18 - A New Beginning
Shadow powered up the following morning, his optics coming online just as the sunrise began to filter in between the curtains. His legs shifted to support his weight as he stood up, his gaze coming to rest on Luna as the lunar diarch’s horn glowed in a soft blue light. Her eyes opened moments later as her horn went dark, her attention shifting to Shadow as he walked up to the edge of the bed to observe the pony lying within. While parts of his processors couldn’t compute the shift, his optics did not lie about the change that had been enacted upon Dr. Kelly, her smaller chest rising and falling slowly as her heart monitor steadily beeped in the background.
“As we told thee,” Luna smiled as she stood from her seated position and joined Shadow beside the bed, “we kept her safe over the night and ensured that her slumber was peaceful. We would not dream of letting nightmares plague her mind after all that she has been through.”
“Thank you, Princess.” Shadow replied as he turned to Captain Goodwill, “Was there anything that happened that I need to be aware of while I was powered down?”
The armored human shook his helm slightly, “Nothing to report other than a few nurses coming in to check on the doctor.” He glanced at the bed before turning back to Shadow, “Part of me still doesn’t believe that really is Dr. Kelly in that bed. It just seems too strange to be real.”
Shadow nodded his understanding, although he was interrupted by the door opening behind him before he could reply. All eyes shifted to the opening as a small cluster of ponies entered, including Princess Celestia and Dr. Suture. The nurses stepped up to the bed and began disconnecting the wires and I.V. drip from Dr. Kelly, Celestia and Suture stopping next to Luna’s side once the extra equipment was removed from the unconscious mare’s limbs and chest.
“We’re taking her off of the drip and letting her body filter out the drugs that have been keeping her under.” Dr. Suture stated clearly as the nurses left the way they had come, “From what we can tell, she has absorbed enough magic to prevent exhaustion if she can learn to cast spells, although I would recommend limited use until she can adjust to her new form and abilities. Other than that, there isn’t any more we can do except let the patient learn on her own. We will be available should physical training be necessary, although given the state of her muscles and bones, it should be more mental than physical when it comes to moving about.” He turned his attention to Celestia and Luna, “We have informed Blueblood that his charge will be waking up soon, and that you will summon him when he is needed.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” Celestia replied, bowing her head slightly as the stallion exited, leaving the diarchs to return their attention to the slumbering mare before them.
“It seems like only yesterday that you first came to our world and met with the girls in Ponyville.” Celestia mused as she placed a hoof on the edge of the bed, her gaze locked on Dr. Kelly as a sigh escaped her muzzle, “My how things have changed since then. Aliens walk among our little ponies and one of them has been changed into our kind after nearly losing her life to one of our own. Truly a series of events that I never imagined would come to pass.”
“It seems that there will be further surprises in store for us all,” Luna added as she placed a wing over her sister’s back, “especially after the rest of the humans find out what has happened to Dr. Kelly. I am not sure how they will react, but I know that it will stretch what little trust they have in us near the breaking point. We must tread carefully moving forward, sister, or else we may still face the wrath of the humans after what has happened.”
“Let us hope that does not happen.” Celestia agreed, “We did the best we could under the circumstances, so we must have trust in ourselves and in our new friends that our efforts will be accepted as such. Now,” her attention shifted to a scroll that appeared in her magic grip, the parchment unfurling next to her head before floating down before Shadow, “I would appreciate it if you could check my work for errors before I speak with Dr. Kelly. I worked with your friend Wilcox for several hours in order to learn the basics of your language last night. It’s not poetry by any means, but it is my hope that I can at least clearly pass on what happened and why we did what we did in order to save Dr. Kelly’s life. I hope that she can forgive us for what we have done, and I don’t want her opinion to be shifted because I did not use the proper wording.”
Shadow glanced over the document before him, the translation matrix running corrections in seconds over the short but clearly English words. Celestia might not have had more than a few hours to learn the human tongue, but for a first attempt it was more than sufficient to get the message across. He nodded to her before she levitated the scroll back over to her side, rolling it up and folding it under a wing as she turned her attention back to the bedridden unicorn.
It was just over half an hour later when Dr. Kelly began to stir, her body shifting slightly and grabbing the attention of everyone in the room as her muzzle curled downward in a grimace. Her forelegs shifted against the sheets for a few seconds, although it seemed that the new muscles were not responding as she would like, because after a few seconds of limited success, she let out a frustrated sigh and cracked her eyes open.
