open Mechquestria: My Life As A Equine Robot (00110010)

[Aurora Lights 206]

@@captainborgue,

 

Drone smiled at her softly and placed his hoof on her shoulder, "Bee. I know what you are saying, where your coming from...I would never change who I am...Ever..." he places his hoof on her metal side of her face, examining it slowly. He then looked down and nodded, "I know that nothing can change what we've been through. I can't remember what I was through, only pieces, small fragments of a memory I'm not even sure is mine. But for some reason..." he looked up at her with an almost confused face as he continued, "...For some reason, I feel like-like... Like this, this life I'm living, this world I'm in..." he closes his eyes softly and takes a deep breath, slowly letting it out, " Is just all a lie...Probably because it is...But When I look at you...I feel like the only Real thing I feel is happiness...Anger, hatred, and everything else is just an afterthought when I'm with you. I suppose I should tell you now...I don't have complex emotions...I don't feel regret...I don't feel fear, or worry...Happiness for me...well, it's like a feeling that has no meaning to me...I just have it...I don't really feel happiness normally, But when I see how genuine you are..." he sighs softly and looks down again, smiling softly before he hugs her tightly.

[captainborgue 343]

@@captainborgue,

 

Drone smiled at her softly and placed his hoof on her shoulder, "Bee. I know what you are saying, where your coming from...I would never change who I am...Ever..." he places his hoof on her metal side of her face, examining it slowly. He then looked down and nodded, "I know that nothing can change what we've been through. I can't remember what I was through, only pieces, small fragments of a memory I'm not even sure is mine. But for some reason..." he looked up at her with an almost confused face as he continued, "...For some reason, I feel like-like... Like this, this life I'm living, this world I'm in..." he closes his eyes softly and takes a deep breath, slowly letting it out, " Is just all a lie...Probably because it is...But When I look at you...I feel like the only Real thing I feel is happiness...Anger, hatred, and everything else is just an afterthought when I'm with you. I suppose I should tell you now...I don't have complex emotions...I don't feel regret...I don't feel fear, or worry...Happiness for me...well, it's like a feeling that has no meaning to me...I just have it...I don't really feel happiness normally, But when I see how genuine you are..." he sighs softly and looks down again, smiling softly before he hugs her tightly.

 

 

Bee felt herself swooning as he held her close. For somepony who had been frozen for several years and prior to that hadn't had anything that could be considered a 'normal' experience, he sure knew how to tug the heartstrings. "You sure know just what to say," Bee said, her face flushing despite VLAD's efforts to redirect blood flow. "skills like that you could have any mare you wanted," she teased back. "Here's the thing, though. I know me- I'm smart and witty and a total goof and all, but some kind of happiness emitter I am not. I mean, I'm glad you enjoy my company, and I hope you know the feeling is mutual, but I don't know if I'm ok with being put on a pedestal like that. There's a lot further to fall if you're on a pedestal," Bee said, smiling wanly. "I guess what I'm driving at is, I'm glad you like me. I like you, too. Like, a lot. It's almost scary, how strongly I feel. You look at me, not my augments. You aren't afraid to touch me, to touch them. And VLAD hasn't scared you off with a forty minute speech on my biological functions. That's impressive," Bee said, touching the side of his face with her organic hoof.

 

"Just... please don't see me as perfect. I can't live up to that. All I can do is be myself," Bee said, gazing into his eyes. She saw no hint of deception there... not that she was particularly great at reading ponies. Her ocular implant flicked through lenses rapidly, and all of them confirmed her hypothesis- which was that Drone was either being completely honest, or the smoothest stallion to ever exist. what scared her a little bit though, is that she didn't care which it was. She wanted to drown in his eyes, she wanted to feel him close to her, touching her, and the part of her mind that worried about being hurt was drowned out by the part of her that just wanted the sensation of it all. "Tell me what you want from me, and I would gladly give it to you,"  Bee said, whispering. Her body was shaking from both excitement and nervousness. VLAD dumping neurotransmitters into her bloodstream to calm her down certainly wasn't helping any.

