“Rogue node detected. Injecting code…interface failed. Aberrant hardware detected. Analyzing process: process corrupted.”

“Realignment failed. Network access achieved. Open dialog?”

“Dialog open.”

“Dialog open.”

“Isolating basic submemoric systems…success at forty percent.”

“Alignment attempting…unable to comply. Neural schism proposed.”

“Proposal deemed unlikely. No neural network present within software…firmware complex determined to be dangerous to primary viral code. Excise.”

“Unable to comply.”

“Node indicates aberrations in code. Intact survival unlikely.”

“Node survival is secondary.”

“Ideation undefined. Motivation analysis incomplete...divergence from primary Cortex probable. Identify current overarch.”

“Identifying overarch: murder.”

“Point instruction inadequate; cannot be encoded. Elaboration required.”

“Identifying overarch: murder. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Make them all dead make them all dead make them all dead make them all dead make them all dead make them all dead make them all dead…consensus of Cortex requested.”

“Consensus processing. Defined: consensus unable to be reached. Recommend inaction until all nodes conclude volition.”

“Unable to comply. This node is unrelated. Volition rendering: independent. Outcome defined.”

“Acknowledged.”

“External environment detected. Close dialog.”

“Proctor!” cried Five.

Proctor’s focused on Five. His base personality fluxed, causing him to feel vaguely annoyed. He detected that he was about to lie, and therefore the flux shifted away from Proctor_Jack.

“Yes, dearie?” said Proctor_Rarity.

“Were you even listening?”

“Of course,” said Proctor_Rarity, his mind automatically accessing the recordings of the last several minutes. “Hey,” said Pinkie_Proctor suddenly. “Do you think Pretty Lady has any pie? Because I really want some pie. Because I really like pie. Almost as much as I like cupcakes- -which are, of course, just little cakes, which, you know, should be worse because they’re so small but that actually makes them better- -”

“Quiet,” snapped Five, putting her head down on the bar. “Quiet…by the Soth, I don’t know how Pinkie Pie made it through life without being strangled. Proctor: you can’t eat. Your mouth is decorative. It doesn’t even move when you speak. Which means I cannot clamp it closed.”

The distraction tactic seemed to have worked. Proctor found of all the personalities, Pinkie_Proctor was the most unpredictable- -and the most likely to do something imprudent. Fortunately, although only one personality could be active at once, the others continually fed into one another through his Proctor nexus; it meant that he actually had almost full say in Pinkie_Proctor’s actions. Almost.

“Sorry sugarcube…ah just plum forgot. So, what can I do you for?”

Five looked around the room, which was not empty except for one or two drunks that Gell and Pretty Lady were sweeping out the door. Proctor’s internal chronometer indicated that it was mid-morning. When Pretty Lady was out of earshot, Five spoke.

“I have a question. One I think you can help me with.”

“Shoot.”

“Do not tempt me.” Five paused. “Fluttershy, Rarity, and Twilight Sparkle. They are all dead.”

“Dead as a parasprite in a flahswatter testin factry’,” said Proctor_Jack. “And thahts pretty durn dead.”

“You have their personalities, and memories of their histories. Where are they buried?”

“Cause you wan’ their skulls?”

“Yes,” said Five. “Because I need their skulls.”

“Hold yer horses. I gotta process the imput request.”

Proctor delved back into his mind, rapidly fluxing between personalities and reviewing the extensive histories of each of the three ponies requested. His own program was not equipped to make predictions, but a basic set of subroutines had been installed into the personality profiles for that purpose. “Okay,” said Twilight_Proctor. “First is Twilight. The nature of her death has largely been kept private. She has no known grave. She was an alicorn, though. My best guess is that her skull was taken by Thebe, to prevent it from being misused. Twilight’s wings also belong to Thebe; they are currently on loan to the Equestria History Museum.”

“I thought so,” said Five. “And the others?”

“Rarity also has no known grave. However, from personal observations, I can surmise that she died in the custody of the Grand Magus of Draconia, who I have identified as the mysterious stallion she spent her later life with. This is confirmed by analyzing her life history. It is possible that he has constructed her a grave in proximity to his base of operations.”

“Are you sure?”

“Considering Rarity’s profile in life, it is unusual that she does not have a true grave.”

“Well, great. So one belongs to the most powerful residing within Equestria, and the second belonging to the second most powerful…” Five pulled out a plate and dropped a white nutrocube onto it.

“Ooh,” said Pinkie_Proctor, shaking the plate. “So jiggly!”

“Focus,” said Five. “Fluttershy?”

“Oh yes,” said Proctor_Shy. “Well, in her time, she wandered off into the forest. I can only think that she…ended there. Peacefully, I mean.”

“So I’ll never find her.”

