Chapter Four: The needs of the many...
S-0452-9
The needs of the many…
The days that have past since her trip to that little corner had an effect on Cortana that she thought would be dangerous. One that might upset the balance of this world if she acted on it. She wanted to become an inventor of sorts, and the idea scared her. This world was at war, and her creations might lead to more harm than good. Even if they some how successfully overcome this war, the effects that they could have on these ponies in the long could be catastrophic. The ponies might assert dominance and try to rule the world, or someone might capture her tech and use it against them. What if she caused the destruction of this world.
“Are you okay there?”
Starswirl’s voice brought her out of her panicked thoughts and back to reality. “Huh?”
Starswirl chuckled and looked at her with a knowing glance before saying, “You were in another one of your trances again. Something on your mind or did you accidentally get hypnotized?”
Cortana laughed softly at the joke. “Yes, I have been commanded to organize all of your notes and clean your loft.”
“No, all of my work must not be tidied.” The two shared a chuckle before the mood became serious again and Starswirl asked,“I must know, are you well?”
Cortana sighed as she set the book that. She was reading down. “I’ve been thinking of becoming an inventor. To help the ponies affected by this war.”
“But you’re afraid that your inventions might be used for nefarious purposes,” Starswirl finished the thought. “I had the same concerns with my multi spectral shielding. Then I thought about what would happen if I did nothing. As much as I care for my work to not be used for war, doing nothing would have produced much more devastating results.”
“You still have yet to get it to work”, Cortana pointed out moments before the rune Starswirl was working on blew up in his face, covering the whole front half of his body in some sort of black gunk.
“Semantics, and I have worked on more things besides just one spell,” Starswirl replied as he grabbed a nearby rag, “Though why these teleportation runes insist on covering me in this black stuff is beyond me.”
“Perhaps if you asked nicely?” Cortana suggested with a smirk.
Starswirl huffed as he cleaned himself off and sat next to her, “No one knows what the future might hold. There are multiple timelines branching in multiple directions that are effected by each and every choice we make. The possibilities are endless.”
“So what you’re saying is that I have the potential to destroy the world?” Cortana asked with a smirk.
Starswirl smirk as he gently nudged her with his hoof and said, “Not if I beat you to it. What I’m trying to say that you could be Equestria’s savior. The hero that all other heroes strive to be. Granted you may not get there through fighting, or magical prowess, but your intellect is something to behold.”
“So do you think it should be used for war?” Cortana asked with slight concern in her voice.
“I think you should use it as a shield. To protect those that can not protect themselves,” Starswirl smiled softly as he looked at Cortana.
Cortana looked back, speechless for a moment before hugging Starswirl tightly. At that moment, she knew what she had to do. She knew what had to happen. It would take time, but she knew how she could begin to make Equestria feel safe again.
About 5 years later…
Sound.
It was muffled but it was there. Cortana did know quite what it was but she knew that it hurt her head. Not quite as bad a her hangovers but just bad enough that she couldn’t think straight. There were voices but it sounded as if they were speaking another language. Something she didn’t quite recognize.
Light.
It hurt her eyes but she could tell there were at least three pointed at her. Strange figures worked in the shadows. She couldn’t tell who they were but they looked dangerous and imposing.
Feeling.
She could feel the tightness of the ropes that bound her to the chair she was in. They bit in to her skin a bit as she was sure that they would leave marks on her.
Sight.
The one thing she wish she didn’t have as a figure came in to view. The silhouette of a gryphon there in front of her, and he spoke to her in an eerie and yet inviting voice. “I am become death, the destroyer of worlds. An apt statement for the weapons you helped to create and build. Not quite what you had in mind for your future but war never really changes, and neither do the ones who were breed for it.”
Cortana tried to adjust herself to get a look at the gryphon but the lights ensured that she was unable to. “Flattery would get you most places. In a bed with me if I were in the mood but I’m sorry to say that Bondage is not one of my kinks.”
The gryphon chuckled as he slowly began to walk towards her. “Oh I like your attitude, but I have no use for your body, just your mind. If the technology here was advanced enough I would have pulled the information I need from your skull and tossed your useless corpse off the nearest cliff.” A clawed hand gripped her face as she could feel the talons press painfully against her flesh. “To be honest though, I’d prefer it if you were a willing participant.”
