A wakening nightmare. The smell of blood caked on the walls. A buck hunched over a table, ranting quietly to himself. It was hard to make out what he was saying. But to the young filly trapped behind the metal bars, unable to move, it was something she remembered all too well. As much as she wanted to protest, the buck had made sure she wouldn’t fight back. For as long as she could remember, the buck had suddenly developed a strange interest in black magic.

A book he had found on one of his ruin expeditions held a surprising amount of research on this magic. And being the dedicated shut in researcher, he spent countless hours trying to perfect it. Even if it meant the cost of his own kin. The buck was no more than a silhouette to her. But a small puff of black smoke that crawled off of the table and over to her, made her panic rise.

‘No… no please don’t…’ she had thought. The paralyses made all forms of movement restricted. ‘Momma… help me…’ The buck suddenly slammed on the table, yelling a primal roar.

“No, no, no, NO! This will not do! Why must it resist!?” The buck shifted over the table, opening the book with his magic that was placed on the left of his side. “I’ve done everything this damn book has described! So why!? Her blood refuses to accept it!!” She could hear the buck crying now. “I need her back! So why!?” he turned to the small filly trapped behind the cage bars. “Why do you resist!? Do you not want to see her again!?! What kind of daughter does this to her own father!?” He breathed heavily and stomped over to the cage, hitting it hard.

“Mom…ma.” The filly managed, her sight beginning to blur. How many days has it been since she had been down here? She had lost all sense of time. Hunger and exhaustion had kicked in.

“Please… my daughter…” the buck suddenly wept. “Everything will be alright. I just need more of your blood. Then maybe, it will be satisfied enough.” The buck’s horn glowed and the filly heard something being dragged off of the table. She could see through her blurred vision a long syringe. The filly’s heart rose into more panic. So much, in fact, that the paralyses seemed to start to wear off. She crawled away, huddling in the corner. The buck clicked his tongue.

“Tch, of all the times for it to wear off now.” The buck then put a reassuring hoof on the cage. “My daughter. Do not be afraid. I know that deep down I’m so close to bringing her back. You just need to hang on a little bit longer.” The filly felt something grip her hooves and she was jolted forward and dragged over to the buck. The filly grunted in protest, the panic increasing.

“N-no! Dad please! I don’t want to do this anymore! Please!!” She said, her voice squeaking in fear. The buck had dragged her to the bars and quickly jabbed the needle in her neck. She choked as she felt the paralyses re-enter her body.

“Now then. Be a good little girl and give daddy more of your blood. Do not fret. I know I am close to this. I just know it!” He levitated the book over to him and scanned it over. A look of realization struck him. The filly looked on, her expression glued to fear. The buck smiled. “Oh! So that’s what I’ve been doing wrong.” He chuckled and waved the book. “It all makes sense now. I don’t need a fraction of her blood. I need as much as I can gather.”

The filly saw the syringe being put down and something else take its’ place. A primal tool that seemed old and beyond the point of repair. However, its edges were still razor sharp.

“Forgive me, my daughter. This will not kill you. I don’t… want to lose you as well… I only just need a bit more blood.” The filly wanted to scream. She wanted somepony to save her.

‘Somepony… anypony…’ she couldn’t move. The tool creeped into the cage and hovered over her. ‘Help me…’ The tool lowered down onto her and in a blink of an eye, the filly jolted out of her bed, kicking the sheets off. Her breath heavy and the sweat forming on her. She looked around her room. The room gave off a small glowing purple hue. Parts and scrap scattered on walls and on the tables. Prototypes she has made when she was younger were displayed and lined against the walls.

But that was not what she was fearful of. She could hear the blade cutting into flesh. She dropped her ears and covered them, crying quietly to herself. This nightmare was all too real. But of course, she had lived it more times than she can count. The filly remained in her bed, clutching her stomach at the sudden nauseous feeling overcoming her.

“Somepony… help me…” she wept quietly.

The sun shone high overhead. The sounds of chittering sand sprites echoed throughout the suburban outskirts. What were once homes now remained bare foundations. And yet, Candlejack felt giddy. He had finally got to try out a beast of a weapon. And it aided them greatly in the escape. The Condition Antenna towered over them, a metal beast that can be seen from Detrot. The three looked up to the towering metal beast.

