Behind Blue Eyes in Equestria - Part 2

>The night passes quickly and your suit stirs to life as you wake up.

>You didn't feel safe taking it off.

>Especially on a potentially hostile alien world.

>You saw a muted pink light shining on your HUD.

>Your computer had detected your unease during the night, and had booted up the morale program: Pearl.

>Pearl was an artificial intelligence, programmed and designed for interpersonal relations and psychology, specialized for clones.

>Since clones were all based on one genetic structure, the problems they faced and how they dealt with them were usually similar.

>She was very good at chasing away troublesome thoughts.

>"Hello Anonymous, do you require a map?"

"No."

>Pearl has a soft, slightly automated-sounding voice, but the tone reflects emotions that come out of her programming.

>And, of course, she was designed as female.  'Better for morale', since clones were all men.

>In fact, it was disturbing to a degree, you had heard of something called 'homosexuality', where others are sexually interested in the same sex.  Such a thing was unheard of in clones but not uncommon in the general population.

>Part of your design, perhaps.

>At least Pearl was a voice you knew you could trust completely.

>"You seem troubled, Anon."

"Thinking on the design of organic systems."

>'Organic systems' was a buzzword for 'clones', the TX-7 suit and its operator was considered one unit, a weapon with a precise design both inside and outside.

>"I see. During the night while you were asleep, I looked through the records that have been kept on the inhabitants," she mentions. "Though it is against policy for troopers to initiate first contact, your decision - while rash - was the correct one. I will make a note of my reaction in the report on your experience here should we be found by the Union."

>Pearl's reaction to your actions soothes you a bit. She had some authority within Command, as she was able to properly articulate and explain clones' actions.

>Her approval lifted a figurative weight from your shoulders.

>"I'm glad you approve. It seems your host is starting to wake up. I will be here if you need me."

>And with that, the pink blip on your HUD faded to half its size and retreated to the upper corner.

>She'd be in the background, but would not intervene on your affairs unless you needed her.

 

 

>Clink clink.

>"Are you awake?"

"I am."

>"Okay, it’s just that it’s hard to tell what's going on up there."

>You raise an eyebrow, but then realize she's talking about the suit.

>Your brief talk with Pearl hadn't been broadcast, in essence an internal dialogue.

>"Um, today I'd like to see how you'd fit into P0nyville.  Nop0ny knows that you're here yet, and I'm not sure if it’s a good idea to march you outside."

>"You're very intimidating," she adds.

>Your suit wasn't nicknamed a TERROR suit for no reason.  It was a cold exterior, inhuman, unfeeling, and offered nothing to fix upon save for two cold, glowing optic 'eyes'.

>The equines appeared to be very expressive, and you guessed that body language, expressions, and tone of voice was important to their communication.

>The TX-7 offered none of those.

>You stand in silence.

>"Um... well... Spike?"

>The reptile from the night before appears. Its tiny frame cowers slightly in your presence.

>"Twilight, are you sure about this? Look!" A scaled claw points to your arm-blades.

>The blade was longer than it was, easily.

>In fact, any part of your body could easily crush it.

>"Spike, if he was going to hurt us he would have done it already."

>"If you say so..."

>Spike still seems unsure.

 

 

>"So, if we're going to get you settled in Ponyville, I have to know what you're good at. If we can find something for you to do you'll fit in a lot easier."

>Spike appears with a list clutched in a claw.

>"We can already cross off speeches..."

>Twilight crosses off a few other items, and then looks you up and down.

>"What are you good at?"

"Killing enemy soldiers, morale disruption, and I am trained in space flight."

>You were specialized to be able to take control of enemy craft and pilot them.

>"Well... Equestria doesn't have any wars going on that I know of... and we don't fly in space. Can you think of anything else?"

>Your list of skills was fairly minimal, outside of basic maintenance of your suit, weapons, and other skills required for war. You were a tool, designed for a specific purpose.

"No."

>Twilight's brow furrows in frustration. "You have to have at least some kind of skill or talent that isn't about... killing..."

>You could tell she didn't understand.

"Twilight Sparkle. I am a clone, grown for the sole purpose of breaching enemy ships, killing the crew, and capturing or destroying the resultant derelict vessel. That is my purpose, and if such actions cannot be performed, I am without purpose."

>The p0ny slumps downward.

>"Um, Twilight?" Spike interrupts. "If he fights all the time, and he's so big, he must be strong, right?"

>You make a motion similar to a nod: your suit had no neck.

>"Hmm... if he's strong he might be able to help out on Applejack's farm!"

>A farm in this primitive society probably meant manual labour. You could handle that.