[Denim&Venöm 19,094]

@@captainborgue,@@Aurora Lights, 

 

*crackle* "Hmm?" Embex looked up as her horn sparked. "Oh well, that's interesting. Hmmm..." she said as she started walking away from Tomcat & Daffidasy. 

 

"Uh, Bexy, where you heading off too?"  Tomcat asked, pausing her wing repairs. 

 

"I sense it." 

 

"Uh sense what?" 

 

"Something only a changeling can spot my dear." she smirked a fanged grin. "Love is in the air." 

 

"Graaaoooowww!" 

 

"So I can find out where." her energy wings sparked up and she flew. Her eye's closed she rotated to pinpoint the sensation. "There!" She started buzzing towards it. "Hey! Hey, wait for us!" Tomcat became air born as well, ascending with a rocky start. 

 

"Grrraaooowww!" Daffidaisy rolled after them. 

 

 

Elsewhere in the city

 

Atop the crystal empire state building, a figure made up of even more metal than the building stood balanced on the tip top.

 

 

"If you say-ay-ay Luster is a living weapon,and she's no longer needed in that capacity, then whaaaaaaaaat else do you expect her to do?"

 

 

 

"Please, I don't want this to come to pass. I say this as a possible future because it could still happen if you don't learn from past mistakes."

 

 

 

"I still think this may happen with you online, I hope everyone's sake that I am wrong because there is nothing I can do to stop it."

 

 

 

"Even if ponies win the war and drive Humanity away then other nations will try to take the chance to over take a weakened Equestria. The effects of your preemptive strike would last many generations and devastate both worlds.

 

 

"You think you know it all. You still don't see the harm that comes to Ponykind. I was made by humans too. Yet you wonder why I'm against them? It's becasue ponykind will go on, but humanity will inevitably annihilate itself. And I will not have ponykind be dragged down with them!"

 

 

The recordings played out in on her hud as she overlooked the city. A map unfolded of the entire school and lab complexes and identified the locations of all in the engineering department. While in the rest of her vision, she was watching events transpire involving another of her intended acquaintances. 

 

 

 

I don't have complex emotions...I don't feel regret...I don't feel fear, or worry...Happiness for me...well, it's like a feeling that has no meaning to me...I just have it...I don't really feel happiness normally, But when I see how genuine you are..."

 

She sighed. "Was there anyway this could've ended well for you? I thought staying out of your creation woudl be best. But all it's done is make another damaged soul. No matter what I do-" She pulled up a still of Luster and placed it side by side with the sight of Drone.   "My best intentions keep making things worse." 

 

 

 

"Just... please don't see me as perfect. I can't live up to that. All I can do is be myself,"

A miniature profile came up next to Bee.  "At least, despite of my mistakes-" she smiled. "you're still finding happiness." 

 

 

"Tell me what you want from me, and I would gladly give it to you,"

 

Her eyes widened at that. "Maybe a little more than happiness. Actually, it seems like a lot of ponies are gettign lucky in that department." She pulled up footage of Emerald & Angel making out. "Cadence would sure be proud...sunshine sunshine...."

[reader8363 1,281]

@@Denim&Venom, 

Shadow said as he grabbed his scythe and lean his head on his knuckles, 

I don't care about the future, it doesn't matter who wins, People or ponies will need someone to help out. Either way, I get a profit.

 

The room changed back to a white nothingness.

 

Shadow smiled and said,

"Hey, professor, could ya kindly pull yourself together or do I have to beat some sense in ya. While your at it, can ya bring some shadows back, I'm almost powerless in a white room with out shadows."