“So, this is the very thing that your father kept well maintained?” Zelori asked, baffled by the sheer height. Aurora nodded and looked behind her to the auto chariot. The vehicle may have been rusted and worn down for as long as she could remember. But the Jumpers had done a tremendous amount of damage to it. She was surprised that the engine hadn’t blown out on them during the chase. And while Candlejack was having the time of his life firing the Solarium gatling gun, Zelori was the one to pick off the Jumpers. She was in awe as Candlejack created openings as he returned fire on them.

She even noticed that he was funneling them into Zelori’s line of sight. And when he did, Zelori wasted no time in pelting the drivers. Never in her life has she seen ponies achieve something with so much ease. However, when the last of the Jumpers retreated, that was when the auto chariot couldn’t take much more of the pressure and thus began overheating. They had to travel the rest of the way on hoof. Aurora reigned herself and dragged the chariot along while the siblings kept close eyes on their surroundings.

It took them an hour to finally reach the antenna. Aurora trotted back to the trunk of the chariot and withdrew a strange cylindrical part. The alien like part was exactly what the antenna needed. She furrowed her brows sadly as she looked at the piece. Remembering the countless times she has come here with Troffleton to repair it. She could remember him explaining to her how it should be kept up and where certain parts need to go.

“Now, this piece is a roight beauty, me angel. Remember that ya’ hafta’ carefully draw out the part. Then, ye’ line up ta’ new one and jus’ jam it in there. An’ ye’ be roight an’ ready ta’ go.”

Candlejack studied the android as she thought this. His curiosity piquing even more. ‘So, they don’t really have any bloodlust. They can be caring too? Heh, she seems okay so far. But I wonder…’ Aurora then nodded to herself and trotted forward.

“Watch the chariot. I’ll be back. I promise.” She said. The siblings exchanged glances before nodding to her.

“Not like the chariot is going anywhere anyway in the state it is in.” Candlejack replied. Aurora quietly registered a sigh before trotting up to a small lift. Pressing a red button, the lift ascended the tower at a decent pace. When she arrived at the top, a small square catwalk was the only thing that could be stood on. Stepping off the lift, she made her way around and stopped in front of what looked like a circuit box. Opening up the panel, she could see the buttons and dials lighting up. One particular light was an orange one over what was the place she needed to replace it.

She grabbed hold of the handle and turned, hearing it hiss before pulling it out and setting it aside. She read the label over the hole:

Property of Arcane Science and Robotics Corp. Please handle with great care by order of Twilight Sparkle. Survallience is being monitored 24/7.

Aurora held up the part and with a quick push, she shoved the alien like cylinder in and turned it. The sound of a hum reached her and the antenna began changing from a dim blue hue to a brightly blue aura. Down below, the siblings felt a strange sense of ease and calming as the antenna’s aura waved through the area radius it was meant to cover. Aurora smiled and closed the panel.

‘Father… I’m sorry I couldn’t be the daughter you saw me as… I just…’ her smile faltered. ‘I guess… I really hoped I was.’ Aurora headed back down with the lift and trotted over to the siblings. Candlejack arched a brow, seeing the android register a depressed expression.

“Everything alright?” The android nodded softly before retaining a stoic expression. “Great! So now that we failed in getting the Luridium factory up and running, I guess we need to figure out exactly where the others are and hope we can get those back online.” Aurora cocked her head.

“Forgive me for asking. But why are you planning on reactivating abandoned Luridium factories?” Candlejack wanted to say, but thought better of it.

“It’s a… well… something to do out here I guess.” He said. Zelori nodded.

“Frankly, I don’t think my brother had any plans other than that.” She said. Candlejack looked at her with confusion. Aurora looked to the chariot.

“If that is what you had planned, then we need our means of transportation fixed. While traveling on hoof is okay, I believe your suites were only meant to combat the heat for a few hours.” She explained. Candlejack sighed.

“Well that’s a bummer. Where can we go to fix it?” Aurora scanned her map. The square scanning the area they were in. The map then zoomed out and marked a location that was about one mile from where they were.

“The nearest town is a small community about a mile east.” She brought a small dossier of the town that was registered in the network. A small town, population of five hundred. She blinked once and smiled. “This town is also known for having a very young and skilled mechanic in the area. Reports are showing that this pony had fixed obsolete equipment and upgraded most of the town’s electric appliances and AC units.” Zelori arched a brow.

“How young is this mechanic?” she asked. Aurora scanned the dossier, but found no information about it.

