“AH! NO I- GAH! STOP! PLEASE!” Maze begged through stinging tears “I CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE!”

“Such a big, tuff cyborg aren't you?” Lyra commented, the sarcasm almost palpable.

“Now really darling, show some composure!” The purple maned mare shouted over the screams and begging “I’m almost through with you!”

The two unicorns flinched with flattened their ears, Maze's shrieks loud enough to wake the dead. The hands and sparkling blue aura that had poked and bent her so for what felt like an eternity, finally receded; leaving Maze panting for breath, slumped awkwardly in the chair.

“I didn’t even think cyborgs could be so ticklish” Rarity huffed as she wrote down the measurements and notes on how the human's feet moved so much differently than hooves.

“So much for the Big Bad-Ass Ninja” Lyra teased.

“Shut up…” was all Maze could pant between breaths.

“I’ll be just a moment, you two behave” Rarity giggled and started toward the back.

Maze finally caught her breath and stood. The boutique was, like most things in Ponyville, a lot bigger and more developed than she was expecting. There were dresses of course, but also more casual wear and work clothes, even a small display of combat apparel with a couple exosuit designs.

‘And here I thought it would just be dresses and some weird, unwearable ‘high fasion’ pieces; but this is rather practical’ she thought as Lyra was loitering in the seasonal section, sifting through costumes and props, mostly those with ‘on sale’ signs.

“We only have a few days left Lyra, I do hope you’re just looking for finishing touches” Rarity said, coming out of the back room with a pair of lace up sandals “I’m afraid they’re quite simple but at least they’ll look nice with the ensemble I gave you for now. I promise have something more proper by tomorrow, the next day tops.”

“Really Rarity, they’re more than enough. You don’t even have to do the res-”

“Nonsense Darling, I can’t stand by and let someone live off borrowed clothes and duct tape shoes. The crime against fashion is reason enough!” Rarity cut Maze off.

“But I can’t even pay y-” Maze tried to start again, she knew Rarity was the element of generosity but she didn’t want to take advantage.

“Don’t worry dear! It’s all mostly left over martials anyway and I’m Happy to do it!" The fashion mare stressed "Besides, Lyra has helped me more than enough times for me to aid a friend of hers in need.”

“That and she also wants to experiment with you, she just loves new body types” Lyra told Maze.

“I do so hope she’s not just talking about fashion” Maze practically purred.

“Stick around town and you might just find out darling” the seamstress returned with a sly smile and a wink before leaving to attend to her other customers.

“Oh she’s fun” Maze grinned.

“Simmer down there Maze, that's an element bearer” Lyra quipped "I thought you were going for a low profile?"

“Oh it’s just a little harmless flirting. It's refreshing really, considering most you ponies used to be such prudes before I was put away.”

The pair left the boutique, headed toward Lyra’s home workshop. They didn’t have much difficulty with the crowds, most gave Maze a bit of a berth. The only thing they had to really avoid was Pinkie zipping about with decorations.

“I don’t suppose you’ll dress up?” Lyra asked.

“Well, I didn’t know I’d be freed just a week before Nightmare Night but I think I’ve got something we could throw together easily enough” Maze replied.

‘Not to mention give me the chance for a bit of fun’ she thought with a wicked grin.

Maze coughed, the dust taking on almost a life of its own.

“Sorry, things have a habit of getting forgotten in here” Lyra apologized, taking the blanket Maze had just liberated from the top of a large pile of equipment.

“Just don’t forget I’m here… I know she won’t” Maze referred to the aquamarine unicorn’s marefreind. She was still nice enough but certainly wasn’t expecting a sudden house guest, particularly one like Maze.

“Oh don’t mind her, she’s just like that” Lyra assuaged as she cleared off her work space for her expedition bags; shifting IG parts, tools and papers to wherever they fit.

“This what Rarity was saying about you helping her?” Maze asked, holding a pair of the sheets; one a very stylized drawing of a rather ornate exosuit and the other a rendered schematic of the innards of that exosuit, several notes denoting reworked placements and alternate components.

