>”Pilot Anon, we are outnumbered 7 to 1. “
 
>The calm, low, rumbling voice of your Titan OS informs you of a newcomer to the current firefight
>Though at this point it didn’t particularly matter though
>While you were a pretty good pilot, you weren’t good enough to take on 7 enemy Titans at once
>This was just supposed to be a simple hit and run theft
>Steal the Horizon Drive
>You don’t know what the Horizon Drive does but you overheard some of your superiors talking about time travel and dimensional jumping
>You were also supposed to blow up the IMC’s interplanetary artillery too
>But seeing as how the militia that sent you on this mission is incompetent, suicidal, or both they neglected to tell you how well defended this particular base was
>Or maybe you just didn't pay attention when they told you
>You hear loud thumping and clanging metal
 
>”Enemy pilot attached to hull, electric smoke countermeasures depleted, reccomend-“
 
“I’ve got it, buddy.”
 
>You pull the lever that pops the top emergency hatch off and fire a shot from your Mozambique
>The pilot barely has time to be surprised before the three thermite projectiles hit him all at once
>2 in the chest, 1 in the head
>Hence the name
>The sunlight filtering in through the formerly covered emergency hatch is a nice change from the red warning lights going off
>In fact the entire interior of the cockpit is a mess
>The wires leading to the cockpit cooling were dangling above you
>The coolant valve is making a sound it definitely shouldn’t
>And the radar is just completely gone
>But you’ve got bigger problems
>A few 63 ton problems in fact
>Another impact rattles the hull and you hear distinct sizzling sounds
 
>”Anon, sustaining thermite damage to left leg. Permanent damage to hydraulic systems imminent.”
 
>Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh
 
 
>You reach down and rip off the piece of hull armor currently being melted and fling it at a nearby Stryder titan trying to flank you
>The impact momentarily trips up the lightly armored titan as you retreat behind a large warehouse to rearm and reload
 
“Alright buddy, status report?”
 
>”Hull has taken significant damage. Chassis exposed in multiple locations. Hull condition at 39%. Frontal reactive armor: Destroyed. Front ceramic and polymer armor: Destroyed. Shield generator: Gone.”
 
“Right, I overloaded it and fired it at those Tones.”
 
>”Correct. While the Vinson Dynamics T-81 Shield Generator is an effective improvised explosive against multiple targets, this tactical maneuver has reduced our combat survival capability.”
 
“When you’re right, you’re right.”
 
>”Arc Cannon power cells at 49%. Recommend low-power shots to conserve charge. Shock pulse array functioning at critical levels, further use could lead to permanent damage to the array. Titan reactor core and battery ports exposed. Further damage could be lethal.”
 
>As if on cue, the cockpit shakes violently and you’re barely able to keep Stormsurge upright as it staggers
 
“What was that?!”
 
>”Analysis: Fully charged plasma railgun fire. Impact dampened from travelling through the structure currently being used as cover. Multiple hostiles inbound and flanking. Reinforcements have likely been called.”
 
>Well this just went from bad to worse
>You keep moving, weaving in between buildings to try and make sure another railgun shot doesn’t hit you again
>The heavy thumps of your bipedal companion that you’re piloting are slightly off, most likely due to the damage they’ve sustained
 
“Alright buddy, I’ve got an idea.”
 
 
>”Are these the “famous last words” that you have informed me about, Anon.”
 
“What? No, of course not. We’re gonna make it out of this. You trust me, right buddy?”
 
>”Completely.”
 
>You press the series of buttons in the cockpit that activate the emergency release of your titan’s armor
>Normally it was only used for quick re-outfitting in the field
>Or in emergencies
>Emergencies like this
 
>”Anon, I am required to warn you that our armor rating is now at 0%. Less than that of a Hammond Robotics Stryder-class titan.”
 
“If it’s all mostly destroyed anyway, then it’s just slowing us down, right?”
 
>”Technically correct. Without my armor plating or weaponry, my top speed could theoretically exceed that of a Stryder chassis in a straight sprint.”
“And with the weapons?”
 
>”Calculating…”
 
>A few unguided missiles whizz past above you
>You wonder if Stormsurge is actually calculating or if he's doing this to make you nervous
 
>”We can keep up.”
 
“Alright, how’s Overcharge looking?”
 
>”Can function at 80% capacity.”
 
“And the extra boosters?”
 
>”Surprisingly undamaged, pilot.”
 
“Oh yeah. We can definitely keep up.”
 
>You peek out from around a building, only to take cover behind it as more 40mm cannon fire slams into its walls
>More running is required
>If you were outside your titan right now, you would have been red mist
 
>”What is our plan of action, Anon.”
 
“We’re gonna take out that artillery.”
 
>”Pilot Anon, friendly reinforcements will not be called to our position. Odds of success are slim.”
 
“Come on, we’ve been through worse, right?”
 
>There’s a pause
 
>”Incorrect.”
 
>You huff
 
“Alright, we’ve been in COMPARABLE situations before.”
 
>”Correct.”
 
 
“And we made it out of those just fine!”
 