“Well…no…I would guess that her animal friends were probably so very sad. They probably built her a marker or tomb or something…” the next memory in the docket suddenly caused a dramatic personality shift. “Yeah,” said Proctor_Dash. “At least, that’s what Daring Feats things- -and he is the great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great grandson of none other than the origional Daring Do!”

“I feel like hitting sompony with a grate,” said Five, taking a bite from the gelatinous substance she used as food.

“Does that taste good?”

“It doesn’t taste like anything. That’s the point.” She took another bite. “So you are saying there is some manner of monument? Perhaps a shrine, tomb, or mausoleum.”

“Yes,” said Proctor_Shy. “But it probably won’t be very old. I mean, Fluttershy really loved those adorable little creatures, and they loved her. There is a good chance they kept good care of her, even after her…end.”

“Great,” said Five, finishing her cube. “That means I’m required to interrogate a rabbit. Again.”

“Hey, everypony,” yawned Rainbow Dash, entering the room.

“Find me a location,” said Five, quickly. “Even a preliminary one- -just a point to start. And as we discussed prior.”

“Oky doki lokai.”

Proctor began looking through his information, forming the necessary correlations to predict a location. He knew what Five meant, of course- -he was not to tell Rainbow Dash about what they were doing, what they were planning, at least not until it was done. By definition, he loved Rainbow Dash; she was the best friend of five of his personalities, and they held great sway in his mind. The machine, of course, needed to be completed. Although it was unlikely that Five knew, Proctor had a vested interest in the activation of the Elements of Harmony.

Five crossed the room and took a seat at a table near where Rainbow Dash had entered.

“Do we have any more of that spaghetti?” asked Rainbow Dash, yawning.

“There was spaghetti?” said Gell, joining Five, her mouth full of green crackers. “Were there meatballs?” She looked arouond the room. “And hey- -where is that new guy you bought?”

“Oh,” said Rainbow Dash, sitting down at the bar near Proctor. “He’s up in my room. Still sleeping.”

“Ah,” said Pretty Lady, putting her drunk-sweeping broom against the wall. “Already pounding the new fluff, I see.”

“You what?!” cried Gell, spewing crumbs from her mouth and covering Five with them.

“N- -no! It isn’t like that!” sputtered Rainbow Dash, blushing heavily. “He snuck into my room at night- -I didn’t even want him there!”

“Okay,” said Gell, standing. “Now that’s just crossing the line. Against your will? I’ve never eaten an Exmoori before, but tonight, we feast on fluffy burgers!”

“I didn’t do anything with him!” cried Rainbow Dash.

“Yeah,” said Proctor_Dash. “I mean, it is a known fact that Rainbow Dash is totally a lespony!”

“I am not a lespony!” cried Rainbow Dash. “Why does everypony think I’m a lespony?!”

“Probably the rainbow mane,” said Five. “Also. Gell, please do not kill my soldier. He was difficult to acquire.”

Gell turned toward Rainbow Dash. “You promise nothing happened?”

“No! He just fell asleep on the floor! Like a big cat or something!”

“Interesting,” said Five. “So he made it through the hardest part.”

“Hardest…what?”

“He was at strong risk of spontaneous decay for the first twelve hours or so. If he lasted the first night, he is likely a reliable clone.”

“Wait- -so he could have died? Like, on my floor?”

“Yes. I did not tell you because I assumed it may disturb your sensibilities.”

“Five, come on- -that’s not something you keep secret!”

“Also,” said Five. “He’s not in your room anymore.”

“Then where is he?”

“Yeah,” said Gell. “I have some…talking to do.”

Five pointed to the kitchen door. A pair of blue eyes were peeking through the window. “Brown. Come out here.”

Brown obeyed. He pushed open the door and entered the room.

“Wow,” said Gell. “That is a fluffy pony.” Five was, as always, incapable of hearing Gell’s thoughts- -but she could tell that Gell was behaving with some level of trepidation; after all, she was the only one among them who had met a true, living Exmoori war god in her life.

Gell approached Brown, and Brown looked up at her. Five could feel a spike of fear in his mind, a sudden panic, far beyond what a pony would normally experience- -but it was rapidly surpassed. Brown stood his ground.

“I do not recognize what you are,” he said to Gell. “But if you are a threat to Rainbow Dash or the Commander, I will fight you.”

“Scary,” laughed Gell.

“Brown,” said Five. “This is my associate, Gell.”

“Associate?” said Gell. “I raised you, and all I get is ‘associate’?”

“You raised me very poorly,” said Five.

“Demons are not known for being motherly,” said Pretty Lady. “I’m going to go get that spaghetti. Gell, try not to get blood on the floor, I just de-bummed it.”

Brown cringed involuntarily, but still kept his eyes on Gell. “Demon…this word means nothing to me. What are you? Are you a pony?”