“Would someone please explain to me why my arms feel like they’ve been filled with lead?” She asked, her now bright emerald gaze shifting over the other beings present before landing on Shadow, “Shadow, what happened? The last thing I remember was that unicorn screaming bloody murder, and then it’s all a blank.”
Shadow shifted his attention to Celestia, who slowly placed her hoof on the bedside once again, her magic pulling out the scroll as Dr. Kelly’s eyes widened in shock. Her gaze had been pulled down as Celestia placed a hoof on top of her own, the former human’s eyes growing wider and wider as she shifted her head to take in more of her new body. Shadow could detect Dr. Kelly’s rising heart rate, her panic growing as her mind tried to rationalize what her body was telling her, only to grind to a complete halt as Celestia spoke in clear and practiced English.
“Dr. Kelly.” The unicorn’s eyes jerked back to Celestia as the larger mare’s gaze softened with pity, “I am sorry for what has happened. You were attacked and we were forced to change you into a pony in order to save your life. Had we not acted, you would have died, and the ponies we care for would have been faced with a war that we could not win. We understand if you are confused and afraid, so are we. But it is our hope that we can learn from one another and to move forward as one. The one responsible for your injuries has been punished, and we will help you in every way we can so that you can continue your work with the rest of your team.”
Celestia paused to check over her notes, allowing Dr. Kelly to close her gaping jaw as her eyes began to fill with tears, “While you may be a pony in body, you are still human in mind and spirit, and we will not force you to do anything that you do not wish for yourself. You are not under our control nor will you be forced to live here should you wish to return home with your team. You are still the same being you were before, just with some changes that will take getting used to. For all that you have gone through and will go through in the future, my sister and I give our most humble apologies and wish that you can forgive us for what has happened.”
The scroll rolled up and settled on the table beside the bed as Celestia turned her attention back to Dr. Kelly, a small smile on her lips as she reached up and wiped away the tears that had begun to fall from the unicorn’s eyes, “We wish there had been another way, but as it stands, what has been done cannot be undone, and we must all live with the actions that have been taken to ensure we can move forward. You are not alone, and your friends will help you to keep going even if the road ahead is difficult. Hold your head high, little pony, and do not let your second chance at life go to waste.”
For a moment, Dr. Kelly simply stared at Celestia, her wide eyes seemingly not seeing the alicorn as her mouth opened and closed repeatedly. Finally, a light of recognition returned to her emerald orbs, and as she looked down at her fur-covered forelegs, reality seemed to crash down on her head like a ton of bricks. Her teeth ground together as her eyes shut tight, fresh tears streaming down her face as her head fell back on the pillow. Her wails of sorrow and loss echoed around the room as her new limbs managed to find their way to her face, covering her eyes and muzzle as her sobs shook her body from head to tail. Celestia and Luna’s ears folded against their heads as pity overcame their expressions, although they perked upright again as Captain Goodwill shifted from his post against the wall and walked up to the other side of the bed.
He placed his weapon against the wall before turning his body back to the sobbing mess that rested on the bed before him, letting the distraught mare cry for a while longer before a single gloved hand reaching out as he bent down on one knee. Dr. Kelly’s sobbing slowed as his hand came to rest on the top of her head, her forelegs slowly lowering as she looked up at the faceplate that hovered over her. Sniffs and choked sobs still managed to escape her as Goodwill’s hand slowly rubbed the top of her head, although they slowly faded as a soft sigh managed to overcome them. Her eyes slowly closed as her head leaned into the pressure that his hand provided, her forelegs falling against the bed as her sobs finally subsided.
“You won’t have to do this alone.” Goodwill rumbled out as Kelly’s eyes opened again, her new face reflected in his helm’s visor as the guard slowly removed his hand from her head, “The ponies did what they had too in order to save your life. Don’t let this opportunity slip past you because you want to go back to the way things were. You are a pony now. Deal with it and move on or so help me I will take your tiny little body and toss you in the nearest body of water to make you see straight. You are a representative of humanity, pony body or not, so you are going to wipe away those tears, hold your chin high as any self-respecting person should, and you are going to make sure you do whatever it takes to complete the mission we set out to do. Do I make myself clear?”