>You charge the Arc Cannon and unleash it right as an Atlas-class rounds from a flank
>Electricity courses through the enemy titan, forcing it to back away as sparks fly from it
 
>”My memory banks indicate several months of downtime for repairs following these comparable situations.”
 
>You decide not to respond to that one and instead focus on beating a hasty retreat
>A nearby refueling station is more than large enough for you to fit inside while you work through the plan in your head
>It also gives you a moment to pull out a CD from a single sleeve inside your cockpit and slot it into an old player you jerry rigged into the titan’s systems
>Only you would be able to hear it of course, but you’ve been waiting for a moment like this for ages
 
>”Anon, music in a combat situation can lessen tactical awareness.”
 
“I know, but it’ll be really, really cool too.”
 
>You finish pressing skip
>Exactly 5 times to reach the song you wanted, just like every other time you practiced
>You finally press play and ready yourself
 
>”Pilot, this is why you tried to call me “Daredevil” when we were first partnered. Is this correct?”
 
“S-Shut up, Storm. Let me have this.”
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gpz4oO89pKU
>You flick the switches to ready the booster jets, spinning them up as you wait
>The comforting sound of the Arc Cannon sliding back onto Storm’s forearm fills your ears
>You were totally the man without fear
>No way you were gonna die
>Nope
>Uh uh
>An explosion rips apart the giant corrugated metal doors and you can just barely make out the shape of a titan through the smoke
>The engines are fully charged, but you’re waiting
>Just like you practiced, at the 10 second mark, you activate the Storm Core
 
 
>The booster engines attached to the back of your titan fire off with a loud THOOM
>You hear the sound of electricity as it crackles around your titan
>In an instant, you’re right up in the (metaphorical) face of the enemy titan you saw
>And delivering an electrically charged punch right into the cockpit
>The combined force of the speed and the punch caves in the reinforced metal of the cockpit and leaves the enemy pilot crushed to death inside
>The enemy titan falls down, helm melted from the electrical discharge
>You reactivate the Arc Cannon and it slides back into Storm’s hands as the booster jets are ejected, completely spent from the Storm Core
>Breaking into a sprint, you’re surprised at just how much ground you’re able to cover without the armor
>You jump over a building, using a smaller house next to it as a springboard
>Your dreams are realized and you look down to see another enemy titan
>Death from above finally actualized
>You land on top of the poor Stryder, crushing it underfoot, much to your delight
 
“HaHA! Did you see that, buddy?”
 
>”Affirmative. Neural link is at 100%. Optical sensors functioning within acceptable paramaters.”
 
>The familiar heavy THUNK of a 40mm slamming into your titan is further amplified without armor
 
>”Warning: Enemy titans engaging. Recommend overcharge for tactical retreat.”
 
“Sounds good to me!”
 
>You grip a nearby blue handle and push it inwards, then twist
>Then you immediately start running away… Towards the artillery
>Through careful positioning and not at all cowardice you were able to reposition yourself to where THEY had to follow YOU
>Another THUNK from a 40mm, followed by another
 
>”Enemy titan locked on.”
 
“Aw hell.”
 
 
>If there’s one thing that an Atlas can’t do, it’s dodge a tracking rocket salvo
>And with no armor, it was about to hit all of the important bits
>Like the reactor
>Or the batteries
>Or both
 
>”Salvo inbound. Eject. Eject immediately.”
 
“Come on buddy, you know I can’t just leave you like that!”
 
>”Protocol 3: Protect the Pilot.”
 
>No way
>This wasn’t how you were gonna go out
>Not like this
>Not being shot in the back by several thousand missiles
>And definitely not leaving your buddy behind while you eject
>Think Anon, think
>Wait a second
 
“I’m transferring the controls to you, buddy. Keep us alive, I’ve got an idea!”
 
>You pull the Horizon Device from its place on the ceiling of your cockpit, examining it
>It’s a small, unassuming cylinder, about the size of one of those capsules you’d put money in at a bank drive-through
>It had a small diagram on it
>Obviously you follow it, having no other ideas
>You twist both sides in opposite directions and you hear it whirring as it pulls apart
>It reveals a small, featureless white orb suspended between two needles
 
“So I just…”
 
>You close one eye and hold the device away from you as you forcefully press both sides inwards, effectively puncturing(?) the orb
>As you hear the whistling of the missiles homing in, everything becomes muffled and white
>Like that one time you’d gotten flashbanged
>But somehow even more intense
>As your hearing returns, you can hear what sounds like wind hurtling past your ears
>But you don’t feel any wind
>In fact you feel numb and tingly, like you’d been sleeping on your entire body the wrong way and it had all fallen asleep
>You feel like your head is also being split in two
>Even worse than your usual hangovers
>And then…
>You pass out
 
