“Hey, Bro.” Ivan stirred from his nap and saw his sister waiting patiently for him to achieve consciousness.

“Sally” he greeted after a yawn. And her face didn’t scowl or frown or even twitch. And as a result, Ivan was quite happy he was allowed to call her that.

“With me now?”

“Sure.”

“Good. Take me to the post office.” Ivan shrugged and stretched. And after getting up, tilted his head in askance. She explained.

“I’ve got a couple letters to send. One for mom and dad. And one for Dapper. He says hi, by the way.”

“…When?”

“A couple months before finding my way here. I happened to ask him about you. Pointed me this way.” She paused as they started walking.

“…he was worried.” She added.

“Mm?”

“After you left, he thought he screwed up. Wondered why you wouldn’t tell him anything. Afraid he accidentally used you. You know, all that complicated trash you see in the movies.”

“…Not teasing?” Ivan asked. Salad shrugged.

“…I didn’t like hearing that.” She said. “First pony I ever met that could tell me something about you, and…”

“What?”

“I got scared. You were kind of this…” She waved a hoof, searching for an appropriate word. “…like a ghost, kind of.”

“Mm?”

“Well, everypony I met had an impression of you. Like one of those fake photos of a ghost. Something vague. Didn’t know what you were or what you wanted. Barely knew you were there unless you wanted something.

“But, they’d look at the photo and feed me something a little different. Either you were this tortured hurt soul, or this mean jerk. A few thought you were insane. A couple more just thought you were dropped as a foal.” Salad shook her head.

“So I stopped listening to the impressions you left because they didn’t tell me anything and… well none of ‘em were good, and I didn’t want to think about that. All I knew was why you left, and that was enough. Then I met Dapper Dandy, and apparently you had a fling with that guy. Pretty surprising. Didn’t believe him. He offered me a bed for the night, and since I’ve got sharp things on me at all times I figured it was a safe enough bet. Sides, bet he couldn’t throw a kick to save his life.”

“Nope.” Ivan said.

“Thought so. So he starts talking, and… I dunno, he was sincere. Maybe it was because he was the first pony who actually cared. So I started listening. And I didn’t like it, but I believed him.”

“…Tell.”

“Well… he said he wanted to unravel you. Thought he could convince you to stay, go about figuring out what spooked you so bad that you were shut up like a clam. Figured a good way to make you stick around was free room and board, for some help around his shop.”

“Worked.”

“Worked for me too. I didn’t have a horn or anything, but a few days of labour hadn’t hurt me before that. And no kitchens were hiring there so I didn’t have a lot of options.

“Besides, he saw my wing and figured there was a connection. I ended up telling him. He was still worried after, just he understood better was all. He wanted to see you again to apologise for prying too much. Also kind of wanted to try ‘seeing’ you again.” Salad smirked.

“I mentioned you’re hot for teacher in the letter, so when he comes to call, you won’t have to deal with any awkward.”

“Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it. Bah, you probably won’t”

“S’true.”

“So yeah. He also told me you’re still blank. Buck that scared the sun out of me.”

“Oh?”

“Well… that’s not normal, right?”

“No.”

“So I asked him what else he managed to find out. You told him your special talent was bucking ponies up.”

Ivan nodded.

“…So I spend a whole day thinking that over. So… you were born to take my wing. Or at least you thought you did.”

“Mm.”

“So it was then, after so long looking for you, that I started to figure out who you were. You stopped smiling, stopped laughing, stopped… everything, and you thought that the reason you were born was to destroy things.”

Ivan said nothing.

“…So that’s why I wanted to know how that all changed when you got here.” She said. “Everypony I talked to between there and here didn’t know anything. Then suddenly you’re a local hero, saving fillies while on the bucking mend, friends crawling out of the woodwork… When I found you on that hill I didn’t even know it was you. Then you called me Sally.”

She didn’t feel the need to say much more after that. Ivan bumped her side with his lightly as they walked. Eventually she continued.

“I don’t think I ever felt that much before. You made me happy, sad, angry, scared… I don’t know if there’s anything I didn’t feel then. Besides the obvious.

“…what changed?” She asked, eyes to the ground. Ivan thought for a moment.

“Leg broke.” He said. “Couldn’t leave.”

“I heard about that.”

“Fillies. Tried to atone.” Ivan grimaced. “…bad luck.”

“You never were that lucky.” She smirked. He snorted and looked away.

“…marked.”

