystal!” Twilight exclaimed excitedly. “We're going to be going at night and might need to go through dark rooms, so I decided to try it, do you like it?”
Lightning Dust gave a smirk. “Oh yeah, I like this!”
“...Can Trixie have a night vision upgrade?” Trixie asked as Lightning Dust deactivated her upgrade and the lights came back on, revealing that while Twilight had given Lightning Dust the upgrade, Applejack was taking advantage of Trixie's exposed hip to do some maintenance.
“Sure, but I don't have the proper stuff to fix your fake eye, so you'd end up with an exposed optic,” Twilight replied.
“...Pass...” the azure android replied, shuddering a little. “Trixie likes her eye. ”
“There, all done, sugar cube,” Applejack said with a smile, letting Trixie's auto-repair systems seal up her oil line where she'd just finished performing an oil change.
“Thank you...but was an oil change really necessary?” Trixie questioned, giving a disgusted look. “Isn't that like a random blood transfusion?”
“Not for a machine, Trixie, more like how ponies need water,” the orange farm pony replied, taking away the old oil. “Ah don't know a thing about fancy robotics, but Ah know without fresh oil, machines don't work as well. You've gone over a year without one, yah were long overdo. Got Cover Story and Gear Shift tah tell meh the right kind yah needed.”
Trixie stood up, moving her joints. “...Huh...Trixie does feel a little better...thank you, Applejack...you didn't need to do this...”
“Wanted tah!” Applejack replied, giving a smirk. “Robot or not, yer mah friend.”
“...Yes, Trixie is...”
“Trixie!” called Rarity, trotting into the castle library with a bag in her telekinesis. Trixie was practicing her symbol magic and Lightning Dust was practicing martial arts from a book. “Lightning Dust!”
“Yes, Rarity?” the azure android asked.
“I got you both a present!” the fashionista explained, producing some artificial fur in the same color as their fur, one patch even having Trixie's Cutie Mark.
A short time later, Lightning Dust's face had been repaired, though her optic was still visible, and Trixie's hip looked good as new. Rarity had done such a good job that the stitches weren't visible.
“This...thank you Rarity...” Trixie said with a sincere smile.
“Yeah...I...thanks...” Lightning Dust replied, looking at herself in the mirror. She admitted, her exposed optic looked kinda cooler this way.
“You're welcome, darlings,” Rarity replied with a smile. “It took me some trying, but this should be close enough to your...skin that no pony can tell. Good as new.”
Cover Story blinked, looking up as Rarity was allowed into his prison (now in a more comfortable room with actual beds) with her sewing supplies...and gray false fur.
Trixie made the symbol for the cherry blossoms again and spun it, generating a the pink petals flowing around them. Lightning Dust leapt up and spun around, using her wing blades to slice up the petals with pinpoint accuracy. The two landed and shared a high hoof.
Twilight sat next to a pile of books, all with titles such as 'Mind Counter Spells', 'How to Avoid Being Brainwashed', and 'Anti-Brainwashing Spells for Dummies'.
A lot can happen in three days. Especially when it involves a vengeance crazed unicorn, a magical table, and time travel. Twilight had followed her own advice of continuing her business to not arose suspicion, Trixie and Lightning Dust had been training in one of the castle's many many rooms, and the agents were no longer kept in the Cutie Map room...which lead to Starlight Glimmer, on the morning of the day the assault was to take place, breaking into the castle and setting in motion a revenge plot.
Timing is rarely ideal for evil schemes, even when you had help from a divine entity.
However...for one mare, the past few hours had been quite the traumatic ride.