 
>You are Tumblegear
>And you are a Unicorn
>You sit in the foremare’s trailer
>YOUR trailer
>Thinking about nothing in particular
>Levitating another slice of pizza out of the box, you take a glance out the window
>It’s about 1:30AM here in Manehattan
>But you can’t get to sleep
>Maybe it’s because the light is on
>Maybe it’s the rain
>Or maybe it’s just the sense of dread that gets to you on these sorts of nights
>Yes, you WERE scared of the dark
>Especially in October
>Maybe it was your sister and her stupid, scary stories
>You just know that you haven’t slept well in weeks
>So maybe it was something a little deeper than just being afraid of the dark
>Or being scared
>You levitate over the half-finished mug of vodka and soda and slam the rest back
>In an effort to keep yourself busy, you flip through a nearby comic book, but all of the pages just run together after a while
>Probably because you were a lightweight
>You yawn and toss the uneaten crust of your pizza back inside the box before pulling the chain on the light above, plunging the trailer into darkness
>Small ribbons of orange light filter in from the streetlamps outside, painting the interior with an eerie glow
>But despite that, it’s almost comforting
>That and the droplets of rain casting their odd shadows on the walls start to slowly lull you to sleep…
 
 
>You are Anon
>And you are in no small amount of pain
>Thankfully, none of it physical
>At least it feels that way
>The only thing hurting was your head
>And boy was it pounding
>It’s like someone is taking a sledgehammer to it from the inside, right behind your eyes
>But
>It tells you that you aren’t dead
>YOUR PLAN WORKED!
>You pump your fist into the air in celebration
>And slam it right into the ceiling of the cockpit
>You quickly try and shake the pain away, seething as you do so
 
“Nng… Hey buddy, you there?”
 
>No response
>You sit in silence for a moment, the softly pulsing emergency light bathing the cockpit in red for a moment before it darkens again
 
“Buddy?”
 
>”I am here, pilot. I am glad you are conscious once more.”
 
“Why didn’t you answer me before? You had me worried.”
 
>”I placed myself in a low power state to conserve energy, and to dampen our heat signature. Unable to determine our current coordinates. Chances that we are located behind enemy lines are high. Recommend caution when disembarking.”
 
>You clear off some of the rubble that had entered through the emergency port and open the main hatch to the cockpit
>It opens with relative ease, save for the slight grinding noise
>You step into a large, darkened, half-finished room with a single large hole in the ceiling where light is pouring in
>It’s titan sized, so you wager that was probably your fault
>Your L-STAR at the ready, you go through the process of clearing the room
>Which is easy, considering there isn’t much but some partially intact drywall and the skeleton of a building down here
>Confident that there’s no one down here for the time being, you holster your weapon turn to inspect the damage on your titan
 
 
>It’s not pretty
>To start with, it looked like you had ended up crashing through the roof of this place and slid to a halt, only after embedding Stormsurge into the wall
>Or maybe you’d bounced a bit
>Either way, the legs of your titan were gone
>Well not GONE per sé, just not attached to the torso
>There were bits of them strewn about the room
>They were mostly intact
>Mostly
>You’re glad that titans can’t feel pain, otherwise you would feel like a monster right now
>Moreso than usual
 
>”You uh… You alright buddy?”
 
>You ask, already knowing the answer
 
>”AI Core is undamaged. No loss of critical data or personality present. Critical damage sustained to chassis and multiple systems.”
 
>Well that’s good at least
>Well the first part is good
>The part of Storm that mattered the most was fine
>As you inspect more of the wreckage you come to realize that he’s also missing his left arm
>Now that one is just gone
>You aren’t sure if it was lost when you used the Horizon Device or-
>Fuck
>Where’s the device
>You go to check the cockpit, but it doesn’t appear to be there
 
“Storm, perform a scan for our objective.”
 
>”Negative. Long-ranged scanners offline.”
 
“And short-range?”
 
>You hear a slight beeping, indicating an error
 
>”I lack the indicated system, pilot.”
 
>You groan and take a seat on the lip of the cockpit
 
>”Upon further analysis of our combat data, we appear to have lost it upon engaging in melee combat with an Ogre-class titan.”
 
>Not your smartest idea
>Sometimes you wonder just how you managed to get your pilot certification
>[spoiler]You still beat that Ogre though[/spoiler]
>Just as you’re about to ask Storm some more questions, you hear movement from above
>You take cover behind one of the ruined bits of drywall and wait
>Strangely enough, you hear what sounds like… Hooves?
>Who used horses anymore?
 
 
>From your position, you can’t see the hole in the ceiling without exposing yourself a bit
>But it’s just enough for you to get a look at the figure standing at the edge of the hole you’d made
>And that’s a horse
>Okay it’s smaller than a horse, and thanks to you being in the dark down here, it was hard to make out any colors
>But you SWEAR that horse is green
>You’ve never heard of a green horse before
>…Maybe you’re on an alien planet
 
>”A-All my work…”
 
>IT CAN TALK
>And it speaks English too, that’s convenient
>You grip your L-STAR tightly, ready to spring into action should the need arise
 
>”Ruined…”
 
>Whatever it was, it sounded like it was on the verge of tears
>And it was referring to this as its work
>So it must be sentient
>You hear a slight sniffle come from it before it disappears out of view
>The sound of its hooves come from the right this time, down the stairs you’d observed earlier
>You scramble for a new piece of cover, this time behind the wreckage of one of Storm’s detached legs
 
>”And… The whole… Basement too… I didn’t want to extend the basement…”
 
>It starts walking (trotting?) towards Stormsurge, probably following the skid marks left as you scraped through the ground
 
>”And what is THAT thing?!”
 