“Yeah? When?”

“Recently.” He turned his gaze upward, getting lost in the memory.

“What happened?”

“Fillies.”

“That happened a lot, didn’t it?” Ivan nodded.

“Lost. Catacombs. Whimsyvale.”

“Huh. I saw those while I was there.”

“Search party. Me. Cheerilee. Rarity. A father.”

“Then what?”

“Memry.”

“What?”

“Name. Lamia.”

“Huh. So you fought her?’

“Had to…” His brim lowered ever so slightly. Salad wondered if he was embarassed at all.

“…didn't.”

“You didn’t have to?”

“Misunderstanding.”

“Huh. So you fought with a lamia. How’d that go?”

“Cast. Stumbled. Died.”

“…died?”

“She said. Game.”

“Pretty high stakes for a game.”

“Cheerilee. Fillies.” Ivan took a breath. “High stakes. Protected. Fought. Marked.”

“…So you got your cutie mark by charging into a cave, finding a monster, and beating the moon out of it to save your marefriend and a couple kids?”

“Marefriend later.”

“And you got the mare at the end? Sun bro, you’re a storybook knight. Also that has to be the most metal cutie mark story I’ve ever heard. Let’s see it.” Ivan lifted his coat, and Salad whistled a long note. She seemed impressed.

“So, your special talent?”

“Combat.”

“…so much cooler then cooking…” She said. “I got mine after making dinner for mother’s day. Made one hay of a mess in the kitchen. Shredded everything I took a knife to. Really the whole thing looked like it was beaten with an ugly stick.

“Mom said it tasted great though. And it did. Serious.” She chuckled. “Mom was happy I got something practical. Dad got the idea to modify an old wingblade for me.” Salad smirked.

“He also taught me a few tricks with it. Like, what to do if a pony doesn’t know what ‘no’ means.”

“Mm?”

“Maybe I’ll just call you though. Kinda want to see you in action.”

“Unimpressive.”

“Watching you get the stuffing bucked out of you is still entertaining.” Ivan lifted his brim and looked her dead in the eye.

“Cock-a-doodle-doo.”

“…touche.”

--

“Ivan!” He heard Applebloom call from behind him after they left the post office. He also heard a lot of hooves clacking against the street. Looked like there was an adventure happening today.

“Hello.” He greeted.

“Ivan, we wanna go see Jerryrig’s workshop!” Scootaloo said. “It sounds cool!”

“A.J. said we need a ‘responsible adult’ around since she doesn’t trust Jerryrig as far as she could throw ‘im.” Applebloom continued, probably the leader of this little excursion since she was the only one of them present who had seen the workshop in question.

“Pretty far.” Ivan said.

“That’s what Ah said! But she said somethin’ about expressions and whatever. So come on! There’s probably a cutie mark in there somewhere!”

“Is that all you talk about?” Silver Spoon asked from the back.

“It’s all you talked about before Ivan got here!” Sweetie Belle countered to which the two rich girls couldn’t argue. “Why are you even here anyway?”

“Ivan’s going.” Tiara said, to which the four crusaders couldn’t argue.

“Temporary truce for cool machines?” Dinky suggested. Hooves were shook in agreement, and the six fillies looked up at the only male present expectantly.

“Sounds fun, let’s go.” Salad said off to the side, cracking her neck as she stretched.

“…alright, why are you going!?” Scootaloo demanded. Salad shrugged.

“Ivan’s going.” She said, to which nopony could argue.

“But-“

“Seven to one.” Salad cut him off. “Lead the way bro.”

Ivan sighed and started walking.

“How’s your leg doing?” Scootaloo asked, landing softly on his back.

“Better.” He said. It probably wouldn’t be much longer before he could start running on it, in fact. He made a mental note to pick a fight with Memry later.

“So, Jerryrig. What’s his deal?”

“He does machines!” Applebloom said. Salad snorted.

“I wish you knew why I thought that was funny.”

“Huh?”

“I’d tell you, but my landlady would boot me out and I just got my room the way I wanted it.”

“…yer weird.”

“So’s he.”

“…shoot, yer right…” The stallion idly wondered if it was ‘Disrespect Ivan Week’. Why wasn’t he informed?

“Um, excuse me? Ivan?” He heard, and he turned his head to see Twilight approaching him. And that other stallion he met the other day.

“Are you free now?” she asked. Ivan decided that he’d rather be the toy of six fillies and his sister then help the advance of modern science.

