Thread 9: Stories 31-45

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>Shining
"Chrysalis"
'AJ2'
_______

After the door closed, Shining sighed and sank back into his chair, watching blankly at Chrysalis blew snot bubbles, her eyes crossed.

>...what in the world... it's hard to believe you actually pulled off what you pulled off.

"I'm a smart Chitlin. Changer. Darn it, one of them changey things, I'm a smart one of them!"

>Well, at least the heart's fixed... and you got what you wanted.

"An' I want more of it! More Shiny kisses for the smart bug lady!"

>You're not *that* smart.

"An' that was me OFF the bean! Purely me, this big-assed bitch right here! Mwahaha-ow! Owwww!"

>That's right, no evil laughter until you're better, little lady. You stop that.

"Snrk! Am I pwetty little lady?"

>The pwettiest.

"Then this pwetty little lady demands a kiss!"

>Oh Celestia, you and morphine is worse than you and coffee....

"Plbbbplbbb! Kisses! Now!"

>Oh, fine, fine! You want kisses? You got kisses!

And Shining stood with purpose, but instead of making his way to Chrysalis' bedside, he crossed to the door and pulled it open to reveal a bouncy Two. He barely got the door open fully when she beelined straight for the Queen and leapt, landing on her midsection.

"OOF!"

'EEEEEEEE! Not-mom is okay! Yaaaay! Shiny, I can give her kisses now?'

>Of course, sweetie. You can kisses her allllll day.

'Yaaaay!'

"Noooooo!"

>I really should be recording this.
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>Cheerilee
"SS"
'Applebloom'
[Sweetie Belle]
-Scootaloo-
~~~~~~~

>And that is where foals come from! Any questions?... No, Silver Spoon, only on todays subject.

"So then, I CAN'T ask about the killer robots."

>No. That has nothing to do with today's topic.

'Can we mention 'em, offhandedly?'

>Well, I don't see why not.

[Alright. Boy, it sure is strange that a whole bunch of robots are pointing their guns at-]

-HIT THE DECK!-

The hail of bullets rained in through the side wall, just barely missing the heads of the children within.

"DAMN IT, DT! TAKE ME WITH YOU NEXT TIME!"

'Wah' didn't she arm ya' a'fore she left!?'

"...Erm..."

'Oh, ya'll go right ta' hell.'

-GIVE HER A BIT!-

Cheerilee, for the most part, was undisturbed.

>No worries, children, I'm just having another hallucination about killing you all.

[Stop hallucinating real life! That's just pointless!]

>Real life?.... Oh. Oh no, no no no. This won't do.

*BZZT! PREPARE TO-*

>Occide apparatus, daemon.

The deepest howls from the darkest pits of hell were unleashed with but a few words. As if it were made of ooze, the floors melted away and allowed creatures foul and twisted to arise from what was once wood. The chalkboard inverted to glass, and strange locust like creatures shattered a hole upon it and flowed out from the void on the other side. From the ceiling, skittering insects rained down like the plague of legends, and as one they converged on machines.

It would appear that there was some way to torture even that which feels no pain, if the robotic screams were any indication.

She snapped her hoof, breaking the bone within just for the noise, and all was silent.

"..."
'...'
[...]
-...-

>Now then, any questions?

[...So babies come out of the butt?]

It took everything she had not to call those demons back.
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>Cheerilee
"Snips"
'Snails'
_________

'Ummm... Missus Cheerilee ma'am?'

>Yes, Snails?

'I gotta question.'

>Yes, dear, I gathered as much when you raised your hoof.

'Oh. I just wanted to be sure you knew. I didn't want you to think I was hailing a a taxi.'

>...

"PFFFFFF SWEET CELESTIA MY SIDES!"

'So can I ask my question? Or are you busy?'

>Snails, honey... I'm doing entirely nothing but staring at you. You have my full attention.

'Oh now I just feel selfish. You can give some to Snips if you want.'

>...

"GAHAHAHA YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS UP!"

>And the weird part is that if I obeyed the voices in my head, I'd go to jail.

'What voices, ma'am?'

>Never you mind, sweetheart. Your question?

'Well... how come the other kids were sent home and we were told to stay here?'

>Because there are murderous robots roaming the hallways, Snails.

'Maybe we should invite them in for a seat. They must be tired.'

>By all means, Snails. You may have a point there. Go and invite them.

"Snails, sit your butt down and pretend there's glue in the seat."

'But I ate all the glue during arts and crafts. That's why I couldn't talk for about three hours.'

>Best three hours of my life, dear.

"So... robots up and down the halls. Why're we, Snails and me, here specifically, Miss Cheerilee?"

>Because you two would be of the rare colt count in this school. Honestly, if we lost you two, we might as well say goodbye to future generations. I'm going against better judgement for the sake of the whole.

'...'

"..."

'Snips, did you catch that?'

"Yup. Just kinda wish I hadn't."

'Explain it to me?'

"Nah. Ignorance is bliss here."

>Wise words, dear.
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>AJ12
"Various Changelings"
~~~~