Gypsy, as seer of the Tree of Harmony itself, had found herself in a timeline were the Stallions in Black were using the Marionettes to aid in the fight with King Sombra...without any concern for their 'troops' or the brainwashed Crystal Ponies for that matter. Then in a timeline where she had to flee from Queen Chrysalis, the Stallions having been destroyed by the Changeling Queen. Next in a timeline where they were fighting a rebel war against Nightmare Moon, unaware that they themselves were just as tyrannical and vile as the one they fought. Then a world where Lord Tirek rampaged across the world. A world were the Stallions had been dismantled by Discord 'playing' with them (which thankfully ended before he could 'play' with her). Finally, was the timeline that scared her 'hosts' more than anything alive. Even more than the doomsday, lifeless world of the final timeline (which had left Gypsy curled up in a ball on her room's floor when she came back).
“I see,” said Masquerade, clearly not caring about the trauma her still trembling hostage had experienced, considering the several hours of interrogations to get every single detail out of her. Next to her was a petite white mare, wearing a blue maid outfit. She had a yellow mane and tail, the former done up in pig tails. Her Cutie Mark a pony bowing. The most disturbing part about her, however, was her face was in a constant wide smile, almost as if it were molded on. “In that case, G4T06A and G4T06B will be dismantled and destroyed immediately with their CPUs burned and all other Marionettes will be recalled for immediate new failsafes to be installed,” she said without fear or emotion. As if what she was talking about was just another paper to sign. She turned and began to walk off, the maid pony seeming to follow without question.
“WAIT!”
Masquerade turned slightly to Gypsy, only half her face visible. The maid did a ballerina-like spin to face her.
Gypsy was nearly hyperventilating and pale as a sheet, but looked Masquerade in the eye. “D-Don't do that...”
“Why not?” the Director replied, not changing her emotions or stance. “They are clearly a potential threat to Equestria. Their immediate termination is the most logical source of action.”
Gypsy was sweating. “Because...because...”
“Because why?”
“Yes, why?” asked the maid pony in a cheerful voice. Gypsy shuddered looking at them both.
Still shaking, Gypsy floated her Wheel in front of her eyes, which lit up blue. “...Because if you destroy them now, Project Siege will be impossible to proceed as planned. It will fail completely and utterly. Zero percent chance of success. You should reserve their destruction until after then.”
The dark room was silent for a moment, Masquerade merely staring at her.
“...So be it. G4T06A and G4T06B will both be destroyed after Project Siege has been completed.” If Masquerade was angered, no one could tell. Her companion just kept smiling without change. “Now. I have to go organize an investigation of dimensional anomalies opening around Equestria. We need memory wipes for ponies who witnessed the creatures on the other side. Come along, Miss Marshmallow.”
“Yes, Director!” said the mare, cheerfully.
Masquerade turned and trotted off with her hoofsteps keeping their mechanical pace while Marshmallow almost danced after her before the door slammed shut and Gypsy was alone in the darkness again.
Gypsy fell to her haunches, trying desperately to regain her composure. “...Hurry...please hurry...I can't stall them again...”
After Starlight Glimmer's redemption and becoming Twilight's student (and Twilight explaining to Trixie it was house arrest, not a REWARD)...it was time for Starlight to learn what was going on. It wasn't ideal timing, but they only had until that night as it was. That and they were all tired of secrets.
Things went better than expected.
“So you're not going to consider us 'just machines and need time we don't have to convince you we're alive?” Trixie asked, her and Lightning Dust staring in shock.
“I might not be evil anymore, but I've never believed in looking down on others,” Starlight Glimmer replied, then cringed. “Except ponies with Cutie Marks. It is quite the shock, but...I'm trying to be a better pony...so it'd be wrong of me to think anything else.”
“I think both of us can sympathize with that,” Lightning Dust admitted. The two offered a hoof. “Us reformed baddies gotta stick together, right?”
Starlight blinked in confusion. “...Just like that? I destroyed Equestria six times in a fit of petty revenge!”
“And programming or not, I nearly got five innocent ponies killed for the sake of my ego,” the turquoise android replied.
“And Trixie enslaved this entire town and turned it into a tyrannical dictatorship centered around her own ego while under the influence of a corrupted artifact after her failsafes were fried,” Trixie followed up. “Hence the reformed baddies.”