“Yeah, her designs are quite effective, sometimes even more so than the military’s. However, they often require some… inventive manipulation of components. That’s where I come in” Lyra said with a little pride “They can be pretty cool looking sometimes too.”

Maze nodded, still exploring the room as Lyra set up her little corner. She found pretty much what she had been expecting; Half built Dwarf Gekkos, designs for prosthetic limbs and enhanced eyes, but then there were also things like magical power sources and even a couple broken toasters.

‘A regular Misses Fix-it’ Maze thought, “I guess just because a cutie mark represents your talent doesn’t mean it’s your passion.”

“FINALLY, someone else gets it!” Lyra exclaimed, flashing Maze a grateful smile.

“Did I say that out loud?”

“You did, but still, thanks” Lyra answered, still smiling.

‘So much time alone I can’t tell what are just thoughts and what are words, I'll need to work on that’ she thankfully just thought that time as Lyra moved to the shelf of dismantled IGs next to Maze, setting Gigi in his own specially marked slot.

“That reminds me, where’d you find Gigi anyway?”

“I bought him from a pair of swindlers that tried to trick the Apples out of their orchard. Bonbon threw a heck of a fit when she learned how much I spent on him, but I’ve made her eat those words haven’t I?”

‘So the wedding invasion already happened AND Flim and Flam were already here?’ Maze contemplated ‘they weren’t supposed to be until well after Luna’s first Nightmare Night back. Great, now things can not only turn out differently but apparently not everything in the show was in chronological order either.’

“You alright Maze? You’re looking pretty serious there” Lyra snapped Maze out of her introspection.

“Oh… yeah, I was just… Thinking about what must have happened for Gigi to have ended up with them, still somehow in one piece.” she lied, though now was actually curious.

“Well, mostly one piece. There were a number of other records besides yours; it seems like he broke down and was repaired pretty much continuously for about 600 years, until he finally shut down for good. Most of them seem to indicate he was well taken care of, if you'd like to know” Lyra offered.

“Yeah?” Maze asked hopefully, placing a hand on her old companion ‘Good for you buddy…’

“I suppose I could try to fix him, I mean I already did try but that was just for data. Bringing him back online might be possible with your help. Y’know, if you wanted” Lyra offered further, leaving Maze to shake her head slowly.

“I don’t know, he lived his life; went on to new masters and adventures and I don’t even know what to do with myself yet, let alone him” she admitted, still caressing the old bot “Still, maybe. Give me some time to think on it.”

“Well ok, if you-” Lyra started before Bonbon called for her “Uh YEAH! BE RIGHT THERE” She shouted back and flashed Maze a small smile before leaving.

Maze just nodded before sitting in on a nearby box hugging the remains of her only friend left from before her imprisonment, feeling more alone in that moment then her whole time sealed away.

The party had cheered Maze up considerably, the ponies having warmed to her at Lyra and Dash's prodding. She had already gotten to know Dash a bit and the elements were about what Maze expected, though not without a few surprises.

Twilight was predictably fascinated by the fact that Maze was pretty much an alien; asking questions of all topics from culture to biology to science. She was also curious about the implications of Maze’s very existence and what it meant for the history of cybernetic and nanomagic origins. She pouted as Maze reminded her that Lyra had first dibs on publishing any findings. It also turned out she was pretty big into gaming, both table top and Equestria's only now budding video games.

‘Adorkable as always’

Rarity did end up being a pretty big flirt, but certainly not easy to get. A respectable, dignified mare with standards and personal guidelines, but still a good sense of fun. Maze could respect that, her flirting and perversion was mostly just for fun too… mostly. Still the fashionista was not nearly as afraid to get her hooves dirty as her cartoon counter part.

‘Will have to keep an eye on that one’

Pinkie on the other hand was VERY into flirting and innuendo, at least the innuendo she was able to catch; becoming very touchy feely once any interest was expressed as her bubbly innocence just melted away. Maze may even have been able to get an ‘after party’ had she been so inclined, but figured it was best not to push it and hope it was just exaggerated playfulness. Otherwise she was still the happy go lucky, and oblivious to sarcasm mare that Maze knew from the show; only now with an actual arsenal to go with her celebratory one.

