Chapter 10 - Aggressive Negotiations
Later that day Arc and Rose walk down the corridor toward the Audience Chamber. Rose looks to Arc nervously.
“Are you sure the princesses will be okay with this? I mean… I’m not really supposed to even exist!”
Arc nods. “Sure I’m sure! I mean, even if they don’t, it’s not like you’re going anywhere.”
Rose shudders. “Except maybe the scrap heap!”
“Trust me, that’s not happening! Besides, I have a couple other things to talk to them about.”
The pair walk toward the Royal Guard Commander on duty. He salutes at Arc’s approach.
“Sir! The princesses have been expecting you! Please follow me!”
He leads them inside the Audience Chamber, bows to the princesses and is dismissed. Cadance smiles at Arc as she and Luna descend from their thrones.
“Arc! Good to see you again!”
Luna looks over at Rose with a confused look on her face. “Arc? Is that your… fiancé?!”
Cadance looks at Rose, wide-eyed. “How did you DO that?!”
Arc clears his throat and replies soberly. “I… uh… think we should speak in private.”
Luna gestures with a hoof toward their office. “Agreed.”
The group makes their way to the office. Luna and Cadance sit together on a couch as Arc and Rose sit on the sofa opposite them. The android looks down at her lap, fearful of what is to come. Arc removes a bundle from his ring and levitates it over to Luna.
“Let me start by giving this back to you, Luna. It’s your things from the other night.”
Luna smiles and accepts the bundle. “Thank you, but you needn’t have asked for a private meeting for this.”
“Oh, yes I did! Had the Royal Guards out there seen me returning the clothing you wore on our date last night, they would have thought something… shall we say, less than royal had occurred.”
Luna blushes as she levitates the bundle onto the nearby desk. “I see. Thank you for acting judiciously!”
Cadance turns to Arc. “Luna told me all about the time you spent together! It sounds to me like you two had a lot of fun!”
“That it was! I never would have thought of wearing such a brilliant disguise! Will Arc be taking you out next, Cadance?”
Cadance shakes her head. “No. Captain Shining Armor already asked me to go with him.”
Arc mutters to himself. “Good job, Shining Armor.”
Luna nods. “I see.”
She turns to look at Arc.
“Tell me, Arc. What do you think of the captain?”
“He’s strong, loyal, dependable and willing to do whatever it takes to protect you two.”
Cadance smiles. “Yes, I remember when Trixie attacked the castle. He jumped in front of me to stop a barrage of Magic Missiles.”
Arc chuckles. “Well, he did have a shield. But it was very brave nonetheless.”
Luna sighs. “Very well. I hope you two have a good time. Just don’t stay out too late.”
Cadance smiles at Luna. “You mean like you and Arc did?”
“As you can see, I was able to drag myself out of bed this next morning. But I will admit I wasn’t exactly at the top of my game.”
Luna looks over at Rose yet again.
“Now then, Arc. It appears you have some explaining to do.”
Arc nods. “Yes. I suppose I do.”
He tells the pair of the events of the previous day. How Twilight had revealed her latest creation, a replacement for Cherry, the android’s armaments and the book that Twilight had used for inspiration.
“I think this needs to go back in the vault for safekeeping.”
Cadance nods as she levitates the book over to herself. “I agree!”
Luna sighs. “We’ll see to it this never again sees the light of day.”
“Thank you.”
Cadance looks intently at Rose. “Although she’s certainly remarkable. I’m truly impressed that Twilight was able to create something like this all by herself!”
Arc sighs. “Only partially. She used Star Swirl the Bearded’s research along with the extracted magical essence technology that Auriel came up with. He actually came up with a very detailed design for a mechanical pony. It’s on page 423.”
Luna and Cadance flip to the indicated page and look over the diagram.
“This is… amazing!”
“Agreed! Star Swirl never spoke a word about this to me or Celestia though!”
Arc nods soberly. “I’m sure he didn’t tell you a lot of things. After all, most of us don’t like to talk about that which we consider failures.”
Luna sighs as she closes the book. “I suppose not. So tell us… what should be done about this?”
“Other than putting the book away so this can’t happen again, not much CAN be done!”
Cadance sighs. “Can she… understand us?”
“Oh yes! Rose, would you please say hello to the princesses?”
She slowly raises her head and addresses them in a frightened tone.
“H-hello, your majesties.”
Luna looks Rose in the eye. “Miss? We’d like to ask you some questions now. Can you answer them for us please?”
“Y-y-yes! I’ll try!”
“How do you feel right now?”
Rose shudders. “Kinda… scared actually.”
Cadance smiles at her. “What are you afraid of?”
“Well… you two are the leaders of Equestria. If you wanted to, you could order me to be… taken apart.”
