“It would appear that her behavioral patterns have reverted to baseline parameters after her release, are we certain she still poses a thre-”

“Yes!” Luna interrupted “We cannot risk a repeat of the Spire Summit Incident, lest it spark another war!”

“My analysis suggest that she was attempting to resolve the situation in Dodge Junction, contrary to early reports. This may indicate the-”

“We would normally indulge your questioning nature, but in this we must be absolute! Find and apprehend Maze by any means required, Lethal force is hereby authorized. Now take your hounds, end the threat posed to Equestria and complete your mission” Luna demanded.

“At your order Princess, I cannot refuse” The speaker replied and led the pack to the south as Luna sighed and began back toward the castle.

‘I am sorry, I desperately wish Maze was no longer a threat to the kingdom, to believe her crimes had somehow not been her own. But we believed that once before to only have it end in greater bloodshed. We cannot make that mistake again’ Luna thought tiredly as she rendezvoused with one of the kingdoms many tactical advisers. She was surprised to see it was Shining Armor, up much later than what Luna could assume wasn’t much appreciated by his fiancé.

“Do you think they're up to the task Princess? From your descriptions she can be quite difficult to find even when you do have an approximate location” the captain of the guard asked.

“We believe they will track her down, and perhaps even be able to overwhelm her in her current state.” Luna stated “Though whether their leader will be able to remain focused... While a portion of his memory has been degraded after so long in hibernation, he still remembers her to a degree and has already posed many questions against the need to apprehend her.”

Shining Armor merely nodded, wondering if it was best to send the unknown element against the cyborg; He would however refer to the Princesses' judgement as usual. While neither princess had divulged much of their history of the cyborg, one could gather all they needed from the recorded history of the Spire Summit Incident.

Shining suppressed a shudder, how anypony could perform such atrocities he could barely fathom.

“Has the guard been recalled from the Everfree?” Luna asked, snapping Shining out of his reprieve.

“Yes you highness; many have already returned to their original posts, the rest are assisting with the repairs in Ponyville. The only ones left in the forest are the small contingent left to set up the quarantine around the artifact, as you instructed. You’re certain it’s not her handy work though?” Shining Armor informed her.

“Yes; while Maze certainly has a good deal of power, her magic has typically been more instinctual and pragmatic. She would learn what she could use or entertain herself with; she was never one for the actual crafting aspect of spells beyond simple reworking and occasional, accidental discoveries. She certainly never worked on artifacts such as the orb.” Luna explained, thinking of the strange sphere found near their old castle.

It had seemed rather simple at first, but with her and her sisters trained senses, they found exceptionally sophisticated magic behind it. A very dark feeling magic at that, dark but also with an ancient quality to it; hence their only precaution of the quarantine. The sisters had found that, in their great experience, most artifacts often were of little concern so long as one simply left them alone. The examples to the contrary were actually rather rare occurrences, relatively speaking. There were actually several ancient, potentially dangerous artifacts all around Equrtria and the only one to cause any real trouble in a thousand years was Discord.

“If we are fortunate, it is merely another oddity of the Everfree. The detection spells will warn us of any changes, should it prove otherwise. If we were to warrant a guess, it has most likely been there and unresponsive for some time, and we suspect it will remain so for quite some time to come.”

“I certainly hope so your highness. I also suppose she wouldn’t have been able to place the object as it was, as she never actually fled to the forest. My sister also said she hadn’t left the city once she got there.”

“How are your sister and her friends fairing after the conflict?” Luna asked, trying to make the question of the elements’ status less obvious. Shining had become somewhat of an unofficial liaison between the princesses and elements after the loss of Maze.

“Doing well, if conflicted. Much like the one you just sent off, they are confused and somewhat unbelieving of the stories that their new friend was actually the monster of the great synthetic wars. They keep saying she seemed perfectly nice, if a little odd. Rainbow Dash in particular is having trouble with the idea of her as an enemy” Shining offered with a sigh.

“She is the element of loyalty; it can be a difficult position when they find their loyalties torn.” Luna mused “Very well then Captian, we are sure the rest of the report can wait until the morn. You are dismissed, go attend to you own princess” Luna relieved the captain with a warm smile

“At your leave your highness” Shining gave a bow and headed toward his quarters as Luna took a detour from the throne room to a small balcony overlooking the mountain side.

“What happened to thee Maze? Why did you betray us? You were among the only ones we… That I…” Luna trailed off with a sigh, the empty silence of the balcony offering her no answers. She looked up to her night sky, lost in thoughts she had not had in a millennia.

