Flower

by CreeperZone

Admire

...

“My name is Desync. I am a computer and robotics engineer at Link incorporated.”

...

“Ooh, how did I feel? When? When I first met her or when I found out she is for real?”

...

“Well, at first I was just confused... Then enthralled. I wanted to ask her so many questions, shame that she left like that... And after... I couldn't believe my ears. Synthetic emotion? I thought it was impossible, but hey, look where we are now, am I right?”

-x-

...

“Officer Jade from the Manehattan Police Force.”

...

“Yes that is true, Officer Que did initially stop her because of her attire resembling that of a Zebra.”

...

“That is most likely why he didn't want to be here. I have not spoken to him personally. I would like to add that even though there is a clear racist ideology in the police, most of us are against it and we are trying. It's just hard. There aren't many Zebras in Manehattan, after all.”

...

“I was just coming over because I and a few others saw some commotion, went to check it out, and before we knew it... She was running into us. Of course I've watched all the videos online and... It's kind of strange. Looking back and now knowing what she was, it made me question a few things.”

-x-

...

“Bark Button, mother of Bun Button.”

...

“It was... Well I was shocked, to be honest. Also disappointed, obviously... I would have thought I raised my daughter better than to mess with... A robot. I made sure to teach her a lesson after I found out. She won't be getting in trouble like that anymore.”

...

“I can only imagine how traumatizing it must have been for her, I got shook up when I saw that... Terrifying... Beast.”

-x-

...

“Surreal Step, I was one of the ponies responsible for... Cardinal...”

...

“Nopony could have predicted what would happen. Seeker couldn't, I couldn't... Diamond couldn't.”

...

“No I don't... Everypony who died, there was a reason, Seeker died for what she believed in... Diamond... For bad choices...”

“I really do miss them both.”

---

Cardinal straightened her back against the pavement, raising all four legs up along with both wings and pressed them against the bottom of the vehicle.

She thrusted her legs forward, lifting the car like a jack. She then launched it forward, it landing a few meters down the ramp, slumping out of the garage.

Cardinal crawled out of the pit. The room was still.

She wandered around for a moment, unsure of where she were to go next. Undoubtedly, they will be looking for her, and even if she stopped some, more would find her. Who knew when they would stop?

Although she did have one thing on her agenda, and that was to find Seeker. The problem with that was she didn't exactly know where Seeker was.

More accurately, she didn't know where the construction site was relative to her right now. She regretted not paying more attention as they left.

Hoping to figure it out soon, she began searching the room for supplies for her travel. She immediately found her old weapons hidden in one of the many busted lockers scattered around. She was told earlier by Surrie that she shouldn't be seen with them in public, so she looked down at her rifle and grenade belt, thinking of any way to conceal them if she were to travel.

Twisting her head back, she inspected her own body. She didn't exactly have any pockets.

Once the thought crossed her mind, she witnessed as the panel on her left waist swung down, landing horizontal on its hinges as two cup holders slid out.

Surprising herself, she then tried to retract it, and as she thought the words, it had done so, the panel lifting itself back up to its original space.

She lifted up her grenade belt with a wing, hoisting it in the air as she plucked two of the explosives from their latches and brought them over to her side, extending the cup holder and placing both grenades inside their own slot. She shut the holder and lifted up the rifle. Realizing it was far too bulky to carry around in stealth, she threw it back.

Returning to her search, she made her way to Mecha's work space. It was riddled with useless bits and bobs, some loose pistons here, some bolts over there, without any real organization.

Upon further investigation, she had found several of what she would call useful items. She lifted the blowtorch, putting the gas tank underneath her right wing, the torch wrapping around the stem of her wing. Also, she found a tool pouch that she draped over her shoulder, now having several wrenches and hammers at her disposal. Lastly, she stared at the chessboard for only a few seconds before biting down on the white princess piece and placing it in her pouch.

Leaving the desk, she explored the rest of the room. Searching some of the lockers, she found a map of Manehattan.

Satisfied with her haul, she treaded carefully up to the reception door, slightly nudging it open and poking an eye through.

She did not see anypony, or any signs of others. She pressed the door the rest of the way, revealing the lobby. It was a very short room, almost as much space behind the counter as there was for customers. The walls were decently maintained, possibly needing a paint job as the red bricks poked out from behind the black coat in patches. The entrance of the store was a large glass double door, giving full view of the street outside.

Before setting out, she went behind the counter, rolling out the map.

She inspected it thoroughly, trying to find out where she could possibly be.

Her eyes jumped up as she heard a bell jingle from the door as it was pushed open and a pony entered.

The pony was a pale peach-coated stallion. He had neither horn nor wings, although he bore a strange back left leg. It looked entirely metal. Although not as pristine as Cardinal’s body, the prosthetic still was quite a technological marvel. The plating was clean and covered almost all the frame and wire guts beneath.

The pony trotted in casually, acting like he was familiar with his surroundings. He didn't have any other clothing, his cutie mark being a green line of ones and zeros. His mane was gelled back, a dark navy colour with short cut.

As he strolled in, he glanced up at the counter. “Hey, Mecha, the leg's...” He stopped as he reached the counter, putting a leg lengthways onto the counter before stopping in his tracks and trying to figure out what was in front of him.

“Hi,” Cardinal said, also feeling the awkward tension between them.

Her robotic, toneless voice didn't help either. The pony recoiled at seeing Cardinal speak. His mouth quivered, finding it hard to form his words.

Cardinal also became instantly self conscious. A great embarrassment fell over her. She never spoke to a pony that hadn't known her prior. What was this pony going to think of her?

He finally mustered up a sentence. “Y-yy you’re a robot!” He outstretched a hoof to point at her in amazement.

Cardinal stepped back, her metal tail stopping further movement as she butted up against the wall. Realizing that there was no hiding from this, she spoke back to him, “Yeah... I am.” Her light feminine voice was extensively quiet in her fear.

The pony's excitement was immediately overshadowed by his concern, “Hey, hey! Don't worry! I'm not going to hurt you...”