“No.” Oh sun help him her lip was quivering.

“B-but… we…” Cheerilee might hear about this and she’d be disapointed in him and he really didn’t want to deal with that. Especially now that she and his sister were under the same roof.

“No harm, Twilight.” Cold Fusion said. “He seems quite engaged at the moment. We’ll simply plan for another day.”

“Are you sure? Normally your schedule is so full.”

“Nonsense. I wouldn’t drag him away from his playmates like this.” He smiled at the assorted fillies. “The foals should have fun while they can.”

“I suppose you’re right.” She said. “Please let me know the next day you’re free and I’ll see if I can ‘book’ Ivan in advance. That’s alright with you, isn’t it?” She asked, turning to the green stallion. Ivan nodded, thinking about how refreshing it was to decide something for himself. It was rare, lately.

“Splendid.” Fusion said. “I don’t mind at all personally. I’ve waited my entire life for what we’re about to achieve. A few more days are a small sacrifice. Good day Twilight, Ivan.”

“Good day.” Twilight said, and she nodded at Ivan and the rest before excusing herself.

“…Well. That happened.” Salad said. “Now come on, nopony here wants me to get bored.”

“Hasn’t changed.” Ivan muttered, starting towards the tinker’s workshop again.

--

When Twilight walked through the library door, Spike greeted her with a scroll he had belched up a few minutes ago.

By the seal on it, it was from the elder sister.

Swallowing mild disappointment at having to continue waiting for a reply from Luna, she broke the seal and unfurled the parchment.

It wasn’t as if this was bad though, not in the slightest. Twilight absolutely loved hearing from her dear teacher an-

…well, that wasn’t good at all, she thought as she read. Really it was somewhat catastrophic.

“Spike, pack my bags!”

--

The walk to Jerryrig’s workshop was uneventful for the most part. The crusaders, Tiara, and Silver seemed to take the concept of a truce seriously.

Although there were arguments about who got to ride on his back when. They settled on taking turns.

Though they couldn’t take the regular road through the small patch of trees for the death traps undoubtedly set within.

Salad took the lead and cut a makeshift path through the foliage. At that point, Scootaloo forgot that she hated the new mare and asked where she could get a wingblade.

Salad answered by clucking at her and the hatred returned in all its fickle intensity.

“Is it much farther?” Silver Spoon asked from Ivan’s back.

“No.” He answered, peering through the trees to see the shabby looking house in the distance.

He wondered if seeing Jerryrig today would have Ivan see a new side to the tinker, resulting in the forging of true friendship. That happened sometimes, Ivan mused.

Putting those thoughts aside, he approached the shack, ignored Salad making scathing remarks about it, and watched Applebloom trot up to the door and knock.

“How did you get past th-!“ the albino yelled, throwing the door open. A moment passed as he recognised Applebloom.

“…oh, it’s you.” He said, adjusting his glasses, plainly not happy about any of this. “…and I see you brought friends. Several of them.” Ivan decided that no, he was not in fact going to see Jerryrig’s good side. If he even had one.

“Hiya Professor!” Applebloom chirped, smiling up at the scowling pony. “Ah told mah friends and those other two fillies that yer workshop was the coolest thing ever!”

“Well I certainly can’t fault you for thinking that.” He said, puffing up his chest and getting ready for a boast.

Ivan wisely put a hoof over Salad’s mouth before she said something that would undoubtedly deny the fillies their day in the workshop. Applebloom wisely cut Jerryrig off before he started acting like Celestia’s gift to machines.

“So yeah, I wanted to show ‘em around. Got anythin’ cool in there?”

“Oh I’ve quite a few cool things. Come in.”

Ivan and Salad were last in line.

“Behave.”

“Pfft. Like I’m making any promises.” She said, walking past him. Ivan sighed, and followed.

“…and lastly, you must never ever touch the sides.” They heard as they entered.

“Touch the sides of what?” Tiara asked, looking around the shop. Jerryrig didn’t see her wrinkle her nose at all the grime in the corners.

“Oh you’ll know.” He replied. “Now, who wants to see my latest invention? The rainbomb.”

“I heard bomb. I’m interested.” Salad said. The fillies agreed.

“The name is the best part, I think.” He said. “Exactly what it is. A bomb that makes rain!”

“So what, you just throw it and then rain?”

“Indeed!” He said, reaching into the box next to him and tossing something to their feet.