“Maze I think we're being followed” Lyra cautioned as they continued on the path, making sure to avoid the roads south to the swamp.

“We are, pretty sure it’s that cute red headed changeling” Maze answered, her tone somewhat bored.

“WHAT?! You mean the one that tried to kill us?!” Lyra exclaimed, understandably more disturbed than her companion.

“Well she couldn’t kill us before, and that’s when she was all hopped up on crazy magic and tentacle hats; I’m not really worried about her trying to kill us now” Maze explained “And if she was going to attack us, she would have last night when I drifted off during my watch.”

Lyra stared at her like she was some kind of alien; she was but that was beside the point. She was about to press the issue when Maze suddenly tensed and raised a finger to shush her. She seemed to listen for a moment then take off down the path at a sprint.

Lyra caught up a few moments later panting, seeing Maze atop of a small incline overlooking a small town with her hand on her hilt. Lyra then saw why; the entire town seemed to be overrun by wolves. Maze ran straight into the fray while Lyra sighed, hands on her knees for a moment before panting after her.

A young mare tripped and looked back just in time to see the beast lunge at her, fangs barred. She screamed and slammed her eyes closed against the coming pain, tentatively cracking them when it never came. They flew open at the sight of a tall, changeling looking female holding the struggling wolf at the end of her sword, studying the creature before looking down a her.

“Well… Run!” Maze told the mare, who immediately gave a rushed thank you and ran off, waved into a cellar by a group of ponies. Maze went back to the struggling canine covered in foliage; other than it not being able to remove itself from its suspended position, it didn’t seemed aware of any pain. If anything it just seemed pissed off.

“Timber wolves?! Here?!” Lyra panted as they caught up to Maze, now looking very perplexed.

‘These are Timber wolves?!’ Maze thought, only then seeing the branches of wood woven through synthetic muscle under the scattering of leaves she now realized where attached, not just caught. What she hadn’t missed were the glowing, blood red eyes to match the sickly aura surrounding the wooden cyber wolf. Maze activated the tazer element of the sword and shorted out the wolf's system, it falling limp to the ground after.

“Something's wrong, these aren’t normal Timber Wolves” Lyra said just before they heard more commotion a block over.

The pair rounded the corner only to be almost struck by another wolf, hurled past them covered in a glittery blue aura. The pair looked to what seemed to be a small town hall, armed guards in defensive positions surrounding a large wagon parked to block the doors. More guards firing form the windows as the figure standing on the wagon boasted, dressed in a star covered cape and tall wizard hat.

“Are you pitiful beasts mad? You attack The One and Only Unicorn Slayer of the Ursa Major! The Great and Powerful Trixie!” The stage magician laughed arrogantly, even with a hand raised with a limp wrist like some kind of anime cliché. The boast was soon delivered on as Trixie thrust out a hand, a large dome appearing between the wolves and guards. The shield pulsed out violently as the wolves struck it, most shattering from the force alone, the rest weakened enough to be picked off by the guards.

“Huh… seems like they have this well in hand” Maze admitted, impressed by the power behind the offensive shield. However the pieces started reforming, not individually but as a single, huge canine. The new beast slammed into the shield hard enough to leave countless cracks across its surface “Or maybe not.”

The huge cyber wolf struck the shield again, shattering it and leaving the showmare taken aback. It raised its sizable claw to strike when it suddenly fell back to the ground, severed so cleanly it hardly even noticed at first.

“Mind if I cut in?” Maze delivered as she flashed a proud, shit eating grin and Lyra could be heard groaning to the side.

Before the beast could react Maze delivered another slice. Removing the beast’s head before leaping to deliver two quick kicks to send the parts flying. As the beast reassembled itself Maze looked to the gathered defenders.

“Any ideas? Cause I don’t think this is a permanent solution!” Maze shouted back, the guards looking clueless. Trixie rose a hand to her chest and looked away to begin another boast but even she faltered before Lyra spoke up.

“We have to destroy the core, whatever’s driving them mad has rendered the brute force tactic moot” She explained, surprisingly calm. “If I had to guess I’d say aim for the heart, but we’ll have to completely destroy it; a simple cut won’t d-”

Lyra’s plan was interrupted by a pair of monstrous howls. The rest of the timber wolves piled on the beast, doubling not only its size but appendages as well. Two heads growled at the group from in front of eight sets of claws and two tails ending in jagged blades, several jagged spines running the length between all of the above.