Acting as if he owned the place he trotted around the counter to get a full view of her, “Your a beauty...”

She continued to back off, moving down along the counter. She tried to keep him at bay, “Please, I-I have to leave...”

“You stutter? Wow, the detail they must have put into making something so complicated. Say, what do you run on? T sharp?” The pony kept stepping closer, examining all of her movements.

“I... I just... Can you please step away?” Cardinal said as she pressed against the corner, the pony a few steps away.

“A need for personal space, fear... How are you simulating them so accurately? All my years in robotic studies I've never seen something so brilliant! Please, tell me who made you.” He pulled out a phone, unlocking it in his hoof.

“I can't. Please, just leave me be!” Cardinal crawled over the counter, running to the door. She heard a few flashes of a camera behind her as she threw the two doors open. She turned back as they closed once more, seeing that the pony was trying to move after her, holding his hoof in the air trying to get her to stop.

She pulled up a wrench and slid it down in between the two handles, locking them together as the pony on the other side pressed against the glass trying to open it.

“Wait! Please, you can't lock me in here! Robots are meant to serve! You have to follow my orders! It’s part of the laws of robotics!” he said from behind the door. Cardinal stared at him in shock before quickly throwing her eyes around, seeing an alleyway a few shops down and several dozen ponies walking around. They seemed to not notice her yet, although it was only a matter of time.

She sprinted down to the alley, getting a few odd looks but nopony curious enough to follow her.

Slumping against a wall, Cardinal rested in the shadows.

She could barely see anything in the alley, just enough light to make out the markings on the map as she spread it out once more.

She began reading street names, eventually moving from mere thoughts into whispers.

“Evening Glow Avenue.” A grizzly voice came from her side, she jumped in a frantic search for whoever spoke. Seeing a figure within legs reach lying on the ground.

“This street is called Evening Glow, miss, if that is what you're looking for.” The shadowy pony stood up, looking at Cardinal now.

Cardinal was also in the darkness, her crystal blue eyes the most visible thing about her. “Thanks...” She tried to accent her voice to hide its robotyness, leading to it sounding even more distorted.

“You ok, miss? You sound like you've got a cold.” The pony stretched a little, giving the impression that they were just asleep.

“I'm fine... Yes. Thank you for your assistance.” She scooped up her map, quizzically looking at the pony, wondering who they were.

“Can I just ask one thing?” they said, clearing their throat with a few unhealthy coughs.

“Yes?” Cardinal replied.

“What are you doing in an alley like this in the morning?”

“I was... Um... In need of a quiet place.”

“Excuse me then, didn't mean to budge in on your quiet time.”

Cardinal gave a look out to the street, noticing ponies casually strolling past. Fillies, colts, mares and stallions all going on with their lives, although not many looked like they were going to work.

She felt safer here, and since this pony clearly hadn't realized they were speaking to a machine, she decided to wait here, until things settled down at the very least.

She sat back down against the wall, “I don't mind, I could use some company.”

“I'd love some company too, although you should be more careful when walking into alleys, streets ain't as safe nowadays.”

“I can handle myself,” Cardinal replied, confident in her fighting ability.

“A young mare like you? I mean, I haven't got a good look at ya, but I can tell you there are some real rough ponies out there willing to do anything for a few bits.” The pony lifted up a bottle and drank from it, the popping from sucking on glass was very distinct.

“Is it really that bad?” Cardinal was surprised.

“Oh yeah, things are a real mess. All ponies talk about now is the climate crisis or the whole Zebrarian war, they all forget about the homeless, jobless, street junkies plaguing every city.”

“Are you also..?”

“Homeless? Unless you count this here alleyway as a home, then yup.”

“What is your name?” Cardinal kept scooting closer to him.

“Scotch.” He took a large gulp of his mysterious drink. “Yours?”

“Cardinal.”

“Well, it's lovely to meet you Cardinal.” He gave her his hoof, she shook it gently.

“Your hooves are really cold. You sure you’re ok? You’re not here looking for a fix, right? Cause I ain't selling anymore.”

“No, of course not, I...” Cardinal looked down at herself, feeling her cold metal shell. “I just have a cold...”

“Good, I've been busted before and I can't afford to go back to prison.”

He emptied his bottle and threw it at the large bin. It landed with a glass-smashing crunch.

He burped. “So if you’re not a junkie, and as far as I can tell you don't live out on the streets. What do you do? ”

“I'm unemployed... I guess. I don't really have a job, but I'm not homeless, well maybe right now I am, but there is this pony, her name is Seeker, once I find her, then I think she has an apartment. I'm pretty sure we are going to live together there.” She imagined her future, it seemed so close to reality, yet too far, with a thousand hidden obstacles she couldn't think of.

“That's a real situation you seem to be in, hope you find this friend of yours.”

“She's a bit more than a friend...”

“In love? Heh, I had a sweetheart myself once.” Scotch extended his hoof out to pat Cardinal on the back. “We were closer than two raccoons in a trash can.”

“Where are they now?” Cardinal asked him.

“Car crash, may her soul rest in peace.”

“That is unfortunate...”

“You’re telling me, lost my job soon after, then couldn't afford rent. Found myself in this here alley. Haven't left since.” He laughed to himself, keeping his spirits up. “But that's enough about me. Say, where are ya headed?”

“To find Seeker. We were in an old construction site, that's where she should be still.”

“The skyscraper they started building two years ago and never bothered to finish?”

“Yes? I think so, yeah.”

“Here.” He pulled himself up, leaning over the map, and he pointed out a small untitled area deep in the outskirts, far from her current position.

She took a marker out of her pouch and drew a small circle around the area he pointed at, “Thank you, sir! I guess I should get going.”

“You should. I'll be seeing you.” He pulled another drink from somewhere, placing it in his teeth and then bursting it open with a fizzy pop.

Cardinal stood up, rolled up map in wing.

“Hey, wait... Here, take this.” Scotch lifted something up, a large cloth that he put into Cardinal's hooves.

“Your blanket?”

“You're cold and I don't particularly need it, I got the drink to keep me warm.”