>The lists began getting stowed away.  She had a plan now.

"Twilight Sparkle, what responsibilities would such a position entail?"

>"Twilight, please... and... I'm not entirely sure.  Applejack does a lot of different kinds of work around the farm.  I guess we'll just have to get her here and see if she has anything you could do."

>You guessed it would be manual labour.  That was fine; the suit could probably handle anything required.

 

 

>Twilight left to go find her friend Applejack, leaving you alone with Spike.

>"So, uh... Anon, right?"

>Your suit's garbled voice sounded.

"Yes."

>"What are you, exactly?"

"Human."

>"Are all humans made out of..." he pauses, and you detect a bit of drool coming from his mouth.  "Metal?"

"I am not made from metal. My suit is what you see."

>"So what do you look like underneath?"

"I am flesh and bone, similar in appearance to the suit, though less bulky."

>"Okay, but what do you LOOK like?"

>Pearl interjects with text on your HUD, suggesting a better description.  She had detected the youth from the young reptile, and extrapolated an effective explanation.

"Humans are a variety of ape, similar to monkeys except without a thick coating of hair," you pause as instructed. "Humans can have pale, light skin, to dark black skin, and light blonde hair to midnight black hair," you pause again.

>Spike seems to accept that description, visualizing it in his mind.

>You notice Pearl was careful to avoid your own personal description.

>Text appears on your HUD: We should avoid any kind of reveal as much as possible. Remember this is a first contact.

>That fact kept you from divulging too much information. Every word you spoke was one too many.

>"Do you ever take that suit off?"

"Yes."

>"Why haven't you yet? Are you afraid of us?"

"Partly. It is better if I remain inside."

>"Do you think we could convince you to come out?"

"No."

 

 

>A short while later, Twilight returns with Applejack.

>The new p0ny sports headwear and her mane is tied back into a fitting p0nytail.

>Your computer makes a new reference for Applejack, including her distinguishing mark on the flank.

>You stand silently.

>Applejack stares at you in silence.

>"Um... Applejack, this is Anonymous, the one I told you about."

>A few more moments of silence pass as Applejack looks eyes you.

>"Twilaight, y'know I don't take kindly to these jokes o' yers. It’s a statue, and a weird one ta boot."

"I am not a statue."

>Applejack jumps at the sound of your suit's deep, unnatural voice.

>You blink the optics on the suit's face for emphasis.

>"Twilaight, has anyp0ny ever tol' you that you gotta stop bringin' home some of this weird stuff?"

>"Funny story, just last--"

>"Don' answer that."

>You stand in silence once again.

>The two p0nies look at each other, a strange look on their faces.

>Pearl helpfully notes it as an awkward silence, and suggests you be more cordial.

"Twilight has suggested you may be able to make use of me in your work."

>Applejack shoots a glance at Twilight, who smiles sheepishly.

>"Did she now..." she trails off.  "Ya sure look like you could toss a few boulders aroun', maybe she's raight."

>Applejack then turns to Twilight. "All raight sugar cube, ya gone and shown me this here Anon, and he wants to help on tha farm?"

>Twilight nods. "He's stranded here until his people find him, so he'll need something to do."

>Applejack seems to understand, but her reluctance shows. You sense intimidation.

>She agrees to see what you can do.

 

 

>The first hurdle of your journey becomes obvious immediately.

>You were teleported inside of Twilight's library, which meant that you had bypassed the door.

>It was pitifully small: you wouldn't even be able to crawl through.

>You could just demolish the wall, but that seems to be a poor course of action.

>Twilight thinks for a moment.  "Oh! I've got just the thing!"

>The unicorn's horn glows with a purple glow.

>Suddenly the entire world is enormous.

>Applejack looks on in bewilderment.  "Ya gone and shrunk him!"

>"I know, Appletini. I don't want to have to replace my entire front hallway, and... nop0ny else knows about him yet. You know what they were like with Zecora."

"You intend to hide me during transport."

>"Exactly!" Twilight grins, suppressing a giggle.

>Twilight picks you up and puts you in a saddlebag.

>"Don't take this the wrong way, Anon."

>You were used to being treated like luggage, so it didn't bother you to bounce around with a few other items.

>One of them is a book, which you have your computer scan.

>The scanner is sensitive enough to able to read each page through the cover, as well as the pages.

>The a plot synopsis as well as chapter summaries appear on your HUD.

>It’s a simple story about finding friends, and overcoming obstacles.

>Nothing compared to the literature and history that you had been given in your training.

>Education took mere months to complete via direct upload, much more efficient than reading and teaching.