“...I...I don't know what to say...” Starlight muttered, completely blindsided.
Twilight trotted up and put a wing over her back. “Told you it wouldn't be as hard to make friends as you thought it would be.”
Everypony shared a smile...and then got serious.
“You don't need to help us defeat the Stallions in Black if you don't want to, Starlight. I can understand you wanting to sit this one out after today...” the Princess of Friendship explained.
Starlight shook her head. “Twilight, these are ponies enslaving a group and treating them like less than people, who enforce a world were some ponies are inherently better than others because 'fate said so.' Even old me would want to help stop them...in fact, old me kind of already planned to stop them...” she said, giving a sheepish smile.
“What?!” was the collective response.
“I may have forgotten to mention, but there was kind of an agent in Our Town who I captured and forced into being one of my equal ponies and got everything from...and I kind of was planning to overthrow them and use them to take over Equestria to enforce my worldview on everypony...” the purple unicorn noticed the looks this admission got her. “I said was planning! I'm not anymore!...I also captured and converted a few Changelings...and some Luna's Witnesses...and Chaos Worshipers...”
“We get it, you were an equal opportunity cult leader,” Rainbow Dash replied flatly.
“...I won't argue against that...but my point is, even if I find the idea of following that...thing...” the mare said, looking at the Cutie Map, which seemed to have shut down to recharge after her actions. “Unnerving...I do want to stop the Stallions...If not just for that, then to atone for what I did...”
“Alright then...then it's time to get everypony together and begin...” Twilight replied. Everypony nodded.
“So...any chance we can interrogate that guy?” Rainbow Dash asked as they headed out.
“I memorized everything he knew, I'll be glad to talk to Twilight about it,” Starlight replied.
“...And I got an A- on the test,” Diamond Tiara finished, sitting at the table with her parents, Silver Spoon over for the evening.
“That's a good job, Diamond Tiara,” Spoiled Rich complimented, giving a genuine smile.
Filthy Rich and Diamond Tiara's jaws dropped. “...Honey, would you like something to drink?” the rich family patriarch asked, offering her some lemonade.
“Certainly, Filthy,” she replied, taking some and drinking it. “Something wrong dear?”
“Oh...just you seemed a bit...happier lately...”
“Thank you...I realized maybe I was being unfair to Diamond is all...she really is a good foal.”
Diamond Tiara nearly fell off her chair. “T-Thank you momma...”
“You're welcome.”
Before the family dinner could finish, there was a knock on the door.
“Mrs. Rich, it's for you...” alerted the hired help.
The older mare trotted out into the main room...and found herself face to face with two agents. One a dark blue with black hair and the other black with blue hair. The former was an Earth Pony and the latter was a unicorn, both wearing identical outfits to their comrades.
“Leave us, please...” Spoiled Rich said. Once her hired help was gone she repeated the verification process with the paper. “What brings you to my humble home, agents?”
“We are here for G4T02 and G4T03. There has been a new development that calls for immediate recall of all active Marionettes,” reported the unicorn with the typical emotionless fashion of his station.
[=The Avengers Theme Song – The Avengers=]
Unfortunately, as the Guard had been infiltrated, getting Shining Armor and Cadence directly wasn't a possibility without alerting the enemy.
Fortunately, they still had the Mini Discord Fluttershy had ended up with, which had enough magic to manage one super long distance teleport.
“AHH!”
Unfortunately, Shining Armor had been in the shower at the time. Fortunately, Rarity had a towel for him.
“AGH! My men will want to know where I am! MY PREGNANT WIFE WILL WANT TO KNOW WHERE I AM! You'll cause a panic! You can't just bring me out here without the paper work!” the stallion shouted at the Mini Discord. "If she gives birth while I'm not there I'll never forgive you!"
“Hehe, I just did,” it replied...then dissolved into chaos energy and returned from wince he came, energy depleted.
“Bye Mini-Discord...” Fluttershy said politely.