>Shit
>You hear Stormsurge speak through the comms in your helmet, effectively inaudible to the alien
 
>”Pilot, unidentified lifeform approaching. Advise subduing the target.”
 
>It’s times like this you wish you remembered the protocol for interacting with sentient alien lifeforms
>…Or did the militia even have that?
>You didn’t bother to check
>Readying your gun, you hop over the leg you were using as low cover and announce your presence
 
”Freeze! Step away from the titan!”
 
>It yelps and you swear it nearly jumped high enough to reach the ceiling
>But it otherwise stops moving
 
 
>Upon further inspection you realize that this thing has a horn
>And it’s glowing and emitting light
>Is it a Unicorn?
>Like from a fairy tale?
 
>”W-Who are you!? What are you!?”
 
>It’s… Pretty small actually
>You imagine that it only comes up to about your waist, maybe more
>It’s also wearing a construction hardhat
>You have to admit, that’s pretty cute
>BUT IT’S STILL AN ALIEN
>Possibly hostile
 
>”Are you the one that ruined all my work?!”
 
>It points one of its… Hooves at you
>You get the feeling that it’s trying to convey anger
>But it looks too cute
>Shit look at those big eyes
>It really was almost on the verge of tears
>BUT YOU WERE STILL READY TO SHOOT IT
>Who knew what it could do
>You’d been picked up by a Flyer before
>Those things were as big as titans!
>You weren’t taking a chance with aliens, not again!
>This thing could spit acid, or lay eggs inside your skull
>OR BOTH
>You take a step forward and it takes a step back
 
>”D-Don’t come any closer! I’ll call the police! You’re trespassing and destroying a construction site!”
 
>”Pilot-
 
>”AAAH!!!”
 
>It jumps again, stumbling backwards
 
>”That can talk?!”
 
>”Precursory analysis of this lifeform reveals no visible weapons or harmful biological functions. It appears to be a female of its species. Exercise caution with the protrusion on its forehead, the energy it produces matches no known signatures in my databanks.”
 
“So it’s harmless then?”
 
>”Hey!! I’m not harmless!”
 
>You holster your weapon on your back and relax your stance before starting to walk over towards her
>Even without your L-STAR out, she still seems to be afraid
 
 
“Look, just calm down. I’m not gonna hurt you.”
 
>”Yeah well I’ll hurt you!”
 
>You snicker
 
>“You ruined all my work!”
 
>She looks around
 
>”Well not all of it, but most of it!”
 
>You squat down so that she doesn’t have to look up the whole time
>Just gotta act friendly, right?
>And mind the horn
 
“Listen little horse… thing-“
 
>”I’m a pony!”
 
>She huffs and looks at you angrily
 
“…Pony, right. What’s your name, huh? You’ve got one, don’t you?”
 
>”What’s that supposed to mean? Of course I’ve got a name! It’s Tumblegear! And I should be the one asking YOU the questions here!”
 
>At “YOU” she pokes her hoof against your sternum, causing you to rock back slightly
>Despite her size, she had some amount of force behind those hooves
 
>”Like: What are you? Where’d you come from? What’s that thing in the wall? And why did YOU RUIN ALL MY WORK?!”
 
>She seems to be really hung up on the whole ruining her work thing
>Shouldn’t there be other people… Or ponies here if this is a construction site?
 
“Well, I’m a human. I came from the Planet Harmony. It’s… Basically another Earth, just a lot farther out in the Frontier. That thing in the wall is Stormsurge-”
 
>He cuts you off and begins to speak
 
>”I am a Hammond Robotics Atlas-class titan. Designation: FG-941. Nickname: Stormsurge. I was manufactured by Kodai Industries.”
 
“And as for why we ruined your work… Well, it was an accident. Really.”
 
>”An accident?”
 
>She looks at you quizzically
 
“You want the short version or the long version?”
 
>She puts her face in her hooves and sighs
 
>”Short version, please.”
 
>”Pilot Anon performed an unauthorized combat maneuver with the Horizon Device, rendering him unconscious and my AI Core shut down for a period of several hours. During this period of time we crash landed here.”
 
>The Unicorn just looks more confused than angry now
>She sits down and appears to rub her temples as she groans
 
 
>”So you and this… Titan crashed through the floor and into the basement after teleporting here.”
 
>You nod
 
>”So I’ve effectively got an alien and his ship just lying in my metaphorical backyard. Great. Fantastic.”
 
>She stands up and starts to trot up the stairs she came in from
 
“Hey, where are you going?”
 
>”I’m going back to my trailer. I can’t deal with this today.”
 
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
 
>You start to follow her up. Confident that Storm would be fine down in the basement by himself for a little bit
 
>”It means I was all set to get to work today, but now, even if I can patch up the floor, and clean up the basement, AND reinstall all the drywall, it wouldn’t matter anyway because there’s a TITAN WHATEVER STUCK IN THE WALL DOWN THERE THAT I CAN’T GET OUT.”
 