‘Stay Classy Pinks’

Fluttershy was perhaps the biggest surprise. Her personality was still that of a meek doormat, but her interests and style where what caught Maze completely off guard. She had this kind of punk vibe to her. Her clothes were a comfortable looking modest but still not nearly as reserved as one would expect of her. She was also a huge metal fan; Maze even got the names of some good bands to look out for. She was now very interested in finding out if this ‘Maretallica’ measured up.

‘And here I thought we’d have nothing in common’

And finally, Applejack was… Well, Applejack was Applejack.

‘Nice girl that Applejack’

The rest of the party went fairly well, other than constantly having to tell everyone she wasn’t ‘some kind of changeling’. She got to learn were the fandom got it right and wrong, like that Derpy was actually named Derpy and was just as cute and lovable as she hoped. She actually had to practice quite a lot of self-control to avoid trying to hug her all night. She failed a few times but Derpy seemed to enjoy it, so it still worked out. Cheerilee and Mac shared a subtle tension, though what kind Maze couldn’t say for sure. She also kept trying to get 'Time Turner' to slip up, but he proved to be quite the crafty stallion.

Holding Gigi as she lay on the couch that night, Maze thought over the conversations and days since her release. She didn’t know what she was doing and she knew it. She doubted that once her jailers became aware of her release that they would just leave her alone. And it wasn’t like she was really suited for a normal job or life, her being the way she was.

‘Plus the whole crazy thing! Can’t forget that!’

She sighed, thanks to her nano-machines helping with any imbalances she actually wasn't that crazy. Then again, even with them she wasn't sure she could still be called sane anymore either. Now if they stopped working... she didn't even want to think about how she'd been when they started to wear out. So before the thoughts threatened to overwhelm her, she closed her eyes to focus of something she did know she could do and those wondrous little machines set along their new goal and with startling efficiency, Maze found herself falling fast asleep.

“Very well then! Be that way! We won’t even bother with the traditional royal farewell!” The Princess of the Night stormed off from the cowering ponies.

Her head suddenly snapped to the side, her gaze lingering on an alleyway. She then tossed her chin up and continued on her way a moment later, ignoring the distraction.

‘I could have sworn I saw… no, that would be silly’ she thought, all the while Maze tailing her; trying not to laugh.

“Yes, take us to this Fluttershy” Luna commanded of Twilight as the latter lead her toward the shy mare’s cottage.

“~We’re whalers on the moon~…”

The Princesses’ ears shot up; spinning she surveyed the area. Seeing only the statue of her corrupted past self, she shook it off and continued with Twilight.

“No children wait…” Luna delivered meekly as she fell to her knees in the road, however her expression of desperation quickly abolished as she leap to her hooves and looked around, her ears on end.

“~We carry our Harpoons~…”

“Twilight Sparkle did you…” Luna began to ask before seeing Twilight’s bewildered expression “Never mind, tis nothing.”

“Well, come on then Princess! Time for plan B!” her sister's student encouraged.

“Yes, I can tell by all the adoring shrieks of the children as they run away!” Luna exclaimed before trotting off, her head hung low.

“~But there ain’t no whales, so we tell tall tales and sing our whaling tune~”

“AND THAT IS NOT IMPROVING OUR MOOD EITHER!”

Rainbow Dash flew off, trailing smoke as Luna floated down on the storm cloud, sharing a laugh with Twilight and Spike.

“I’m sorry you didn’t get to meet our new friend Princess. She’s so strange in such a fascinating way, but can be particularly hard to find when she doesn’t want to be.”

“It quite alright Twilight Sparkle, I’m sure we’ll meet someday. It has been a most eventful night as it was anyway.”

“She was even dressed as some kind of Moon wh-” Twilight began before a twig snapped, triggering Luna to round on the source, eyes glowing bright.

“SHOW THY SELF SAILOR OF DEPOSITION MOST SALTY! WE-um… oh, our apologies littlest of Pips” Luna petered out of the royal Canterlot voice as Twilight looked on stunned “We had believed you to be- No matter, what may your princess do for you little colt?”

“I just wanted to say thank you again before I had to go to bed!” the young colt squeaked, making Luna smile warmly “Oh! And I wanted to ask; are they’re really no whales on the moon?!”

