"Hello there Robocop, it is nice to see that you are back online," Celestia said with a polite nod to the officer as she and her sister walked into the room. A quick scan of all the faces of their ponies told them that something serious had happened and the sisters began to look around the room with horns glowing.

"What is the matter? Did Sombra appear here too?" Luna growled as she fired lunar magic at any shadow that dared to move in front of her.

"No princess, it was just...wait, here as well? What do you mean by that?" Twilight inquired. The princesses shared a worried glance before the sheathed their magic and sat down next to Twilight.

"While you were in here taking care of Robocop, my sister and I discovered that Sombra tried to break into the chamber," Celestia began with narrowed eyes. "I do not know how he managed to sneak inside, but it is clear that once again he knows of our plans. The good news about this break in is that we found out the Sentinels work, as the not only managed to repel Sombra, but according to the bit of blood we found they also injure him."

"And there's bad news from this?"

"The bad news is that Sombra found out they worked," Luna continued with a shake of her head. "And now that he knows that he will not rest until he has either destroyed or taken control of them."

"But I thought you said that he couldn't take control of them?" Applejack pointed out. "Something about their magic being too strong or unable to be controlled."

"You would be correct Applejack, but there are ways around the magic shielding that prevents Sombra from placing them under his command," Luna began as she reached behind her mane and pulled out a small, green sphere surrounded in a silver casing. "This is the key to the sentinels. It is what we use to program them so that they follow the order of any princesses or figure that we deem worthy of commanding them. If he were to get hold of this..."

"He would be able to place himself within the sentinels as a princess or authority figure," Celestia finished for her sister when Luna hesitated. "And knowing just how crafty he is he would probably find a way to erase all other designated authority figures that are already within the systems."

"Is that the only key?" Flash Sentry asked, Celestia nodding in response as she took it from her sister and held it before her own eyes. "Then it should be fine, right? With the two most powerful alicorns holding onto it then Sombra shouldn't be able to get his hooves on it."

"Yes, but there we find our problem," Celestia muttered as she hoofed the key over for Twilight to look at. "We may be stronger magically than Sombra, but as much as I hate to admit it he is far craftier than us. If we hold onto the key than it is only a matter of time until he manages to steal it from us. He knows we have it and will stop at nothing to take it from us."

"So that is why we will not be the ones who hold onto it," Luna said as Twilight showed the CMC the key. "We will instead be giving it to Twilight and the Elements of Equestria to hold onto until he has been brought down. He will think it with us and while he is fruitlessly trying to steal the key from us my sister and I shall trap and defeat him."

"We feel that the key would be safe with the six of you, since you have new harmony powers and with Robocop patrolling Ponyville we believe there is little chance he can take it from you," Celestia said with a kind smile at the robotic officer, but her look of kindness was met with one of self-loathing and failure.

"If he employs the same strategy that he used against me in the streets of Canterlot, then I will not be able to help," Robocop said with pain in his voice as he tightly clenched his fists. "My directives prevent me from harming an innocent, yet if I do not uphold the law I will shut down again. I do not believe this course of action wise, but if you wish for me to defend the key and the ponies...I shall do so to the best of my ability. But I will warn you that this plan will most likely go wrong."

"Well, let's hope Murphy's law cuts us some slack," Luna joked before seeing her words caused the ponies faces to fall. "What did I say?"

"That is all we ask of you," Celestia said as she levitated the key back from AJ and Rarity and turned its protection over to Twilight. "Protect this as you would your friends. If Sombra were to get his hooves on it then he would wage war with the very machines I created to protect the ponies."

"I wish I could say I'd keep it safe princess, but I won't be able to do so," Twilight said with a sigh as she waved Applejack and Rarity over. "If Sombra can get past you two, then odds are he can get past me. I think we should destroy it and let Sombra know that we did."

"That sounds...interesting, but I will need you to elaborate," Celestia asked.

"If you two don't have it, then Sombra will assume that you gave it to one of us. Therefore, he'll come after our families with more force than he did before," Twilight muttered as she placed a hoof under her chin. "Spike went to see Shining and Cadence so he should be fine, but as for these three..." Twilight began as she looked at the CMC.

"We cannot destroy it. We have no idea what the Sentinels will do without the key to control them," Luna informed the group.

"Also, Princess Luna...I’ll need to talk to privately a little later," Twilight said as she levitated the key back to the princesses before casting a look at the fillies with concern. "I feel that it would be best if none of us hold onto it and we should destroy it, but if you wish for somepony to hold it I shall do so first. Since I am an alicorn, I can fight Sombra with magic if needed."

"I still do not like the idea of making who holds onto the key a target," Rarity grumbled as she gave it an unimpressed glance, not liking the color of the key. "Because we'll have to find a way to tell the others about this and if that scoundrel Sombra is listening in on us..."

"How about we let Robocop hold onto it?" Scootaloo suggested, turning all eyes towards her. "He has those cool spots on his legs that let him store things, so he would have a safe place on him at all times. We've seen that Sombra's magic can't get through his armor, so we won't have to worry about Sombra worming his way in there." Twilight lowered her head in thought at Scootaloo's idea while Celestia and Luna both nodded with approving smiles.

"I think that is a wonderful idea, Scootaloo," Celestia agreed before looking at Robocop. "What do you think officer? Would you be willing to take on the key?"

Robocop looked down at his open hand with his thoughts blazing through his head. Vivid was the memory of him being helpless to stop Sombra from harming that innocent pony while at the same time threatening the innocent pony that he posed. 'If he were to figure it out and attack me in a similar way, would I once again be powerless to stop him? If I cannot function in a situation I am programed for, can I be trusted to act if needed?'