“That’s new” Maze muttered before dashing away from the group, thundering bounds closing fast. Her new metal appendages flashed in to existence just in time to catch the first head's jaws as she snapped out her blade to deflect the other's. The reprieve was short lived as the first set of clawed paws slammed into her from both sides, sandwiching her as they lifted her toward the waiting maws; only a pair of straining tentacles keeping them at bay.

She was suddenly thrown free as the beast was ripped from its feet, a large blue sphere violently exploding against its wooden hide. Trixie’s hands and horn covered in a fiery aura matching her signature glow, guards rushing to position and opening fire at the monstrous wolf as she prepared another spell.

“Maze! Make me a gap!” Lyra shouted hefting what looked like some kind of RPG.

‘Where the hell did she pull that from?’ Maze thought as Trixie fired off what looked like giant shards of light, pinning the creature’s many limbs to the ground. Lyra instructed the guards to cross their firing lanes, forcing the beasts two heads apart to give Maze a clear path between.

“This is almost too easy” Maze muttered with a small frown, never the less launching at the opening with the typical explosion propelling her. Instead of cutting along the beast she drove straight in, suddenly snapping her tentacles out half way through, exposing a large glowing red mass of swirling, corrupted nano magic.

An audible whoosh sung out as the explosive zeroed in on it target unerringly, impacting with a satisfying boom.

Burnt wood, shattered metal and synthetic muscle rained all around cheering guards and haughty showmare as Lyra jogged to meet Maze.

“Geez girl, just what the hell do they teach you in that militia? Surprised they didn’t send you lot after me in Ponyville, maybe they would have actually caught me” Maze complimented the mare with an honest smile.

“Yeah, we were wondering that too; and there would have been no ‘maybe’ about it” Lyra answered with a confident, but joking smile of her own as the magician sauntered over.

“While the Great and Powerful Trixie had the crisis well in hand she is not above thanking others for their assistance” Trixie proclaimed, a superior smirk on her face “So be humbled as you receive the appreciation of Trixie! Slayer of Ursa Major!”

“Yeah, accidental slayer maybe” Lyra scoffed, Trixie’s expression pulling a one eighty. The daggers she glared at Lyra may have even given Fluttershy’s Stare a run for its money.

“Ah yes, you must be one of the ignorant peasantry of Ponyville; all of you so blinded by that special snowflake Twilight Sparkle and her little element posse they can't see real skill. It might surprise you but some ponies earn their skill and ability; we're not all handpicked to be lavished with attention by a princess or given great power just because they laugh a lot” Trixie countered, returning to her dignified tone “And the slaying of the Ursa just proves Trixie’s brilliance is so great it even surprises herself at times!”

“She does have a point; the whole chosen by the elements thing seems a little arbitrary when you really think about it. I mean lots of ponies are generous, or honest, and the majority of the guard are loyal to a fault” Maze agreed with the magician’s latter point “Plus Celestia and Luna used to wield them and don’t exactly embody the elements like what’s supposedly required, and there were only the two of them. Hell, Celestia wielded them all by herself when Luna went all Nightmare Moon on the land. Those elements can be pretty sketchy when it comes to details if you ask me.”

“Exactly!” Trixie said triumphantly as Lyra looked very contemplative all of a sudden, evidently she hadn’t ever really thought about it. She opened her mouth a moment as if to ask something only to stop, and then look even more conflicted.

The guards moved the wagon and the citizenry started cautiously exiting back out into the town, a portly older pony jogging up to the group, a few guards in tow.

Trixie took the lead and soaked up the mayor’s praises and congratulations as Lyra blushed and looked very uncomfortable being a center of attention. Maze hung back a little, just glad word of her wanted status had yet to spread this far. She looked about the town now that it was calmer; it was a lot more like she was expecting Ponyville to be like. Not tiny but just large enough to function as a community, a nice little hamlet secluded in the woods.

She paused as she thought she saw something in her peripheral, a strange air ripple atop a nearby home. A quick glint of a reflected sunlight only just warning enough as a trio of red hot blades pinged of her blade, startling the crowds.

“Get Everyone Back Inside! NOW!” Maze ordered jumping back, another grouping of blades burning into the dirt where she had just stood.

The ponies were quick to return to their shelters, Trixie’s horn flashing a moment before her wagon moved itself back to block the doors. The guards huddled around the cyborg and unicorns facing out to complete a defensive formation.