“Thank you.” She wrapped the thin brown sheet around her, tying a small knot at her chest to make a robe covering practically all of her body.

“See you too, Scotch.”

---

Cardinal trotted down the street, full cloak covering her body and head. This turned some heads as she passed by, but nopony had stopped her yet, so that was an improvement.

She wandered around the city in marvel at the buildings, the architecture, the lights, it was almost to much to take in at once.

The sky was filled with glass columns piercing the clouds, the sun shone against the windows in the most gorgeous of streaks. Great screens as wide as houses hung at the centers of the towers, blaring flashy colours in order to promote their products in brilliantly bright ways. The city was alive, ponies moved in such a fluid motion, shopping, cleaning, learning. Like a circulatory system in a body, they gave the city its life, transforming it from a dull concrete labyrinth into a bursting ecosystem. Looking on the smaller scale, Cardinal soon realized she was in some form of shopping district, indicated by each unique store after the other. Every window had its own style and character, all small businesses with their own quirky names and items for sale. Clothing retailers, computer stores, animal shelters, all of it just lines up... How could she resist? It would only be a slight detour to see what was inside one of them.

She chose a store that had a completely redesigned front, replacing the brick walling with wood, carved into a traditionally styled hut. It held a bright ornate sign at its door, ''The Dragon’s Fire''.

The moment she entered, the atmosphere settled over her, with black-out curtains installed, the only lighting was the tens of candles sitting in tiny metal pots hanging from the ceiling. They emitted an orange glow that touched on every surface in the room. A comforting hint of fresh bread and burning essence filled the air, making Cardinal want to breath through her noise to enjoy the scent. The keep's counter lacked anypony behind it, supposedly on break. The rest of the shop was filled with beautifully crafted wooden display cases, lacking any protection glass every item was completely exposed. The cases were lined with jewelry, pocket watches and some other small gadgets like whistles.

Cardinal felt a soft, cosy heat on her metal skin as she strolled through, viewing everything there was to be seen.

“Like anything you see?” A gentle, worn voice coming from the back of the store.

Cardinal jumped, turning over to the aged Unicorn standing behind the counter, hooves together.

“Oh, I'm sorry... I didn't notice you there.” She shied away, lowering her head to make sure the blanket covered her face. She tried to keep her voice as low as she could, trying not to sturr up any conflict.

“Please, don't worry. Have a look around, it's all good.” He had a pleasant smile, calming Cardinal.

She did wish to continue exploring, but preferred to leave. “Thank you, sir, but I should be off.” She turned her back and went to the door, being stopped at the knob.

“Don't want to keep her waiting, eh?”

“Excuse me?” She looked back.

“You’re in a rush, yes? You need to get back to your friend?”

Cardinal was cautiously curious. “How did you know that?”

“I enjoy being well informed, which leads me to asking, what is your name?”

Staying on her end of the shop, she answered him, “Cardinal. Yours?”

“Ponies simply call me The Dragon. Pleasure to meet you Cardinal.” He lifted a wooden panel at the right of the counter and strode over closer to her and bowed. He was a very tall Unicorn, his bright red skin was wrinkled heavily yet his golden eyes were comforting. He was wearing a fine silk cloak that cut off just before it were to touch the floor, only letting the tips of his hooves remain in sight. The cloak was a scarlet coloured work of art, golden dragons painted in brutal combat in an ancient Unicorn style.

He motioned Cardinal over to him, looking down at some of his items. She made a few steps closer, making sure her face was still engulfed in her hood's shadow.

Once Cardinal stood at his side, she inspected the golden, heart-shaped locket the pony was lifting by its long, shining interlocking chain. “I believe this would be something that interests you.”

Cardinal stared at it, not seeing anything special about this locket. “What does it do?”

“Ah, brilliant question.” He turned to Cardinal, looking past the darkness and deeply into her gently glowing eyes. “This, my child, is an artifact created a thousand years ago during the founding of Equestria. It was made by a Zeberian witch named Xiena and given to the pony tribes in exchange for her and her family’s freedom.” Floating it in between the two of them with a luminescent orange, he opened the locket. A small emerald heart, shaped in the gold, pulsed with magic.

“Xiena told the ponies that it held the power of an entire forest inside. To activate it all you had to do is place the emerald heart close to your own.” Cardinal was drawn in by his tale, her mind exploring the idea of how such a thing could work.

He shut the locket in a flash. The green wisps of magic were sucked right back inside.

“Although, what she did not mention, for this heart to create new life, it had to take life from another source, meaning the pony who bore this artifact's heart would stop just as a cost of using it.”

Without Cardinal's consent, the Unicorn dropped her hood for her with a spell, revealing her cold, mechanical flesh. “I do not see that being a big problem for you, Miss Cardinal.” He opened the chain, creating a hole which was than draped around Cardinal’s head, the locked dropping down to the hump of her chest.

Cardinal, feeling extremely exposed, stepped away. “Please, don't freak out!” She let her voice return to full volume, its electronic grittiness obvious as she lifted a hoof up to shield herself.

“Child, I have seen many things, and I can tell a living creature from a machine. You being the former, of course. Don't let what you are change the reality of who you are.” The wise smile he bore shifted to a scary delight. “Now, about payment.”

“But I... I don't have any money... I can't pay for this.” She placed a hoof under the chain on her neck, dangling it up in an attempt to take off the locket from around her neck.

“No, no no... You misunderstand, I do not require bits, the form of payment I desire is a little less... Conventional.”

“Excuse me?” She took another step back.

“Follow me,” he said, twisting around and returning to behind his counter. Cardinal swayed her head from side to side, unsettled. She begrudgingly went to the counter, not wanting to upset the pony who seemed to be friendly enough.

He searched beneath his counter, pulling out a frail scroll, worn by the elements. “All I need is a signature.” He unfurled the scroll, revealing a long paragraph written in a language Cardinal had never seen before. The words were large and elegantly decorated, tall loops and compact turns were found in every letter. More dragon art was present at the edges, she was unable to discern whether they were in a fighting stance or a graceful dance. At the very end of the scroll there was a straight line, unassumingly where she was to sign.