“BBFF, I know this is short notice, but we REALLY need you, this is urgent!” Twilight argued.
“...What is it Twilight?” Shining Armor asked, his anger fading at his concerned sister later.
One covert letter later to Cadence about a 'sudden mission from the Princess', Shining got armored up and was all in. His kingdom, his people, and his pregnant wife, were in danger after all. And the Royal Guard had taken an oath to defend anypony who was in danger, even robots. There were a couple more guards they were ultimately able to safely recruit, but it was more of a squad than an army. Cadence only hadn't been called in in some way because she was pregnant.
“Are you sure about this?” Twilight asked. “You don't have to do this.”
Zecora gave a small chuckle. “Twilight, I am your friend true, it would be wrong of me to not aid you. In addition to that fact, stealing fate are these Stallions in Black. Fate is like a branching river with many points and ways, but it is our right to choose on which branch we stay. If that right they seek to band, for that I shall not stand,” The zebra then blinked, noticing Twilight gasp. “I apologize if rude this may seem to my host, but you look as if you've seen a ghost.”
Twilight shook her head, the image of a different Zecora in a different world speaking of time being like a river flashing in her head. “No...it's fine...just...somepony I met said something similar...”
Zecora then looked to Trixie and Lightning Dust. Examining the two closely, particularly in their eyes (or eye in Lightning Dust's case)...then giving a smile. “Ah, yes I see. The beings of metal and wire you be. But I can see it in your eyes true, a soul does dwell in both of you. Twilight has told me of your plight, for your freedom I will help fight.”
Both blinked and looked to each other. “Really?” Trixie asked.
The zebra nodded. “Be it flesh and bone, wood and leaves, or metal and steel, the body is just a vessel for what truly makes you real.”
“So you're a robot?! That is so cool!” shouted Mina, Spike's Dragon friend, to Trixie. While the SiB had agents in Dragon Town (and everywhere except Griffonstone and few other places for that matter), Mina was a 'nobody' as far as they were concerned, her connection to Spike meaning little to them. That and a teenaged dragon was still a dragon! “And a reformed villainess too! That's awesome!”
“So we're saving living robots and kicking the flank of an ancient conspiracy?” Gilda asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Yep. Crazy huh?” Rainbow Dash asked.
The griffon smirked. “No crazier than the stuff you get into all the time Dash.”
Rainbow then turned to the darker brown Griffin with green facial markings next to her. Griffonstone was so far off the Stallion's radar that it wasn't even a blip. “And you're Greta, right?”
“That's my name. Owed Gilda a big one,” the Griffon replied, giving Gilda a friendly smirk. “Then again, if this wasn't covert or whatever, you probably could have gotten all of Griffonstone to help her, considering she's the reason we're not living off garbage, scraps, and stale scones anymore.”
The cyan pegasus gave her friend a proud look. “Glad to hear it. This'll be dangerous though.”
“Hehe, have you seen Griffonstone at it's worst? I know how to handle myself.”
“Starlight?”
Starlight Glimmer gasped, looking at the four in front of her. “I...I didn't know you'd be coming...”
“Twilight called us,” replied Party Favor. It was a logical choice. The four HAD proven enough to hold their own against Starlight in a dangerous mountain pass chase.
“Oh...sorry you have to be here with me...”
The purple unicorn's eyes went wide as Double Diamond put a hoof on her shoulder. “We still wanted to be your friends back then, we still want to be now.”
Starlight's eyes went wide. “But...but why? After what I did? Did she TELL you what I did?”
Night Glider nodded. “She did...including what you really wanted from us the whole time.”
“So, what do you say?” Sugar Belle asked, holding out a hoof. “Want to get to know each other? For real this time?”
Starlight didn't take her hoof...she hugged all four of them with tears in her eyes.
“Pinkie Pie!”
“Cheese Sandwich!”
The growing group in the Crystal Castle (assembled via various teleportation and other related methods) jumped as both produced party cannons from nowhere and gave a salute to each other.