“Unfortunately, the file doesn’t say.” Candlejack stretched his wings, shifting them around the spiked harness on the suite he currently wore. The suite was hindering most of his movement than he had thought. And now that he had thought about it, he remembered the question he was going to ask her. As Aurora reigned herself again and they started to trot down the road, Candlejack spoke:

“So… what kind of model are you? You are pretty skilled in combat. Are you a battle type model or…” Aurora scanned her information.

“My AI is a prototype chip that has been installed since my creation. Based on my creation date, I am at least three hundred and twenty two years old in pony standards. However, my model also appears to be a prototype build. A breeding unit mixed with combat compatibilities.” Candlejack arched a brow.

“A breeding unit with combat capabilities? What, are you some sort of walking kick ass sex doll?” Zelori struck him hard over the helm, causing him to hiss in pain. Aurora registered a sad expression.

“Based on the information, it was my intended purpose to “appease” the male audience. However…” she wasn’t sure how to feel about the blank information. “It appears that I have no record of testing.” Candlejack rubbed his chin.

“No testing, huh?” He wasn’t aware of the unintentional curious smile that spread across his face. He was interested in learning more about the android being different to the others he had faced. However, Zelori and Aurora were picking up different vibes. Zelori frowned and Aurora flushed brightly, seeing her breeding program activating again.

“Jack. May I remind you that we are currently on the run as well.” She said. Candlejack shrugged.

“Not the first time. I wasn’t expecting the ETG to just appear suddenly.” He said. Zelori shook her head.

“And this is why I had gathered information ahead of time while you were butting heads with authority.” She replied. Candlejack furrowed his brows at her. “Those ‘ETG’ look a likes were called NDS. New Detrot Security. They are a branch of security drafted and positioned to be the guards of the Detrot area.” She made a gesture over to nowhere in particular. “Every town we come across may have some sort of security set up. Which is why you must not let your habits get the better of you.” She looked to Aurora. “And I mean all of your habits.” Candlejack frowned.

“I don’t know what you are implying, but I’m perfectly fine the way I’ve been.” He itched his foreleg. “If anything, the ETG are responsible for me acting out against them. If they weren’t so obsessed in trying to keep the shit hole that is New Equestria being habitable, then maybe I wouldn’t be out to get them.” Zelori sighed.

“Please, Jack. Why can’t you just listen to me for once?” Candlejack sighed.

‘Because you are just going to be using your ancestors as an excuse.’ He thought, reading his sister’s thoughts exactly. However, before she could say anything, her ears twitched and looked ahead. Catching the notice, Candlejack followed her gaze and blinked once as they noticed something small and metallic rolling down the road and heading towards them. However, they could hear some sort of garbled music coming from the sphere. As it got closer, they could hear the music playing clearly now.

Something that was unfamiliar to them. Aurora, however, picked up the song immediately and a file popped up.

“Beyond the Sea?” she asked. The music stopped suddenly and a voice came through.

“Good morning my sensational apostles! It’s ya’ boy, Record Scratch, bringing you the new and latest in technological news! And boy, do I have some exciting news for you today!” There was a brief pause. “Now, you know Artellia? The main attraction and the eighth wonder of Equestria? Well, it turns out that Artellia is planning on expanding its borders! But then you must be thinking: “But Record Scratch. Isn’t Artellia big enough already?” He chuckled. “Well, let me tell you, my friends. Aretllia is announcing its first ever expansion for those that do not have homes. That’s right, an entire section dedicated to those that have no homes!”

The three ponies exchanged glances as the voice continued.

“’But Record Scratch. Aren’t those ponies just a waste of space?’ Now, I may be a big believer in equality. And even I can see the problem. However, Zillex is generously donating a big sum of their bolts to aid in the development. That’s right! Zillex is going to be making it a place with cheap rent, jobs and other necessities! A place in Artellia. To make it truly equal! Now that, my friends, is what I’m all about. And I know that some of you don’t believe in it. But I am not just any pony. Now then, I’m sure you all are wondering what’s been going on outside of the giant sleek walls of paradise.”

The pony cleared his throat.

“Well, my apostles. I can tell you that weather is extremely high as per usual and the nights are long and cold. And that is all for the news…” There was another pause. “Is what I would have said if you asked me that. However, there has been some… interesting things going on that all started about yesterday. You see, I’m not much about superstition. Cus’ here in a world of science and technology, you wouldn’t think twice about anything supernatural at all. However, when you hear rumors about a group of certain ponies that appear out of nowhere and utterly mows down an entire gang of bandits, then that is something I would just laugh at… if we weren’t in a place of technology.”