A shaky giggle managed to escape Kelly’s mouth as she wiped her eyes with a hoof, “W-Well look at you acting all s-sensitive. I never thought I’d see the d-day when the infamous Captain Goodwill would show a side o-other than stoic and c-controlled.” Her eyes closed as she sucked in a deep breath, letting it out in a rush as she turned her attention back to the royal sisters. Her eyes were still bloodshot and there was a slight tremor to her jaw, but her lips were curled into a small smile none the less as she addressed the alicorn sitting next to her. “Very well, I’ll do my best, but first, would someone mind helping me to sit up? I’m having a bit of trouble getting my body to do what I want it to.”
Goodwill nodded, slowly moving his arms around the mare’s upper body before pulling her up into a seated position. Naturally, the sheets covering her upper body slid down as she came up, and Dr. Kelly’s eyes flew wide open as she struggled to lift her forelegs to keep the wayward cloth in place. Yet her uncoordinated movements did nothing to stop the sheet from falling into her lap, although as her bare chest came into view, both she and the captain seemed to realize that there was no longer anything there that needed to be covered.
Her eyes narrowed in concentration, Kelly slowly lifted a hoof up to her fur-covered chest, her hoof feeling around for a moment before a long sigh escaped her mouth, “Right, pony body.” Another sigh could be heard as she lowered her hoof to the bed again, nodding to Goodwill before the guard stepped back. For a moment Kelly glanced down at her chest before turning to Shadow, “Would you mind translating for us, so we don’t have to rely on Princess Celestia’s notes?”
Shadow nodded, his attention shifting to the two alicorns as Kelly did the same, “I’m not angry with you for saving my life, I want you to understand that. But I am upset that I had to become a pony in order to stay alive. I was attached to my identity as a human and I only realize it now that I was proud to be representing my species to your world. How can I still be a part of my team if I’m no longer human?”
Goodwill raised his hand to interject, but Celestia stopped him with a raised hoof of her own. The guard nodded and resumed his post while the solar diarch turned back to the mare before her, “As I said before, or at least I hope I explained it clearly, there was no other way to save you. Had you perished at the hooves of one of my ponies, then the likelihood was that our two people would be at war, and given the technology you possess, it would be a war doomed to go down in history as a one-sided bloodbath. I could not let my ponies face such horrors without trying everything in our power to save you. While you are a pony in body now, you still have your memories and skills as a human, and it is our hope that your team will accept these changes and continue to work with the nations of Equis to forge a better future together.”
“Indeed,” Luna added, “You are a proud people to hold your self-identity so close to heart, but it is that same identity that will hold you back if you cannot bring yourself to accept these changes. Your team may have some difficulty adjusting to your new form, but if you cannot accept yourself then how can you expect them to do the same? Self-worth is measured by one’s deeds, not what one looks like or what nation she belongs to. You are a human in the body of a pony, use that unique status to help your people to understand us just as we will learn to understand you. In essence, you have become a bridge between our worlds. Will you step forward and take the mantle you have been presented with or will you wallow in self-pity and let the chance of a lifetime pass you by?”
Kelly looked down at her hooves, lifting them into the air as she turned them over to inspect them from all sides, “But how can I perform my duties without hands?” Her gaze became morose as her limbs fell limp against the sheets, “I can’t write or use any of my tools without them, they require too much fine control to use my mouth.”
For the first time, Celestia smiled, her movements slow and yet focused as she lifted a hoof to her horn, “You will find that you may have gained more than you have lost, given that one of the basic abilities that unicorns possess is telekinesis.”
Kelly’s eyes flew upward, her jaw dropping as she spotted the short spire that sprouted from her forehead, one of her hooves moving up to touch it in a reverent manner, “You mean, the energy field that your planet possesses, I can access it?”
Celestia nodded, “We call that energy magic, and yes, as a unicorn, you will be able to learn how to control that energy in order to perform spells.” Her horn ignited as the scroll she had placed on the bedside floated into the air, Kelly’s eyes following it as it folded several times into the shape of a paper airplane. “Your ability is only limited by your imagination, and how much you study. Spellcasting is an art as much as a science, but in time, I have no doubts you will be able to master is just as you have your other skills.” Another flash of magic, and the scroll had turned into an apple, one that the princess immediately bit into, the sharp crunch of the fruit echoing through the room as a small line of juice ran down her chin. Kelly’s eyes widened in shock as Celestia wiped her mouth, placing the transformed fruit onto the bedside before turning her attention back to Kelly, “It is a part of you now, as close to your heart as breathing, learn to use it and you will find that you can do almost anything, provided you take to time to understand what you desire to perform.”