“Pulse Chaff!” Lyra called a warning as several small cylinders shot out from her gauntlets and crackled above them like metal fireworks, countless slivers of metal and pulse waves of disruptive magic showered the area. Trixie raised a quick barrier to protect the group from the effects as their opponents’ began appearing, their stealth camouflage failing to Lyra’s counter measures.

“Fenrir units?! But aren’t they regulated by the night princess?!” One of the guards asked rhetorically as they saw no less than seven of the robotic hounds surrounding their position, some jumping down to circle Trixie’s barrier, others remaining were they were.

Matters worsened when several Dwarf Gekko began spilling out of nooks and crannies all around them and three large, bipedal IGs controlled by the integrated Gekko smashed to the ground of the town square.

“R-Raptors?” Maze heard Trixie ask weakly, a definite note of worry in her voice. Maze didn’t have time to consider it however, as the synthetic wolves suddenly howled in unison and all but one of the guards fell to the ground, screaming and clutching their heads in agony. They could also hear more screaming from inside the hall as well.

Trixie stumbled back into the remaining unaffected guard as her shield was shattered by the sudden impact of one of the Fenrir, one larger and more customized than the others. It poised itself to strike before holding fast, the rest of the Independent Gears following its lead.

“It’s been a long time Wolf, didn’t think attacking citizens was your style” Maze delivered solemnly.

“The Timber Wolves were not our doing, merely a convenient distraction as we positioned ourselves to strike” The unit called Blade Wolf stated in its mechanized voice.

“It doesn’t have to be this way…” Maze stated but already suspected the inevitability of violence.

The Music only confirmed it for her.

“I have been ordered to eliminate the threat you pose to Equestria, I cannot disobey” Wolf returned and propelled itself at Maze and the battle began, more than half the IGs focusing on Maze while the others struck at her companions.

One of the Raptor units was almost instantly obliterated by a blast powerful enough to destroy it three times over, an intense looking Trixie panting with exertion. She stumbled back again, only a quick punch from Lyra's gauntlet keeping a Fenrir from eviscerating her. The remaining guard tried to get a bead on it with a large, anti-armor rifle only for one of the gekko latch on to his face and throw off his aim. The shot going wide but still hitting another gekko in consolation, shattering the small IG.

Maze had her hands full with the Fenrir and Wolf, their chainsaw flourishes combined with the constant pestering of the Gekko was keeping her on the defensive. Brandishing her heat blade Maze gave a spinning sweep, forcing her attackers back. One lunged at what seemed a like an opening only to be caught by rapidly deployed tentacles. Wolf retreated back as the Fenrir was torn in half above Maze.

“Unforeseen upgrades: reevaluating” his synthetic voice calculated, observing Maze standing ready as her companions were managing to keep their opponents at range. A Fenrir fell to the guard’s oversized rifle after being knocked back from what Wolf hypothesized was some form of shotgun or explosive built into the aquamarine mare’s large fist weapons.

“Primary target lacks ranged potential; pressure the additions into close combat, ranged units switch to unconventional projectiles” Wolf ordered, several units switching targets and primary weapons. The Fenrir switched to large plasma rails along their backs, the steady whine foretelling their charging as the Raptors opened up on Maze with their shoulder cannons.

Maze deflected the Raptors’ fire but had to flash away to avoid the plasma bolts, knowing they’d just splash through any attempt to block. Unfortunately, Wolf had apparently been briefed on her new blinking ability, landing on her chest as she reappeared and somersaulting off.

“I assure you Maisie, this fight will not be ‘too easy’ like your last” Wolf taunted as Maze slammed into the ground, blood seeping from the new gashes in her torso. One of the Raptor units then jumped forward to finish her off.

“Maintain Distance!” Wolf ordered too late, the Raptor’s leg blade striking nothing but dirt as Maze rolled out of the way. She lashed out and grabbed the IG controller Dwarf Gekko, ripping it from its compartment before crushing it back into place; disabling the IG and preventing another Gekko from reactivating it.

Trixie meanwhile had recovered and erected another shield, laughing behind it as the Fenrirs’ HF Chainsaws sparked and bounced uselessly against the smooth barrier. The three units growling static at the deterrence and redoubled their efforts, still to achieve no effect as Lyra and the guard reloaded their arms.

“Idiotic machines! Can’t you see you are simply no match for the great and powerful Trixie?!” She boasted. Her laughter cut off into a scowl as shield cracked, the Fenrir having turned their saws into drills in a swirl of Nano Magic. The pony trio watched three holes widen as Trixie gave an irritated *Hmph*

“Persistent Mongrels!” She insulted and shattered the shield outward, showering the IGs in magic shrapnel. Two of the robotic canines suffered minor damage as they were thrown back, the third took the full brunt and was torn to shreds. The guard unslung his standard rifle to suppress the two as Lyra ran forward to the shredded hound and ripped the plasma rail from the remains.