“While by all accounts this pony wasn’t alone, but this certain pony definitely made an impression. So quickly, in fact, that the network registered him as an unknown affiliate to Artellia. No other information has been given, other than a code name that had been recently released that dubs him as P.U.N.K.” there was a chuckle. “An interesting code name, my apostles. I guess that this pony has had his fair share of battles. So I guess taking on Deadeye was something that was probably a breeze.” There was a slight pause before the voice seemed to lessen the excited tone to a more serious one. “Again, I am a big believer of equality. And well… when all is said and done, I guess some heroes are not all black and white.”

Candlejack rubbed the back of his helm at the strange spherical contraption.

“Erm, so I am not the only one worried that this thing is talking about us, right?” he asked. Aurora, however, was already scanning the databases.

“The voice belongs to a disc jockey by the name of Record Scratch. A decedent of musical ambition. He supplies Equestria with news and reports about the ins and outs of the world.” The two siblings looked at her. “His followers range well over twenty thousand. It even states that Record Scratch has been given full freedom to express opinion by order of Artellia and Zillex.” Candlejack balked.

“Wait, he’s getting paid to express news and opinions?” he asked. Aurora nodded.

“He also has ties to the higher ups in Artellia.” She stated. Candlejack rubbed his chin and smirked.

‘Maybe this pony would be a great way to start looking.’ He thought.

“Now remember. The wastes are no place for day dreamers. Ponies are risking their lives every day to ensure the preservation of our ancestor’s relics and the recollection of the past. And while there are some out there that want to exploit them, know that not all hope in this land is lost. And I believe that the first step has been taken in ensuring that Equestria could be what it once was. Thank you so much, it’s ya’ boy Record Scratch, signing off for now. Here’s some electro swing for your cause by a good friend and upcoming musician, White Light.”

The three ponies arched brows as the spherical like object started playing a catching swing like beat with a mix of electro in it. But that wasn’t what caught Aurora off guard. She hadn’t realized it until now that they watched the spherical object roll up to them and then stop while the news was going on. Her ears twitched at the sound of beeping. Before she could react, however, the spherical object suddenly split apart and all three felt the surge of electricity.

Their legs gave out on them and they fell to the cement road. Candlejack grunted in pain as he tried to stand himself up. He looked over to see Aurora looking at him with a dead like expression while Zelori remained motionless.

“Zel…ori…” he rasped. He started writhing on the ground. He looked up, his vision blurring. But he could see it. He hadn’t noticed it at first, but there was a figure approaching them. It was big, bulky and was walking on two metal claw like legs. It stomped in front of him and it let out a hiss. Another sound followed. One that was somepony moving off of the hulking creature and landing in front of it. He couldn’t make out the rest as his vision began to fade. ‘Dammit.’

The young filly sighed tiredly as she looked over her desk of blueprints. She had spent half the morning trying to keep herself from going back to sleep. Her matter materializer created a soothing aroma of ground coffee and sugar. The materializer was a brilliant contraption she had made. All thanks with a little help of science, sweat and a hint of magic. The magic being mainly more science with atoms. The contraption could materialize anything she wanted, so long as she could input the right ingredients. Taking a small sip of the coffee, the filly sighed and scanned the blueprint.

The grid like paper displaying ideas and a picture for a suite she had wanted to create for a long time. And when the NDS came to her door and asked to fill out an order of her up and coming research (while supplying her with a good sum of bolts in the process) the filly went straight to work, locking herself in her room.

‘Getting this new suite to present to Zillex is such a pain though.’ She frowned to herself in thought. ‘I don’t even know where to get the parts. Let alone, have the time to go out and look for it.’ She felt herself drifting from her thoughts and her eyes fell heavily. However, that split second of vulnerability brought back flashes of that nightmare. She gasped awake and shook her head furiously. Taking the coffee, she took a big gulp of it and coughed as the hot liquid trailed down her throat. There was a knock on her door.

“Hey, sis. Do you think you can help me out here?” a voice said from the other side. The filly groaned, rubbing her pounding head.

“Go away, White. I’m in the middle of an order.” She shouted back.