“What do the words say?” Cardinal turned up to the Unicorn.

“Its ancient dragon script, written by the very first Dragon Lord's arcane adviser, Skewer the Adept. It simply means that by acquiring one of my trinkets you adopt the Oath of Dragons, an ancient decree of Kindness, Loyalty, Generosity, Honesty, Laughter and Magic.” He lifted up a pen, placing it on the counter under Cardinal’s muzzle.

“What does that mean? I have to be kind?” Cardinal kept staring at the scroll, trying to gain a clue of what he meant.

“Those of course are a rough translation, the words don't mean too much themselves. The Dragon Oath was born generations ago, when dragons first began developing culture. This was years before Ponies are believed to have first lived. The Ancient Dragons were said to be the first race to exist, and before they became corrupted by Greed they were an honorable race, they were brought up as the children of the world, they were there to protect it. Although, after many years as the dragon population grew, they began having to hunt more animals, occupy more space and destroy more of the worlds plant life to simply survive.”

He turned over the scroll to face him, preparing to read it out for her.

“That is when the first Dragon Lord was anointed, Rapture the Healer, and he enforced every dragon to live by this code. Kindness, or as it would be said in Ancient, Gnilaeh, is to cherish the world, be gentle towards all other life and only take what you need. Loyalty, or Yrevarb, was to always stick close to one's kind and be prepared to defend them and your home with your life. Generosity, or Ytuaeb, is to put the need of the world and others in front of your own. Honesty, or Htgnerts, to be just, always be righteous and punish those who deserve it while protecting those who do not. Laughter, or Epoh. To always look to the future with joy, create only happiness, and push past darkness and evil. Finally, there is Magic, or Yrecros. To use the gifts you have been given for good, the magic that gives you agility, wisdom and brawn is there to be the world's shield, not your own sword.”

Cardinal was then re-given the scroll.

“It is a powerful code to live by,” the pony concluded.

She agreed, although curious about the Unicorn’s own intentions. “Why do you do this? Give ponies gifts and in exchange, make them live by these rules?”

“Someone needs to. After the dragons fell apart all those thousands of years ago, us ponies were created to be the new guardians of the realm. My family was given this knowledge by one of the few ancient dragon guardians that remained long before the founding of Equestria. We've been passing down the Oath since, trying to ensure we as a race do not make the same mistakes the Dragons did by falling to Greed and Hate.”

Cardinal bit down on the pen, lifting the but of it into the air and letting the tip press against the paper. She continued to talk through her speaker as she signed the contract, “Has it been working?”

“Sadly, even with the incentive that life provides, very few ponies have the world's health in mind these days. Twilight Sparkle, the princess who based all of her teachings from these principles doesn't even follow them to heart... Perhaps that is why she was punished, by losing she who not only held her heart, but held the key to reshaping the world's soul as well.”

Cardinal finished writing her name in perfect block writing, she dropped the pen and turned up to the Unicorn. Cardinal listened to his hypothesis with a hint of fear, “Who did she lose?”

Although as her head lifted she saw no sight of the pony. Leaning over the counter, she found no trace of him.

She jerked backward from the counter suddenly as the scroll she was hovering over had caught ablaze. She watched it as the flames disintegrated the paper to ash.

Rotating around the store, she still could not see him, and after a few minutes of searching in bewilderment, she decided to lift her hood once more and exit the store.

As she reached for the doorknob, her eyes were drawn down her chest onto the locket, it reflected her blue eyes right back at her.

She let a wing out from the front of her cloak to lift the locket up, eventually prying it open.

As it flung open the green magic flew out and surrounded her entire body. Glowing magic fog shot around her in streaks. Her vision became blurry as her head began drifting down in a weary sleep, just before she would have fallen to the ground, she pushed herself to shut the locket once more with her feathers.

She shook her head, instantly regaining her clarity. She turned from side to side, noticing that the wood of the door actually sprouted leaves and vines began draping all over every surface around her. The floor was covered in moss and slices of grass stuck out in between the cracks in the floor.

Amazed by the power this locket held, she trotted out of the door in awe.

---

Cardinal continued down the pathway, her confidence greatly boosted in light of recent events. She had already traveled a good halfway of her journey back to the site.

Her travels have been quite uninterrupted. Apparently, walking around in a dirty old rag for a cloak and wearing a golden heart-shaped locket around your neck doesn't incite much intrigue as it does sidestepping. The worst that happened was somepony muttered “fucking Zebras...” as they walked by, which made Cardinal wonder why they would assume she was a Zebra.

As the quality of architecture fell with every block she passed, what were once elegant towers faded off into shabby brick homes. She found herself a new type of building in her path.

The structure stuck out like a disgusted tongue, The bright screens and banners covering every exterior wall of the large complex were a familiar sight, yet they felt out of place in the housing district she wandered through. Crossing the road, she turned to walk through the building, which had a large court cutting right through to the other side of the block that this giant inhabited.

As she strolled under the large ''Mall'' sign, covering the entire head of the entrance, she was surprised to see the amount of ponies there were here. Hundreds, if not thousands of ponies trotted around with pleasurable smiles.

Some of them sat in one of the many tables scattered outside restaurants, enjoying a variety of dining options this place seemed to provide.

Others went around with many bags, filled to the brim with items of clothing, technology, and other comforts of that nature.

The atmosphere was almost frightening by the sheer population of this place, as Cardinal moved forward her path was cut off a few times by ponies rushing every which way, cause her to retreat a few steps each time.

Feeling it wise to go around the mall instead of through it, Cardinal turned heel and trotted back the way she came, noticing that she seemed to have drawn the attention of the crowds as many pairs of eyes followed her. Mostly faces of oddity. Cardinal was out of place, at least more than usual that is.

As she was about to make it out from underneath the stylized arch that held up the mall sign, she was approached by a pony in a blue uniform, a glistening badge prominently sticking out of his chest.