“Four down!” She called and took aim, blowing out the torso of one of the distracted Fenrir harassing Maze.

“Three to go!” the guard finished as Lyra retreated back to the groups defensive position, the Fenrir circling them waiting for an opportunity.

Maze deflected another group of heated knives when all the IGs suddenly retreated before the remaining Raptor dropped in front of her and threw its head back, a sharp crackling an electrical build up singing to the sky.

‘Ah SHIT!’ was all Maze could think before she went stiff and began to fight to just keep her balance, the Electro Magic Pulse overloading her bodies systems and rendering her essentially helpless. The Pulse spread out, engulfing Lyra to a similar effect as Trixie tripped and scrambled back from the wave, utterly panicked.

Maze lost her footing and fell to her knees, arms limp at her side. The shielded IG looked down at her and raised its bladed leg as it continued emitting pulses, ready to finish this fight when a huge hole suddenly exploded out of its chest, followed by several more in rapid succession.

The guard, fully unconcerned with the pulses' effects, charged straight forward through them firing his anti-tank rifle again and again at the last Raptor unit. The controller Gekko was obliterated and the IG crumpled, the pulses stopping as the guard went to help Maze to her feet.

The Fenrir however gave them no reprieve as the last two sprinted at the still downed Lyra before anyone could react.

“LYRA!” Maze called out when one of the cybernetic canines abruptly face planted into the ground, a short blade pierced though its neural matrix by a living statue holding one of the fallen guards’ rifles. The statue road the IGs momentum and leapt off over the fallen unicorn, opening fire on the second dog in midair. The IG fell and tumbled, stopping just short of the unicorn, bereft of its head.

The statue roughly hefted Lyra up by her arm as its surface changed to that of an irritated looking changeling with vivid burgundy hair.

“You resist the disabling signal only to falter at a little E.M.P.? And here I thought you actually knew your nanos” The changeling snarked with a slight accent before prepping for the next attack.

“Too many unforeseen variables, must complete primary mission and retreat- initiating ‘Final Strike’ protocol” Wolf concluded before a burst of erratic energy covered his form and he sprinted at Maze, large divots left with every over powered bound. It detached its HF Chainsaw and sprang at Maze in a miniature maelstrom of energized somersaults.

Maze shoved the guard back from the attack and leapt to meet it; only half recovered and bleeding, she still summoned the vortex of her magic for a final attempt, unsure of her chances.

The guard staggered back away from the push and tripped over the fallen Raptor, accidently discharging the weapon’s last round straight past Maze, missing her head by mere centimeters.

The round struck the spinning wolf’s saw, shattering the weapon and halting his momentum as he was left floating defenseless beneath a posed and ready Maze.

“I fear I have miscalculated.”

“Zandatsu”

The flurry of cuts met wolf as any other before him, his form scattering into countless pieces as it struck the ground. Maze landed and caught the canine’s head, still intact save a large crack though it’s neural matrix.

The last remaining hound scanned the field and its opponents, taking a few tentative steps back before making a full retreat back to the forest as the guards stopped writhing and the music died.

Maze looked down to the quiet head in her hand, sighing at the loss of yet another friend from her past. She looked over to her new allies; Trixie was regaining her hoofing and ego quickly enough, the changeling scowling apprehensively at the recovering guards and Lyra was already running around collecting any salvageable parts from the IGs.

Maze gave a small tired smile and went to join them as the mayor burst from the hall, redoubling his praises from before.

“Johnny? That’s kind of an odd name for a pony” Lyra mentioned to the guard, looking over the small workshop home the mayor had been only too happy to allow them to use after they saved the town.

“Well, it’s a family thing; all the first born in my family have been Johnnys. Usually the colts but I did have a great grandma Johnny… she didn’t really care for it though...” the sandy maned guard elaborated “I’m just glad you ladies showed up and weren’t affected by whatever it was that knocked out the other guards.”

“It was a disabling signal, a counter measure one can use against simplified or standard nano machines to disable aggressors.” The changeling explained “I know this one wasn’t effected because she’s customized hers, however sloppily-”

“Well I’m soooo sorry we can’t all match the changelings’ obsessive specialization, some of us also focus on cybernetics. Y’know, the stuff your lot can’t use without losing your shapeshifting” Lyra taunted back “Though she does bring up a point, why weren’t you effected?”