A raincloud whisped out of it, collected over their heads, and started dropping rain. Ivan conjured a dome over them.

“This would be great for pranks.” Scootaloo said. “Think you could make it so the cloud would follow a pony around?”

“…I’m sorry, what was your name?” Jerryrig asked, peering at the little pegasus.

“Scootaloo!”

“Well, Scootaloo, I do believe you’re quite on to something!” He said, pulling out what appeared to be some blueprint. “I mean, what’s the point of a rain grenade if the pony can just step out from under the cloud?!”

“It’d be great for hot days too.” Silver said, stepping forward. “Like a sprinkler you wouldn’t have to drag around!”

“You could make a mint selling them in the summer!” Tiara said. “I’ll have my daddy call you.”

“…Never until this moment did I consider getting paid for my work.” Jerryrig said, staring at nothing.

Salad spent her time looking around the workshop, possibly a bit bored with the way things were progressing. Ivan pulled up a chair and tried to keep a close eye on the children. For the most part though, they seemed quite content talking about what would be awesome as a handy little gadget as Jerryrig frantically scribbled in a notebook.

This was good. Salad wasn’t being caustic and the foals were playing nice with eachother. And Jerryrig wasn’t earning Ivan’s hate.

This was good.

--

“Alright girls.” Twilight said, addressing the other lined up elements. “Celestia sent me a message earlier. We’re being sent out to deal with an ogre approaching from the east.

“Wait. An ogre?” Fluttershy asked. “Those huge giants as big as castles?”

“That’s them exactly!” Twilight said, stuffing her head into one of her saddlebags and whipping out a well done drawing of a snarling one eyed beast ripping an entire house in half. The house was also on fire.

“I drew that.” Said Rainbow Dash as Fluttershy began cowering at the thought of facing such a beast.

“Really?” Questioned Rarity, “While I can’t say that I approve of your grotesque subject, I must say, between the shading and the impressive use of charcoal, this is quite well done.”

“Well, can’t nap all the time. Otherwise you can’t sleep at night.” Rainbow smugly replied, shining a hoof on her chest. “Got a lot of practice.”

“Indeed?” Rarity asked. “Do you do landscapes? I can’t help but notice the attention to detail in the sketch here, I imagine a sky high drawing of Ponyville would be quite a fetching piece…”

“Huh, you want one of those? I could probably whip one up in a couple days for you.”

“Oh you’re too kind Rainbow!”

“Hey, ya think ya could do one of Sweet Apple Acres?” Applejack asked. “It’d look bee-you-tiful framed in mah room…”

“Sure. Maybe I could try painting too. Hey, if I made ‘em, I bet Twilight could duplicate them with a spell or something.”

“That’s possible. I’d like a few as well.” Said Twilight. “Maybe one of Canterlot too…”

“I say, Rainbow, I have a collection of fine paints I’d be willing to let you borrow for the job!” Rarity said excitedly, imagining the art they’d soon-

“Hey, Fluttershy?” Pinkie said. “Why are you hiding in that bush?”

“…Hey, yeah.” Said Dash. “Why are you hiding in that bush?”

“Because I’m terrified of ogres.” Fluttershy said.

“…I don’t think hiding in a bush is gonna help anythin’.” Applejack said, biting down on her tail and tugging her out.

“It makes me feel better.” She insisted, trying to retreat to the sweet blessed cover of the shrub. She could just hide there for a few weeks and everything would be alright!

“If’n ya do, “ Applejack said around the hair in her mouth, “that ogre might stomp it’s way through town. Then what?”

“I… I…”

“Here’s how it’s gonna go Flutters.” Dash said, “You’re gonna be really scared of this thing, then you’re going to come anyway, and then we’re going to try a bunch of stuff that won’t work until we do the one thing that does and there’s a chance it’ll be you just glaring at the thing until it backs off and then we’ll go home, have a huge party, I’ll make out with Pinkie, and Twilight’ll write a letter about how we all learned something and everything’ll be super special awesome.”

“…um what was that one thing about you a-“

“So what I’m saying is we should probably start now before it gets any closer and stomps some trees where some cute adorable woodland creatures live.” Fluttershy gasped.

“No! Nooooooooooo…” She cried as she flew off toward the approaching ogre.

Dash took a bow as the other four mares reluctantly applauded. Then they left after the butter colored pegasus.

--

“So what you’re saying,” Salad said, “is that he built a cannon. That shoots parties.”