Kelly’s eyes shifted up to her own horn once again, her jaw working slowly as she mulled over the princess’s words. Finally, she shifted her gaze to Shadow, who offered a nod in encouragement as the unicorn turned back to Celestia and Luna.
“Thank you for telling me all of this.” Her voice had dropped to a near whisper as she bowed her head, “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t taken the time to help me understand.” Her eyes lifted to lock with Celestia’s while her head remained lowered, “Please, I would like to see the rest of my team. I think it’s time they knew what happened to me.”
Celestia nodded, her attention shifting to Luna as the other alicorn stood and walked over to the door. The handle was gripped in her navy magic, opening enough to allow the lunar princess to exit before closing behind her. The group sat in silence for a time, the slow ticking of the clock the only sound in the room save for Dr. Kelly’s nervous breathing. Shadow could tell that the mare was uncertain, and he felt a similar loop of code running through his processors as he detected the approaching vibrations of many footsteps. Like it or not, things had taken a drastic change in direction from his original mission, and he resolved to protect Dr. Kelly just as he had sworn to protect his friends in Ponyville. No one was going to harm any of his friends or teammates as long as he had something to say about it.
The door opened again once the approaching footsteps came to a halt, Ambassador Lang following Luna into the room with Will and Lieutenant Bellwood not far behind them. At first, the humans seemed confused when they spotted Kelly sitting on the bed, and Will turned his attention to Luna as her magic closed the door behind them.
“Is this some kind of joke?” He asked, “Where is Dr. Scott?”
“She is present before you in thine bed.” Luna replied, a hoof indicating the nervous mare as Kelly sheepishly smiled at the rest of her team.
“Hey guys.” She swallowed thickly as all eyes jerked to lock onto her, “Umm, I guess you could say I’m all better?” A slightly shaky giggle managed to force itself out of her muzzle, but it was short-lived as the jaws of her teammates dropped in shock.
“No way.” Will spoke more to himself then anyone else as he walked past Shadow and Celestia, his eyes never leaving Kelly as they scanned over her new form, “Doc, is that really you?”
Her expression having shifted to one of uncertainty, her ears folding against her head as she ducked her head closer to her chest, “Y-Yes. It’s me. The Princesses had to change me in order to save my life.” Her back straightened as the humans shifted their gazes to the alicorns, her eyes widening in alarm as Will clenched his fists, “They didn’t have a choice! If they hadn’t turned me into a pony, then I wouldn’t have survived! You have to believe me, I’m just as shocked as you, but if it was the only way then I’m just happy to be alive! Please,” tears began to run down her face as Will stepped up to Celestia, “I don’t want there to be any more fighting because of me.”
Shadow and Luna stepped between the irate man and Celestia, although that did little to stop him as he pushed both of them to either side. He marched directly up to Celestia and only came to a stop when his nose was inches from the end of her muzzle. Celestia didn’t back down nor did she look away as the seething cowboy stared her down.
“Was there truly no other choice?” He spoke slowly and deliberately, even as his hands clenched until his knuckles turned white at his sides, “Did you really have to change the doc into a pony to save her life?”
“I’m truly sorry, there wasn’t – ” Will cut her off before she could get any further.
“Answer me in English you goddamn mule!” Will’s voice echoed through the room, everyone present shrinking at his tone as he visibly fought to get is temper under control, “I taught you enough of our language last night for you to at least give me a yes or no. So, tell it to me, to all of us, one way or the other. Did you have to change Dr. Scott into a pony to keep her alive?”
Celestia’s ears folded against her head, visible remorse overcoming her regal mask as she nodded, her eyes never leaving Will’s as she replied, “Yes, it was the only way to save her. Had she stayed human, she would be dead, and my nephew would be charged with murder.” Her gaze traveled to Captain Goodwill, who had not moved from his post against the wall during the whole exchange, “Your guard told us what would happen if we refused to pass over Blueblood for trial, but I could not send one of my little ponies to his death if there was another way.” Her gaze returned to Will, her eyes hard as stone and her voice firm as she finished, “To prevent a war, and to save two lives, I did what had to be done. You may hate me for what has happened, but I did what I could to save everyone the pain of losing a friend or loved one to needless bloodshed.”