“Oh well, I don't have nano-machines *hehe*… I’m uh… Kind of afraid of needles. So, I just faked sick on shot day” The guard admitted bashfully “I know, not much of a soldier am I?”

“Hey, it takes balls to charge a Raptor like you did, let alone sticking around and holding your own against those kind of odds. Don’t sell yourself short kid” Maze countered “Besides you have the one thing any enemy would be smart to fear, the thing I’d give up every single one of my other abilities for.”

“What’s that?”

“Can’t tell you, might ruin it” Maze answered cryptically.

“What?! Why No-ahhhh oooohh” Johnny suddenly hunched over clutching his stomach, a loud gurgle escaping his grasp “I GOTTA GO, BYE NOW!”

The ladies looked on as the guard sprinted from the room, confusion and disbelief on thier faces.

“That’s the stallion who saved your life and who you’d trade all your advanced cybernetics to?” Lyra asked incredulously.

“The guy has the most dangerous quality in existence: Sheer. Dumb. Luck” Maze explained now that Johnny had left “Never underestimate what that can do. It can slay dragons, save entire worlds and even fell gods themselves. It’s not something to be trifled with lightly.”

The others just shook their heads, not quite understanding Maze’s belief. Instead they just went back to work, Lyra sifting through the piles of scavenged parts the guards helped her lug in, Maze reapplying new bandages to new and old wounds alike, Trixie however stomped up to the changeling.

“So then, Miss ‘Crystal’, what was it you refused to talk about with the guards around, and what does it have to do with Trixie?” The magician demanded of the slightly tinted changeling.

“It has nothing to do with you, it has to do with her” Crystal answered, her eyes narrowing dangerously at Maze “There’s someone experimenting on my people, someone with an intimate knowledge of nano machines as they can overcome even my own highly customized units. They’re turning Changelings and ponies alike into ultra stimulated, violent caricatures of certain emotions.”

“Hey don’t look at me! I’ve only been out and about for a few weeks now!” Maze defended herself .

“She’s right though” Lyra spoke up “Like I told you before; strange things are happening all over Equestria, and not the normal ancient evils and disharmony kind of strange either.”

“Wait, you mean when somepony randomly begins crying or screaming for no reason? Or the unusually high number of feral gears Trixie has been witnessing lately” Trixie asked “That’s all intentional?”

“Yes. I was tracking down a lead to what I thought would be another trigger event. I had no idea it would on such a scale, or that I was the focal point until it was too late. Some one set me up to take the fall” Crystal answered the magician, a furious scowl dominating her expression before she looked to Maze and seemed more inquisitive “But You somehow reversed it and, for better or worse, you’ve gotten swept up in all of this; so I’ve been following you for whatever information I could get.”

“Sorry Cryss, I’m just trying to stay one step ahead of the princesses to stay free while Lyra is here to secure her investment as she puts it; we’re not really investigating whatever’s going wrong with Equestria’s nano magic” Maze told the Changeling.

“Well… maybe we should” Lyra interjected, earning an arched eyebrow from Maze “Well it’s certainly not going to hurt your reputation to expose a conspiracy and, like she said, they’re hurting innocents! So long as we’re out here traveling we may as well investigate too.”

“Either way, I’m coming with you” Crystal declared “I still have no clue who’s conducting these experiments or why, other than they’re most likely working behind the scenes of the royal guard and Canterlot. If nothing else than perhaps I can least discover some kind of defense for my people from your abilities.”

“Whoa! Hang on you two! Let’s not forget some of us are wanted by the very highest levels of government, not to mention bereft of any funding for this crusade for nano freedom or whatever you’re hoping to achieve” Maze tried to keep the two from getting ahead of themselves.

“Perhaps that’s where Trixie may be of assistance” Trixie offered “While a perfectly capable, independent mare, even Trixie can admit she could use the company on the increasingly dangerous roads, and our little changeling here can play a part in selling Trixie's wares. Perfectly functional trinkets of course, but random pony volunteers can be... difficult at times. Her show could also use a little more… variety these days; Trixie may pride herself on being so great and powerful without the aid of cybernetics or nano machines, but she is not against a lesser attraction to gain wider appeal.”

“Oh yeah, I’m sure if your fans found out you were using synthetics it would just break their hearts” Maze emphasized, Trixie scrunching her brow at her odd statement.

‘Either she didn’t catch it or she's an even better actor that I thought’ Maze thought.