“Sorry, there, would you mind dropping the hood?” He blocked her path, speaking firmly.

Cardinal took a step to his side. He followed her in the movement, refusing to let her pass. Cardinal barely breached a whisper, “I'd... I'd rather not...”

The pony spoke up in almost a threatening tone. “Miss, if you'd kindly show me your face before I am forced to remove your hood myself?”

“Please, you don't want to...”

The Earth Pony Officer reached over Cardinal's shoulders to her hood before she could stop him, “Have it your way, Zebr... A?”

Pulling her hood down the guard saw her face clearly, with all of its robotic features.

He gasped, lost for words.

Cardinal fell back instinctively, turning her head around to see the many witnesses scramble on the floor in search of their jaws at the sight of a purely mechanical pony where they expected a dirty Zebra.

Cardinal threw her hood back upon her, looking desperately for a way out, the way she was moving was now filled with ponies trying to get a closer look at her to confirm that their eyes weren't deceiving them.

The Officer formed a sentence, “What are you..?”

Cardinal watched as she became surrounded by a hundred little cameras being brought up and pointed at her, getting slowly closer.

“Please, let me go!” she pleaded to the deafened crowd.

The officer had closed in on her as she spun around in search for an exit, he bit down at the center of the cloak, shooting his head back as if he was trying to swipe a dining cloth from underneath some china. Cardinal felt her sheet torn off of her like a layer of skin, revealing her true insides as a wave of gasps moved across the clear circle, now fully fledged around Cardinal.

Panicking, Cardinal rushed into the crowd in an attempt to break out, seeing no success as she was met with an unmoving wall of amazed ponies.

The mob began shouting at her as she cowered back into the eye of the storm, terrified of the others. She heard them say words such as "Robot" or "Machine", some ponies even going so far as to insult her in her peril with a "freak!" and a "monster!" heard every few moments.

Cardinal couldn't sweat, which was a pain for her as she felt her skin boil in embarrassment and pressure, the weight of a hundred souls crushing her as her sight was filled with nothing more than phone cameras.

“Please! Just leave me be!” She squirmed as nopony listened to her plea. The officer even brought out hoofcuffs and approached her.

As the pony went to restrain Cardinal, she threw him off of her, launching him back into the crowd moaning in pain.

In a burning rage she went to scream, two small hatches flipped open at both sides of her neck, two black speakers sliding out amplifying her voice to a ground shaking tremble. “I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE!”

She twisted her back to the officer. Seeing the crowd recoil in fear, she bolted through them, throwing some ponies down to the center with painful force.

Dashing down the mall, she gained the attention of everypony in sight, looking on as she galloped past. Keeping her eyes up, she saw as several more ponies in police uniforms ran in front of her path, shouting at her to halt.

Cardinal continued, determination and anger coursing through her as she continued her charge. A unicorn officer in the group watched as Cardinal persisted toward them, leaving her to cast a spell. She formed a shield in front of her and her comrades as Cardinal came into the range of a few meters.

Cardinal threw out her wings and as she came seconds from crashing into the force field, she thrusted herself up and into the air on her last step. Spreading her wings with the feathers interlocking she glided over top them, re-landing with a crater under each hoof as she hit the pavement, continuing her gallop she found herself on the other side, leaving from an opening almost identically mirrored from where she first entered, the sign to her back as she ran across the street, causing cars to brake sharply at her surprise sprint through the street.

She found herself running into a housing complex, a small gate at the side gave way quickly against her strength and she proceeded into the garden of this run-down apartment building. Finding herself in a relatively secluded area, she let herself fall down against the backyard fence, next to a small shed.

She breathed in and out, relieved. The chilly air crisply tingled as it ran down her throat, letting herself cool off.

Resting her head back, she looked up at the sun, moving ever so closer to the midday mark. She wondered whether or not she was running out of time, when she died it was morning what she woke up again. That could mean Seeker has been already awake for a few hours, would she still be there? Waiting for her? What if she wandered off? That would mean all of this stress would be for nothing. On the other hoof, Diamond was there, maybe he told Seeker that she was returning and to wait? But if Diam-

“Hi.”

Cardinal's thoughts crashed back into the earth as she turned her sight down from the sun to look at the little filly standing in front of her.

She was an Earth Pony, barely the height of Cardinal’s outstretched leg. Her coat was a light magenta, bringing out her deep pink eyes. She had a short-cut yellow mane which was messy and ruffled to the extreme, just like her tail. Her face was lit with excitement and wonder at the strange pony she stared at, bright-eyed.

“Are you ok?” she spoke very lively, giddy, even when asking Cardinal if she wasn't hurt.

Cardinal seemed to be stuck for words, just darting her eyes around, inspecting the filly.

“Can you talk?” The child leaned over and booped Cardinal’s muzzle with her tiny hoof.

“Hello?” Cardinal said in a daze, worn down already by today's events.

“You talk!” She hopped up and down and ran a few circles, letting Cardinal notice the filly's lack of a cutie mark. “My name is Bun, whats yours?”

The filly was not reacting to Cardinal like other normal ponies, she caused a smile to build up with a surge of delight as this filly excitedly skipped around in front of her. “I am Cardinal, hello Bun.”

“Ooo! Ooo! Will you be my friend Cardie? Will you?” The filly grabbed Cardinal's right hoof, yanking it up to assist her in standing back up.

She could use a break before returning to her journey, especially now that the city was most likely searching for her. “Sure, Bun. I'll be your friend.” Cardinal lifted her tired steel bones up, towering over the little child.

The filly gaped at her, amazed by Cardinal's raw size. “You're really tall! I never had a tall friend like you.”

“I've never had a small friend like you.” Cardinal couldn't help but grinning, it was adorable.

“Let me intro'uce you to my other friends!” She went to lift Cardinal's hoof, who let her do so as she began leading Cardinal closer to the building. The red bricks of the back wall were indented with a few windows. The paint from the white wooden frames was peeled off in parts and a large glass sliding door was stuck opposite.