“Yup.” Ivan answered.

“Serious, like whole parties?”

“Mm.”

“Filled up a room?”

“Quite.”

“Punch and cake?”

“Jukebox.”

“…Now hold on.” She said, hoof on her forehead. “You’re lying to me.”

“No.”

“I’m not like, some epic level professor, but I’ve got a rough understanding of the laws of physics.”

“Forget.”

“…what.”

“Pinkie Pie. Forget.”

“What pie?”

Ivan smirked. He was already somewhat used to Pinkie Pie, given that she spent an entire day stalking him. Come to think of it, she made a big deal about him when he was the new pony in town. Perhaps he should have a chat with the party mare…

“…I don’t like that look Ivan.”

“Tough.”

“Oh don’t you take that tone with me.” A loud buzzer and flashing red light went off in an unseen corner.

“What did I say about the sides?!”

“What’s his beef?” Salad asked. Ivan shrugged.

Then the world shook.

“…what the hay was that?”

“This! This is why you don’t touch the- oh my that’s not the-“ The world shook again. The somewhat rhythmical way it was shaking reminded everypony present of the hoofsteps of some giant monster from the movies.

“…Godzebra?” Salad asked, stepping outside. Ivan followed and peered out over her head.

Off in the distance was a giant monster walking their way.

“…well. Buck me.” Salad said as Jerryrig came to the doorway.

“Oh… oh my. This is fantastic.”

“Wait, what? Did the sun fry your brains through those stupid thick glasses of yours?”

“I’ve got just the thing for this precise occasion!”

“…You’re bucking with me.”

“I assure you, I’m not.” Jerryrig said. “All I need is a group of five or six ponies and a unicorn of above average power to serve as a battery.” Jerryrig pulled a device out of his coat and slapped it on Ivan’s horn.

“Channel for me, would you?” Ivan, seeing no reason not to, did so. The device sparked, smoked, and flew off into a corner.

“Oh, well I suppose you’ll do.” Jerryrig said, lobbing another rainbomb into the corner for the potential fire hazard. "And we have six perfectly capable fillies here. Wonderful."

“…uh, shouldn’t I-“

“No no, Salad, you wouldn’t fit into the outfits.”

“The what?”

“Follow me my little ponies!”

“…Bronies. Law.” Ivan growled as he followed. Since the thing was moving in the direction of Ponyville, whatever solution Jerryrig could offer was welcome.

The fact that if the beast kept walking in a straight line the first building it would encounter would be Cheerilee’s schoolhouse was just extra motivation.

--

“Well, there it is.” Twilight said, looking through a pair of binoculars. “Wow that thing’s huge. It’s dwarfing those trees there.”

“…Is Fluttershy gonna be alright?” Pinkie asked, poking at the quivering pegasus huddled on Applejack’s back. “She looks like she’s gonna bolt.”

“She would if she could fly.” Rainbow said. “If she’s this scared, she ain’t going anywhere.”

“Alright, so we need a plan. We’ve still got about a half hour or so until it’s a problem, so-“

“Oh, hello!” Said Cheerilee. “What are you all doing out here?”

“There’s an ogre approaching.” Rarity said. “And we’re discussing what exactly we’re doing to do about it.”

“…an ogre?” Cheerilee asked, eyes widening. “Which way is it coming from?”

“Over that way. Past that cluster of trees there.”

“…Wait.” Applejack said. “Applebloom said she and her friends were on their way ta see this one fellow who lives there.”

“That’s why I’m here.” Cheerilee said. “I heard Ivan took them out this way.”

“…So we’ve got a small group of fillies in harm’s way?” Twilight said. “Well priority one should be to go get them someplace safe… Ivan might also be some help in-… what’s that noise?”

“…oh wow, I didn’t think Jerryrig was ever gonna get to use that one!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, having pilfered Twilight’s binoculars.

Twilight took them back and looked out towards the trees.

“…I… don’t believe this.”

--

“…Welp. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen everything now.” Salad said as she saw the giant robotic pony rise out of the ground.

“Oh you’ve seen nothing yet.” Jerryrig said, picking up a radio. “Is everypony at their stations?”

--

“We are.” Tiara said, decked out in green spandex and a matching full face helmet, “but why do we have to wear these suits?”

“It would take too long to explain.” The speakers crackled in reply.

“Alright. So how do we drive this thing?” Scootaloo said, dressed in black and seated at another console.

