Ark: Friendship is Survival

by Pomp-Neigh

Chapter 23 - Trixie's Angels.

-INSTALLATION: EQUUS-

-Ponyville-

Having enjoyed their meal at Sugarcube Corner, the Crusaders, Diamond Tiara, and Silver Spoon walk down the town’s main road. Said road splitting off to multiple sections of the ever-lively borough. Other denizens of multiple races going about their business throughout the town. During this time, Diamond Tiara had to temporarily break away from the group to perform a certain task before reuniting with them.

“Of all the things ya’ could’ve told Mr. Cake, ya’ picked me asking fer’ advice on a ‘special somepony’?” Apple Bloom questions with a deadpan expression.

Diamond Tiara chuckles, walking alongside the Apple family member, “Sorry about that. But, hey! It worked, didn’t it?”

All the while, Scootaloo, Silver Spoon, and Sweetie Belle could be seen conversing just behind the duo who are in the lead.

“Well, ah’ guess,” Apple Bloom responds. “By the way, were ya’ able to slip that draw’n of that strange critter back into ya’ folks’ room?”

“Mommy and daddy aren’t even home, so it was a piece of cake,” Diamond responds. “They left for Canterlot earlier this morning so swiping that picture was much easier than you’d think.”

A series of rapidly moving ‘hoofsteps’ makes itself known in front of the group, causing them to look forward. Said commotion even drawing the attention of other bystanders.

“Lyra!” Shouts a beige-coated earth pony mare, her blue and pink tail fluttering in the wind - her mane sharing the same coloration. “Has anypony seen, Lyra?!”

“Incomiiiing!” Yells another feminine voice from above, followed by the presence of a gray pegasus wearing a mail uniform who crashes into the earth pony. A series of closed envelopes raining down in the process.

The accident causes the group to wince in response, along with other various bystanders. As they approached the two mares who are in the process of recovering from the collision, Sweetie Belle asks:

“Derpy, Bon Bon, are you two ok?”

“S-sorry, Bon Bon,” Derpy said, rubbing her head with a forehoof. “And I’m ok, I’ve actually crashed into things much harder than that. Thank you for asking, Sweetie.”

Bon Bon jolts back onto her hooves, “Derpy! Please tell me you’ve seen Lyra?!”

“Well, actually-”

“I’m so worried!” Bon Bon interjects. “She never goes ANYWHERE without at least leaving me a note, or telling me about it ahead of time!”

“I’m trying to tell you that-”

“She’s been acting strange ever since those giant Obelisks appeared, and now she suddenly vanishes?!”

“I have a delivery for you,” Derpy responds. “It’s actually from Lyra.”

Bon Bon’s gaze immediately shoots towards Derpy, “Wait, you do?! Oh, thank Celestia! Thank you so much, Derpy!”

The mailmare picks up a very particular envelope with her right forehoof - the Crusaders, Diamond Tiara, and Silver Spoon collecting the other mail that littered the area in order to aid Derpy - and gives it to Bon Bon, who takes it gleefully.

“Sorry about my little outburst there, Derpy,” Bon Bon comments sheepishly.

“It’s ok!” The mail mare responds.

“Here’s your mail, Derpy,” Scootaloo says as she hands over a neatly stacked series of mail, to which Derpy takes gratefully before placing the items into her bag.

Bon Bon tears the envelope open before attempting to read its contents internally, all while the group present approaches her. Although Derpy had already departed in order to continue her deliveries.

Dear Bon Bon,

I know that I’ve been making you worry these last few days ever since the Obelisks appeared over Equestria and some of its neighboring nations. I am sincerely sorry for doing that to you, but I want you to know that I’m doing this for you. Not because I’m angry with you or anything like that. And, of course, I want to protect everyone, but I’d be lying if I said I don’t have a bit of a bias for you.

B.F.Fs forever!

That said, Bon… there’s so much that I wish I could tell you in person, or pony. But I had to leave urgently - even without you knowing - for I fear he has returned. An enemy from my distant past, and the greatest threat Equus has ever known. And if he is left unchecked… the greatest terror in our galaxy.

I need you to do something very important for me: go to the basement of our home, and you know that human mannequin I keep down there? Well, have you ever noticed that it always pointed towards the nearby storage box?

There’s a reason for that.

Your Friend,

Lyra.

Bon Bon stares at the sheet of paper in absolute shock. So much so that she’s unable to comprehend the words from the group in front of her.

“Hello? Bon Bon?” Sweetie Belle inquires.