At the bottom of the short steps from the door to the grass, there was a toy tea party set up. The bright pink table had four matching plastic cups on each cardinal direction, for some reason missing a kettle. On one seat, there was a toy about half the size of the filly, it was a light blue, winged action figure with a rainbow mane, it was also covered in muck and the paint was chipped. It seemed to have movable limbs, tiny joints in its legs all together bearing a surprising amount of resemblance to Cardinal's own body. Cardinal realized that the filly might actually think she is simply a toy, a very tall one that is.

The other two seats on the left and right of Cardinal were empty, most likely for Bun and herself.

When she reached the table, she finally saw who was held behind the fourth chair: a bunny.

A fluffy white bunny plush toy, barely sitting as its heavy head veered over to her right causing it to slump. It was also dirty, its white fur dulled into a sickly grey with some mud sprinkled in between its fur.

“You sit there.” The filly pointed to the other seat opposite to her own as she sat down.

Cardinal did as she was told, having to bend her legs in such a steep angle it would break the legs of any pony of flesh and blood. Although she did manage to place her rump on the seat, her tail got stuck into the dirt and her legs really were the ones carrying her weight as it would crush the poor little stool. She leaned forward to look into her empty, tiny, fake, pink teacup on a tiny, fake, pink plate.

“This is Rainbow Dash!” She gestured towards the figurine. “She is the most awesomest pony and she came from Cloudsdale just to be here!” Bun beamed with joy, feeling truly graced by the presence of the “awesomest” pony. Moving onto her second friend, “And this is Rob. He is a rabbit and my very very best friend!”

Cardinal smirked, giving a nod to both guests. “It's lovely to meet you both.”

Bun leaned over the table to the figures side, putting a hoof at the side of her mouth to hide it from Cardinal as she spoke in an impression, “Lovely to meet you to Cardie!” She quickly flipped over to the rabbits side, putting on yet another voice. “Yea! Thank you for joining us!”

This made Cardinal laugh, the filly returned to her seat. “Please, drink.”

Cardinal glanced her eyes back to the still empty cup, then back at the filly.

Bun spoke to her as she lifted up her teacup. “Your tea is already poured. That is where foxy sat and he was naughty so he has to sit in the corner.” Bun pointed over to where the fence met the building, and surely enough a fox plushie sat facing towards the corner on the steps, looking as worn as the others.

Cardinal turned back to the table, confused on the tea situation.

The filly spotted this and began peering over each of her shoulders as if somepony was watching, she lifted herself over the table to whisper to Cardinal, trying to make sure the other guests did not hear her. “It’s pretend tea.” She sat down giggling, doing her best to sip the pretend tea as realistically as she could.

Cardinal took out her right wing, taking the tip of her longest blade and placing it into the handle of the cup, lifting it up to her mouth where she pretended to drink it.

They laughed together at the ridiculousness of the situation. It was a few silly moments before a voice came from inside the house.

“Bun, what are you doing out there, filly?”

Buns face turned to fear. “Oh, no, mom’s mad again.”

“What, why? What's wrong?” Cardinal placed down the tea.

“She doesn't like when I play tea party...” A sudden shock of realization slammed into her. “Quick! You have to hide! Mommy will take you away!” She actually began crying, a fear in her throat.

Cardinal stood up, watching the panic in the filly's eyes she saw the shed and took a sprint towards it, sliding the door back and hopping in she shut the door, waiting.

Cardinal tried to peer through the cracks in the wood, not getting any clear perspective on the situation.

She listened scrupulously, she heard the sliding door open and then a mares voice. “Bun, I said, what are you doing? Tea party? Again! What do I keep telling you, girl?”

“I-I'm-I'm-I'm... S-ss-sorr...”

The mother had a viciousness in her tone, “Don't even try, Missy, I heard you talking to them again! I told you to stop with this stupid fucking childish nonsense! This is why you don't have any real friends! These toys aren't real! Stop pretending! Your father did not raise no Celestia-damned failure!”

A light sobbing served as background noise as the scolding continued.

“I told you to go out and make some real fucking friends for once! Ugh, you are just useless!”

There was a pause as Cardinal listened to the mother's hoofsteps, “Did you...” More steps, quicker in pace and stronger in press. The light sobbing turned into an excruciating cry of pain from Bun as she was dragged over to somewhere by her mother. “WAS THAT YOU? DID YOU BREAK THE FUCKING GATE, AGAIN?”

A body fell into the dirt.

“WHO WAS THIS? DON'T YOU LIE TO ME.”

“M-m, m-my fff ff-frie-”

“I SAID DON'T FUCKING LIE TO ME.”

The distinct sound of skin being slapped was prominently heard by Cardinal, who was getting enraged.

“NOW TELL ME AGAIN, WHO DID THIS? I KNOW IT WASN'T YOUR FUCKING ACTION FIGURES!”

“M-mm... M-me...” She trailed off into sobbing.

“I thought so. No supper tonight for you, and I'll be taking those.”

Bun yelled out as the mother moved back, a swift and angry hoof jossiling the plastic table and chairs, the door slid closed again soon after.

Cardinal bust out of the shed, moving to the scene. The table had been flipped over, the seats now knocked down and missing their occupants.

The filly was sitting against the corner of the building on the path to the gate, she was sobbing into her legs with a churning amount of pain, making Cardinal visibly shake with anger.

Bun lifted her head to notice Cardinal, her bottom jaw was shuddering, her eyes almost blood red.

Her suffering soul, to Cardinal's surprise, seemed to disappear at the sight of her friend. “H-h heh... Hi.” She said, trying to keep herself together.

Cardinal’s rage shifted to concern as she bolted over to Bun. “Are you hurt?”

The filly looked up into Cardinal's eyes, a sweet innocence in her trembling voice. “N-nn-no.”

Cardinal placed her hoof softly against the filly's cheek, pivoting her head to the left to reveal a red marking across the back of her head and neck.

“It, its fine... It doesn't even sting much.” The filly attested. “D-did, did she take the... The others?”

“Yes, Bun... She did.” Cardinal helped the filly to her hooves.