“But it is really important!” the voice of her brother came through again. She growled quietly and went over to her door. The metal like door slid open and the filly leaned against the edges, the coffee in her hoof. She arched a tired brow at the young grey unicorn stallion with an electric mane with neon green and blue highlights and electric eyes. He returned her hostile look with a worried one. “Is everything okay? You look like hell.” The filly clicked her tongue.

“What do you want?” she asked a little more coldly than she wanted. The stallion tapped his hooves bashfully.

“Erm… my record table broke again.” The filly sighed and bowed her head tiredly.

“Dammit, White. I can’t keep fixing your damn table. Why don’t you just get a new one? The things old as Equestria itself!” she retorted. Weeks of restless nights has taken a big toll on her.

“But, I don’t even know how it keeps breaking!” the stallion protested. The filly frowned.

“If you weren’t acting like a complete moron and ‘dropping them beats’ then maybe you could have a decent working piece of crap.” White kicked his hoof against the ground.

“But… how can I get my name out there if I don’t have my table ready? I have a performance coming up in a week and I need to be ready for it.” He said. The filly sighed.

“White, I have an order to Artellia to fill out which is going to take me a week of hardly any sleep. I don’t have time to fix something that is already on the verge of dying.” White frowned.

“Manic, please just do me this favor? I promise I won’t break it by the end of the week.” The young filly clicked her tongue again.

“It won’t last a minute.” She blinked once through her tired eyes and saw the pouting face her brother was giving. She scrunched her muzzle disappointingly. Despite being tired, how can she really say no to the only pony she has left in her life? As much as White annoyed her with small things that keep getting broken under his care, he was still her brother. And ever since the incident, he’s been the only one really taking care of her. No pony else would do that for her.

The flashes of the nightmare came back and she shook her head furiously again, groaning.

“Fine! I’ll fix the damn table. Just put it against the wall next to the door and I’ll fix it when I have my break.” White smiled.

“Best sister ever! Oh, and I already took the liberty of doing just that.” He said with a motion to the run down record table that has definitely seen better days lying next to her door. Manic arched a brow.

“Wait a minute, you knew I wouldn’t-“ she looked back to see her brother already trotting off down the stairs. “H-hey, where the hell do you think you are going!?” White waved a hoof at her.

“I appreciate this sis. I’m going to do a bit of shopping and then probably check up on the performance set up. Ciao!” he said. Manic sputtered.

“But I… you… wait!” she heard the door close and she sat down on her haunches, rubbing her temples. “Sneaky bastard.” She sighed and looked at the record table next to the door. ‘Why does he insist?’ She took a moment to gather herself before examining the table. The record table had dinks and marks on it that showed how much the stallion uses it. She brushed the tattered surface and squinted her eyes. She gasped, seeing a small plaque embedded in the middle:

*Joyeux anniversaire, ma petite lumière.

Manic understood the language. There was one pony that spoke this language fluently as well as Equine. But… why couldn’t she remember the face? This mare… She felt the exhaustion creep up on her and she leaned against the opposite wall. Why couldn’t she remember? Her thoughts were interrupted by a floating ball with spider like limbs.

“Good morning, madam. Longue nuit?” the floating ball asked. Manic picked up a piece of scrap and tossed it at the robot butler. The scrap bounced harmlessly off of the exterior.

“Shut up, Clockworth.” She said tiredly.

“Pardon moi, madam. But I am scanning your mental psyche and it iz currently in unstable levels. Perhaps, a break from ze workshop will be beneficial, no?” Manic sighed and rubbed her muzzle.

“Why does everpony insist I need a break? I’m on a tight schedule.” She said. Clockworth gave a small proper bow.

“I apologize, madam. But your mother wouldn’t be ‘appy with me if I were to let your mind go… how do you say… crazy?” it replied. Manic growled at the robot.

“*D'accord, bien. Je viens juste de me retirer.” She replied tiredly. ‘Dammit, and here I was hoping to have an easy day.’ The flash of the nightmare came back and she quickly banged her head against the wall. Ignoring the surprised motion of the robot butler and the slight bump she had, Manic stood up and entered her room, tossing on a suite she had tailor made for herself. Not too heavy. Fits like a glove and almost like wearing nothing at all.

But if she was going for a break outside of the town, then she needed some sort of means to protect herself and the materials she planned to excavate from the nearby ruin. And heading out of the house and around back, she opened a garage door and smiled as a hulking figure of a robot stomped out. It stood on two bipedal claw legs and had a long protruding beak. She beamed at the creation she had made. Her first ever created walking, mobile mini HQ.