“Hey! Are you ok?!” Scootaloo exclaims.

“What does it say? Did something happen to Lyra?” Silver Spoon questions.

She didn’t mean to be rude about it, but Bon Bon ignores their concerns and suddenly runs off in the direction of her home. Leaving behind the confused group as Diamond Tiara says:

“I wonder what that was all about? She looked really concerned.”

“Ah’ hope she’ll be ok,” Apple Bloom said worryingly. “Ah’ ain’t ev’r seen somethin’ scare her like that before.”

Sweetie Belle is the first to recover from their worried state as she starts to trot forth, “Come on, everypony. We should probably keep going; Zecora will definitely know all about that small creature we talked about.”

“I wonder why the adults haven’t told the entire town about it yet,” Scootaloo said.

“Daddy said they didn’t want everypony to panic,” Diamond Tiara responds. “But I don’t see how something so small could ever be that dangerous.”

The rest of the group nods in response as they all continue onward in the direction of the Everfree Forest.

Bon Bon was currently breathing heavily as she slams open the large red door to her home, not bothering to close it shut behind her. The earth pony runs through a hallway; passing a number of doors and entrances to other rooms, various pictures of her and Lyra etched onto the walls.

The beige mare runs down a flight of stairs, albeit the staircase also went upward which indicated that the home has three stories. Including the basement that she was currently descending into. She opens yet another door of a wooden composition, and her eyes focus on the mannequin that was positioned next to three stacked crates, its index finger pointing towards a very particular form of storage.

“Oh, Lyra… what have you gotten yourself into...”

Bon Bon approaches the large storage box, swallows a lump nervously, and opens its double doors with her right forehoof.

“Huh?” She questions, tilting her head sideways. “It’s empty… why would she-”

The earth pony’s words are cut off as a blue line made of numbers seemingly scans her form, being projected from the storage box. This causes Bon Bon to fall backward and onto her flanks, her eyes shot wide open as her heart rate rose to the point it could burst out of her chest. Even so, the scanning process continued to do its work before finally folding itself back into the storage box.

Scan complete.
Accessing Survivor’s Data…

Bon Bon’s muzzle falls agape as the feminine mechanical voice that came from the storage box is, in fact, Lyra’s very own.

“W-what’s going on h-here…?” The mare asks in absolute stupefaction; with matching features.

Access Granted.
Welcome, Sweetie Drops/Bon Bon.
Now Playing Pre-recorded Message.

A sort of screen is projected moments after as if it were a transparent television set, flickering in and out before correcting itself. Then, the pony Bon Bon was all too familiar with appears on the screen; looking directly at her as if she was actually there.

“Hey there, Sweetie Drops. I know, I know, I only use that name when something urgent happens, or is going to happen.”

The magic mint unicorn mare on screen takes a deep breath, all while Bon Bon watches intently, although a series of emotions start to fill her heart.

“Trust me when I say that this is very urgent. If you’re seeing this message, then something I haven’t foreseen has happened which caused the Obelisks to be reactivated,” Lyra looks down with regretful features, “I’ve failed, and Edmund Rockwell’s consciousness has been unleashed. An artificial intelligence that acts as an extension of himself, named:

The Corrupted Master Controller, or C.M.C for short.”

The Crusaders, Diamond Tiara, and Silver Spoon are now located at the edge of town; just before the road that travels to Sweet Apple Acres but also breaks off into two other directions.

As the group treks on the road and reaches the fork that leads either to the Apple Family’s orchard to the left, or the Everfree Forest/Fluttershy’s Cottage to the right, a familiar light-blue mare pulling a wagon is approaching from the right roadway in a hurried fashion.

“Oh, thank goodness! The grrreat and powerful, Trrrixie, is in dire need of your help!”

The showmare stops in front of the group and tries to catch her breath.

“What in the hay hap’ned to ya’, Trixie?” Apple Bloom inquires as the rest of the group looks on in concern.

“Tr-Trixie-” She takes in a breath, “Trixie was relaxing at Fluttershy’s cottage - yes, she gave me permission to park my wagon there if needed - but then Trixie found the zebra!” She looks over her right shoulder; towards the wagon, “Zecora!”

“Zecora?!” The group shouts in unison.

“Trixie put her in the wagon, but Trixie should tell you that she needs a hospital.”