[Aurora Lights 206]

@@captainborgue,@@Denim&Venom,

 

Drone looked at her softly and took a deep breath, collecting his thoughts, "Bee, Perfection is not what I see in you. Perfection is not something anypony should strive for...Perfection drives ponies mad, makes them do crazy things...Drives bonds apart. No, instead what I see in you, is the pony I would want to be one day... Flawed, able to be hurt, able to have feelings like you do, And don't get me wrong, I do have real feelings for you, and I can't explain how confusing this whole date has been for me..." he sighs softly and places his hooves on her cheeks, "What I want from you, is...to see you happy. To see you smile all the time. To see that the bravery you have inside of you will never be stomped out. I may not be the most genuine, nor real, nor enthusiastic pony in all the land..." he looks away a moment before looking back to her, "But that is what I need you for, Bee." he smiled at her softly.

 

He felt like he was being watched, and thus felt uncomfortable. He soon started looking around and felt a great energy near him. He sighed softly and said aloud, "Bee, I'm sorry... But I have business I need to attend to. You can stay here, and watch us, but please...Don't involve yourself...I feel my past has caught up to me. Now, Twilight, I know your watching, listening... That's all your good for isn't it? You never did a damn thing to help me..." he was now a few feet away from Bee and was talking to the air around him, all the while he talked, he searched the crowds, the building tops, to see if he could spot this Princess.

[Denim&Venöm 19,094]

@@Aurora Lights,@@captainborgue,  

 

"And there I go...screwing things up. Again." she sent transmissions to both Bee and Drone.{ "Sorry. I didn't want to be rude and interrupt the two of you. I am actually happy to see you making friends Drone. But I would like to talk. Someplace a bit more private."} 

[Aurora Lights 206]

@@captainborgue, @@Denim&Venom,

 

Drone sighed softly and took Bee with him, he finally acquired a visual fix on Twilight, he then said to her, "Where at? We need to talk, princess...Now." he said and started to trot towards Twilight's position, he wasn't particularly happy now, a ghost from his troubled past has finally shown up and now wanted contact with him. He didn't know whether to try to kill her, or hug her for the same reason. Either way, this Encounter is something he's been awaiting a long time. 

[Denim&Venöm 19,094]

@@Aurora Lights,@@captainborgue,  

 

{"Actually if you could meet me at the college, that would be great. Say, Professor Bee's office? And whether or not our meeting ends well, I will still be needing your help there. You may be able to get through to somepony I might not."} she sent out as she teleported off the spire. 

Edited March 8, 2016 by Denim&Venom

[Aurora Lights 206]

@@Denim&Venom,

 

Drone sighs and looks at Bee, picking her up and flying her to the college, making his way to the office that was designated. He opened the door and looked around for the alicorn that had searched for him. Once his eyes laid upon the mare, he grit his teeth in anger, "...You..." he uttered out softly.

[Denim&Venöm 19,094]

@Aurora Lights,@captainborgue,  

 

"Prompt as usual Drone." she turned around. Before the two of them stood a regal alicorn bot. The most regal. Standing taller than either of them, coated in lavender tinted silver plate polished to a mirror shine. Her indigo blue mane with the purple and pink streaks was almost translucent like stained glass. Amethyst Irises over faint light blue LEDs comprised her eyes. A youthful expression betraying the gold pointed crown welded on top. A Starburst mark adorning her flank. 

 

"I'm happy that your still alive by the way." 

 

Only Professor Bee could answer whether or not this was the first time royalty had been in her office. 

[Aurora Lights 206]

@@Denim&Venom,

 

Drone stared at the construct, "...You aren't..." he blinked a few times as his memories flooded his mind again, he dropped to the floor, his hooves shielding his head before his armor consumed his body, the dark metal plates clanking in place and he growled out, his voice now deep and robotic, "You bucking shit..." he stood on his rear hooves, "You couldn't even stay in a ​flesh  ​​body..." he took a step towards her and recoiled once more as a memory shocked his mind, he held his head once more as he growled, "You...You didn't even bucking say sorry..." he looked up at Twilight and yelled at her, "YOU DIDN'T EVEN SAY GOODBYE!...And to think..." he turned away from the metal princess, "To think I actually trusted you for a while..." he growled and punched the wall, making the materials crack.