"Please Murphy?" Sweetie Belle asked, Robocop looking down at her to find the filly giving him puppy dog eyes while the sounds of Luna slamming her face into her hoof could be heard. "I know you feel really bad about what happened, but you're still the best at protecting us! If anypony should be trusted with the key to protect us, it should be you. We saw in your memories that you never let evil have its way, so please don't give up because Sombra beat you once."

"Yeah, he cheated to win after all!" Scootaloo agreed with fire in her voice as she joined by her friend. "You would've kicked his flank otherwise. You've still beaten everything else he's thrown at you."

"Seems that we're all agreed then," Flash said as he joined the fillies and ruffled both their manes before giving the officer a look with determination and belief in it. "Out of all of us here, you're the only one that Sombra hasn't been able to overpower. We'll take care of him taking over ponies; all we need you to do is protect the key."

Once again Robocop avoided looking directly at the ponies, but after a moment of silence he looked up at the princesses and agreed. "If you believe me the best person to do the job, then I will comply."

"Alright then, now that we have a plan let us hope that Sombra falls for it," Celestia said with a smile as she and her sister turned to exit the room that the group was in, the other ponies and robot following them out as well. "You should all get back then, as the sooner we get the key away from Canterlot and Sombra the better."

"Robocop...Murphy?" Twilight said, Robocop turning to look down at her. "We'll...talk more about what happened to you when this whole thing with Sombra is over, okay?"

Robocop nodded in response before he stopped at the exit to the room and turned back to look inside. His scanners were still restoring themselves to one hundred percent, but for a moment he felt a sensation similar to his skin crawling. Then the others called out for him and he turned to follow them, leaving the room empty except for the shadows.

'And once again you almost find me,' one of the shadowy residents thought with a smile as he remained hidden within the darkness. 'I should give Luna credit, she did almost hit this little bit of me. I'm surprised at how easily they speak about things like this in public, for they should know that I have eyes everywhere.' The shadow then slithered under the wall and through the streets of the city, eventually coming to a stop at an abandoned building where the true king of darkness rested. The shadow slithered into him and he inhaled, smiling as what the shadow learned appeared in his mind.

"Very interesting. That makes it all the easier to win this war," Sombra thought he tasked a part of his mind with figuring out the best way to steal the key from Twilight and her friends, while his current attention was drawn back to his biggest concern. 'But I am not yet ready to destroy the princesses and tear down their kingdom. First I need to deal with the robotic pain in my side.' Sombra stood up as he thought this and walked over to a window, looking up at the setting sun with a look.

"If I do not at least attempt to take the "key" from the princesses, then they shall know something is amiss and inform Twilight and her band of fools. A halfhearted attempt will convince them to think that I do not know of their plans," he planned while continuing to think about Robocop. "But what to do with Robocop? They are right in saying that I cannot steal the key from him with force and crashing him again will make it even harder to pry out of his body." Then a far more sinister part of his mind thought of a solution and Sombra chuckled to himself as it shared its dark ideas with him.

"Now that is a plan fitting of me. Soon I shall make an attempt for the key, but first," he muttered to himself as he turned back into his dark wisp and took to the streets once again, heading for the "secret" laboratory that Celestia had. "I need to figure out how that brain of Robocop's works. Because destroying such marvelous creations would be such a waste."

DPD

Darkness had just began to slowly grip the land when the train back to Ponyville finally came to a stop, allowing the princess and her friends to head back to their homes.

"I guess then I'll wish all of you goodnight then," Rarity said as she lifted the snoozing Sweetie Belle onto her back while stifling a yawn herself. "Let me know if there is any update on the battle with Sombra. I do wish to look my best when we beat him back into the disgusting darkness he crawled out from."

"Seems Rarity's really invested in this battle," Flash observed as Rarity walked away with her head held high.

"We all know how much of a threat Sombra is. He did enslave the entire Crystal empire after all," Twilight reminded the group as she gently lifting the drowsy Scootaloo onto her back, the filly letting out a yawn before snoring slightly. She and Flash began to head back to the castle and Robocop began to follow, but was stopped when Applebloom walked in front of him.

"Hey Robocop...Murphy? Can ah ask ya something?" she said with some hesitation, both Robocop and Applejack looking down at her with a confused look.

"Of course you can Applebloom. What is concerning you?"

"W-when we were in yer memories, we saw that you had a family of yer own and ya told us what happened to them and...ah'm so sorry fer ya," Applebloom began as she had to repress some of the images that she had seen before continuing. "And after seeing what happened in yer head...ah know ah'm gonna need mah family to help me through it. But since ya don't have yer own family to help ya through what happened...would ya like to use mine?" Robocop didn't know how to respond to her words, but Applejack wiped a tear from her eye before pulling her sister into a bear hug.

"Aw sis, that is just the sweetest thing. Ah'm in complete agreement, Murphy. You've helped us out so much that ah'm sure granny wouldn't mind giving ya a little Apple affection," Applejack agreed as well, Robocop not sure what to say while his scanners told him that Applebloom was desperate for air. AJ let go of her sister before death became a concern and gently elbowed Robocop's leg. "So if ya feel like coming down to the farm at any point just let us know and we'll prepare the best meal that you have ever had!"

"Thank you for the offer," Robocop said before walking away from the station, needing time to think. At the mention of food Robocop realized that he had not ingested any of the sludge that sustained his body and knew that he must have been running on fumes. He had to talk to Twilight about that. But then he turned his attention to what Applebloom had offered, her words causing him to be...unsure.

'Anyone who has gotten close to me in the past has been victims of crimes simply because they are close to me,' Robocop remembered as he thought of his own family and his partner, both of whom had been hurt due to him. 'I do not wish to bring pain to that family as well. But...a tour of their farm surely wouldn't hurt.' At least, he hoped so.