“I… how -Where did you…? WHAT?!”

“There you are! You missed Princess Luna!” Twilight cried as she saw Maze walk out of an alleyway.

“No I saw her, she looked like she was having fun” Maze answered simply “Besides, we're already acquainted.”

“Really?! How?”

“THATS.... a long story, It’s getting late though and I should get back before I’d end up bothering Lyra and Bonbon by getting in too late. See you later Starswirl!”

“Oh hey! Somepony else got my costume!” Twilight cried joyfully.

“Oh believe me Twilight…” Maze muttered grimly as she walked away, unheard by the smiling unicorn “I’m familiar...”

“Looks like you had a good night sister, even if it had a bit of a rough start” Celestia handed her sister a cup of tea after stepping on the balcony to raise the sun, a friendship report floating to her side as she placed the paper on the small table.

“I did, it was still quite the enjoyable event. Even if it served as another reminder of just how long I have been gone.”

“Did you meet Twilight’s new friend by chance? The changeling-like creature?” Celestia asked looking over the letter.

“Alas no, she did not show herself. Though I was reminded of- No, never mind... ‘tis a silly thing.”

“What?”

“Well, I kept catching glimpses of a harpoon wielding, bearded sailor all night.”

“I’m sure it was just a costume Luna.”

“But of course, yet there also was this ridiculous song I kept hearing somepony sing and at the end of the evening a young colt asked me if there were ‘really no whales on the moon’” Luna explained, a slight red creeping on her features as she remembered her reactions “It all just reminded me of, well… her.”

“Funny enough, I was just reminded of our old adversary as well,” Celestia offered, giggling at her sisters blush “Between Twilight's letter and Agent Sweetie Drop’s report on Miss Heartstrings’ new acquaintance, I'd be lying had I said certain memories hadn't come to light. But I just reminded myself of the impossibility of her-”

*CRASH*

“Sister?!” Celestia jumped at Luna’s cup shattering on the ground, her sibling's eyes unblinking at the paper’s headline.

Explosions in the Jungle! Ancient Thunder Temple Destroyed!

The royal sisters met eyes, pupils the size of pin pricks. Realization passed between them an instant before they burst into action; Luna sprinting through the castle halls as Celestia vanished in a flash of golden light.

Luna barreled into her room, eliciting several concerned looks and inquires from passing guards. Ripping open the dusty display case, Luna stared down in horror. With another bright flash, Celestia appeared next to her sister as she removed its contents.

“It’s true, there’s just a crater. I don’t understand how…” Celestia panted until she saw what her sister did.

The long, curved red blade lay in its unusual sheath, the small light on its hilt now glowing a faint red after a millennium of darkness. The ‘bio-lock’ signaling the return of its master.

“Call the guards.”

Maze stumbled about her new friends' home, searching for sandals and caffeine. Finally achieving her simple goals she went to greet the day and look for her current benefactor.

Hair disheveled and borrowed jammies rumpled, she yawned as she opened the door.

The silence was deafening.

One wouldn’t think forty armed guards, six elements of harmony, and two princesses with the whole town blockaded off behind them could be so quiet, but they proved themselves that day.

First she looked left,

Then right,

Then met Celestia’s righteous glare in the middle,

and closed the door.

“….Huh.”

Captain Shining Armor braced with his squad in the alley as they heard those around front breach the door, the sound of automatic rifles soon following. The creature crashed through the back window as they predicted, fumbling with an old duffle bag.

“Fire!”

The ‘hue-min’ cyborg charged them, the shots defecting off the creature’s sword as she halved the distance between them in an instant. She took three of them down with the back of her sword before they could even draw their blades.

She danced about them as they stalled her progress, still trying to find something in the bag as she knocked out two more stallions with what seemed to be some sort of taser device built in to the back of the blade. She then began a what Shining considered a most devious of strategies.

“Is… Is she stripping?!” a guard next to Shining stood dumbfounded, their opponent having rolled backward and entangled a guard’s weapon with her newly liberated pajama bottoms.

“Don’t let her tactics distract you!” The guard captain called as he stood back from the group and waited for his opportunity.