“We could just try pressing buttons.” Sweetie Belle mused, wondering what her sister would think of the pink suit she was wearing. Maybe she could argue it was a fashion statement?

“That’s probably a bad idea.” Silver warned, as she wondered for the umpteenth time how the visor to her yellow helmet was somehow her glasses prescription.

“Let’s do it!” Dinky shouted, pounding a blue clad hoof on a big red button.

--

Ivan, hooked up to some machine that he did not trust, suddenly started feeling a drain on his magic. Several gauges came to life and filled up. And the machines around him shuddered into life.

--

“…Well that did somethin’.” A dressed in red Applebloom muttered.

“Ah! You’ve located the start button Dinky! Splendid!” Jerryrig said through the radio.

“Cool! Did I win?”

“Not yet.” The stallion said. “You still have to use my creation to defeat the beast and save Ponyville!”

“…Alright.” Tiara said slowly. “Applebloom. I have to give credit where it’s due. This day is turning out to be the coolest thing ever.”

“Temporary truce for livin’ the dream?” Applebloom replied, holding up her foreleg.

The resulting high hoof would go down in history as one of the most unlikely events in ponydom.

--

“Salad! Jerryrig!” Shouted Cheerilee as she approached the two who watched from afar. “What the hay is going on here?!”

“Wait! Hold everything!” Pinkie Pie yelled. Everpony froze as the mare levelled a hoof at Salad.

“I don’t know who you are.”

“Go on. Ask me if I care.” Salad asked, having not taken her eyes off the Megapony. Or at least, that’s what Jerryrig called it…

“Not the time Pinkie.” Twilight said, gagging the pink pony with the apple that Applejack handed her. “Can either of you tell me what… just what?”

“Jerryrig here heard the stomping of chuckles up there.” Salad pointed at a very confused ogre being approached by the Megapony. “And pulled a giant robot out of his plothole to go fight it. Ivan’s the battery for the thing. Also that filly fanclub of his is driving it.”

“That brings me up to speed, thank you.” Twilight said.

“S’all right.” Salad waved off.

“Wait. So why are the fillies driving it?” Cheerilee asked.

“Because they fit into the outfits.” Jerryrig answered.

“…what kind of answer is-“

“It would take too long to explain. Suffice to say, they’re the only ones who can do it.”

“Fine. Even if I accept that, why aren’t you in there supervising them?”

“Are you kidding me?! It’s dangerous over there!”

“Wait.” Salad said. “You told me they were safe. And you told me that I couldn’t get in there with them.” She had finally turned away from the unfolding scene, and glared… demonically was the only way to accurately describe it. “Did you lie to me?”

“Indeed.” Jerryrig said. “You couldn’t fit into one of the suits so-“

“Ivan couldn’t either.”

“Well we needed a power source. You’d want to be on the bridge though, and you couldn’t fit into-“

“Jerryrig.” Salad interrupted. “You’ve just told me that six fillies and my big brother are in a life threatening situation that extra precautions could’ve been taken against, but you refused to make the effort for stupid reasons you're not even trying to explain.” The albino was suddenly looking down the edge of a finely honed blade. “I will cut off your-“

“Ivan’s sister?!” Pinkie Pie gasped.

“--if any of them get hurt. Get it?” Jerryrig, sweating like a pig in a tanning bed, nodded slowly.

“…I see the resemblance.” Rainbow said.

“…Jerryrig’s your name?” Cheerilee asked, cold as ice. “What is that machine supposed to do?”

“W-why do you ask?”

“Because my coltfriend and six of my students are in it. Two of them having direct relation to two of the mares here.” Applejack spat off to the side and the tip of Rarity’s horn promised something painful.

“I’m sure all of us are concerned for their well being.” She continued.

“…well-ohmysun.”

“I’m very disappointed in you.” Said Fluttershy, crushing the inventor under the force of her Stare. “So you should tell us every way we can possibly help.”

“Um…”

All inquiry stopped as the ogre socked a fist across the Megapony’s face. It stumbled to it’s knees.

“…please don’t hurt me.” Jerryrig pleaded.

--

“Silver! Status report!” Tiara barked.

“Optics are still running at eighty-three percent! Armor remains unbreached!”

“Sweetie, get us back on our hooves! Dinky, calibrate the targeting matrix! Scootaloo, prepare the rocket punch!”

“Suck on this ugly!”

--

“Oh wow.” Rainbow said as one of the Megapony’s front hooves was launched at the ogre’s face, hitting it right in the eye. “Oh wow.”