‘Equipped with impact pistons to prevent shocks. A hard exterior that is heat, cold and Luridium resistant as well as small little jets at the side of the legs for those long jumps and careful descents. And not only that, it looks cute to boot!’ She had made the blue print of one of her favorite birds. She remembered seeing the creature in a book titled:

The Wildlife of Equestria.

It was a thesaurus of the extinct wildlife that had once roamed Equestria before the Big Bang. She had turned to the page with avian like creatures. One stood out for her, however. A bird that had been called a “Kiwi Bird”. She found a video about it and was soon infatuated with the look of the bird. With new inspiration and pulling an all-nighter, she was proud to see the hulking figure of a kiwi bird like design come to life.

‘I call it the KB-G1. Or to put it simply, Kiwi Bot.’ She climbed up the side and hopped into a cozy little seat she had installed. Locking ahold of the handles, the Kiwi Bot hummed to life. The filly piloted the bot out into the open, covering her eyes at the bright sun that had creeped over the horizon. She stretched and felt her bones cracking in protest. The filly sighed and pressed a few buttons on the panel in front of her. The bot withdrew its claws and replaced them with small thick rubber wheels.

“Alright, Kiwi Bot. We are going for a little walk. It’s been a while since I took you out.” She heard the bot hum happily before switching over to auto pilot and following the coordinates Manic had put in. The filly kicked back and drank her coffee while enjoying the cool breeze rush past her. She and Kiwi Bot took the “scenic” route, as Manic likes to call it. While going off road was dangerous, it was better than having to deal with the traffic that some bandits and NDS set up.

The filly let her mind wonder as the hours passed. Manic felt herself falling asleep again, only to have Kiwi Bot wake her up with a sudden halt. She rubbed her head.

“What’s wrong?” she asked. The bot hummed worriedly. Manic looked at the panel and saw words being translated to her:

>There are signs of conflict up ahead. Advising caution.

Manic chuckled. “You’re worried about something like that? Knowing what’s out here, it’s probably just some traveling merchants getting attacked by pesky sand-sprites.” The words retyped:

>Unfortunately, the conflict seemed to be near the Condition Antenna.

Manic took a moment and re-read it through her mind.

‘Conflict over by the Condition Antenna? There is nothing special about it other than it supplying proper temperatures. What could possibly…’ Manic blinked once. “Kiwi, switch over to the news.” She stated. The bot complied and the voice of Record Scratch came on.

“A fine morning to you apostles. Or I would say if it weren’t for some terrible news.” Record Scratch sighed sadly before continuing. “Many of you know about the Third Expedition. The first ponies to explore and set up everything to where we are now. Well… I am afraid that the last member of that expedition had passed away late last night. Troffleton, a single buck and one of the many brilliant minds that took the first step into new society was murdered by the ruthless bandit leader, Deadeye.” There was a sigh. “Troffleton lived a life surrounded by friends and comrades he has met over the years. He even settled down to start a family. And yet, with a series of unfortunate events that claimed his wife and only child, Troffleton retired to a small HUB at the borders of Detrot.”

Manic balked. ‘No way… Troffleton is… dead?’ Manic furrowed her brows and listened in more.

“A simple life he has made for himself. Working as the mechanic and sole caretaker of the Condition Antenna that surrounds the area of Detrot. And now, with no pony as an apprentice to take up the mantle, we are left with a harrowing choice. Should we just up and abandon the ponies of Detrot? Or go out of our way and provide them with a place of refuge? I can’t say but I… what in the?” Manic blinked in confusion. It was rare for the DJ to suddenly go off script. But she soon found out why.

An aura washed over her, giving her a feeling of calm mind and body. She shivered and smiled at the pleasant feeling.

“Well… I’ll be damned. It seems that even though times are looking down for us, not all hope appears to be lost. Who would have thought that somepony actually went out of their way to fix the antenna?” There was a small hum of interest. “Perhaps, I can gather a bit more information. Stay tuned, my apostles! Yours truly is going to do some freelance snooping. In the meantime, how about a bit of the classics? This is ya’ boy, Record Scratch, signing off for now.” The radio garbled into a small tune of a pony singing about going beyond the sea.

Manic rubbed her chin and looked back to the panel.