‘NOW!’ he lunged as the female got the top caught pulling it over her head, only to have his strike still deflected as he received a swift kick to the chest plate. Armor denting under the impact, he flew halfway back to the alley's mouth.

Despite all his training and discipline, even the veteran unicorn was stalled by the sight as he regained his hoofing; the creature now only in its underwear was hopping on one foot, wielding the sword in the other, and struggling with an old shirt stuck on her head and yet still fending off guards she couldn’t see.

A quick slice followed and the top released its captor. She cartwheeled back to ready an offensive pose when an order was suddenly issued from all sides,

"Stand Aside!"

A princess stood at each of the alley’s ends as the elements looked down from the roof tops with pegasus guards at their backs.

“Sorry Shiny, I guess play time's over” The surrounded figure shrugged and launched herself at him with a small explosion.

Shining Armor braced behind his shield, lashing out once the figure was in range only to have her disappear in a sharp purple flash.

A very familiar purple flash.

“TWILY!”

“I’m sorry! She just seemed so eager to learn!”

‘God, this fits like a glove!’ Maze admired Rarity’s craftmareship, looking over the sleeveless tactical ensemble; it reminded her a little of a the BnB Unit attire or a sneaking suit with fewer harnesses and less latex 'And you’d never know she had never made a pair of boots before, well done Rares. It’s no exosuit, but it’ll do.'

A faint shimmer danced about the outfit, her nano-machines studying and saving for the repair and magical storage of the outfit.

“Maze!”

The woman nearly jumped out of her skin, knocking over the mirror as she stumbled away and fumbled with her blade.

“Ly-LYRA?! Holy hell girl, and I thought I was the stealthy one…” She said, a heavy blush blossoming on her face. She moved to the window to see if the guard noticed the noise.

“What in Tartarus is going on Maze?!” Lyra exclaimed as Maze frantically gestured for her to quiet down “They're saying your some kind of traitor and murderer! A threat against world stability! That can’t true can it?”

The cyborg opened her mouth to defend herself but flattered. She relented with a sigh, having trouble meeting the engineer's gaze.

“I'm not gonna lie to you Lyra, while there are certainly some important modifiers I could add, they're still not wrong. I was sealed away for a reason” Maze said, moving from window to window looking down at the street “But it’s a long story and I'm no-SHIT!”

“HEY, somepony's up there!” Lyra heard the guard shout just before she found a large darkness shoved on her head, forcing her into an awkward crouch. A loud bang followed as the guards breached the door down stairs “Spread out, I’m sure I saw something!”

“Maze, this’ll never-” Lyra started to whisper, trying to look out the small grip hole when a small message appeared above it.

-Do Not Underestimate The Box-

Lyra rolled her eyes but froze when a guard entered from the door opposite their hiding place, flanked by none other than the Princess of the Sun herself.

“Check everywhere” She ordered, surveying the room.

‘This is never gonna work This is never gonna work This is never gonna work This is never gonna-BUCK!’ her internal mantra braking when Celestia’s head snapped in her direction, the monarch taking quick, determined strides straight toward her. Lyra nearly jumped out right then when the message returned with a vengenge, over the box's entire interior.

-DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE BOX!!!-

Lyra held her breath, Celestia stopping scant centimeters from her fragile protection. The seconds stretched for an eternity until the guard called an all clear. Storming out of the room, Celestia muttered several things what Lyra never even considered hearing from royalty, let alone the pony symbol of patience herself.

After a more moments that felt even longer still, Maze finally stood from under the box; it dissolving back into nano-magic the moment it left her.

“Holy Celestia, that actually worked?!” Lyra climbed from under her own box as Maze shoved a finger straight at her muzzle, her expression serious as the plague.

“Never. Underestimate. The Box.”

“Ooookaaay…" Lyra stood blinking "whatever, Maze what do you mean they’re not wrong about you? What happened? Why were you sealed away?!”

“Lyra, it would take too long to explain but needless to say things are not nearly as black and white as the princesses would have their subjects believe” Maze short the mare a glance as she moved back the window, more cautiously this time “How’d you find me anyw- you put a tracker on me didn’t you?”