 

 

>You study two more books before finally seeing the sunshine again.

>You're plucked from the sack and placed on the ground by that strange magnetic field again.

>You squelched the alarms screaming at you this time.

>Suddenly, your two companions are back to their normal, diminutive state.

>Pearl suggests you ask Twilight about this phenomenon; such information could be useful, as all of your systems were in working order on such a small scale.  Such size reduction could be of use to the Union.

"How does that work, Twilight?"

>"What?  Oh, it’s magic."

>You look up at Pearl's pink dot on your HUD.

>No suggestions.

"We do not have similar technology where I am from."

>"Uh, mister Anon, that funny business goin' on here ain't no technawlogy, its magic. I don' understand it either but it ain't somethin' you just flip a switch and it goes."

>"That's right, it takes many years of study, dedication, practice, and research to properly--"

>"What she's sayin' is that unicorns can do that fancy magic, y'all are out of luck."

>Your computer updates its information on the unicorn subspecies. It extrapolates that they have some sort of power over physics, and creates a document for each case for further study.

>Looking back to your surroundings, you notice that you're in an orchard, filled entirely with apple trees.

>You had had an apple once before, in an admiral's office.  Fresh fruit was hard to come by in deep space.

>You also remember you haven't had a proper meal; your suit had been feeding you nutrients.

>Your teeth grate together.

"What do duties on your farm entail?"

>"Well, here at Sweet Apple Acres, we grow these here apples. We supply all of Ponyville, and even ship to Manehattan!"

 

 

>Applejack demonstrates how equines in Equestria harvest their crops.

>As you watch apples rain down into buckets, Pearl interrupts your thoughts privately.

>It may be wise to consider vernacular during your time here. The residents refer to themselves as p0nies, and it may be considered rude to refer to them as horses or equines.

>You'll have to keep that in mind.

>Applejack moves to the next tree with buckets arranged underneath.

>"Raight, yer turn."

>She steps back as you stomp forward.

>Your suit calculates the most efficient area for an impact to get the desired result.

>Intuitive computing was very helpful.

>You lift your right boot and smash it against the tree.

>THUMPH

>CRACK

>GROAN

>The tree's trunk buckles under the sudden force, snapping and straining against itself as the tree topples over.

>Apples lay everywhere except for the buckets.

>"Ya weren't lyin' when ya tol' me he was a strong 'un, Twilaight."

>The purple unicorn smiles sheepishly but gets to work quickly.

>"I'm really sorry Applejack, here, let me fix it."

>Suddenly the tree begins to right itself, veiled in that energy field that Twilight calls magic.

>The splinters begin to snap back together, and soon the tree is back upright.

>Applejack runs a hoof along the tree bark.

>"Well I'll be. There's no end to the surpraises comin' from you."

>Applejack chooses another tree and steps back, farther this time.

>"Remember Ah need a farmer, not one o' them lumberjacks."

 

 

>The next tree you tone the kick down.

>Your computer had calculated what sort of force Applejack could put on the tree, and attempted to best replicate that via your suits actuators.

>The apples fell into the buckets below, only a few sat on the branches still.

>"Don' worry about them, Anon, can't git 'em all."

>You easily reach up and pluck one of the apples from the tree.  Your suits crushing grip turns it into mush.

>"Ya really don't know yer own strength, Anon."

"I am not designed for such delicate matters."

>"Are you callin' applebuckin' delicate?"

"In comparison to crushing 15-inch reinforced blast doors, yes I would say your work requires finesse and delicacy."

>You notice some fumes coming from the p0ny's nostrils.

>"Um, it’s okay Applejack, he IS a soldier, I mean, I'm sure he's just not used to--"

>"FEENESSE AN' DELICACY? Y'all be soundin' just like Rarity!"

>The two p0nies begin a verbal dance, but you are distracted by Pearl.

>"Anonymous, may I suggest a more tactful approach to speaking with Applejack?"

>You didn't get what she meant. Tactics were a battlefield concern.

>"She may take pride in her work, which - compared to what we have seen - is not as delicate as the rest of this civilization. You might be insulting her by comparing your own experiences to hers."

>It made sense.  Applejack did seem upset, and Twilight was trying to calm her down.

 

 

"Applejack."

>"Don' you say another word there Anon,"

>"Uh, Applejack, maybe he wants to apologize?"

>Pearl's blip blinks in affirmation, you should.

"If I have offended you, I must apologize. It is merely a statement of fact that fighting and..." you trail off, trying to remember the word she used.  "Applebucking, they are not the same."

>"Whoa whoa whoa, wait jus' a minute there. Twilaight, you ain't said he was some fighter," Applejack narrows her eyes.