>Hey assholes! Thanks for leaving me on a deserted island for WEEKS. No, it's totally cool! No problems with...

*EXTERMINATE!*

"WHY DO THEY HAVE FLAMETHROWERS!?"

"This is racist, that's what this is! What, because we're bugs?"

*EXTERMINATE!*

"YES! THIS IS THE BEST!"

"Damn it, we JUST got 55 off the wagon!"

"MY JUGGLING POWERS ARE USELESS!"

"Save me, beloved!"

"I told you, it's over between us! I'm with 36 now!"

"BETRAYAL!"

"Have these things actually hit anyone? I'm noticing a lot of misses."

"That one is just a gun taped to a dog."

"I feel like they weren't really trying with us."

"Do we say yay, or feel insulted?"

"Let's be happy we were insulted."

"BRILLIANT!"

>...Nevermind, fuck you guys.
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>SS
"AJ56"
~~~~~

>...Uh, 56, you okay?

"Do you know what a lie is, Silver Spoon? A lie is that horrible, horrible thing you do when you promise something and don't deliver. Lying is the opposite of loving. Loving is delivering. Lying is leaving. There is no greater sin than to promise something, and not deliver. No grander evil, no more wretched creature! Fuck liars, and all of their horrible ways!"

>...Is this because the robot's ass was fake?

"IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL, BUT NOW... Now it's tarnished! Besmirched! Other words that Cuz uses that I don't know the meaning of but am pretty sure are bad! IT'S THE WORST!"

>Aww, come here. I'm no crying corner, but my shoulder works fine.

"T-thanks, SS, you're a nice pony,"

>No, thank you for ripping those robot's heads off with your teeth.

"It was the least I could do."
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>Celestia
"Applejack"
'Luna'
-royal/night guard-
~~~~~
"Whoa, nelly! Seems we got a load o' bots comin' our way!"

>What a coincidence, just in time for our soldiers to be prepped, but not after they moved out. Now, Twilight, you are about to find out a few things about being a princess, and why I've done what I've done with the place.

'Tis' always a delightful tale to hear.'

>You see, Applejack, I built Canterlot atop a mountain because the mountain is easily dependable. The underground passages leading to it are filled with horrors that haunt my dreams to this day, any flier who sees to attack has to rush through large, clear, open skies and risk getting taken down with ease...

-FOR EQUESTRIA!!!!-

>The city itself is built with winding streets and narrow allies making it easy for invaders to get lost and ambushed, and the only easy path into the city is through the train tunnel that runs along a mostly exposed, easily monitored, and easily dependable track that spirals around the mountain more times than it really needs to.

Applejack watches as many robots are cut down before they even reach the city proper.

"... As still think we could do wit' some kind o' super lift."

'We shall note to bring that up in the next princess meeting. Until then, we have brought popcorn for all!'
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>Cheese Sandwich
"77"
'Little Strongheart'
[Chief Thunderhooves]

WHAM!

"Oof!"

[Enough!]

Little Strongheart stepped away from 77, glaring. Chief Thunderhooves glowered down at the beaten disguised changeling tied to the post.

[Why did Equestria break our treaty?]

"I don't know what you're talking about..."

Strongheart growled and took a step toward him. Cheese shouted from his own prison, thankfully unscathed due to the buffalo's knowledge of him as a 'Harmless fool'.

[We know that only ponies are capable of building such machines, they were even created in your image, do not deny your guilt.]

"I don't...deny a pony built these things, but it was not Equestria..."

[Explain.]

"These things...have been menacing Equestria as well...I was sent...to investigate..."

[Hrm...]

'Is he lying?'

[I can hear no lie pass his lips but there is a deeper lie being told to us...i just cannot tell.]

"Well, you're clever...if I reveal myself...will you trust me more?"

[Perhaps.]

77 sighed and in the next instant where once there was an earth pony stood a changeling.