“Finding you and opening the temple was a pretty big investment, I wasn’t about to just let you disappear on me!” Lyra defended herself “Now I want some bucking answers!”

Maze groaned, sliding a hand down her face.

“Fine..." She hesitated, before finally asking "You ever hear of the Bloodletter?"

"Yeah, she's a boogy-mare; a story to scare little fillies. Based on some traitor from back during the..." Lyra's eyes widened with realization "Oh..."

"Yeah... hell of an investment, huh?" Maze asked sadly, she glanced outside "Listen as much as I'd love to explain myself now isn't exactly the best time or place if you noticed. If you need more than take the last train south bound tonight and I’ll try to answer what I can. It might be a one way trip though Ly’, if they find out you’re still associated with someone like me... Or you could tip them off to secure your innocence, I really wouldn't hold it against you.”

Lyra somberly nodded, conflict clear in her eyes.

"And until then? They've got the whole town locked down...” the mare stated "I mean I'm sure you could slip out but I'm surprised I even made it in here. How am I-"

“Trust me Ly'," Maze interrupted, gaining back a small smile "they won’t be looking at you.”

With that she jumped out the window, eliciting shouts and gunfire to erupt again. Lyra looked outside to find her already running out of another building, just to be launched back through it by a hurled Warhammer wrapped in a golden glow.

‘Hopefully the whole town won't be destroyed before then...’

Luna ran toward the fallen cyborg, unsheathing the straight blade at her side as it took on her signature aura from point to basket hilt. Her foe sprung to her feet to meet the blade as it bore down on her.

“Maisie the Human! You have been found guilty of treason, murder and conspiracy! Surrender at once!” the decree rang out in the royal voice, their blades grinding against one another.

“Is this about the Moon Whaler thing? You used to have a sense of humor!” Maze bantered as she parried another blow, the pain it sent up her arm considerably more than what the guards had thrown at ther “You’ve gotten stuffy in your old age Moon-butt.”

Luna practically snarled, her horn flaring as a she thrust out her hand. The whole street shuddered, windows shattering as the shock wave carried Maze through the town.

“Why do I say things…” Maze groaned after she finally tumbled to a stop, nearing the northern side of Ponyville.

‘Ok, these two can definitely still kick my ass,’ she considered thoughtfully, wiping a trickle of blood away from her eyes. Luna’s form quickly growing as she flew to meet her prey ‘a distraction would be reeeally convenient right about now’

“MAISIE!” Celestia bellowed from above, hurling a rather large mass of fire down at her, the very air seeming to burn in its wake.

“That’ll do!”

Maze launched herself straight at Luna, her hand on her hilt. A foot out of Luna’s range she blink teleported right behind the moon princess and, with a swift back kick, sent her right into the path of her sister’s miniature sun.

“I can’t believe you guys fell for that TWICE!” she shouted back, running from the pair as fast as she could.

"LUNA!!" Celestia blanched, diving down as a large mass of shadows devoured the flames from within. Her expression changed as she saw Luna stomping toward her through the dwindling fires.

“DAMNIT TIA! I HAD HER!” Luna shouted, the guards and Elements catching up to the pair.

“WHAT?! LIKE TARTARUS YOU DID! AT THE RATE YOU WERE GOING SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN THOWN BACK TO CANTERLOT BY THE TIME YOU ‘GOT HER’!”

“Um… Princess?” Twilight tried to reach the bickering siblings.

“AT LEAST I WOULDN’T DESTROY THE TOWN IN THE PROCESS! THESE ARE STILL THE HOMES OF OUR SUBJECTS TIA!”

“SAYS THE ONE WHO JUST SHATTERED THE WINDOWS OF AN ENTIRE BLOCK!”

“Your Majesties!” the rest of the elements tried.

“OH THAT’S RICH COMING FROM THE MARE THAT DEMOLISHED A HOUSE WITH A WARHAMMER! YOU CAKE SCARFFING-”

“PRINCESSES!” The six finally shouted in unison.

“WHAT!?” The rulers demanded in unison, rounding on group. All but Pinkie flinching back from the two.