>She slams the door, but it swings back open, only for that energy you saw earlier to grip the knob and pull it closed
>You’re noticing a distinct lack of other ponies around
>She didn’t lock the door on her trailer so you follow her inside and shut the door behind you
 
“If this is a construction site, where’s everyone else?”
 
>You turn your head to see her lying facedown on a couch
>She turns her head to face you and her hardhat falls to the ground
 
>”They’re not here.”
 
>You furrow your brow underneath your helmet
 
“Why’s that?”
 
>”Because I may have gotten into a big dumb argument with everypony over something stupid. So I ended up getting saddled with all of the work while they all walked off.”
 
“Uhh…”
 
>”So now it’s just me here. I pretty much… Well no, I DO live in this trailer now.”
 
“Don’t you have a house or something?”
 
>You watch as her horn lights up and that same energy from before levitates out a piece of… Pizza?
>It looks cold
 
 
>”Of course I do, all the way over in Ponyville. My sister’s housesitting for me, so it should be fine.”
 
>She sits up
 
>”Really it’s not all bad here. The couch is pretty comfy, and I installed a shower in here a while ago.”
 
“You’re a plumber?”
 
>”At this point I’m pretty much everything. I’m a plumber, a construction worker, an electrician, I know how to operate all those machines outside…”
 
>This little pony seemed pretty knowledgeable all things considered
>You’d have to keep that in mind
 
“Is there anything you can’t do?”
 
>You ask jokingly
>She glances away and mumbles a bit
 
>”I can’t cook.”
 
>What
>It’s only now that you look around and notice the veritable tower of pizza boxes in the corner and the garbage can nearly overflowing with what looks to be… Fast food wrappers?
>This told you two things
>1.) That this little pony really COULDN’T cook, and even if she had the means to here, would probably burn the trailer down
>And 2.) That this alien race was civilized and advanced enough to have developed the concept of fast food
 
“R-Right… Uh, if you’re only one pony working on all this, don’t you have a deadline or something?”
 
>”Well, the union’s got my back on that.”
 
“Which means it’ll get done when?”
 
>She looks around sheepishly
 
>”When it’s done?”
 
“Oh god damn it.”
 
>She props herself up on the back of the couch and looks out the window facing the construction site
 
“Weren’t you going to call the police on me?”
 
>”It’s not worth it at this point. I don’t care. Just do whatever you want. I’m hoping that all of this is a bad dream and I’ll wake up soon.”
 
>You watch as she flops back onto the couch and covers her eyes with her forehooves(?)
 
 
>Well shit
>Now you feel kinda bad
>If what she’s saying is true, then you’ve potentially ruined weeks, maybe even months of work
>But you’ve got to ask a few questions first
>Just to make sure you weren’t in any danger
 
“You ever heard of the IMC?”
 
>”The what now?”
 
“Spyglass?”
 
>”Like the thing you look through?”
 
>Yeah no, this pony was clueless
>You’re starting to think that you weren’t even on some remote planet
>You were just straight up not in your dimension anymore
>Like phase shift but even BETTER
>Satisfied that you weren’t in any immediate or future danger, you decide to strike up a little bargain with the pony creature
 
“Alright, look. I feel pretty bad about messing up your construction site. So let’s make a little deal: If you help me dig Storm outta that wall and get him all fixed up, I’ll help you out with your construction job here. In fact I bet it’ll go even faster with Storm up and running.”
 
“What makes you say that?”
 
>”Because titans were made for heavy lifting and construction in the first place. “
 
>She rubs her face and sits up on the couch once more
>She takes a look outside at the semi-ruined site, then looks at you
 
>”You promise?”
 
>You stand up and place your fists on your hips, looking down at the little pony
 
“A Pilot always keeps his word.”
 
>That was just something you made up on the spot
>But it sounded cool
>For the first time since you met this pony, she actually smiles
 
>”Alright! I’m gonna hold you to that!”
 
>Tumblegear hops off the couch and puts her hardhat back on before disappearing out the door
>So maybe it wasn’t the intense firefights you were used to, but it would be nice to help out regardless
>And if she’s as skilled as she says she is, maybe she could help you rebuild Stormsurge
>You make your way outside and close the trailer door
>Maybe it wouldn’t be too bad in this dimension after all
 
 
>Location: Andromeda-class Carrier IMS Droga, somewhere in orbit over planet Magnus
 
>”Major Farther, sir. We’ve recovered the Horizon Device from Magnus’s surface.”
 
>”What’s the status of the artillery?”
 
>”Minimal to no damage sustained, sir. That militia titan wasn’t able to get close to it.”
 
>”Everything by the numbers then. Bring them in for questioning if there’s anything left.”
 
>”That’s just it sir, they’re gone.”
 
>”Successfully destroyed then. There’s no reason to contact me personally for your after action report, Pilot Cognito.”
 
>”No sir, that’s not it. They’re just gone. Not destroyed. We can’t confirm a body or any wreckage, save for the armor left behind.”
 
>”They… Left behind their armor?”
 
>”Yes sir, even before they disappeared.”
 
>”What kind of idiot removes all of their titan’s armor?”
 
>”Unsure sir.”
 
>”Well what do you mean by “gone” then, Cognito?”
 