“Are you thinking what I'm thinking?!” Cheese Sandwich asked.
“Giant victory celebration when we win?!” Pinkie Pie asked in return.
“Yep!”
“...Am I the only one scared what will happen if those two have a foal one day?” Rainbow Dash asked her friend.
“...I'm excited...” said Maud, standing behind them as monotone as possible. Her expression didn't change when Pinkie Pie hug tackled her except her returning it.
“Are we sure bring an author to fight a government conspiracy?” Gilda questioned, looking at AK Yearling.
The disguised Daring Do chuckled. “You think Daring Do's temple running writes itself? I do a LOT of research into that kind of thing and I'm pretty good at it myself. And I take plenty of martial arts classes to make sure her fight scenes are accurate. Plus, I kind of owe Rainbow Dash one...”
“Good cover,” Rainbow Dash whispered, hiding her excitement as best she could.
“Need a good cover story if I get jumped by some assassins or minions in public,” whispered Yearling back.
Gilda rolled her eyes. “Whatever...can I get your autograph?”
“Once we're done.”
“Okay, Derpy?” Rainbow Dash questioned, looking at the wall-eyed pegasus.
“Yes, Rainbow Dash?” Derpy asked, looking excited just to be helpful. And somewhat angry, given this conspiracy were the reason her little Dinky had been in harms way from the Bugbear and probably other things. It was a generally accepted fact that one of the most foolish things one could do was threaten Derpy's foals.
“You know all the things I tell you not to do when we're doing...anything?”
The gray pegasus frowned. “Yeah?”
“When we get inside the bad guy's base...”
“Yeah?”
“Do all of them.”
Derpy's eyes went wide. “All of them?!”
“All of them?!”
“Yes!”
“Even...”
Rainbow Dash nodded. “Especially that!”
“Okay, Rainbow Dash! I won't let you down!”
As Derpy wandered off to talk to Time Turner, Fluttershy looked to Rainbow Dash. “Are you sure she'll okay? She might get hurt...”
The cyan pegasus turned to her friend. “Fluttershy, between me or her, who normally gets hurt?”
“...You...”
“Exactly! If we want this Mo-whatever wrecked good, Derpy is a pretty safe bet...You brought Bulk Biceps?”
“YEAH!” exclaimed the big muscular pegasus and Wonderbolt Cadet. Unfortunately, they hadn't managed to covertly contact Surprise, much to Rainbow's displeasure.
“So you lied to me again?” Lyra asked, looking down.
“No, Lyra, I didn't!” Bon Bon pleaded...then looked ashamed. “...At least I didn't think I was...”
The green unicorn cocked her head. “Huh?”
“The Reflection Deflection on me just broke not long ago. I swear if I'd known the truth, I'd have told you! I didn't know...and I didn't know what I was getting you into with that 'little mission'...” the yellow Earth Pony replied. “...I understand if this is too much...you don't have to stay with me...I'm sorry...”
Lyra stared for a moment...then put a hoof on her shoulder. “...How could I stay mad at my best friend?”
Bon Bon teared up and they shared a hug.
“Besides, I was the one who wanted into this, no way I'm backing out when you need me,” the green unicorn replied. “And I'm sure you girls could use another Gifted Unicorn.”
“Okay, this everypony?” asked Rainbow Dash. Unfortunately, due to Appleloosa having agents in it, and most other places, they'd only been able to get one Apple to help. Fortunately, that one Apple was Big Macintosh. That said, AJ wasn't happy some Apples were SiB members, and not just because she'd wanted to call them in and gotten shot down. Bon Bon explained that the many standard issue field agents were just informants who had sworn loyalty to the organization's mission statement. Meant to keep eyes and ears everywhere. That didn't make AJ any happier. The Element of Honesty politely requested NOT to be told which ones were SiB to not taint her feelings for her kin.