Rose gulps as Luna stands up and walks over to her.
“I sense incredible magical power inside you. Tell me. Can you use magic like we can?”
“Not really, your majesty.”
Cadance looks confused. “Not really?”
“T-that isn’t how I was built! The administrator designed me to be a companion to Arc and martial combat.”
“What are your combat capabilities?”
“Short and long range combat, your highnesses.”
Luna frowns. “Show us.”
Rose looks at Arc. He nods. She stands and calls forth her R-Cannon and L-Blade. Cadance gasps.
“My goodness!”
Luna examines the weapons closely as Rose stands there nervously. “I certainly did not anticipate something like THAT to happen!”
Cadance looks at Rose. “What do you intend to do with those weapons?”
“Protect Arc.”
Luna nods. “Anything else?”
“Whatever my love tells me to.”
Cadance looks confused. “Your… love?”
Arc sighs. “She’s talking about me. Twilight really did quite a good job programming her emotions.”
Luna nods. “I will have to speak with her regarding this young lady’s design. Perhaps Twilight can bring over her blueprints.”
“Um… she might have a hard time doing that.”
Cadance frowns. “Is there a problem?”
“Kinda. I… may have destroyed all her research.”
Luna raises an eyebrow. “Can I assume it was accidental?”
“No, it was not.”
Cadance puts a hoof to her forehead. “Arc. Are you saying you intentionally destroyed them?!”
“I did.”
Luna narrows her eyes. “Can I assume you had a good reason?”
Arc nods. “Yes, let me explain. You see, Rose here was built by Twilight to be a… replacement fiancé.”
Cadance’s eyes grow wide. “Wait, what?! Why would she do such a thing?!”
“I believe she was upset that I was without a human companion. So she decided to build me something similar that would fall in love with me.”
Cadance frowns. “You can’t program love, Arc!”
Arc nods as he looks over to Rose. “I know that. But she did a pretty good job of it.”
Luna looks her in the eye. “Rose, tell me. Do you love Arc?”
Rose nods fervently. “With all my heart!”
Cadance looks to Luna. “I believe she’s answering truthfully.”
“That is still not possible! After all, she only just met him yesterday!”
“Believe me, Luna. I know love when I see it!”
Luna puts a hoof to her forehead and sighs before turning back to Rose. “Miss? Would you please wait outside? We’d like to talk with Arc privately.”
Again Rose looks to Arc.
“This shouldn’t take too long, Rose. Please just wait outside with the guards, okay? Don’t worry.”
Rose nods and leaves the room. The princesses turn to look at Arc. Luna sighs.
“Arc, I have to be honest with you. The thought of a weaponized robot walking the streets makes me nervous. Think of what our citizens would think if they knew!”
Arc shrugs. “Probably about the same thoughts that went through their minds when I showed up.”
Cadance frowns. “That’s a bit different, Arc.”
“How so?”
Luna turns to Arc. “You are a living, breathing creature similar to us. Capable of making choices and decisions independently.”
“As is she!”
Cadance sighs. “That may be the case, Arc. But every time we asked her to do something she looked to you.”
Arc frowns. “You’re not worried I’m going to order them to do something bad, are you?!”
Luna shakes her head. “Not at all. However, a machine is neither good nor evil. The one who controls it is.”
Cadance nods. “Should she be hijacked, a less scrupulous individual could order her to do ANYTHING!”
Luna looks to Cadance. “I believe Arc was right to destroy those blueprints. Imagine an army of mindless mechanical soldiers built from them!”
Cadance shudders. “A sobering thought!”
Arc’s eyes grow wide. “Wait! Are you thinking…?”
Luna sighs. “Arc… maybe it is for the best if she be taken offline.”
Cadance nods. “We would of course do it as mercifully as possible. I’m sure Twilight could show us how to turn her off.”
Arc frowns. “Twilight was going to do so yesterday.”
“Why didn’t she?”
“I stopped her.”
“May we ask why?”
Arc folds his hands in his lap. “Twilight ordered her to lie down on the table before announcing she would be dismantling her. I wish you two could have been there.”
Luna looks confused. “To see how she was constructed?”
Arc shakes his head as he looks up to meet Luna’s gaze. “No. So you could have seen for yourselves the look of absolute terror on her face!”
Cadance looks disturbed at the thought. “Did she try to get away?”
“No. She just lay there obediently waiting for… the end to come.”
Luna sighs. “While we sympathize with her… feelings, the fact of the matter is that with that amount of power within her frame, she is beyond dangerous, Arc!”
Cadance nods. “I too could sense the unimaginable power within her! I’m very sorry Arc, but for the sake of Equestria as a whole, I too believe she should be dismantled.”