>”Our titans recorded a massive energy spike right before the militia titan disappeared. We found the Horizon Device nearby to its last recorded position.”
 
>”You mean to say this pilot actually USED the device that we ourselves know little to nothing about? The militia is either more informed than we thought… Or they sent their biggest idiot on a suicide mission by himself.”
 
>”I can’t confirm either of those statements, sir. They managed to neutralize 3 friendly titans before reinforcements were mobilized.”
 
>”That is… Unfortunate. We’ll prep the Widows for planetside pickup of the remaining titan wreckage and prepare the simulacrum process for your fallen comrades.”
 
>”Understood sir.”
 
>”In the meantime Pilot Cognito, keep that device safe. I’ll be coming down personally to retrieve it. While we’ve got little evidence to go off of, if that militia pilot successfully used the Horizon Device to make a dimensional or temporal jump, we may have to bump it up to the top of our research priorities. Farther out.”
 
>The communication closes without another word
 
 
>”So it just occurred to me that I never asked your name.”
 
>It had been a couple of hours since you convinced this little pony creature to work with you to help fix up Stormsurge
>In that time she’d come up with the idea of building a frame that could reasonably hold up what was left of your titan
>You watched her whip up something in shorter time than you’d seen most Journeyman titans construct something back on Harmony
>The whole time you were watching her work, that horn of hers was glowing up a storm
>You make a note to ask her about it, since you’d never seen anything quite like it back on the frontier
 
“My name? It’s Anon. Anonymous. But you can just call me Anon.”
 
>The little pony pulls her goggles down from atop her construction hat and affixes them to her face as she sits down at the controls of a machine she was going to use to grab your titan
>Looked like a big claw to you
>It brought to mind one of those claw games you played when you were a kid
>Fucking rigged is what they were
 
>”Well, I’d stand back if I were you, Anon. Things could get a little messy.”
 
>You take her word for it and take a few steps away
>Far away
>And surprisingly, she’s able to pull Stormsurge out with little difficulty
>You chalk that up to having made a big enough hole on the way in
>It only takes a few minutes to get your titan set up in the frame she’d made for him
>Your jumpkit helped immensely for getting into position to hook him up
>And the little mare must have done her measuring, because he fit just fine
>Seeing him out here in the light however highlighted all of the damage you had sustained in the crash
>Even some you hadn’t been aware of before
 
 
>You know, like his entire left arm being gone
>His right one is fine though
>You really had to hand it to Hammond Robotics
>They build Ogres to last
>Their arms at least
>You had made quite a few… Modifications to Stormsurge over the years since you first linked with him
>The most prominent of which being attaching a sturdy arm of an Ogre-class titan to his chassis in place of his normal right arm
>You remember your CO telling you that maybe it was a better idea to switch to a Vanguard-class, like most of the militia was doing nowadays, if you were so intent on modifying Storm
>You kindly refused
>If “kindly” meant you flipped him off with the newly installed arm
>And they couldn’t get rid of you either, because they needed every pilot they could get
>That was a good day
 
“Man, that crash really did a number on you, huh buddy?”
 
>”Correct. However, most critical systems are undamaged and my reactor is stable.”
 
>Tumblegear steps up next to you, her goggles resting on her helmet again
>She tilts her head and you can see her eyes looking up and down what remained of your titan
 
>“Are they always this… Skinny looking?”
 
>You shake your head as you start to make your way back towards the hole you’d made
 
“Not exactly. Well… Stryders maybe, but not an Atlas-class like Storm. He’s missing about… Most of his armor.”
 
>”All of my armor.”
 
“Right. ALL of his armor. It wasn’t really the brightest plan, but I tend to make stupid decisions under pressure. Important part is that we’re safe now.”
 
 
>You hop into the hole and set about getting to work hauling the pieces of Stormsurge’s legs back onto the surface
>His left arm however…
>It was embedded in the wall
>Tumblegear probably had a jackhammer or something around here though, so you weren’t too worried
 
>”Hey Anon! What are these things?”
 
>”Pilot, I require assistance.”
 
>Oh god damn it
>One jump isn’t enough to clear the hole
>But the jet-powered second jump from your jumpkit is enough to land you back on the surface
>Once outside, you see an almost comical sight
>Tumblegear is standing on top of Stormsurge, with one of the batteries pulled halfway out
>Stormsurge physically cannot reach her thanks to the frame
 
>”Reevaluating combat potential of this organism.”
 
“Hey! Hey put that back!”
 
>She just pulls it out further
>You’re starting to figure that she’s just one of those naturally curious types
>But she didn’t have to be this hands on about it
>Hooves on?
>Funnily enough the battery is pretty big compared to her
 
>”Well what is it?”
 
“It’s a titan battery! Now put it back!”
 
>Thankfully she actually listens this time
>Yeah
>This mare had very few social skills it seemed
>You have to wonder just how long she’s been here alone just toiling away at this construction site
>She clambers down Stormsurge’s arm and stands in the palm, which he gently lowers to the ground for her to step off
 
>”Do they just power the titan, Anon?”
 