She turned around the corner and held back the tears, taking breaths to calm down. “M-mm-mommy, s-she says that I need to get real friends... But p-ponies don't like me at school, t-they make fun of me and...” She sniffled, “They call me poor, and dumb, and, and...”

Cardinal shushed her, “It’s ok, I understand...” She put a leg around Buns head, holding her close into her chest, letting the filly cry.

The moment passed, the filly stepped back, looking over her shoulder her tears fell onto a new smile, “Look. Foxy is still there...”

Cardinal and the filly walked past the thrown about play set and to the fox plush together, the filly lifting it up and hugging it tightly as she sat down on the stone step to her house.

Cardinal sat down beside the somber filly. “Are you going to be alright?”

“Yeah... Mommy shouts a lot... She gets really mad since when Daddy died...” The filly's head fell down, her fox comforting her with cuddles.

Cardinal brought Bun closer to her, patting her on the shoulder.

“BUN, YOU BETTER GET BACK INSIDE! THERE'S SOME CRAZY PONY RUNNING AROUND THE STREETS ON THE NEWS!” The mother’s distant voice hollered through the glass.

“I... I should go,” Cardinal said begrudgingly, not wanting to cause any more hassle for the filly and remembering her own matters she should be attending to.

“B-b-bb... But...” The filly protested, her teary eyes looking up at the robot.

“I'm sorry, I have to... I have to go find one of my own friends, and I don't want to get you into trouble.” Cardinal sat up, turning to the filly, crouching down to her height.

The filly began breathing with a quiver, “But... Who will I talk to…?”

“You still have Foxy.”

“But that's... That's just pretend... I don't have any real friends.” The filly looked into the two black marbles acting as the foxes eyes.

“Hey, don't say that. You do have real friends.” Cardinal lifted the filly's gaze up towards her own.

“No I don't...” The filly stared, confused.

“Yes you do.”

“Who?”

Cardinal stood up, “Well, I'm not pretend, am I?” She gave the filly a beautiful smile.

“No... No, you’re not.” The filly grinned, wiping her eyes before looking back up to her friend. “Do you promise to come back?”

“I promise, I will come back, and maybe I can bring some real tea next time.”

The filly giggled, then waved her away as Cardinal turned and walked over to the fence.

“BUN, I SAID, GET INSIDE!” The mother's voice rang again.

Cardinal waved back to her friend, then she set up her legs in the dirt, bending down against her springs.

Letting go she launched herself over the fence, landing on the other side.

---

Cardinal peered around the corner, looking side to side along the road. Luckily for her, she has been in a very low traffic area for a while, remaining incognito by traveling through the alleys and side streets of the city.

Taking the safe routes through the suburbs did take a more sizable amount of time compared to the rest of her journey; the sun was low in the sky, the evening light dimming behind the loose clouds.

If her map was correct, she should only be a street away from the site.

Seeing nopony along the street, she trotted out, her plates now dirtied with muck and soot from the city's filthy underbelly. She skipped across the street, glee in her eyes as she saw the familiar fences of the construction site still towering into the sky, far to tall for her to jump over.

She walked along the fence, trying to make it around to the gate, turning the corner she found it unguarded. “Perfect.”

Strolling down to the gate, a strange new feature soon became apparent to her as she found that behind the vehicle barrier there was now a chain link fencing, completely enclosing the facility.

Not too shocked that they barricaded off her crime, Cardinal strolled over to the chain link with her blade drawn. She stuck it through the chains and began cutting with a hacksaw motion down the fence, slicing open an entrance for her to push through.

The first detail she noticed as she stepped through her self made passageway was that the snow in the center path was kicked away. Meaning it was either purposely cleaned or that a gang of ponies strolled through several times.

Making her way further down the track, she became concerned by the lack of blood, there was not a drop to be seen in the entire area.

It was also dead silent, not a breath in the entire complex. “Hello? Seeker? Anypony?”

She continued down to the elevator, finding the doors shut tightly. The light in the arch was out. “Oh no...”

Cardinal's heart sank. What if Seeker has been trapped in the elevator this whole time? She might have thought Cardinal forgot about her. What kind of pony would let that happen?

Cardinal scratched at the steel chunks of door like a dog wanting to be let outside, screaming into the crack. “SEEKER! I'M HERE! I'M SO SORRY!” An enraging surge of emotion poured over her, tears forming as she cocked back a leg, stabbing it into the elevator door.

Several more hits proved to bust through the door, creating a hole large enough to fit her head through and possibly even crawl to the other side if she tried hard enough.

She popped her head through, her eyes clicking on, raising their glow until the entire elevator shaft was illuminated around her. “W-what?” A sense of dread pressed against her chest as she found nothing more than a loose cable hanging from the ceiling, draped over a bottomless pit leading down into the facility.

“SEEKER!” she yelled down, getting her echo returned to her only a few seconds after. She pulled her head out of the hole, she was going to find a way down, and she was going to get her love out of that hell she was trapped in.

Turning around, she was taken aback by the pony standing behind her, a blue Earth Pony with glasses.

“I thought I'd find you here,” Diamond said, his face cold and dead.

“D-diamond? Diamond! Did you find Seeker? Did you help her out?” Cardinal charged up with optimism once more.

“No, Cardinal... I didn't” He refused to share eye contact with her, trotting over to the hole and staring down it with a heavy heart.

Cardinal continued in her endless effort to save Seeker, “Can you help me get her out then? Do you know how she got down there in the first place? We can use the same way to go down there and get her.”

Diamond sighed, holding himself close in his winter coat, refraining from crying, “She is dead...”

Cardinal, to Diamond's surprise, continued in her uplifted speech. “Yes, I know! But it’s been long enough. If she never got out of the elevator, then she must still be there!”

Diamond turned a cheek over his shoulder. “Did you not hear me? I said she's dead! We can't help her!” He shouted at the robot.

Cardinal was taken back, “I know... What's wrong, Diamond?”