“What?! But… but that’s not fair to her! She hasn’t done anything wrong! Certainly nothing worthy of such a fate!”
Luna looks to Arc, sadly. “We do not make such a choice lightly, Arc. If you do not have anything further to add to this conversation, please call her in so we may tell her of our decision.”
Arc stands up. “I do have something more to add in her defense.”
Cadance nods. “Very well. We will listen to whatever it is you have to say.”
He paces slowly in front of them. “What I have to say… is not so much a statement, as it is a question of my own.”
Arc reaches toward his ring and pulls out the Spear of Righteousness. He holds out his weapon for the princesses to examine.
“I know this isn’t the first time you’ve seen this.”
Cadance smiles. “Yes. You’ve used it several times in the defense of these lands and those whom call it home.”
Luna nods. “Your weapon contains great power within, Arc. That much is certain.”
Arc places the spear on the coffee table between them before looking to them again.
“Both of you AND Equestria are in great danger!”
Cadance smiles. “With you here, I doubt that strongly.”
“Before me sits a weapon of great and terrible power! In the right hands, it can protect and serve. In the wrong… it would leave nothing but death and misery.”
Luna sighs as she looks up at Arc. “You are correct. However your spear cannot act of its own accord. It must be wielded by somepony.
“Very true. But… by that logic, should it not also be destroyed?”
Cadance nods. “I understand what you’re saying, Arc. But unlike Rose, your weapon has no way of moving of its own will.”
“Agreed. However… let’s just say for the sake of discussion that it did.”
Luna frowns. “To what end?”
“Hypothetically, if such a thing were to threaten Equestria of its own accord, would you agree to its destruction?”
The princesses think for a moment. Luna is the first to speak.
“Yes. The safety of Equestria must always come first!”
Cadance nods. “Agreed, Luna. If this spear came to life and became violent, I too would authorize its destruction.”
Arc looks to them both. “So you both agree then? Living, thinking, evil weapons should be destroyed?”
Luna nods. “If they have committed evil acts, then yes, they should be destroyed for the good of the land and its inhabitants.”
They look down at Arc’s spear in front of them. Cadance sighs as she looks up at him.
“However your spear has hardly shown us…”
Cadance suddenly stops talking. Luna looks up to see a familiar blade mere inches from her face.
“When I was talking about living, breathing, evil weapons… I wasn’t talking about my spear.”
Cadance looks to him, nervously. “A-Arc?! Is… is that…?”
Arc nods. “Yes. The Dagger of Eternal Slumber.”
Cherry hisses in Arc’s mind! “ARC! What are you DOING?!”
Arc sighs telepathically. “What has to be done.”
Arc looks at Princess Luna and she looks back at him. Momentarily, she responds in an even tone.
“Explain.”
“I’ve read over the basic history of Equestria. It seems about a thousand years ago a being known as Nightmare Moon attempted to plunge the land into eternal night. Isn’t that correct… Princess Luna?”
“It is.”
“You both agreed. Such weapons should be destroyed.”
Cadance looks to Arc, frantically. “But that’s not a weapon, Arc! It’s Luna!”
Arc nods. “Right. Princess Luna… the Princess of the Night. Or should I say… Nightmare Moon!”
Luna is silent as Arc continues.
“She’s already caused pain and suffering to the citizens of this land! Shouldn’t she be destroyed?!”
“B-but that wasn’t her! It was Nightmare Moon who took control of…!”
Luna interrupts her. “Cadance! Stop!”
The room is silent for a moment.
“Arc is correct. I was responsible for bringing this country to the brink of destruction. I listened to my jealous thoughts and I gave in to darkness.”
Luna gazes into Arc’s eyes calmly
“You’re right, Arc. I should be destroyed.”
Cadance turns to her. “What?! NO!”
“I only ask that you help Cadance rule this land until my sister is found and returned.”
Arc nods.
Cadance’s horn glows. “No! Stop it!”
“CADANCE!”
Princess Cadance is caught off guard by the severity of Luna’s tone.
“What Arc says… should be.”
She turns back to Arc and closes her eyes.
“Go ahead.”
Cadance turns away as Luna raises her head to expose her neck. The sound of the dagger whistling through the air can be heard. Cadance snaps her head around to see Arc retract his arm and step back. She wraps her arms around Luna as she cries hysterically.
“NO!!! LUNA!!!”
“Cadance. I’m just fine.”
Luna turns to see the dagger buried in the cushion behind her. She returns her gaze to Arc.
“Why did you stop? I’m perfectly fine sacrificing my life to protect this land.”