The group of youngsters run around the wagon and stopped before the back door. Apple Bloom hurriedly opens it, but the group is shocked to see that the zebra wasn’t in need of a hospital as Trixie had informed. In fact, Zecora sat comfortably within the wagon; staring at them. But the four entities that sat all around her are what truly caused the eyes of the group to shoot wide open.

The beings are identical to the sketch drawing Diamond Tiara had provided, and before any of them could say or do anything they’re covered in a magical grasp before being thrown into the wagon. Each of the ponies land on their stomachs and sides, followed by a shadow that stood at the wagon’s doorway.

“Such predictable and gullible creatures you all are, my little ponies,” Trixie comments. The entire group became horrified by what they were seeing in the wagon, and are seconds away from screaming. “Scream, and I’ll have my little friends tear you apart.”

They all froze instantly upon hearing those words, and their attention is drawn towards the showmare’s cutie mark.

“Ah, I see you’ve taken notice of what your pathetic ‘marks’ truly are.”

Much like what had happened with the Element Bearers, Trixie’s cutie mark was metallic in composition but retained its original shape. They were indeed gazing upon the unicorn’s specimen implant. However, something was very particular about the showmare’s implant as it hues with a lavender light. All while Zecora and the four small entities watch on, the zebra’s own changed implant on full display.

Diamond Tiara finds the courage to speak - Silver Spoon and Sweetie Bell having a trail of tears going down their cheeks while Scootaloo defends Apple Bloom by spreading her wings apart - as the former bully comments:

“P-please… d-don’t hurt us…”

“Oh, you needn’t worry about that… for now,” Trixie responds.

“T-Trixie… why are you doing this to us…?” Sweetie Belle inquires, her voice trembling awfully.

The showmare chuckles, “All in good time, my dear. Trixie is but one of my angels now. The same goes for Zecora, over there. Not to mention my four sweet little Noglins. I mean, after all,” Trixie’s eyes become filled with pure purple energy as her voice changes entirely.

“A god always has a need for little angels.”

Comments

[Theone23]

Oh good god!

Wait a second, Helena mentioned in one of the earlier chapters that a Homo-deus is on Equus, and judging by what Lyra said about Rockwell being an old foe… I think it’s safe to say Lyra is our Homo-deus in pony form.

Now I’m interested to see what their history will be.

[GlitchyFox]

10984833
or she is the cannon survivor

[yonalkaru]

Damn i hope equus doesn't get destroyed, but nevertheless awesome chapter dude!!!

[Theone23]

10984865
That is also a possibility, since Helena mentions them in the Prologue, and hints at them when she challenges Twilight and the others.

The canon survivor was last seen on Abberation, so if Lyra truly is that same survivor then Pomp needs to come up with a very good reason as to how they’re here now.

[Snow Frostfang]

Well shit

[Loganic]

Trixie noooo!

[Pomp-Neigh]

10984866
Tyvm!

[Zubric]

Stil got no clue what a noglin is. Sure saw the photo but unsure what make it so dangerous. Sorry Judy don’t got context

[Pomp-Neigh]

10985315
The context shall be revealed, just consider this part of the Noglin’s introduction.

Let’s just say that Diamond Tiara’s words are ironic in of itself.

[Charlie_K]

10985000
Trixie Yes!

Honestly, it makes sense for someone as self-absorbed as Rockwell to pick Trixie as a host. It'd be really funny if while in her head Rockwell is even noting just how self-absorbed she is and telling her to tone it down some.

10985315
They basically brainjack you and your tames like the cordyceps fungus in TLOU.

[BestinDworld]

10985335
Ya know the title for this chapter is kinda misleading I was going to suspect Trixie as Charlie erm if you type in this chapters title and just replace Trixie with Charlie on YouTube hopefully you’ll get the movie with Lucy Liu and Drew Barrymore and.... some other chick I forgot about

[Pomp-Neigh]

10985959
Ah, yes. Charlie's Angels is a great film!

I can certainly see why peeps might come to that. The title does indeed represent the events taking place within the chapter, but it's not meant to represent Charlie's Angels. You could say it's a play on words that happens to also make a reference.

[DatGuy1st]

Nooo not the Zecora, Trixie, and the CMCs

[Legioner8]

Oh, damn! I somehow missed this chapter update.
Well, two chapters in one go is even better.

10628620
...
Heh.

[Green-Venom]

The Corrupted Master Controller, or C.M.C for short.

Alright, you’re a freaking genius!

[dragonus85]

11635420
Made me think of the master control program.

[Pomp-Neigh]

11727609
"Is that the best a User can do?"