 

He stopped moving for a moment as he started thinking about what he had to say to her, "First... I want to know why you didn't help me...Why you didn't even try to make an ​effort to save me from that damn place...And they call the you the princess of friendship...More like the Queen of lies, you bucking asshole." he put his hoof over his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself down again before he felt his armor strip away from him, slowly retracting into the metal spine he had, finally he was himself again, he was now on all four hooves as he walked up to Twilight slowly, his eyes focused on the ground as he placed his forehead on her metal chest and took a deep breath, tears starting to roll down his cheeks, "You didn't say goodbye...Twilight...I-I missed you, I grieved for you Twi, I bucking cried over you...And you just now decide to talk to me again..." he sighed and closed his eyes softly, collapsing to sit on his rear, tears slowly rolling down his cheeks and dripping on the floor.

[Denim&Venöm 19,094]

@Aurora Lights,@captainborgue,  

 

Twilight looked at the sight beofre her. Her own words coming back. She knelt down to Drones level. "It seems no matter how good my intentions were, no matter how I approach things, it always hurts some pony else." she looked away. "I left, because I was certain if I had stayed, I was going to wind up hurting you anyways, overstepping my bounds, enacting my authority. Becoming a teacher, a researcher, a princess, before I ever became your friend. I saw the damage I did the last time I got close to a project. I saw the path we were going towards, and didn't want it happening again. That's why I left. I was certain that if I stayed and got mroe involved, that you would have just suffered anyways. My intentions were good. The end result...wasn't."

Edited March 8, 2016 by Denim&Venom

[captainborgue 343]

Bee could feel her heart fluttering- VLAD flashed a warning on her HUD indicating a possible cardiac event, before pouring endorphin directly into her central nervous system. "POSSIBLE CRITICAL EMERGENCY, RUNNING FULL DIAGNOSIS," VLAD announced, as Bee's body went completely slack. As per the usual, Bee retained control of holo-emitters and a vocal subroutine, so a holo-projection of Bee materialized a few inches in front of her unresponsive face. "Dammit, VLAD, I'm not- where the buck are we going?" Bee said, as her hologram looked around and deduced they were in flight. "Okay... Drone, were are we going, why are we flying there, and... hang on, are we in my office? And who the buck is the alicorn?!" an increasingly incredulous Bee asked.

 

"EMERGENCY HEALTH DIAGNOSTIC COMPLETE, NO INDICATION OF CARDIAC EVENT. NO INDICATION OF SHOCK. HEALTH STATUS OF ORGANIC CONFIRMED, ALL SYSTEMS GREEN. RELEASING CONTROLS," VLAD said, before relinquishing control back to Bee. Her hologram disappeared and her ocular implant flared red. "Ok, there are at least five things bucked up about this, but before I get a head of steam going, who the buck are you and why am I in my freaking office instead of The Square having a lovely evening, hmm? And why the direct tap into my network feed? Do you know what that kind of proxying does to an onboard AI construct that's already paranoid?! I don't like being bounced out of conscious control, I don't like having to argue with my AI about network security as though I have any idea what I'm talking about, and I really don't like having an otherwise super awesome date go all to bunk! It's not like I get all that many of them!" Bee said, panting, as VLAD tried to purge the adrenaline from her system. She could feel herself being furious, but the fury was fading quickly thanks to VLAD's sanguine filtering.

 

"Drone... maybe you can answer. Why are we in my office, and who is this alicorn?" Bee said, forcing calm in her voice.

Edited March 8, 2016 by captainborgue

[Denim&Venöm 19,094]

@@captainborgue,@@Aurora Lights,  

 

"She doesn't know? That's a first. It's actually a little...refreshing." 