“Celestia said that she'd be sending somepony to help she trusted absolutely, and I've contacted our secret weapon to meet us there,” Twilight replied, looking at the gathering. “Other than that, I have one more pony I need to get.”
The group blinked when there was the sound of pecking at the window. Twilight trotted over and opened it, finding a familiar Phoenix sitting there.
“Philomena!” Fluttershy exclaimed, rushing over and producing birdseed for the phoenix. The firebird then squawked. “Huh? What's that?”
“What is it, Fluttershy?” Twilight trotting over. She wasn't surprised to see Philomena. Prankster though the bird was, a Phoenix was still a pretty powerful ally and Celestia sending her made sense.
“She says she brought some friends,” the cream colored pegasus translated.
“I think that'll be my other pick,” Spike said with a smirk, walking up and climbing up on the window...at which point a tiny baby Phoenix flew in and perched on his arm for a nuzzle. Followed by two more fully grown ones and a small group of young ones who landed on the ledge. “I sent a letter seeing if Celestia could have Philomena find Peewee and his parents to help us,” the little drake said proudly, petting the little Phoenix.
“...A flock of Phoenixes?” Twilight asked, then smiled. “Good choice, Spike.”
“I know! Plus I missed the little guy,” Spike replied, petting the tiny firebird who gave a happy tweet.
Twilight blinked as a flash of Celestia's magic appeared. “Huh?” she asked, then gasped as the flash settled and four familiar unicorns appeared. The alicorn smiled and galloped over. “Minuette! Twinkle Shine! Lemon Hearts! Moon Dancer!” she exclaimed, giving them a group hug. “What are you doing here?!”
Minuette gave an excited smile. “Princess Celestia told us she needed us to come help you!”
“And we missed out on that big world saving adventure last time,” said Lemon Hearts, giving a smile.
“So of course we said yes,” Twinkle Shine finished up.
The lavender Alicorn gave a smile. “Thanks...I would have called you, but I didn't know it'd be safe.”
Moon Dancer adjusted her glasses with a small smile. “It's fine, Twilight...I've studied so much, I think it's time I put all this knowledge to use.”
“I know the feeling,” was Twilight's response. “Four Gifted Unicorns will definitely be a big help.”
The group then noticed Lyra and pulled her into the group hug.
“Alright, time to get our last member,” Twilight said, trotting up to the World Mirror. “And Bon Bon?”
“Yes, Twilight?” asked the yellow Earth Pony, who'd donned her old suit and sunglasses. After all, it's not like every S.M.I.L.E. agent would recognize every other one on sight. Lyra had gone off to change into hers.
“Lyra never learns this exists,” the Princess of Friendship said emphatically. She then turned the machine attached to it on, the mirror springing to life.
A few moments later, a yellow unicorn with a red and yellow mane wearing a black (fake) leather jacket came through the portal standing on two legs. She then gave a scream and fell face first to the ground, revealing her sun Cutie Mark. Cover Story and Gear Shift both went wide eyed in shock, Trixie gasping as well.
“Ow...been a long time since I've been on four legs...” the mare said...then smiled, looking up at Twilight's extended hoof. She took it and was helped up.
“Thanks for coming, Sunset,” Twilight replied with a smile. “We needed all the help we could get and thanks to you being bonded to an Element, you're immune to the Stallions in Black's brainwashing as well. I'd have called for all six of you, but...well, multiverse issues...”
“Hey, you helped us with the Sirens, it's only fair,” the unicorn explained.
The Princess of Friendship blinked, looking at her jacket. “Why are you wearing your jacket?...How are you wearing it for that matter?”
Sunset suddenly looked nervous. “Oh! This one's from Equestria! Pinkie Pie gave it to me. I like the look so much I wanted to keep it when I came back here.” No pony noticed her sides seemed a tiny bit wider than one would expect.
“Where did she get an Equestrian jacket?” Twilight asked with a raised eyebrow.
The Equestrian Pinkie Pie whistled innocently.
“...She's Pinkie Pie,” was Celestia's former student's reply.