>Operator. I detect three vital signs coming up on our position. It appears they are towing an auto chariot.

‘Three? And an auto chariot?’ She pressed more buttons and dials. Kiwi Bot’s beak opened and a small spherical like object dispensed. “The trap drone will see if they are something else. Better safe than sorry.” She didn’t show it, but the thought of one of her idles having been murdered last night left an awful taste in her mouth. ‘Can this day get any worse?’ Manic ordered Kiwi Bot to hide behind a pile of crumbled rubble and debris. She waited a good while before hearing the sound of the trap drone exploding.

She quickly piloted Kiwi Bot over to the sound, bounding gracefully over the destroyed cement. She slowed the bot down and saw three ponies on the ground. The auto chariot one of the ponies was towing looked like it had seen better days than her brother’s record table. However, what struck her odd were the ponies. Two were lying unconscious while the last one was writhing in pain. Seeing the pony struggle made her furrow her brows.

‘This one seems strong…’ she said. She hopped out of the Kiwi Bot and watched as the pony looked up at her before going limp. Manic rubbed her chin. “Kiwi. Do a scan on them.” She ordered. The bot’s wings ejected from the sides and hovered over to the downed ponies. The eyes scanning a purple beam over them. When they were finished, Manic opened up a panel on her suite’s hoof gauntlet and read the information.

She arched a surprised brow. Kiwi hummed worriedly.

“I-I’m fine, Kiwi. But… the scans show no signs of these ponies in the network.” She looked over to the one below her and went to remove the helm. And when she did, she balked when the pony shifted slightly, exposing something she had never thought she would ever see in her life. “A… pegasus?” She looked to the other two. Removing the helm of the other, she gasped at the sight of a young zebra mare. The last one, however, caught her curiosity. A beautiful looking pony with a neon blue mane and eyes staring blankly ahead. “An android too?”

Manic looked over the panel on her hoof gauntlet again and furrowed her brows. The scans may not have picked up information on them. It did, however, pick up a minor trace of Luradiation on them. Not only that, their vitals appeared to be unstable and dropping slowly. The filly bit her lip. ‘These ponies… what are they doing out here in the state they are in?’ She felt conflicted. She knew that anypony from out of town were not to be trusted. However, no information given and the aura washing over her couldn’t have been a coincidence.

But there was no doubt. These ponies came from the direction of the antenna. ‘Are they the ones responsible for the repair?’ She looked to the smoking auto chariot. Luridium marks singed the paint and exterior. Not only that, the equipment they had on them were completely out of date. As she was thinking this, she suddenly had a flash of the nightmare followed by a scream. Kiwi Bot hummed worriedly and let the filly lean against it as she stumbled a little. Rubbing her pounding head away, she looked back at the downed ponies. She sighed.

“Kiwi. Load them up in the chariot and let’s haul them back for a decontamination.” She sniffed once and scrunched her muzzle disgustedly. “And probably a sun bath too.”

Macarole sat behind his desk, a panel opened in front of him. The latest chapter of Particle Mare has been released and he was ever excited to finally figure out that Particle Mare herself having a sister that was created by an arch rival to her creator. The confrontation, the action, the speeches. Everything screamed Particle Mare. And he was very excited to see the author making her go back to what she was intended for. He admits that the last few chapters were… disappointing. But in any case, it was a nice seeing the old Particle Mare back.

While halfway reading through another action scene, his door to his office slid open and in walked Borealis. Macarole smiled.

“Borealis! Come in! I’m just about done with the latest chapter of Particle Mare.” He said. Borealis smiled and entered.

‘Nice to see his interest in the series hasn’t diminished.’ She thought. But that was not she was here for. She gave a salute.

“Master. We have an update on those three ponies that you were interested in.” she said. Macarole smiled and clapped his hooves.

“Excellent! Please, show me what you have.” He said. Borealis tapped a button on her hoof panel and a floating spherical objet with a strange bug eye design and tiny legs dangling under it floated out from behind her. It gave a metallic purr before suddenly projecting images in front of the stallion. Macarole smirked, feeling his inner child increasing in excitement. The images were cropped and enhanced during the motion blur, revealing an auto chariot being shot at and returning fire at the Jumpers.

“NDS had detained one of them for a brief period of time before the other two broke him out. While fleeing the scene and the town, the Jumpers we had assigned to Detrot took action.” She sighed. “But as you can see, they were…” the images flickered, revealing three of the four Jumper vehicles flipping over or exploding. “Eradicated.” Macarole smiled.