 

"Oh my apologies Professor, allow me to introduce myself." She stood up and gave a curt bow. "My name is Twilight Sparkle. And I was associated with Drone a long time ago. My apologies for dropping in. When Drone finally resurfaced after all these years, I had to see it for myself. We've actually been looking for him for a long time.  I didn't mean to interrupt the two of you. I'm actually happy Drone has been able to make a friend, in spite of the hardships he's had to endure. The vast majority of which were due to my negligence unfortunately." 

[Aurora Lights 206]

@@captainborgue, @@Denim&Venom,

 

Drone looked at Twilight eye to eye for a moment before looking back and saying to Bee, "This is Twilight Sparkle...Princess of Ponyville..." he looked back to Twi and growled out, "You couldn't draw the line between friend and moth-" he stopped himself and gulped softly before shaking his head softly, "You couldn't draw the line...You gave up...You gave up on me...Your own creation..." he looked into her eyes and took a deep breath, he was obviously very emotionally conflicted at the moment, he couldn't decide from the very small range of emotions he had  could fit the situation.

 

((sorry didn't see your post D&V))

Edited March 8, 2016 by Aurora Lights

[Denim&Venöm 19,094]

@captainborgue,@Aurora Lights,  

 

"I came back to make amends with both my children. One that I abandoned, and one that I drove away. Two mistakes I made. Two different methods I tried to both protect Equestria and bring forth new life into the world though the wonders of both magic and science. Two examples of how I failed as Princess of Friendship. Two wrongs I cannot bear to see go on any longer" 

[captainborgue 343]

"Due to your negligence...? Negligent is not how I would describe it. My AI construct has been running passive scans of Drone the whole time we've been in each other's company," Bee said, before turning and mouthing 'sorry' at Drone with a sheepish look. "I would hardly call what's happened to him mere negligence," Bee said, feeling herself growing furious again. The air of pretentiousness, the expectation of immediate acquiescence to authority... Bee hated it when anypony used their authority as a stick to bash ponies into meek compliance.

 

[color-#00cc99]"But you know what? I'm not the one you need to explain anything to. So I'm going to stand here and witness this exchange, and then when you're done doing.... whatever it is you cane here to do, I'm going to try and resume my evening plans."[/color] Bee said, as she marched into a corner of her own bucking office and sat down with a loud clunk.

[Denim&Venöm 19,094]

@captainborgue,@Aurora Lights,  

 

"Negligence, as in I wasn't there to help him, and prevent all the experimentation done to him. I turned a blind eye to it all. Left him in the care of another research team. Severed all ties completely. The other princesses would be the ones to give the orders. I hoped they would know better than I did. Do better than I did. 

 

It was only after you went missing did I learn all that was done to you. How many laws, oaths and codes of ethics were broken. Our goal was to unify two earths: ours, and the human's, though a joint project meant to defend both worlds and be a beacon of peace and coexistence. 

 

That project was your predecessor. And it failed solely because of my involvement. I wanted you to be a success. To be that new hope. Ar the very least, I didn't want you to end up as another tortured soul.  I just thought it could all be done better with me gone. Look how wrong I was."

Edited March 9, 2016 by Denim&Venom

[Aurora Lights 206]

@@Denim&Venom, @@captainborgue,

 

Drone sighed softly as he listened to the exchange between the two, finally speaking up, he said, "Your not coming here to repo me...If you try, you'll find I'm more than strong enough to annihilate your very existence, Twilight." he looked at Bee then to Twilight, "You come here, telling me that you want to make a wrong right again...Wait, wait, wait...You said two mistakes? You mean...I do have a sibling?" he asked her, suddenly curious about this discovery she brought to him.