Diamond gaped at her, unsure of what was going on in that head of hers. “Do you not understand? She is gone, those royal guards shot her into bits and we're never going to see her again! She is dead and gone forever, WHAT PART OF THAT DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND?!?” Diamond threw himself at Cardinal, shaking her on the shoulders in frustration.

“B-but...” Cardinal's thoughts were conflicted, ideas twisting in her head like knots. “You mean, she's dead...”

Her heart split in half. “Forever?”

Diamond looked into her eyes, seeing the pain settling onto her sweet soul. “Yes, Cardinal, that's what happens when ponies die...”

Cardinal became a statue, unable to move. Her jaw was stuck open after finishing her sentence, her unblinking eyes dripping tears into the mud. She felt the world crashing onto her, every single one of her wires felt slashed, every piston jammed and motor clogged. Her thoughts became shards of glass, laid out with the sharpest ends upright as she fell into them. Her throat burned, eyes blind, her ears deaf. The wind was no longer caressing her skin and the chill of the weather no longer stung as her sensors felt numb.

“I...”

Her jaw shook fiercely as she managed to speak the syllable, her face turning into a tormented horror frozen in time as she realized what she had done.

“I killed her...”

She blurted it out, Diamond's head picking itself up with a look of betrayal in his eyes.

Her body came back to life as she slammed her two front hooves into her eyes, screaming in suffering and guilt. She then immediately began throwing her legs against the ground, the force of each hit sending dirt flying in every direction as she dug out a pit into the ground in her lashing out.

“FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!!!” she screeched at her full volume, causing Diamond to cover his ears in the piercing pain, the entire city must have heard her.

She began collapsing, giving into her sorrow, she wept. “No! No, no...”

Cardinal began beating herself in the skull with her hooves, screaming at herself.

“Cardinal! Calm down!” Diamond leapt over to the robot, standing over her.

She saw him approach her. “GET OFF ME!” She rolled onto her back and bucked him with her back legs, launching him towards the elevator and slamming into the door, his entire back stinging and bruising.

Cardinal stood up and stomped over to Diamond, unsheathing her blade on the way. “YOU'RE LYING, TELL ME YOU’RE LYING!”

“Please! Don't kill me! I'm telling the truth!” He threw his legs in front of him, closing his eyes as he braced for impact.

Cardinal thrusted her hoof towards his head as she got to him, the blade just barely missing as she stabbed the steel above him, again crumbling into tears.

Diamond opened an eye as he felt tears drip onto his lap.

“I know...” Cardinal said faintly over her sobbing, “I can tell when somepony is lying...”

She pulled the blade out of the elevator door, hobbling back a few steps, she glared at her knife. “AGHHH!” She screamed, putting the blade length ways in her mouth. She tugged downward, bending the blade from her hoof before she pulled it out completely with a swing of her head. She spat out the blade into the snowy mud.

She sat down, her head falling in between her hooves.

Diamond was still recovering, his lungs finding it hard to regain their breath. “I... I'm... Sorry...” he tried to tell her.

“Stupid, stupid, stupid!” She insulted herself, continuing the self beating.

“Its... Okay Cardinal, lets just go...”

“NO, IT'S NOT OK!” She flipped her head up, screaming at him powerfully. She swung around her right hoof as she spoke, now sparking from the broken blade. “I KILLED THEM ALL, DIAMOND! I killed so many...” She recoiled with another wave of tears, her anger persisting. “DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY THERE WERE? ALL THOSE PONIES, GONE? FOREVER?”

Diamond made it to his hooves, still wobbly. “Cardinal, I'm very sorry you had to do that...”

“I DIDN'T HAVE TO! I just...” She slammed her hoof into the dirt once more. “I just didn't know...”

Diamond approached her cautiously. now, “Let’s leave, Cardinal. It’s getting late...” He spoke with unease.

“JUST LEAVE ME ALONE! GO! I want to stay here... Please...” Cardinal fell backwards, the mud soaking into her body as she looked up into the sky, past the steel beams reaching into it.

Diamond picked up his voice, “Cardinal, you can't stay here, we have to leave!”

She didn't make a twitch.

“Cardinal!” He placed a hoof on her, giving her a little shake.

“How did you know I was here...” she whispered.

“What?”

“How did you know that I would be here? I never told you when I'd be back.” She flicked an eye towards him. He fell back, guilt in his face.

“I-I... I saw you come in...”

“Diamond.”

“Yes?”

“I can tell when ponies are lying.” She placed a hoof on either side of her and propped herself up, she then turned over to stand back up, looking into Diamonds eyes.

She moved up to him, pressing her muzzle against his nose. “Tell them if they try and get me... I won't hesitate. And now that I know it's forever... I doubt they want that to happen to them.” She warned him with a twisted anger.

“W-who... D-d, do you mean?”

“The guards, the friends of the ones I killed before... Tell them to stay away from me.”

“B-but...”

She growled, making Diamond retreat. He began running, falling on his ass as he attempted to get away, he picked himself up with haste as he bolted it out of the facility, terrified for his own life.

Cardinal watched him squirm out of the fence and out onto the street, leaving.

She turned back to the elevator, making her way up to it gently, step by step. She had her head down in morning as she placed a hoof onto the heavily damaged door, saying her last goodbyes.

“Seeker... I am sorry... I didn't know...” She took long breaths in between speaking. “I thought it was the same... The same as my world, I thought...”

She took a moment to recover her thoughts.

“I thought I was helping...”

She glanced up to the sky as it began to snow, the tiny, shiny flakes landing onto Cardinal. She returned to her goodbye. “I don't know what to do without you, Seeker, that last time when I was still in my world, I thought about what I would do in this one... But you were always with me in those thoughts... What do I do now, Seeker? Please... Tell me...”

She deteriorated into a soft sobbing, letting her hoof drop from the elevator. “I'm scared, Seeker... I'm terrified... The guards are hunting me... The city thinks I'm a monster... I need your help... I'd do anything to see you once more... I don't want to say goodbye to you, Seeker, I don't want to... I didn't want any of this... I'm sorry... I'm sorry, I'M SORRY!”

“I loved you.”