Arc retrieves the dagger and returns it to his ring. “Because everyone in this land knows what you did back then. However, they’ve decided to give you a chance to make up for it. All I ask is that you give Rose the same. A chance.”
Luna nods as she looks down sadly. “Very well Arc. Your words have deeply touched me. She will have her chance.”
Cadance looks shaken. “But… but…”
Luna puts a hoof on Cadance’s shoulder. “Cadance. I trusted Arc to make the right decision regarding my life. While I still think he should have killed me, I now know he will not hesitate to do what needs to be done to protect this land from whatever comes our way. Even if… even if it comes from… me.”
She puts a hoof on Cadance’s chin and turns it to face her.
“Know this. The time may come when Arc has to make a very hard choice in this matter. But I’m confident he’ll make the right one.”
Luna turns back to Arc as Cadance silently nods and wipes the tears from her eyes.
“Would you please do something for me, Arc?”
“What is it?”
Luna sighs. Not looking up. “If… if it comes down to it… please… do the right thing.”
Arc nods as Cadance smiles at him.
“Thank you for sparing Luna’s life, Arc! Your methods are certainly… out of the ordinary, but you do get results!”
She looks over to Luna before turning back to Arc.
“I just have to ask. Did you really have to go THAT far?!”
Arc nods. “When it comes to protecting the innocent, I’ll go as far as needed.”
Luna sighs. “Arc did what he had to, Cadance. Now if you would be so kind as to call the young lady back, we’ll tell her the good news.”
Arc heads for the office door. “Of course.”
He opens the door to see Rose sitting sadly on the floor as she leans against a nearby pillar. The guards are unmoved from their stations
“Would you come in here, Rose. The princesses have come to a decision.”
Rose slowly stands and does as she is told. The pair walk back toward the princesses. Rose does not look up. Arc stands behind her and puts a hand on her shoulder.
“It’s going to be okay.”
Luna clear her throat. “Rose. Princess Cadance and I both agreed that you should be dismantled immediately.”
Rose winces as she hears the words
Cadance nods. “However, Arc here has convinced us that you deserve a chance.”
Rose looks up, confused. “W-what?”
Luna nods. “You have committed no crime, nor have you hurt anypony. Therefore, you shall be given a chance to live your life as you see fit.”
“Th-thank you!”
Rose looks happily at Arc as she turns and puts her hands in his.
“I want to spend as much time as possible with the one I love!”
Arc blushes slightly. “Yes… well… um…we should be getting back to Light’s Hope, Rose. The princesses have other audiences and we have some things to talk about.”
He turns back to Luna and Cadance.
“Thank you. It means a lot to me to know this land is being ruled by those who care about the rights of the individual.”
Cadance smiles “You are welcome Arc. Although I would appreciate it if in the future you did you best not to give me a heart attack!”
Arc smiles. “I’ll try, Princess Cadance.”
As the pair turn to leave, Rose turns and bows to them.
“Thank you your majesties… for giving me the greatest gift of all!”
Luna smiles at her. “What is that, miss?”
Rose takes Arc’s arm and looks up into his face with a smile on her own.
“A future!”
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Arc just has to watch out that Rose fur is jsut that, passive covering material, and not somthing where each induvidual fibre is a complex mechanical energy interaction structure handling sensory functions as well as shield defences and various offensive capabilities. Think flexible ceramic fibres stiffened by driven energy capable of carving through any metals and ultrasonically shattering harder materals on contact?
Everything can be a weapon, it depends on what happens when it is used?
10126546
No worries there. Rose's hair is just for aesthetics.
Nice use of Ye olde if swords kill people, then spoons make people fat argument
10126894
Or was it the leave my bow and arrow on the porch and see if it murders anything tbat walks by argument?
10126894
I was trying to illustrate a few things there actually. First, Luna and Cadance were fearful of Rose due to not understanding her. People often fear that which they don't understand.
Second, I was also comparing the idea that there are different sets of rules for different people in society. Considering what Luna has done in the past as Nightmare Moon, she probably should have been destroyed rather then banished. Now she's free AND ruling the country. While at the same time, Arc was told that Rose should be destroyed simply for the crime of existing. Let's say for example that Rose attempted what Nightmare Moon did and tried to take over the country and bring about eternal night. Would she be banished or destroyed?
And third, while similar to the second point, I was attempting to show the open and shut nature of the whole affair. Rose was not given ANY chance to plead her case, ANY chance to explain herself, nor ANY time to speak on her own behalf (all she did was answer THEIR questions) before the princesses decided her fate. Had Arc not intervened their orders would have certainly been swiftly carried out.
11351330
Fixed.
“That it was! I never would have thought of wearing such a brilliant disguise! Will Arc be taking you out next, Cadanace?”
Cadance
11725394
Fixed.