"I am changeling 77, acting on the behalf of my Queen and the Royal Princesses of Equestria to find the source of the robot menace."

>Dusty...why are you a bug?

"I apologize for my deception, Mr. Sandwich, but anonymity was paramount."

>Oh it's no big deal, I just have to change the theme for our 'Big Adventure Complete Party' cake from horseshoes to bugs!

'So you would help us stop the robots?'

"Yes, if you'll undo my ropes and give me back my knife."

In short order he and Cheese were free with the chieftan's apologies.

[You would think we'd have learned our lesson about-what was the term?]

'Xylophobia or something.'

[Yes, well then I suppose we must now tell you our tale of woe. You see it was many moons ago, we were finally at peace with the Appleloosans, our children played on the plains, our traders came and went with shipments of those...delicious...apple pies...]

The chieftan smacked his lips at the memory of pies long ago sampled, but quickly snapped out of it.

[But then arrived...the Doom Cloud!]

>"Doomcloud?"

'It was just the cloud at first but then it started acting weird.'

"How so?"

>Did it start raining chocolate milk? I soooo miss those.

[It began to thunder without lightning, to flash dazzling lights in the night, then...came the metal ponies. There were few at first, they disguised themselves at traders before they realized they were found out. We lost many in those days, but then there came more and then there came more and then there came more and then-]

'They get it, Chief. We couldn't get any messages out to Appleloosa without the parties getting picked off. Eventually I guess paranoia got the better of us and we blamed the ponies.'

"Robots tend to make many question life's certainties. Where is this Doomcloud?"

[Out in the forbidden lands, we do not go there anymore for fear of being slain.]

"Right, then it is my duty to investigate it and put a stop to these robots!"

>And my duty to give Flam the best birthday party ever!

"...that too!"

I can lead you there, but I don't thi-'

BOOM!

>'"WHOA!"'

The ground shuddered and shouts came from otside the chieftan's home, all four rushed outside to find a mass of metal slowly unfolding, transforming into the shape of a massive metallic bovine, glaring at all before it with metallic malice as a final flap of metal produced a commissar cap atop its head.

<M. BISON: OPERATIONAL! BEGIN FINAL TERMINATION OF BUFFALO TRIBE!>

Everyone gaped in horror a the beast produced a massive gatling gun from it's back...well, besides Cheese, who just grinned.

>Pff...M. Bison, I get it.
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>Applejack
"Rarity"
'Celestia'
-Luna-
~~~~~
three princesses calmly watch the destruction of the machine with blase. Every so often, one would take a potshot some particularly large ones that looked to be a heavy hitter.

Rarity enters

'Ahh! Rarity! you're just in time for the show, I was afraid you wouldn't make it! Popcorn?'

"Not now your majesty! Spike's in trouble!"

Applejack immediately jumped attention.

>What the hay did you jus' say?

"He's in trouble! Terrible trouble! He was in a fight with some half-pony half-machine! The assassin from Ponyville!"

'Rarity, I don't see Spike as in trouble, he's one of our best fighters-'

>Don' care, Princess! Rarity, hop on mah back, SPIKE HOLD ON!

And the two friends soared off towards the location of the Highwind.

-We place our bits on the purple one having destroyed the base before the two arrive.-

'Mine's on them arriving just in time to help the A-Team finish it.'

During this time, Flash Sentry finished crushing Charity into scrap and slamming Spike's head against the metal walls when he seemingly began to stir

'They're the best in the lands.'
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It seemed over for Equestria, when the Empire fell Blueblood focused his everything on the eradication of "undesirables" leaving Canterlot to make it's last stand.
As Applejack 18, one of the small number of survivors of the Empire struggled against a massive robot, her body bloodied and battered, a voice she had not heard since the death of their queen and her surrogate mother and father filled her with hope.

"EIGHTEEN!"

"Two?!"

"Let's Synchronize!"

Eighteen was nearly in tears to hear her 'sister's' voice return, and the strength behind it now filled her with hope. "Y-Yes!" Finding her own strength, she pushed off the mechanical behemoth in the mocking form of Shining Armor to receive Applejack Two from the heavens.

The resulting fusion of minds resulted with Eighteen being flooded with the revelation Two had experienced to make her miraculous comeback.

A revelation she now shared with all of Equestria and it's enemies:

"MY FAMILY ISN'T HERE ANYMORE! THEY'RE DEAD! BUT IN MY HEART AND MY SOUL THEY LIVE ON AS A PART OF ME!"

"W-What?!" Blueblood exclaimed, unable to make anything out of this small, unremarkable changeling who now seemed alight with an almost godly aura of magical power.

"My spirit is the soul which will light the way to the heavens! Even if that light burns every marchmally in the world, as long as I never stop moving forward, I will succeed! I AM NOT NOT-MOM! I AM NOT MOMMY! I AM NOT SHINY! I AM ME! TWO THE CHANGELING!"

With a flair of magic, flaming green tendrils tore into the machines throughout the city. Undeterred, Blueblood unleashed a handydog.

"CRUSH HER!" He ordered and the half-living diamond dog seized Two and Eighteen together in an electrified death grip.

The pain Two and Eighteen felt barely registered to the agony in their heart, every memory of happiness in the Crystal Empire replayed in their minds, the good times, the bad times, the laughter, the smiles, the tears, and the last moments of Shining Armor, Princess Cadence, and Chrysalis.

And the final wishes of all three for those they would leave behind to never lose hope for the future.

"FINISHING MOVE!" The two changelings, together unleashed a hellfire of emerald flames that knocked the Handydog away.

"GIGA! SHIELD! BREAKEEEEEEEERR!!!" As their crooked horns touched, a small spark of green light turned into a supernova which washed through all of Equestria, leaving allies unphased but the machine and its makers crushed by the unstoppable wave of power.

Two and Eighteen disconnected their horns, the synchronization ending, and all around Equestria, a thousand points of light lit up the night like brilliant, fiery stars as the robots exploded.

NON CANON
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>Applejack
“Rarity”
‘Chrysalis’
~~~~~~~~~