“She’s getting awaaaay!” the pink mare sung still joyfully oblivious, pointing to the east.

The two rulers blinked and glanced at one another before rolling their eyes and began issuing orders.

“She’s heading toward the Everfree! Set up a perimeter!” Celestia ordered.

“She cannot be allowed to reach the forest, lest we never find her!” Luna added, stressing the urgency as the group rushed off in formation.

A lone cardboard box nearby, marked simply ‘The Apple’, shook slightly with a stifled giggle.

‘Bonbon is going to kill me’

Lyra sighed as she walked down the train aisle and looked out over the busy platform to the guards hassling passengers, both out going and in bound. Lyra’s bags were searched no less than four times, as if she could be somehow be hiding Maze in a duffle a third her size.

The cyborg’s theatrics had lasted all day, giving the citizens a glimpse off just how much power their leaders had; and another glimpse of how little it could matter when they couldn’t use it. True, the last sighting she had of Maze showed the human was certainly worse for ware, but even bruised and bloodied she fended off and avoided the princesses with a smile.

They were allowed back to their homes around an hour after it was deemed that Maze must have reached the Everfree, though a large contingent of guards were still left behind as the Princesses began their sweep of the forest.

She sat at the back of the last passenger car, looking at the tracker even though she already knew Maze had disabled the beacon. She then nearly launched it across the room as a familiar beeping assaulted her inner ear.

“H-hello?” She answered the unknown caller tentatively.

“Oh cool, it is a codec signal!” she heard Maze spout in her head.

“Maze!? but how did you get my-”

“You really shouldn’t keep you tracker and codec on the same frequency, it can used that against you” Maze started very matter-of-factly.

“Thanks for the lecture Twilight” Lyra mocked, hearing a chuckle from the other end of the line.

“Fair enough." Maze chuckled "Well it doesn't seem like you've set me up, so thanks. But like I said before, if they find out you’re helping me there's not much I can do for your legal standing. You still have time to back out.”

Lyra hesitated until she heard the first whistle, signaling their eminent departure.

"I want to help you Maze, I want to know what this is all about. You've become a friend but..." She said quietly "Are... are you really...?"

"It depends on your point of view; there more to all of it than what the princesses are saying" Maze answered truthfully "But yes, that was me back then."

"You don't seem at all like the monster from the history books..." Lyra admitted "What little they actually say about it anyway."

"I'm trying not to be, but it's a long story" Maze offered just before the final whistle sounded "Last chance Heartstrings, you sure you wanna stick this out? Just to ensure your investment?"

Lyra took a moment, eyes closed for one last consideration. Then a new determination took over as they reopened, if still not an entirely confident one.

“No, I’m not sure at all. But I don't think you're an evil pon- an evil person, and I believe when you say there’s more to this then the princesses are telling us. A lot of weird things have been happening around Equestria when it comes to nano-magic and cybernetics, even before you were freed. Besides, I started this whole mess when I opened that door and I aim to see this through… for better or worse.” Lyra's monologue ended, the train car thankfully empty so nopony would think she was talking to herself, or figure out she was actually talking to someone else "And now we've got bit of a trip, so I could do with a long story."

“Well alright then. I suppose the whole mess started back where I’m from, a place called Earth, when I met this unassuming douche of a 'Doktor'…”

Author's Notes:

And now the story proper can finally begin! Woo!
Thanks again to everyone for your input, tips, views, favorites, likes and all that good stuff! The green bar is still bigger than the red and that just fills me with all kinds of good vibes!

This was originally going to be two chapters but figured it would be better to just merge them in the interest of getting the real story moving along, so sorry if it ran a little long with too much exposition. I tried to keep the whole “Showing, Not Telling” thing in mind while writing but have no idea if I managed to pull it off or if I just made things worse. It’s apparently something you just have to get a feel for and I’m still not really feeling it. I am trying though, so please bear with me on that.

But Still! Progress! What dangers and fun will Maze and Lyra find on their wayward adventures?! New friends? Enemies? Pirate Gold?! Find out next time on Pony Ball Z! …er- Equestria Gear Rising!

Oh and THIS was the inspiration to the Fluttershy changes, for any wondering