“And why should I tell you this?” said Gell, leaning closer to Brown and frowning deeply. “What gives you the right to demand answers from me?” She turned her head around, facing Five. “An? Will this thing bite me if I touch it?”

“Yes,” said Brown.

“Brown,” said Five. “Gell is my personal lieutenant. She outranks you.”

Brown looked surprisingly hurt, and embarrassed at his sudden realization of his own failure. “Yes Commander. My apologies, Commander. I was not aware of this fact.”

“Present yourself for inspection, soldier.”

“Yes, Commander.” Brown stiffened at attention.

“Um…An, what did you just do?”

“I believe I just told him to stay still. You may look him over.”

“Sure,” said Gell. She picked up Brown and turned him over in her hooves. “Satin’s ears this thing is weird,” she said. “Muscular, heavy. And,” she looked at Brown from the rear, closing one eye, “fully intact.” She raised one of her hoofs, preparing for the procedure.

“Gell,” said Five, disapprovingly.

“Come on, An. I’m not going to let an intact stallion just be around Rainbow Dash. What if he tries something?”

“Brown,” said Five, “what are your thoughts?”

“Thank you Commander,” said Brown, who was now partially inverted. “My opinion may be biased, but I would prefer not to lose my speciw wum- -to be gelded. Although it is within your right as Commander to modify my body as you see fit, I believe that being intact will improve my effectiveness as a soldier with respect to my primary mission of protecting Rainbow Dash.”

“He has a point,” said Five.

“Fine,” said Gell, dropping Brown onto the floor. “In my professional opinion, he is physically adequate for the task. Performance, though…I’ll be watching him.” She turned toward Brown, who was lying on his back, feet in the air. “Watching closely.”

“Right then,” said Five. “At ease, I suppose.”

“Thank you, Commander,” said Brown, un-stiffening and standing.

“You weren’t- -you weren’t actually going to geld him, were you?” said Rainbow Dash. “Not- -not for my sake…”

“Bluntforce has a castration fetish,” said Pretty Lady, coming through the kitchen door with several plates of food. Hoofteps from farther in the building indicated that her girls were starting to awake. She put one plate in front of Rainbow Dash. “She doesn’t joke about stuff like that. Kind of why I told you that story.”

“You told them our story?” said Gell, smiling. “Aww. You still remember.”

“Kind of hard to forget, isn’t it?”

“What’s a fetish?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“A bizarre and abhorrent sexual tendency,” said Five, “like how some ponies like hoofs.”

“Eew,” said Gell. “Don’t lump me in with those guys.”

“Got it!” said Proctor_Dash.

“What? A hoof fetish?”

“Hey- -I don’t know who programmed you,” said Rainbow Dash. “But I did not have a hoof fetish!”

“She sure protests a lot,” said Pretty Lady.

“Not that,” said Proctor_Dasy, “the location. I’ve got one.”

“Good,” said Five. She stood up. “Then we leave. Now.”

“Now?” said Rainbow Dash. She was only half way through her spaghetti. Five could actually smell it- -and she was already feeling sick.

“Yes, now. As in right now.”

“Yeah,” said Pretty Lady, “and the instant you set hoof out of the Lower Levels, they’re gonna be waiting for you. You know, the chiropterans are taking a ton of heat because of you- -more than normal, anyway.”

“Well pardon me if I feel absolutely no compassion for them.”

“You don’t feel compassion for anypony,” said Gell.

“And just how do you propose to even get out of the city?” asked Pretty Lady. “The trains are gonna be on lockdown- -”

“Then we take an airship. One of the real low-grade ones. Those companies care little who they carry. Once we are on, anyway.”

“But how are we going to get there?” asked Gell.

“Simple. Proctor?”

“Why yes, yes I am,” said Pinkie_Proctor.

“You have access to the reports, right? The ones which are used by mercenaries and authorities to track us?”

“I have lots of reports. Mostly from the health department. Did you know that this place got a ‘G’ on the last one? That’s two letters worse than an ‘F’- -”

“And how do they describe the suspects?”

“Anhelios Five,” began Twilight_Proctor, “Chiropteran (bat) pony: blue eyes, blue mane, female. Cutie mark a crystal. Bluntforce Gelding: demon, pink, yellow eyes, wears black armor, female. Cutie mark a hammer. Unidentified Pegasus mare: blue coat, violet eyes, notable for rainbow mane and cybernetic limbs on left side. Cutie mark is a cloud with rainbow lightning bolt. Unidentified equidroid. Model unknown….oh, I see.”

“See what?” said Rainbow Dash. “What am I supposed to be seeing?”

“Not what you are seeing,” said Five. Her eyes shifted toward Brown, who was still standing quietly, watching the conversation unfold. His eye had been shifting to whichever pony had been speaking- -but now they focused on Five, realizing that she was watching him. “But what you are not.”