They stayed that way for several seconds, neither looking away or backing down, although Shadow noticed that Will’s hands had loosened slightly as he took the measure of the mare’s words. Finally, he stepped back, tipping his hat to Celestia before turning his attention back to Kelly, who had been frozen in place during the entire altercation.
“So, it’s really you under all that fur, huh?” He walked up and inspected Kelly on a loser level as the nervous mare nodded her agreement, “Well at least I don’t have to worry about you being taller than me, now that you’re a pint-sized little pony.”
Kelly’s cheeks puffed out in a pout as her face flushed bright red, “I’m still your boss, you know, so don’t go making fun of me unless you would like to be sent home without your paycheck!”
That finally broke the tension that had been hanging over the room like a dark cloud, the humans laughing while Celestia managed to hold back her humor behind a raised hoof. Luna looked slightly lost until Shadow passed on what had been said by the two, her face lighting up in a smile as she chuckled at the folly of the former human and her teammates.
Celestia turned to face the rest of the team as she lowered her hoof again, her serious expression catching the attention of everyone as she spoke in careful but clear English, “There is one other thing you need to know. Due to his actions and the possible results, Blueblood has been stripped of his title as Prince and disowned from the royal family. He must serve the one he harmed for a total of five years before he can earn back his lands and wealth, although he will never again stand beside us as royalty. We did not ask you because we thought it would be a sign of our sincerity that we pass judgement on the guilty party ourselves.” Her gaze traveled to the gob-smacked, wide-eyed mare that sat on the bed, her lips curling slightly as she continued, “He will teach you our language, with the help of our castle staff, as well as aid in your recovery while you adjust to your new body. He will also need to learn your language, as he will be charged with going everywhere you do until his punishment has been served.”
A slightly humorous glint entered the alicorn’s eyes as Kelly flopped back on the bed, her jaw working soundlessly as Celestia and Luna shared a knowing look.
Ambassador Lang had remained silent through the entire conversation, although he chose to speak at that moment, and with a contemplative expression as he carefully folded his arms over his chest, “So instead of losing a team member, we have instead gained an indentured servant for a minimum of five years, as well as the aid of your staff in both learning your language and forging relations with the other species of this world.” A shrug folded his shoulders as he lowered his arms and turned to face Lieutenant Bellwood, “Not all that bad considering what the opposing options were at the time.”
The armored woman nodded, her visor hiding her expression as she walked over to her commanding officer and took up post at his side. Will simply rolled his eyes before turning back to Kelly, his lips curled into a shit-eating grin as he spoke, “So, are you going to get dressed or are you going to go au natural like the rest of the ponies?”
Kelly froze at the young man’s words, her face flushing all the way up to her ears as she pulled the sheets over her body and hid under the protective cloth, “Get out! I’m not decent!”
But there isn’t anything to hide. Shadow mused as the other humans filed out of the room, the good-natured humor being passed around falling flat on the ponies and mechanical hound as they were left alone in the room, Humans can be so strange.
“I think that is our cue to leave as well, sister.” Celestia added as she returned to speaking Equish, “It has been a trying morning, and I can tell it will only get more difficult as the day passes.”
Luna let out a huge yawn as she nodded her agreement, “Verily, sister. Our bed calls to us and we shall heed its call for the rest of the morn. We shall join thee at dinner as we usually do and shall be prepared to assist our guests in any way they see fit. After the disaster that yesterday turned out to be, I think we can all say it will be good to move on to more mundane things.”
“You know as well as I do that things are never mundane around here.” Celestia countered as the sisters exited the room, leaving Shadow and the two guards alone with Kelly.
The mare in question was still hiding under the sheets, her ears having poked out from under the cloth to test the room for the presence of the others before her head finally emerged.
Shadow chuckled as he walked up to the bedside, slowly placing a paw over Kelly’s hoof as he spoke, “You do know there isn’t anything to hide under clothing, right?”