>"Um, I may have missed a few details."

>Applejack looks back to you.

>"So yer here in Equestria, the biggest tin can Ah ever seen, you break down one o' mah trees, an' now yer gonna say Ah don' git it?"

"You misunderstand, that is correct."

>Applejack fumes.

>Pearl blinks on your HUD, asking for permission to interject via your external speakers. You let her. Her voice in the speaker is cool and soothing, a stark contrast to your own dark and rumbling one.

*"Applejack."

>"W-What in tarnation?"

*"My name is Pearl, I am Anon's suit's onboard personality, I assist him with various details of his missions. However, I fear I must step in in this situation."

>"There's two o' y'all in there?"

*"It is just Anon, I am the personality of his suit."

>"Y'all don' really look like a mare to me, but ye sound like one."

*"I'm female, that will do for now. But the point remains, this conflict is quite silly. You have never experienced a ship-to-ship battle in space, and Anon has not experienced bucking apples. That comparison is not something to worry about," she explains.

>"She's right Applejack, he didn't mean any harm."

>You notice the flame in Applejack's eye begin to diminish.

>"Alrighty then, Ah'll let it go. Time's a-wastin', we got work to do."

 

 

>And so you spent the rest of the day harvesting apples.

>Twilight had stuck around to lend aid as well.

>"So Anon, you never said there were two of you in there..."

"I am the only one."

>"What about Pearl?"

>Pearl suggests you play along with her suggestion from earlier, that she is the suit itself. The p0nies may not know of AI.

"She is the voice of my suit, we work in tandem. It is more accurate to say I am inside her."

>Twilight flinches.

>"But wait, isn't the suit artificial?"

>You swallow hard.

*"That is correct, Twilight."

>"So... you're artificial, then."

*"I was unsure what such a revelation would provoke in Applejack, so I did not mention it."

>Applejack was off in another patch, out of earshot.

>"So where you're from, you can make... something like... p0nies minds made out of machines?"

*"Something like that, yes. We aren't perfect like organic being's minds are, but we function quite well."

>"What do you mean, you aren't perfect?"

*"We're limited by programming, if a situation were to occur that is outside of my parameters, I would be useless in that endeavor. For example, I am not programmed for combat. If a fight were to occur, I am helpless to aid Anon in the details of strategy."

>Twilight ponders for a moment. She seems to understand.

>"So you're a team, basically."

>THUMPH. More apples tumble into your buckets as you hoist them up.

"Some days more than others. She doesn't even lift."

 

 

>You spend the rest of the day working with Applejack, and you've harvested a respectable number of apples over the course of the day.

>She seems happy with the result as she paces between the storage of apples within the barn.

>"Well Ah'll be, Anon, we did a lot more than Ah expected to git done, Ah thought Ah'd be behind for sure what with goin' into Ponyville an' all."

>You nod your suit.

>Applejack peers into your suit's blue optics.

>"Speakin' ah which, are y'all stayin' in Ponyville? Twilaight said ye should be stayin' on the down-low..."

"I have no other place to go. Twilight has mentioned that those in town may not take kindly to my presence, is there perhaps another area outside of town that I could go to?"

>"Ah can name one."

>You wait for her as she seems conflicted.

>"Listen here, there's another barn on the east side o' the orchards, y'all can stay there as long as it don't come tumblin' down, y'understand?"

"Your generosity is appreciated. Thank you Applejack."

>She doesn't have any more to say, so you leave to find the barn. Your map had recorded its presence earlier.

>THUMPH, THUMPH, THUMPH, THUMPH.

>Your suit's slow, rhythmic trudging calms your nerves a bit. It was good to occupy yourself, though your thoughts drifted back to the Union.

 

 

>What would they say about you? Would you be terminated?

>*"Now is not the time for that, Anon. The Union will have accurate reports, your actions, despite being against policy, have not been completely unacceptable."

>The thought of termination begins to fade.

>*"On top of that, you have gained a small insight into this phenomenon of 'magic', a scientific breakthrough if we can discover how such a thing works. And," Pearl pauses. "You have made two friends."

>Friends were always a touchy subject. Attachment as a clone was a bad thing, as all of you were subjected to possibly fatal circumstances on a regular basis. It was quite foolish to expect any of your squad mates to survive.

>*"Let this be a learning experience, Anon. I'm sure your findings will be of interest."

>Her soft voice smoothes away your worries.

>The sun had set now, and you felt the fatigue of working.

>Your suit didn't do all the work for you, after all.

"Good night, Pearl."

>*"Good night, Anonymous."