“...Good point...”
Sunset then blinked when Trixie trotted up to her and looked her over...then looked disappointed. “Is something wrong?”
“...I don't remember you...” Trixie lamented.
“Uh...should you remember me?” Sunset questioned in confusion.
The azure android floated over the yearbook and showed the picture of her previous body. “Trixie 1.0,” she said, then pointed to herself. “Trixie 2.0.”
“Oh!...Oh...” the gifted unicorn replied, her face dropping in realization. “...I think maybe that's for the best...I was kind of rotten to you...”
“...Trixie still kind of wishes she could remember...”
Twilight put a wing over Trixie's back in comfort. “...Alright, everypony, let's go, we've got planning to do.”
The large group headed out, Sunset Shimmer accidentally cracking the floor with a step. She looked around panicked for a moment before carefully trotting and making sure not to do it again.
[=08 – Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation Theme (The Plan)=]
“Alright, now that I've put anti-brainwashing spells on all of you, we can lay out our plan,” Twilight said proudly.
“Twilight?” Derpy asked. “Is it normal for me to see smells?”
“Just a side effect, Derpy. It'll wear off in a bit...”
“Okay...”
“Alright, now here's the plan,” Twilight said, handing out maps. “We're going to split into three main groups. The rescue team will go with Cover Story in through an access port using his access code and infiltrate the basement of the Stallion in Black's headquarters, Moirai. Once there, they will secure the area and locate the Marionettes in storage there to free them.”
Cover Story stepped forwards. “There are at least two Generation 2 Marionettes located down there, G2T01 and G2T02. They've been in storage for over a decade, but their containers should have kept them in perfect condition. The containers have access for easy recharging.”
“Over a decade...” Rainbow Dash muttered, then looked to Sunset Shimmer. “If the G1s were made because of you and you were grown up back then, how old are you?!”
Sunset Shimmer gave a blush. “...Interdimensional magic...”
“Can they help fight?” AK Yearling questioned pragmatically.
The android agent nodded. “The Generation 2 Marionettes were primarily designed to be test runs for Earth Ponies, like the Generation 3 were for Pegasi. As a result they're more physically powerful than later ones due to not having fined tuned the limitations on their hydraulics yet. While they don't have mithril armor, their steel armor is still pretty tough, though it makes them heavier for their size than they should be. The main issue would be their lack of mana engines, they'll need manual recharging.”
“They'll only fight if they WANT or HAVE to,” Twilight replied. “Rescuing the Marionettes takes priority. If any of the Marionettes want to help fight, fine, but we won't force them to...After they've reactivated the G2 Marionettes, the rescue team will split up with one group going to liberate Gypsy from her prison. The other group will head to the Marionette holding chamber and free the captive Marionettes. As I said, if they want to fight, they can. If they don't want to, we evacuate them. That group is also tasked with securing the Marionettes' creator.”
“...So basically our father?” Trixie questioned, in an absolutely sincere tone.
“...Yes, Trixie. His name is Dr. Bright Future,” the Princess of Friendship explained, showing Trixie a look of sympathy. “In order to prevent any more Marionettes from being created, retrieving him is a top priority.”
Cover Story moved back and let Gear Shift take the place next to Twilight.
“The second team's mission is to break in with Gear Shift using his access code and infiltrate the security room,” Twilight continued.
“ Moirai has a defense system. While me and Cover Story can each get a small group past it, it could alert them to an incoming attack force,” Gear Shift explained. “My team's job is to shut it down.”
The lavender Alicorn nodded. “Once the defenses are down, the third team, the assault team, will begin their attack on Moirai. At this point all three team's have a common goal: bring Moirai down to the ground where our secret weapon will make themselves known and being an all out assault...”
“Secret weapon?” Sunset Shimmer asked.
Shining Armor whispered something in Sunset's ear.
“Yikes, we've got those?!”