>What kind of question is that?
>Of course they do
 
“Uhh, yeah, for the most part. They power the reactor inside. There’s 3 of them and a 4th auxiliary port for a shield.”
 
>”Like… The kind you hold?”
 
“No no, it’s more like a sort of bubble around the titan. If I had an extra battery I could show you, but I doubt that they make those here in…”
 
>Uh
>Shit
 
 
>You just realized you don’t even know where you are
>And while you’re pretty sure that you can’t even get a beacon sent out to the militia, it would be nice to know where you are regardless
 
>”Manehattan.”
 
>Really?
>Like, the one on Earth?
>Are you on Earth?
>Is this what happened to Earth?
>Wait no
 
“Manhattan?”
 
>”Manehattan.”
 
>Fuck
>It’s a pun!
>You hate it here
>And yet you simultaneously love it
>It’s making you chuckle a little bit
 
>”That’s just the name of the city though. We call this world Equestria.”
 
>You groan
>So it’s an entire world of puns
>Horse puns
>This world is one giant pun
 
“Regardless, I don’t think they manufacture titan batteries here in… Manehattan.”
 
>That’d be too easy
 
>”Say, Anon. Why don’t you ever take your helmet off?
 
>Because you think it looks really cool
>You had a heads up display and everything
>But you had to think of a less retarded reasoning
>Think Anon
 
“Because, you can never be too safe when you’re exploring a new planet for the first time. Who knows if I could even breathe this air?”
 
>”Analyzing atmospheric composition… Nitrogen… Argon… Oxygen… Carbon dioxide… Trace amounts of other gases present. Conclusion: This planet’s atmosphere is suitable for humans to breathe. You may remove your helmet at any time, Pilot.”
 
>Fuck
>Now you can’t be cool and mysterious anymore
>You pull off the helmet and take a deep breath
>For once you weren’t breathing recycled air
>And it was nice
>The air was… Pretty clean actually
>You imagine that it comes from the air pollution being lower here than back home in the core worlds
>Probably because the tech level here was far lower
>Equestria kind of reminded you of your home planet of Harmony in a way
>Just without the giant robots
 
 
>Tumblegear seems to be intent on examining you now that you’ve removed your helmet
 
>”Your eyes are so tiny, Anon! You remind me of one of those timberwolves out in the forests.”
 
“Well, yeah, every human has eyes li-“
 
>The tiny mare gasps
 
>”And those teeth! Anon… You eat meat, don’t you?”
 
>Fuck
>Right
>They’re horses
>Small, pastel colored horses
>That can talk
>But horses nonetheless
 
“Er, yeah. All humans are omnivores an-“
 
>”Are you gonna eat ME?!”
 
>You watch her recoil in fear, her eyes wide
>Is… Is she dumb?
>She can’t be, right?
>She’s a pony of many talents
 
“No… No I’m not gonna-“
 
>At that moment, your stomach rumbles
>You hadn’t eaten anything in quite a while
>So it’s only natural that your body would take an objection to that sort of thing
>But it didn’t have to be RIGHT NOW of all times
>You watch the mare’s ears pin back to her skull as she starts to back away and hide behind the metal arm of your titan
>Is every pony gonna act like this when you meet them?
 
“I’m not gonna eat you! Geez, calm down. I’m hungry, but I’m not that hungry.”
 
>Tumblegear pokes her head out from behind Storm’s arm
 
>”Promise?”
 
“I kind of have something against eating another talking being. Be it human or… Pony.”
 
>She continues to stare up at you, clearly waiting for you to actually say the words
>You roll your eyes
 
“Yes, I promise.”
 
>Tumblegear breathes a sigh of relief and trots back out
 
>”Well, if you’re hungry, let’s order a pizza then!”
 
>You shudder to imagine how much pizza this mare has consumed over the years
>Or rather, just over the past few weeks, judging by the boxes in the trailer
>She didn’t seem too worse for wear for it though
>At least you didn’t think so
>She didn’t look fat
>But what even was fat to ponies?
>Your stomach rumbles again, distracting you from another tangent that you could’ve gone on
>It’s food time
 
“Sounds good to me.”
 
 
>You are Incognito
>A pilot for the Interstellar Manufacturing Corporation
>And you are currently doing maintenance on your titan within the hangar of the IMS
>It was nothing too serious of course, just a few routine tests of the optics and a replacement acolyte pod
>It had gotten shot off in a previous firefight
>Almost detonated the cluster missiles inside it too
 
>”Pilot Iggy, the optical calibrations are complete. Please initiate neural link to confirm the calibrations.”
 
>The calm, slightly British voice of Northstar’s AI speaks to you
>You didn’t know when she came up with that nickname
>”Iggy” Cognito
>Maybe she heard someone else call you that
>Maybe she just thought of it on her own
>After all, the advances in Titan AI are getting more and more fascinating by the day
>It’s not that far-fetched to say that your Northstar was that advanced
>You climb in as the hatch opens and closes behind you, situating yourself in the chair as the neural link boots up
>Soon enough you’re no longer seeing just the cockpit, but the interior of the hangar through Northstar’s optics
>Everything appears to be in order
>You check that off the list that you have pinned to the walls of the cockpit
>Next up
>That damaged acolyte pod
>Northstar opens the hatch for you and you step out into her hand, which she then raises up to the top of her chassis
>Upon further inspection, it’s actually slightly worse than you’d thought
>The entire armature that it was connected to had been damaged
>You would have to replace the entire pod and the arm it’s supposed to be attached to
 
>“Pilot Cognito, a word please?”
 