The glare that she sent him could have melted orbital alloy, “Shut up. I’m still trying to get used to being in a different body. Please don’t ask me to abandon all pretense of my human upbringing just because it doesn’t make logical sense.” She sighed as Lieutenant Bellwood chuckled inside her helm, the glare the mare sent her way passing over like a buzzing fly before the unicorn turned her attention back to Shadow, “I know this isn’t going to be easy, but after all that’s happened, I just want to pass out and pretend for a little while that none of this is real and that I’m just doped up on pain medication.”
While Shadow couldn’t fully understand her reasoning, he could sense the fatigue and stress affecting the mare before him, if the readings he was getting from her vitals were anything to go by. So, he simply nodded, allowing the former human to fall back into her pillow and fall asleep as he resumed his vigil over her. Goodwill and Bellwood stood at the ready should anything try to harm their charge, but in that moment, Shadow paid them little mind. The sun traveled across the sky and for a time there was peace in their little room, although it wasn’t going to last forever, especially when the door slammed open, revealing none other than the former prince Blueblood in the opening.
“I have come to pledge my service to the human.” He growled out, either not noticing the weapons pointed at him or not caring, “Where is she so that I may begin this farce of a punishment?”
Shadow interposed himself between the unicorn and the bed, his optics locking with the stallion’s as he growled deep in his throat, “Watch what you say and do in here. We will not allow you to harm her any further than you already have. She is asleep right now, so go do something else until she is awake.”
Blueblood’s expression shifted to one of bored annoyance, “Even for a machine as advanced as yourself, you still know nothing. I HAVE NO PLACE TO GO OTHER THAN HERE!! That creature ruined my life, took everything that was rightfully mine, and now she has the audacity to sleep while I am standing ready to,” he shook for a moment, as if his words were revolting to even speak, “to serve her as she needs? I will not stand by and be insulted like this, now move out of my way!”
He got all of about two steps past Shadow before his eyes locked on the unconscious mare in the bed, who had somehow not awoken during the stallion’s shouting. His jaw dropped open and his hooves ground to a halt on the floor, his eyes widening as he took in Dr. Kelly’s new form.
“What trickery is this?” He growled out, turning back to Shadow as he pointed at the bed with a hoof, “Where is the creature that I am charged with serving?”
“You are looking at her.” Shadow replied as he stepped up to the bedside, his gaze leveling on the former prince as the stallion tried and failed to speak, “The injuries that you inflicted were so severe that there was no choice but to change her into a pony to save her life. Congratulations, you managed to strip something far more important from her than money or land. You, in your cowardice and stupidity, managed to strip her of her very species! So, gripe and grumble all you want, but if I ever hear you talking down to Dr. Kelly or acting against her in any way. I swear that I will make sure you never see the inside of a court room. I will personally see to it that the last thing you see is my claws and teeth ripping your ungrateful body to pieces. Am I making myself clear?”
The poor stallion was petrified, that much Shadow could tell at a glance, although as his gaze shifted to Kelly’s sleeping form, his fear was pushed aside by something else. It took a moment for Shadow to place the light that had filled the unicorn’s eyes, but as he spoke, that understanding solidified into cold certainty.
“I have paid a hefty price for what I have done, but I swear to you here and now. I will never harm that mare in any way so long as I live. I have been a fool for long enough and now it has cost me everything I once held dear.” A long sigh escaped Blueblood as he averted his gaze to the floor, “I am nothing now without my title and wealth, so, I guess now is as good a time to start over as any. I will do my best to serve her and the rest of her team until I am no longer needed, and in that time, I hope that you can bring yourself to forgive me for what has happened.”
Shadow doubted Blueblood actually meant the words he had said, as given by the shift in his heart rate as he had spoken, although there had been a measure of weight to the stallion’s words towards the end. Maybe he wasn’t such as bad pony after all, but until he saw evidence to back up the unicorn’s words, Shadow would keep a close eye on him to make sure there wasn’t any funny business. Desperation could lead beings to do stupid things, and Shadow wasn’t fool enough to believe that Blueblood wouldn’t try something in the time he had to serve the humans. Time would tell if he had truly meant what he had said, but for the moment, Shadow wasn’t going to leave the two unicorns alone, just in case.