Twilight then put two drawings on the wall. One of them was of Masquerade, the other was of a purple night unicorn with a black mane. “In addition to destroying Moirai, we also want to capture as many files as we can find and as many agents as we can. However, these two are our prime targets. The night unicorn's name is Mindwipe, the chief of the memory squad. He's the teacher of the Reflection Deflection spell and the only Stallion in Black who knows how to use it as effectively as they require for more complicated procedures. The second is Masquerade, the director of the entire organization.”
“Masquerade's family has run the agency since its creation,” Bon Bon spoke up. “They're the only ponies who know certain agency secrets and the only leaders they've ever had. The child only takes the lead when their parent dies, so if we take down Masquerade, we cut the head off the snake. At best the rest of the organization will fall into in fighting trying to fill the void and be easier to clean up.”
Twilight nodded. “While we're launching this attack, Celestia and Luna will lead assaults on S.M.I.L.E.'s sub bases throughout Equestria. Any questions?”
One of their Guards, a white stallion with a fiery mane and tail, his Cutie Mark a fire.
“Yes...”
“Sergeant Firestarter, Princess,” reported the stallion. “Is it a problem if we light anything on fire?”
Twilight blinked. “...We're aiming to destroy Moirai, so no, but make sure not to light somepony on fire or needlessly endanger anypony.”
“Alright, Princess...what about lighting ourselves on fire?”
The lavender alicorn's eyes went wide. “Why would we do that?”
“Because they can't grab you if you're on fire, Princess,” the stallion replied, seeming unusually fine with the prospect of being on fire. His squad mates facehoofed.
Shining Armor sighed. “Firestarter's special talent is fire magic, he's able to light himself on fire without being hurt by it. Don't worry, he's...usually competent with it.”
“Oh...well, so long as you're careful.”
“Yes, Princess!” was the reply.
“Okay, any other questions?” Twilight asked.
“I have one, Princess.”
The group turned to see Spoiled Rich half way through the door. Bon Bon gasped.
“Oh! Spoiled Rich...uh...” Twilight muttered, fearful their operation was compromised.
The old mare looked over the room seriously for a few moments...then opened the door fully, allowing the two agents who were in her home to enter the room.
Tied up and unconscious, falling through the door where they seemed to have been leaned against.
Spoiled Rich took a step back. “...You can't.”
The two agents looked to one another. “Why not, Mrs. Rich?” asked the blue one.
“Because Filthy didn't buy the cover story you fed me,” was her calm response. “Give me a little bit longer.”
The black stallion shook his head. “Sorry, Mrs. Rich. No can do. Orders from the Director herself: due to a recent event, all active Marionettes with their positions known to be tracked down and returned to base except for those currently acting in Project Siege. We'll have to use Reflection Deflection on him.”
Spoiled Rich looked back towards the kitchen. “...So...there's no way I can have a little more time then?”
“Sorry, Mrs. Rich. We have no choice,” replied the blue agent.
“...Then neither do I...”
“May I join in?” Spoiled Rich asked. “I want to protect my daughter.”
To be continued...
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Sweet, practically the whole cast is coming together on this!
Haha! That bit with Diamond Tiara being reclaimed was sneaky, you sneaky sausage!
All in all, you are churning out great stuff! https://goo.gl/images/ghVGE0
This is going to be so epic. Spoiled Rich's face turn was charming and them gathering all their allies was great. I can tell Sunset is an Alicorn now.
Why do I suspect Masquerade is the "unknown" marionette, and Marshmallow the real brains behind?
The rag-tag band of misfits is the best trope ever.
Also, "Equal-opportunity cult leader" Starlight Glimmer had me cracking up. Infiltrators in Our Town? One day later, they're her infiltrators. Misguided ideology or not, Starlight is not only powerful, but charismatic and competent as well.
Dr. Bright Future? Am I vaguely sensing a Mega Man reference?
7551440
Actually kinda fun when she actually acts like it, even if she's given up the whole revenge-for-destroying-my-happy-place thing.