>Land sakes, Rars… what happened to ya?

“Fufufu, you like, darling? Stunning no?”

A much thinner Rarity stood before the apple princess, sleek and slimmed down close to the size she used to be back in her glory days… except with a far more noticeable backside and hips.

>…got yerself some little add-ons, Ah see.

“Hm? Oh! Yes, well… technically it’s not an add-on, darling, as it came with my weight gain. I just didn’t trust Chrysalis near my backside, bless her soul.”

>Chrysalis…?

Rarity motioned with a hoof to a random corner where there lay the Changeling Queen, looking dazed yet fulfilled, a slight bulge to her stomach.

>Ooooh, that's right... the whole fat suckin' love thing, yeah...

“Indeed. And well, truth be told, dearie… I’m not going to give up quite so easily.”

>Eh? Give up on what?

Rarity’s gaze merely slid down to the sparkling gold band around Applejack’s hoof. She didn’t say anything for a second or two, then,

“That’s a rather nice gift there, wouldn’t you say?”

>Nice? Shoot, Rars, it’s one’a mah most prized possessions! Not a day goes by that it don’t give me strength, remind me that someone out there cares….

“Spike-Wikey really is just the kind-hearted soul, isn’t he?”

>The kindest. He's becomin' quite the loverboy lately if'n Ah say so, heh.

“Oh trust me, I know exactly... what you mean, darling.”

>Yeah, he….

“…”

>…

The two mares shared a single look of understanding, one so intense that lightning might have zipped between their gaze.

“Not to be rude, darling, but I did technically see him first….”

>Tell it to the birds 'cause that apple won’t roll wit’ me, Rars. Y’all were first an’ had yer’ chance.

“As have you, if I recall correctly.”

Applejack’s tail swished, and she sported a snide grin of challenge that Rarity returned with a flick of her curled mane.

>Well, if’n y’all will pardon me, Ah’ve got to go let a certain someone know how much Ah love their gift.

“And while you do that, I think I’ll go drown a certain someone in my undying affection as only I can.”

Applejack watched as Rarity sashayed past her, that shapely rear swinging almost hypnotically, and snorted, forgetting Chrysalis was even in the same room until the queen offered up a weak giggle.

‘Hahahaha… what a twisted love triangle….This should be fun.’

>Reckon it will be.

‘Oh sweet Celestia, I’m so full of fat and love… fatty love… ugh….’