“Interesting. To best one of our own militia with just sheer instincts? These three are really making me hungry for their interactions.” He said. Borealis remained stoic. However, she questioned the motive of the stallion.

“And not only that, master. It appears that they had also repaired the antenna around the Detrot area.” Macarole tapped his hooves in thought as she continued. “Our drone spotted them leaving the area before…” she hesitated. Macarole smirked.

“Please, my dear. You mustn’t let our faults prevent you from telling me. If anything, our faults are proof that we are ever so close in perfecting them for future endeavors.” Borealis eased a little before nodding.

“Erm… the last place we’ve seen them was near the border between Detrot and Filly Delphia. After that, we had some unknown interference and lost the signal.” Macarole arched an amused brow.

“Did they know they were being followed?” he asked. Borealis shook her head.

“Negative. The drone’s cloaking has been stable and active ever since the Deadeye scouting.” Boeralis blinked in confusion when Macarole suddenly built up into a laugh. Taking a moment to collect himself, he gave her a wide grin that she was all too familiar with.

“This is excellent news, Borealis. You have been doing a splendid job!” he said. Borealis remained stoic. But for some reason, her personality chip was registering something that she didn’t think it could have. What was this feeling? It wasn’t something she was used too or have done before. In any case, Borealis nodded. “Now then, I think it is time to unveil our next course of action.” He stood up and walked over to the window overlooking the sprawling city of Artellia. “The construction of the lower class area has been a receiving all around positive reports. And we have our own talented DJ for that.” There was a knock on the door. Borealis turned to see a flame colored earth pony stallion with a flaming spiked back mane and wearing a pre-ware hoodie that had a cute design of a graphic pony with electric colored mane and wearing vinyl shades on a silhouette of the pony. “And speak of the devil.”

“You wanted to see me?” the pony asked, seeing Borealis and giving her a cool smile.

“Indeed I did, Record Scratch.” Macarole motioned to a seat in front of his desk. The pony took it and kicked back.

“I’ve got to say.” Record Scratch spoke as he looked around the office. “You’re old man was quite the collector. I never thought one of my own sponsors would invite me in here.” Macarole smiled.

“I must apologize for the sudden invitation. But I have a bit of information to share. A… scoop if you will.” Record Scratch perked up a bit.

“Oh?” he replied.

“Of course, if you are willing to go through with leaving the safety of Aretllia.” He said. Record Scratch shrugged.

“Not the first time I’ve left.” He said. Macarole nodded.

“Yes, I do recall you being an… illegal before becoming a sensation.” Record Scratch didn’t show it, but the mention of it stung like a bug bear. He knew as far as politics and secret organizations go, he has seen his fair share of exposition to matters involving him and his past snooping.

‘Hell, I’m just glad that I still have my neck in place.’ He thought before sighing. “Alright, I’m in.” Macarole nodded.

“Quite the adventurer. Now then, I want you to find these three.” The sprite drone hovered over and displayed the images. “I want you to gather as much information as possible on them. I can tell you that two of them come from the underground while the third is an unregistered android. Also, the former are from the underground.” Record Scratch studied the images, his curiosity getting the better of them.

‘Ponies unregistered in the network and one of them is a pegasus this far out?’ He looked past the images to see a grinning Macarole. The stallion gave off so many bad vibes to the young DJ that is made him shiver a bit. However, he wasn’t getting paid to hear him out. Record Scratch leaned forward. “I’m listening.” Macarole chuckled.

“Perfect.” He said. Borealis watched the two discuss the matter. A flash of the image of her creator telling her about Master Macarole’s childlike demeanor. She was happy to be praised by the pony. And yet, she couldn’t help but worry at the same time.

‘This pony is going to be the savior of Equianity. But…’ She zoomed in on the images of ponies in the auto chariot. ‘Perhaps I need a checkup before heading out… I’m sure this next mission will go as planned.’

Author's Notes:

Excerpt from: The Eighth Wonder

Aretilla is one of the many metropolises in Equestria that have been around during the Great Metropolitan Race. They were the go to HUBs for bigger businesses and dealings as well as providing the maximum entertainment for those just wanting to escape reality. Aretilla is the second biggest metropolis to ever have been created to rival the Neighsians own metropolis.