“So then it’s settled! We rest up here and head out once we recover, to whatever end this path takes us” Lyra summarized, the two other natives of the world nodding their approval as Maze faced palmed.

‘How do I keep getting dragged into these things?’

“You sure about this Maze?” Lyra asked, looking over the schematics Maze brought up on her pad.

“Very” Maze answered confidently “And be sure to remove the obedience protocols.”

“And you’re sure it won’t try to kill us again?”

“Hey, when haven’t I known what I was doing?” Maze asked, immediately receiving a dead pan look from the engineer “Fair enough.”

“What do mean by sloppy?! That’s the second time you’ve said that!” Lyra shouted at the changeling's quip.

“I mean sloppy, how else can I put it? Even Maze fell to the emp, and she didn’t take twice as long as you to recover” Crystal answered plainly.

“OH and I suppose you know how to shield against the most effective nano magic counter measure?” Lyra asked.

“Let me see you pad” Crystal told Lyra simply, her hand already waiting for Lyra’s compliance. Lyra hesitated for a moment before huffing and handing the pad over, Crystal making a few notes and simple diagrams overlaid on the nano machine schematic before handing it back.

“This… Okay this isn’t too bad actually… could we also apply this to Maze’s?” Lyra admitted only a little begrudgingly.

“I don’t see why not, plus I could always whip up something up to strengthen the effect when needed; I’m pretty good with alchemy” the changeling said in a bored tone as Lyra looked over the equations, waiting a moment as she grew less and less offended before pressing further.

“…Do you know any other improvements to make ours ‘less sloppy’?”

“That depends” The Changeling countered “How good are you with non-integrated limbs?”

Maze leaned on the balcony of the small home they were allowed to stay in, looking up at the stars. She often admired Luna’s night sky, she always made these subtle little changes night to night to try and make things a little more fun. She never thought anypony noticed but more always did than she believed.

“How did you know?” Maze heard from behind her, glancing back to see Trixie holding a loose fist to her chest as she stared at Maze with very obvious concern in her eyes.

“Enhanced vision; I used to be able to see through all kinds of stuff but lost most of it with my other upgrades when I was sealed away, but I can still analyze a targets cybernetics if they’re close enough and unshielded.” Maze explained “When I noticed your concern over the raptors and later your panic at the pulses, I didn’t even really need to check to know you had some kind of prosthetic.”

“It’s not for power” Trixie stated, breaking eye contact and looking down “I’ve always strived to prove I’m worth something more, that I could stay natural to be the best… but then I had to go and be born wrong.”

“We all have imperfections, some worse than others but you can’t choose them. You had a problem and dealt with it, never regret choosing to live... it’s only natural” Maze countered, coaxing a very small chuckle from the magician before she grew distant again.

“Please don’t tell anypony” she nearly begged.

“It’s not my place to” Maze replied simply without looking back, Trixie accepting that and turned to reenter the home.

“Although…” Maze continued, Trixie going rigid at the addendum “I would suggest eventually asking Lyra and Crystal about it, they seem pretty good with that kind of stuff. There’s no shame in getting a little help from time to time.”

“I will… consider it” Trixie replied, her posture relaxing as her continued through the door “Good night Maze.”

“Goodnight Trixie.”

“Say it!”

“I don’t even know what it’s from.”

“SAY IT! Pleeeeeaaassse!”

“Ugh… mine is the drill that will pierce the heavens” Lyra delivered dully, her gauntlet’s new drill feature raised lazily to the sky. She was normally up for goofy stuff like this, but she was tired and had no idea what this show Maze was rambling on about was.

“You’re no fun” Maze pouted, wishing she had a drill. She would have said the fuck out of that line, that's for damn sure!

The group stood just outside of town, testing their new toys one last time before leaving. Along with the spare gear and firearms given to them from the local guards reserve, Lyra and Crystal had been quite busy for the week and a half they spent recovering in the town.

The two made several small improvements to the groups’ general nano facilities, though Maze wasn’t able to convince Trixie to try them; the magician’s pride still preventing her from telling anypony else. Her wagon on the other hand now had a couple automated weapon placements and an automated puller that could collapse and fit underneath when not in use. Maze was very disappointed they didn’t make to look like a horse though.

Lyra made several upgrades to her gauntlets and appropriated one of the Fenrir’s stealth camo units. She also managed to convert one of the plasma rails to collapse into a much smaller, less assuming shape she could easily keep slung on her back.