The sun worked its way across the horizon, the stallion and mechanical hound standing side by side while the two guards stood on the other side of the room. Shadow didn’t need to rest for extended periods, so he allowed Blueblood to fall sleep at his side, curled up on the hard floor like a dog as he drooled on the tile. Already there had been trouble, and the two ponies hadn’t even formally met yet. If this was anything like how the near future was going to go, then Shadow dreaded how things would move forward once the international summit began.
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It's a good thing for Dr Kelly that Shadow knows Rarity. She'll have an entire closet full of outfits for the new unicorn by days end, I'd bet.
9505114
Indeed!
Question, I remember something earlier in the story that was mentioned to have different companies that go to other worlds like this team of people that Shadow is from.
If so, does that mean there’s other worlds that might cause conflict?
9505150
If memory serves, Equus is the first world inhabited by sapient natives.
So Blueblood recognizes the depth of his situation. Twelve bits says he starts trying to manipulate her by next day.
Keep going! ;)
Blueblood punished. Excellent!
Blueblood wants to fuck the doc cause she's hot now.
9505114
Knowing Rarity, she probs already has an entire year's worth of human inspired dressage lined up.
I find this chapter odd in a way. A horse with a head craned up is nervous and/or looking for danger. Head down is relaxed.
9505180
Agreed, but he also won't let any of the other nobles manipulate her either. He's an absolute and total bastard, but Celestia has tied any hope of regaining anything he valued to the well being of the Doc. Being a manipulative, nasty, vindictive bastard myself, I can tell you Blueblood is exactly what is needed. When swimming with sharks, having one yourself can be wonderful.
Blueblood is in for a rough time of it
I so don't trust Blue Blood, somepony like that will never take responsibility for their actions nor will they ever believe something they did is wrong. Keep a close eye out Shadow, and if Blue Blood pulls something don't make it quick, for he did not show the same mercy to the good doctor. Wait until Twilight and the others find out. Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie will most likely find it cool that they have a new pony friend, Buy Twilight, Rarity, and Applejack are going to want to beet Blue Blood to a Blue Bloody pulp for attacking their new friend like that, Rarity especially, because this is even lower than what happened at the Gala, striking a lady like that?
Uncouth!
I so don't trust Blue Blood, somepony like that will never take responsibility for their actions nor will they ever believe something they did is wrong. Keep a close eye out Shadow, and if Blue Blood pulls something don't make it quick, for he did not show the same mercy to the good doctor. Wait until Twilight and the others find out. Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie will most likely find it cool that they have a new pony friend, But Twilight, Rarity, and Applejack are going to want to beat Blue Blood to a Blue Bloody pulp for attacking their new friend like that, Rarity especially, because this is even lower than what happened at the Gala, striking a lady like that?
Uncouth!
Well, this could go much worse. Like a cardiac arrest caused by panic, when noticing that you woke up in a completely different body.
Anyway, god DAMN, this story is good.
Hey, Quill just read the new chapter this morning and got to say I liked it a lot especially the part where shadow threatened ol blueballs I about died laughing!
And I also had a question.
I know I already asked this but when are the other CW units gonna show its been forever and ill bet shadow is secretly missing his siblings a whole lot!
You don't even have all of them show up just two or three just so shadow has some backup in case he has to oh I don't know save the mane six from diamond dogs or something.
And if this comment sounds like I'm demanding this to happen I'm sorry about that I assure you that was not my intention I just thought it would be cool if Equestria had its own little pack of cyber wolves running around so again sorry if I sound demanding.
That’s what happens when you act way before you think, Blueblood, you lose your title, your land, and your money.
Also, can someone please fill me in on when Fluttershy’s crush on our mechanical hound was made known? And, if applicable, in what context was it made known (unless it has to do with that wolf she once raised)?
I’m really confused.
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Remember that Kelly still very much thinks, and therefore behaves, like a human, so it would stand to reason that she would lower her head in a such a situation.
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Have patience my friend, I will be including Shadow's siblings in the story at a later date. I won't be saying when exactly because even I don't know exactly the point in which they will appear. However, I can tell you that what I have planned will be well worth the wait, so hold on for a bit longer and I'll be sure to let you know if my plans end up changing. Other then that, I hope you have been enjoying the book so far, and I hope that it will continue to entertain until it is complete.
See you next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.