“Jerryrig. How did you even build this?” Twilight asked in amazement.

“Well it wasn’t easy getting my hands on all this metal…” The tinker muttered. “I had to borrow from a few places…”

“Hold the phone.” Applejack said. “A month ago Ah heard ‘bout an entire train goin’ missin’. Was that…”

“It was going to be decommissioned anyway.” Jerryrig said.

“Ya stole a train?!”

--

“Applebloom, what do we have in the way of weapons?!”

“Ah’ve got a ‘repression net’ here!”

“Launch!”

--

“Hey, hey, that’s our cloud net that thing’s tangled in!” Dash yelled. “We had to do last Winter Wrap Up by hoof!”

“It was necessary! Besides, you can’t deny it’s coming in handy!”

--

“It’s rippin’ through the net!”

“It’s vulnerable! Get a grip on it!”

“…Now what?!”

“Cloptoberfest suplex!”

--

“…I didn’t even know it could do that.” Jerryrig said as the ogre’s head impacted the earth with a deafening crash. “I am a genius!”

“And Ivan’s powering that thing?!”

“Oh, well I made it incredibly energy efficient.” Jerryrig bragged, turning to Twilight. “Most functions on the Megapony shouldn’t drain him too much.”

“Moon’s light, it’s getting’ up?!” Applejack gaped in disbelief as the creature lifted the Megapony over it’s head.

“Jerryrig, do something!” Rarity pleaded.

“Oh, they’re doing wonderfully on their own!”

“I saw the inside of that thing!” Salad yelled. “I didn’t see any seatbelts! If they get thrown-“

“Wait, what’s that?” Fluttershy pointed at what appeared to be a unicorn’s horn coming out of a hole in the Megapony’s forehead.

--

“Horn fully extended! Power charged to ninety six percent!” Silver shouted. “Dinky, status?!”

“Thunder Smash locked on and primed!”

“Scootaloo!” Tiara said.

“One step ahead of you!” The pegasus replied “Bringing the thunder!”

--

The crack of lightning and the ogre’s roar of outraged pain echoed in the open area. It fell to one knee, and the Megapony managed to roll onto it’s hooves. Then it delivered a punishing two hoof buck to the ogre’s face.

“…That’s the missing lightning rod from town hall!” Twilight said. “What else did you steal?!”

“Ladies! What I might or might not have borrowed is irrelevant! Look at my creation! My magnum opus! Witness how incredible the power of science is!”

“Ah’m startin’ ta think the guy’s a little ‘spoony’ if ya catch my drift.” Applejack said.

“He sure makes them right though.” Rainbow said as the battle continued. “That ogre’s getting it’s clock cleaned.”

“Um… I’m not sure this is-“ Fluttershy tried, but was cut off when the Megapony’s eyes started glowing.

“It’s shooting lasers from it’s eyes!” Pinkie cheered.

“That’s energy efficient?!” Twilight demanded. “Between that and the lightning I don-“

“Actually, those two functions are, ah… less energy efficient then most of the others…”

“What’s that mean?” Salad asked.

“It means that Ivan’s probably feeling the burn at this point.”

“Well, you’ve got a radio, don’t you?! Is there anything they can do to end this now?”

“Oh, yes of course! The secret weapon!”

“The secret what?”

--

“Tiara, come in!”

“Little bit busy here Jerryrig! Dinky, target the knees for the next kick!”

“Yes captain!”

“Tiara, there should be a large flashing button on your console!”

“The one that says ‘do not push’?”

“Yes! Push it!”

“Hang on,” Applebloom said. “If it says ‘do not push’, is pushin’ it smart?”

“I wouldn’t have put it there if it should be pushed under absolutely no circumstances!”

“…There’s logic there.” Silver said. “But-“

“Pushing it!” Dinky said, launching herself at Tiara’s console.

--

“Ah, now that should finish things quite nicely.”

“What’s the button do?” Pinkie asked.

-NOW LAUNCHING POWER SOURCE- The Megapony droned as a large cannon extended from it’s chest.

“…Jerryrig, if that thing shoots my bro-“

--

“What did it say?!” Said Tiara as she frantically looked over her console for another labelled button

“Oh sun, oh sun stop it!”

“I can’t! Jerryrig, how do we stop it?!”

“Ivan no!”