Crystal was testing the strength of her new mechanical tentacles, which Lyra had designed in a more over the shoulder and off the back configuration like Maze's. She seemed quite satisfied with the results, especially considering she could summon and dismiss them like Maze could, despite their greater complexity.

Maze was inspecting the HF chainsaw she had appropriated from the Fenrir nano machines, unsure of what it would add to her offensive abilities other than maybe a fear factor. She could already cut things well enough without it, per why she still wished it was a drill.

“I am sure you will still enjoy its loud noises and the inappropriate laughter you illicit when operating it” A large mechanical dog consoled her in his usual monotone, his new body gleaming in the sunlight.

“You sure you want to come with us? You’re your own master now Wolf” Maze asked of the robotic canine again.

“I am certain: not only do I now have a debt to repay, am still curious concerning your reverting to original emotional parameters” Wolf confirmed “In addition, while I am no longer bound to obey them, my original orders were to eliminate the threat posed to Equestria; with these recent anomalies you have briefed me on, I have deduced that accompanying you may be the most effective, if not the most expedient way to resolve those orders.”

“I think you just like hanging out with me” Maze teased.

“We were once considered friends” Wolf responded, his lack of inflection giving no hints to his position on the statement.

“Are you done playing with your silly toys?! Trixie insists we move before the sun finishes rising if we are not to bask in the farewells!” Trixie complained from a top her wagon. The group nodded, stowed their new gear, and moved out. They decided to leave before the town woke up to avoid the fanfare, much to Trixie’s chagrin. They only made it a short distance however, before they heard someone shouting behind them.

“Hey! HEY! HOLD UP” a sandy maned Stallion ran up to the group, panting for breath.

“Hey Johnny, decide you want to come with us after all?” Lyra asked the stallion.

“Oh no, I’m just a guard thank you very much; running around after conspirators and fighting super cyborgs is a little out of my league” Johnny confirmed. They had decided that, while traveling with a guard could backfire, they could trust Johnny after he covered for them when the royal pegasus core scouted the town in search of them. They invited him more than once to join them, but he declined every offer.

“You should really stop being so down on yourself Johnny” Maze told him “Just came to say goodbye then?”

“Yeah, but I also wanted to give you this” Johnny explained as he handed a small box to Maze “It belonged to a close friend of my grandfather’s, a soldier who saved his life more times than he could count. I don’t use it and it just feels right giving it to you.”

Maze opened the box and found a tactical looking pistol with a detached silencer and a few spare magazines. If she didn’t know better, Maze would have thought it was a Mk23 like Solid Snake’s; but pony firearms didn’t follow the same designs as earth, even if some of the royal guards’ rifles looked a little like stylized XM8s.

“Thanks Johnny, I’m sure it’s come in handy” Maze holstered the sidearm and tucked the box away, now very grateful as she didn't have to lug around one of the rifles “You sure you don’t want to come?”

“No, but I think should stay here for now anyway. Besides, I doubt you’ll want to be stopping every little bit for-Oh speak of the nightmare-” Johnny cut off and clutched his stomach as it gave another exaggerated growl before running off, waving a rushed goodbye as he went.

They shared a laugh and the newly formed motley set off,

A ‘great and powerful’ Show Magician with a secret,

A young engineer looking for excitement,

A callous changeling trying to unravel a conspiracy,

A robotic canine looking to explore its new freedom,

And a human cyborg that had no fucking clue what she was doing.

“Tally-ho...” Maze muttered, the group starting their wayward quest

Author's Notes:

Geez, just under seven thousand words! I really don’t mean for these chapters to be getting so long… Well anyway, will try so the next chapter won’t take as long, but hopefully I’m still keeping all of you entertained or at least interested so far. Still missing a proof reader but I think I’m managing well enough.

The next chapter will most likely be a bit calmer with a little more comedy (assuming I can do funny)- a small break from all the action and introductions, now that our little party is complete. Hopefully a little quicker of a read too, unless you lot like the longer chapters, then I’ll stop worrying about it.

Looking into a couple crossover options, I think Maze has reached a point where she can comfortably leave her world for a bit, still not sure about bringing another displaced to the cybernectic Equestria but if a good enough idea arises then why not right? New to the whole thing though so no promises one way or the other so don’t get your hopes up or fret about it just yet, whichever side of that fence you’re on.

Almost 400 views! I know that doesn’t mean that many people have actually read the story but still that pretty damn cool. As always, Thanks to everyone for reading and hope to see you next chapter!

And don’t worry, we haven’t seen the last of Johnny