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The chapters pertaining to Fluttershy's feelings towards Shadow were back in chapters 7 and 8. I know I haven't touched on that for a while but Shadow had to develop beyond a machine in order for those feelings to have any potential of being reciprocated. I do plan on addressing those feelings later on in the book, but as of yet I don't know when or how. Stay tuned, and you might be surprised how things turn out.
See you next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.
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I know your right but it's so fricken hard!
But I will try.
At least Doc Kelly won't lose anymore of her humanity.
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Human expressions in Equestria is what I'm on about
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With the characters in the show in general? If so, then I believe I hear ya.
That was a sudden change for BB. I hope that he won't cause trouble...
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Don’t put that image in my mind.
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Punishment must fit the crime. In the US, we've erred on the "hammer and nail" approach of using jails for catch-alls for crime. And there's incentive to keep them running because they make money.
Very nicely done!
Looking forward to the summit. Xd
Some interesting things will no doubt take place there.
Overall I think you handled this chapter very well, I might not totally agree with dr. Kelly having to be turned into a pony, but I've come to accept it being that there was no other way to save her. I'll be rooting for her, GO DR. KELLY!!!
Whoo! Jonesin' for the next chapter! Read everything up to now in one sitting today. Couldn't help myself!
The foreshadowing is thick in this chapter
Am I missing something? I thought ponies and humans still couldn't understand each other.
Career, and my SB starts next week.
At that point I'm surprised Blueblood didn't piss himself. 😂😂😂 Missed opportunity.
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You somehow missed the fact that Princess Celestia (wishing to be the one to tell Dr. Kelly Scott what happened [or is it Dr. Scott Kelly? I've forgotten, I'll look it up later]) took an ultimate crash course with the human interpreter (Will) to learn to read, write, and speak English enough to properly explain and answer Kelly's questions?
She was speaking English from the moment she unrolled her message to Dr. Scott. (as shown by the fact Celestia's words were printed in plain text for English instead of italicized for Equestrian) And when Will finally found out why Princess Celestia wanted so desperately to learn in a rush he said:
(Her name is Dr. Kelly Scott. Chapter 13 - Choosing Sides)
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Thanks!
I liked it it had good writing and pacing and I hope to see more
I really like this, and hope to see more sometime soon!^_^
can't wait for more "A Wolf in Cybernetic Armor"
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Hey! Everything alright? Haven't heard anything from ya in a while.
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Been focused on my other book Hands of Life, Hooves of Death. Haven't had time to update this book because I've been so fixated on getting through the second act in the other story. Luckily, I've got that taken care of for the foreseeable future, much as my fans are probably going to want to murder me for leaving such a huge cliffhanger at the end of the Act. Other than that, I plan to get back to this story once I have some free time open up. Got work on the weekends now and with Finals coming up all of my professors are getting the wonderful idea of dropping ten tons of homework on us right before we have to study for exams. Joy.
Anyways, hope you are enjoying the book and sorry for the long wait for the next chapter. I hope to have it up sooner than later but only once I can find the time.
See you next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.
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👍
I tried I really did but I...can't...take...it...anymore!
Sooo...update when is?
seriously though no rush take as much time as you need I just felt the need to unleash my inner rarity and be dramatic. lol
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I hope to have the next chapter written this week and have it posted next week. With work as busy as it is I haven't had much time to write so no promises or guarantees. Other than that, I hope you have been enjoying the book so far.
See you next chapter, hopefully sooner than later,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.
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I have and thanks for making a story as awesome as this.
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It did feel strange, but the "she was saved" aspect prevented it from going too far.
It was insulated from this problem because it didn't have major and lasting consequences of a type the story had to focus on. (Sure, Applebloom would be traumatized, but the story lets that happen off camera, leaving the reader to focus on the fact that she'll recover.)
There are two points I can make on that front:
MLP was intentionally crafted to have a culture and technological level that's essentially a kinder version of the beginning of the 20th century. Paired with the popular belief that "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." (a quote which has quite the history of its own) and observations that the march of technology has made cures for cultural ills more attainable, that gives a fairly strong impression that any future where humans have the problems described must be a dark one.
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You are a very thorough critic and I have found your arguments convincing though the research you have shown for America is frightening to the point that I'm glad I was born an Aussie, the idea of having to pay money to a hospital because they saved your life is honestly horrible