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>SA
"Cadence"
[42]
-18-
~~~~~

>OW!

"Oh, hush. You're a big soldier, you can take it."

>Shrapnel still hurts, a lot.

[You siss-]

*Poke*

[sssseeeeee~! GAH!]

>...

[...Shut up.]

-So... we going to go help Canterlot turn this asshole into chunky salsa or what?-

>Would if we could, but...

[...I can't feel most of my legs. I'm pretty much just standing on The Avenger and nothing else.]

>Yeah, and I'm not a doctor, but I'm pretty sure those numbers mean I need more blood... a lot more blood. It breaks my heart not to be able to go protect Twili, but she can manage, I believe in her.

[Our soldiers are out of ammo as it stands, if another wave comes it's pretty much down to them.]

-...Is Chrysalis going to be alright?-

"She'll live, we're pretty sure. We'll have to get Twilight over here when this is all over, though, just to make sure her internal damage isn't so severe."

>She essentially overloaded her everything, she's not going to be in fighting shape for a while yet to come. She's damn lucky she's not in worse shape, if she were anyone else she would have turned herself into goo.

-...-

[...18? Where were you when the robots attacked? Chrysalis said she had to knock you out, why?]

-...Don't worry about it. I'll go make sure our soldiers are still ready, just take it easy alright? We're going to need you if the assault fails.-

She walked off after that, just a little too quickly.

"...She's going to get herself killed at this rate."

>We can start a support group.

[Hi, I'm Applejack 42, and I apparently love being shot at-]

*SMACKSMACK!*

>[WORTH IT!]
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>Spike
"AJ2"
'???'
~~~~~
Spike sits sullen in his hospital bed, both of his arms amputated due to shrapnel reducing them to hamburger, the rest of him was recovering, but now he waited to find out if he would need augments.

'Mr. Spike, you have a visitor'

"Hiya Spike!"

>Hey, Two...

"I heard you were sad, so I came to cheer you up!"

>Thanks... I'm just not sure you can right now.

"Awww, you lost your arms and can't give hugs anymore!"

>Yeah...

Two just walks up and wraps her front and hind legs around Spike... And two more sets of legs.

"It's okay, I can give you four times the hugs to make up for it!"

Spike is shocked at first but then relaxes

>Thanks, Two... You know, I really do feel better.

"YAY!"

NON CANON
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>AJ 10
"Robot"
'Blubloodbot'
~~~~~

>Mister robot! Can I get an interview real quick?

"BZZT! DESTROY ALL INFESTATIONS!"

>...Does that mean yes?

'BZZT! NEGATIVE, HE WISHES YOU EXTERMINATED!'

>Tell him not to do that.

'BZZT! FELLOW MACHINE! LOWER YOUR WEAPONS, THERE WILL BE CAKE!'

"WE HAVE NO NEED FOR SUSTENANCE!"

'IT IS GOOD CAKE!'

"HOW GOOD IS SAID CAKE?"

'IT IS AS GOOD AS THE BULLETS IN MY GUN!'

"NEED VERIFICATION!"

'AS YOU WISH!'

*RATATATATATATA!*

'ARE THE BULLETS SATISFACTORY?'

"..."

>BBB, he's dead. Ya' killed him. With bullets.

'...THEN THE BULLETS WERE SATISFACTORY.'

>Guess so?

'I FEEL GOOD ABOUT THIS.'

>Glad one of us does.

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>Various
[Robots]
~~~~~
Ponyville continues it's valiant, if slapstick fight against the robot hordes

A group of ponies find themselves cornered in and alleyway and beg for a hero.

[*BZZT!* INITIATING: EXECUTIONER STYLE EXECUTABLE!]

>This is it-

A tall shadow falls over the robots and a hoof taps them

The robots turn to see Big Macintosh

And on his hoof, his college, national wrestling champion band

[... OH *BZZT!*]

BIG MAC BODY SLAM!
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>MM
"29"
[BBB]
-AJ10-
~~~~~

>...So should we do something about that thing?

"The robot?"

>The robot.

[YOU THERE! FELLOW MACHINE! MY BUZZ SAW HAS BEEN SHARPED! ALLOW ME TO PROVE IT!]

-BBB! No!... That took forever ta' sharpen, could you use your guns instead?-

[BUT I AM SO PROUD OF IT!]

-Ahhhh, I can't say no to you! Go get 'em, buddy!-

>...

"...Yes. We should clearly do something. That something is nothing. We do nothing and pretend it's something, and maybe do the other thing."

>Sad to say, I'm probably an expert at that... and the other thing.

"Yeah, you are GREAT at that."

>I am, aren't I?

"Want to do it right now?"

>Eeeeh, sure. Why not.

"Great! I'll get the Twister mat."

[I AM SO PROUD OF THIS!]

-As well, ya' should be.-
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