“You are a creepy one. Where’s my whistle when I really need it,” Cortana winced as the grip on her face tightened a bit, but she wasn’t prepared to give this bird brain an easy time with her. She did have a sinking feeling that this gryphon was smart. She’d need to keep an eye on him, but until she could properly formulate an escape plan, taunting him took priority. “Seriously though, if you want me, all you have to do is ask me out. I promise I’d let you down gently.”
The gryphon chuckled as he let go of her face and proceeded to walk away. “Do not get any funny ideas. I’ve dealt with another like you, I will not suffer the same mistakes as I did with him.”
The gryphon spoke something in another language before the world went black.
“Okay, hold up, you’re time skipping now?” Cortana’s interrogator asked incredulously.
“Well you did tell me to leave out details that weren’t important”, Cortana asked with an almost smug look. “But if you insist, I could go back further.”
The interrogator started to say something before stopping herself and chuckled softly. “Wow, you really got me invested, I will admit. Okay then, go back a bit to where it’s relevant,, but not further than that.”
Cortana put a hoof to her chin as she thought. “Well then, I guess it really started right after I closed that deal. I had a hot date the night before at a hotel and had to work off a hangover the next morning in my workshop. It was about twelve in the afternoon when clover came over.”
Cortana grunted as she finished up tightening the bolt on her latest masterpiece. If it worked, it would change the carriage industry for years. She could only hope that the engine would hold together this time. As she reached up to started, a cough caught her by surprise as she whirled around with a wrench in her magical grasp, stopping just inches from Clovers hood-covered head.
“You weren’t planning on killing me I hope”, Clover smirked as she pushed the wrench aside.
Cortana let out a soft sigh as she calmed her nerves. “Sorry, just a bit on edge. This weeks death threats have been more creative and colorful that I anticipated.”
“Making weapons of mass destruction would do that”, Clover responded with a slight hiss of anger behind her words.
Cortana grunted as she had mad her way to a small box filled with a variety of wine. “Yeah, well, he’s not here so-“ She grunts as she pops the cork and takes a swig from the bottle, “-How can we know for sure what he truly wanted from either of us when he just up and left to kill himself.”
Clover huffed as she stomped a hoof against the ground and said with an edge to her tone, “Choose your words carefully Cortana. Starswirl was the greatest sorcerer of our time. He took you under his wing, gave you friendship and you dare tarnish his name?!”
Cortana’s horn flared as the wrench flew passed Clovers face and embedded itself in to the far wall. Clover’s scowl fell before letting out a soft sigh of resignation.
“He would not want us to fight”, Clover said as she looked at the ground. “He’d want us to work together to help protect Equestria.”
“What do you think I’m doing?” Cortana asked as she walked back over to her project.
“What you’re doing is not for the betterment of Equestria”, Clover responded as she sat next to Cortana.
“Well bullies only respond to those who push back”, Cortana grunted as she continued her work, not bothering to look at Clover. “Besides, you cannot always win wars with magic and friendship. Sometimes the best method is the one that gets your hands dirty.” Cortana’s gripped the pull cord with her teeth and gave it a good yank, causing the machine to rumble to life.
“What is that?” Clover asked as she looked the machine over.
Cortana smirked as she looked it over. “The future replacement for horse drawn carriages.” Cortana finished off her bottle of wine before putting it in a box with other empty bottles. “I assume you’re here on business?”
Clover smirked as she pulled the hood off her head to reveal her perfectly trimmed, crew cut mane. “Yeah, you were supposed to be at the airship three hours ago.”
“Well there’s that time difference and stuff so it’ll work itself out”, Cortana said with a soft chuckle as she turned the engine off and walked past clover. “Come on Minty! Shouldn’t keep those generals sitting around, you know how much they hate to wait for their VIPs!”
Clover paused before shaking her head with a smile and following Cortana.
Days after awakening: 1,821
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So your turning Cortona into Tony Stark
9607632
I’d be lying if the MCU doesn’t inspire some parts of this story. >.> I do enjoy putting references in my stories, some subtle and some not so much.
he should talk to Lafernius Tucker I'm shure he'd love to compare notes
also I think it would be cool if Cortana decided to restart the Orion II program on equis I'm sure the generals would be content with it.
"There's nothing stronger than the magic of friendship. Except for a mass accelerator cannon. Because f
k you and everyone near you."
derpicdn.net/img/2012/11/7/145629/large.jpg
9627904
hahahahaha