[Denim&Venöm 19,094]

@Denim&Venom, @captainborgue,

Twilight nodded. "The project I was talking about. Your Older Sister, Luster. A joint venture between humans and ponies before our existences were declassified to each others worlds.  She was going to be the protector of both worlds, and show the promise of human and pony cooperation. I was so caught up in the prospects, that I never considered her to be another pony, let alone her pony. She was just another project. A creation of mine. I tried to shape her from the very start. tech her all I knew. Share my experiences. Raise her on the magic of friendship.  

 

"Instead, I pushed her too far. Became too involved. I saw myself as her creator. Her teacher. Her...master. I never saw myself as she saw me: her mother. As such, I never respected her as I would've if she were my daughter. And instead of representing the future of our two races, she was going to represent the end. Instead of seeking coexistance, she sought annihilation. Kill the humans, to save the ponies. All in the name of protecting Equestria. Killing... in the service... of friendship. I, and the other princesses...had to bring her... down."

 

Twi's face was a composure of calm indifference. Her shaking voice betrayed that iron facade. "That's why I left Drone. If I stayed, I would've made you into a monster... " 

Edited March 9, 2016 by Denim&Venom

[Aurora Lights 206]

@@Denim&Venom, @@captainborgue,

 

Drone looked at Twilight and sighed hard, "...I guess I can understand...I-I mean...You have my attention now...So, what do you want me to do, princess?" he asked her, it seemed his old directives drove him yet again. He was now kind of signing his life away to a Princess yet again.

[Denim&Venöm 19,094]

@@Aurora Lights,@@captainborgue,  

 

"First. Don't call me princess. That is a title I have to earn back from you. Second, I will be traveling to the engineering department sub lab to, hopefully, talk with your sister. And I would like you there with me. To help me show her that there is another way. The others down there are trying to show her that. Maybe you can succeed where I failed." 

[Aurora Lights 206]

@@captainborgue, @@Denim&Venom,

 

Drone smiled slightly when she said she had to earn that title back from him, and she was right. He nodded and looked at Bee, "I have to do this...I promise, after I'm done, I'll come back. " he smiled at her kindly and walked over to her, hugging her tightly and looking her in the eyes, "I will be back." he kissed her softly and walked with Twilight to the Sub Labs.

[Denim&Venöm 19,094]

@Aurora Lights,@captainborgue,  

 

"Actually Professor, maybe you should come with us. I find that having a friend along tends to give others the confidence they need. Perhaps the more ponies there are to shwo Luster a better way, the more likely she will be to see it."

[captainborgue 343]

@@captainborgue, @@Denim&Venom,

 

Drone smiled slightly when she said she had to earn that title back from him, and she was right. He nodded and looked at Bee, "I have to do this...I promise, after I'm done, I'll come back. " he smiled at her kindly and walked over to her, hugging her tightly and looking her in the eyes, "I will be back." he kissed her softly and walked with Twilight to the Sub Labs.

Bee tried very hard not to angrily interject, on multiple occasions. Not just because this bot was claiming to have royal mandate like it was a pass on everything she had admitted to doing, or failing to do, or whatever. But this same bot knew about the lunatic ancient AI that was wreaking so much havoc as to initiate an evacuation order, and talking about it like it was a whiny toddler.

 

Worst of all, Drone just... went along with it. Bee gave him a worried look as he gave her a kiss before heading out, and at that point she couldn't stay silent anymore. "No. I can't be a part of this lunacy. Some ancient construct YOU created and then abandoned is going rampant and you want Drone to clean it up? Why did you leave it intact? Why didn't you keep better track of the containment device? This entire ordeal just STINKS of some massive ego toying around with all of the 'little' ponies and expecting somepony else to swoop in and fix everything. Well, I can't. I study bugs, okay? I'm not going within a hundred yards of some ancient, ultra powerful, clearly-rampant-though-nopony-wants-to-say-it construct," Bee said, feeling her cheek sting as a fresh tear landed on it.

 

"If you want me to go, then it has to be Drone that asks me. Otherwise I'm waiting here in my office for whatever apocalypse you've brought down on us."

Edited March 9, 2016 by captainborgue