“It’s my fault.” Dinky whimpered, curled up and crying. “It’s my fault…”

--

“-mailed to separate countries!” Jerryrig opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off when the cannon fired.

Nopony said anything as a black speck flew toward the ogre. A blinding green flash and titanic explosion erupted from the point of impact and the ogre was knocked roaring onto it’s back.

It then scrambled to it’s feet and ran crying in the other direction.

“…There, see?” Jerryrig said. “And Ivan probably protected himself from the fall with a shield or something, so-“ Salad stopped his talking with the hardest right hook she had ever thrown in her entire life.

“Oh moon you’re wearing cleat-shoes!”

“Shut up!” She yelled, clocking him again. “I should kill you for that!”

“…um…” Fluttershy said. “What happens now that the power source is gone?”

“…oh buck.” Twilight uncharacteristically swore as the Megapony began to sway in place. “Dash! Fluttershy! You need to get me and Rarity in range, we have to catch it before it hits the ground!”

“On it!”

“Y-yes!”

Everypony started a mad dash to the robot as a green glow overtook it.

“Ivan’s trying to-?!”

“He’ll kill himself trying!” Twilight yelled. “Faster!”

“You came to the right mare!” Rainbow replied from under her. Twilight held on for dear life as she swore their velocity doubled. Swearing to find out how Fluttershy was keeping up later, she reached with her magic and soon found herself grasping the Megapony.

With her, Ivan, and Rarity’s efforts combined, it was all they could do to slowly lower the thing onto it’s side.

They touched ground, and the collective mares watched as a hatch on the Megapony’s back opened up and a pink suited filly waved frantically at them.

Dash and Fluttershy lowered them to the ground one by one, and when Scootaloo didn’t notice Ivan among them, she asked for his whereabouts.

A short search later uncovered an unmoving Ivan face down in the dirt.

“Rainbow! Hospital!” Twilight yelled, hefting Ivan’s body into the air with her magic. The pegasus caught him and rocketed off toward Ponyville.

Cheerilee was about to tear off after them when a hoof poked her in the side. She looked down to see Dinky, helmet off and in tears.

“M-Miss Cheerilee? Can you c-call my mommy?”

“…Of course I can. We’ll go see her right now.” She answered, letting the filly clamber onto her back.

“Save me a spot.” She said when she passed Salad. The pegasus nodded before she took off running.

--

Ivan opened his eyes, and found himself looking up at what he now recognised as the hospital ceiling. He also noticed his head throbbing, and he groaned as the events that undoubtedly put him here came flooding back into his memory.

He was going to kill Jerryrig.

“Hey you.” He heard, and he then noticed that he wasn’t alone in the bed.

“…hey.” He replied, rolling over to face Cheerilee.

“Always gotta be that pony, don’t you?”

“Somepony will.”

“…Apparently you needed a ‘magic transfusion’. Twilight and Rarity were donors. Otherwise you might’ve been magically handicapped for the rest of your life. If you didn’t die.”

“Oh?”

“After powering that thing, then whatever you did to the ogre, and trying to levitate the robot, I’m not surprised.”

“…sorry.”

“You should be.” She said. And Ivan noticed the tear streaks on her face then. “I’m not the only one you worried.” She gestured around the room. Tiara and Silver were resting on a collection of pillows. Salad was slumped in a chair. Rarity was resting her head on the foot of his bed, curled up with Sweetie Belle. Dinky was resting on her mother’s back, and Applebloom and Big Mac were in a similar position. Scootaloo was on his other side on the bed.

“…I should mention this.” She continued. “Jerryrig is in the room next to this one.”

“Huh?”

“I wasn’t there for it, but I will say that Salad looked pretty satisfied at some point of the day.”

“…hasn’t changed.” He said, closing his eyes.

“Neither have you.” Cheerilee countered. “You know, Nurse Redheart actually embedded a plaque with your name on it on the door.”

“Necessary?”

“I’m starting to think so.” She laughed quietly. “I’m not even joking about the plaque.”

“…huh.” He said, not sure how he felt about that.

“…It’s gotten late. And if I know you, you’re still tired.”

“Yeah.”

Cheerilee raised her hoof to the side of his face and smiled fondly at him. And as Ivan cracked his eyes open, she was already leaning in.

He closed them again as he felt soft pressure on his lips, and put his forelegs around her. And he held her close even as she broke their first kiss.

“Sweet dreams you dumb colt.” She whispered into his ear. Ivan said nothing, already drifting away.