>You recognized the voice immediately
>None other than Major Farther of course
 
 
>He is, as usual, accompanied by his Stalker escorts
>Quite advanced heavy mechanized infantry made by Hammond Robotics
>In groups? A problem for pilots and titans alike
>Alone however, they didn’t pose TOO much of a threat
>Their lethality comes from their hardiness
>Even blowing off their legs does nothing
>You’ve seen IMC Stalkers crawl towards militia infantry and crush bone with their grip
>It wasn’t a pretty sight what happened after the Stalkers caught them
>You climb down from your Titan’s back and make your way over, saluting the major once you’re close
 
>”At ease, pilot.”
 
“What did you want to see me about, sir?”
 
>”A few things, pilot. Firstly, your deceased squadmates are currently undergoing training and physical therapy to become accustomed to their robotic bodies.”
 
>You’d heard that the simulacrum process had that effect
>It essentially boiled down to placing a digital copy of a pilot’s mind and personality inside of a robotic body
>Since pilots are so sought after and hard to train, the prospect of losing even one is a blow to whatever force lost that pilot
>With this process they could effectively fight on forever
>Unfortunately, you had no idea how this process worked, and if it could be repeated multiple times
>It only made sense that your squadmates would have to get used to their new bodies
>You nod your understanding and allow the major to continue
 
>“Secondly, as we’ve begun to make headway on our research into the Horizon Device, it’s become clear that it is alien in nature. While we have no way of figuring out who made it, I’m sure that you know what an alien artifact means to the IMC as a whole if word of it were to ever get out.”
 
>You could hazard a guess
>In fact you’re certain you knew where this was going
 
 
>”General Marder and his ARES Division would be breathing down our necks every day. No doubt they would try and take over the project for themselves.”
 
>Ah
>Yes
>General “Human life is expendable” Marder
>And the Archeological Research Division
>They were essentially Research and development
>But they’ve got the kind of funding to do almost anything they wish to do
>And if the Horizon Device is alien technology, then they’ll strongarm their way into the research whether you liked it or not
 
“So I take it we’re on a need to know basis?”
 
>”Correct. If you would, do keep quiet about our possession of the device. Of course, if you so wish, we can also keep you updated on our research progress. I’m well aware of how scientifically minded you are compared to other pilots.”
 
>You hadn’t expected this
>Though you’re grateful regardless
>Ever since you’d found the thing, you’d become very intrigued by it
>And now you were getting a chance to be what amounted to an honorary member of the science team
>You couldn’t pass this up
 
“I would be very grateful, thank you sir.”
 
>You didn’t need to say more
>Major Farther knew that it meant quite a bit to you
 
>”Perfect, I’ll have your clearance adjusted within the day. If we discover anything else regarding the device, you’ll be updated as well.”
 
>The Major takes a look at the datapad he has in his hand
 
>”If you’ll excuse me, Pilot. Have a nice day.”
 
>He gives you a curt nod and turns, walking away with his escorts in tow
>You return to Northstar and contract the help of the MRVNs to work on replacing the pod and taking care of any other damage
 
 
>”So Anon, what is this thing anyway?”
 
>You step back inside as you finish off your pizza slice and see Tumblegear fiddling with your L-STAR
>And she’s STARING DIRECTLY INTO THE BARREL
>You don’t think she could manage to pull the trigger with her hooves, but still!
>You push off with an assist from your jumpkit, snatching it from her hooves and inspecting it for damage
 
>”Hey! How’d you get over there so fast?!”
 
>There’s no damage or anything out of place, and you breathe a sigh of relief
 
“Listen, this thing isn’t a toy. It’s dangerous!”
 
>”Well if you told me what it was, maybe I’d understand that better!”
 
>Right
>She’s the inquisitive type
>You’re more confused at how she was able to swipe it off you without you noticing
>Your eyes dart over her body
>She simply lays there with a stuffed pizza crust in her mouth, eyes wide
>Wait a minute
>That horn
>That energy
 
“If I tell you about this, you tell me about that horn of yours.”
 
>”Deal!”
 
>Where to even start
 
“Well, it’s called the L-STAR. The name’s an acronym, stands for the Lastimosa Armory Assault Rifle. “
 
>The mare has since sat up and is listening with rapt attention
 
“Uhh… It doesn’t really fire conventional ammunition like a lot of other weapons out there on the Frontier. It’s like a particle accelerator… Thing.”
 
>”What’s a particle accelerator?”
 
>Fuck
>Maybe you should just show her how it works
>The battery inside is theoretically infinite unless you overheat it, right?
>Yeah, you can just show her
 
“Here, why don’t I just show you how it works?”
 
>You swear you can see her eyes twinkle
>She hops off the couch and zooms out the door
>Damn
>Well alright then
 
>”Anon, the equine appears to have ingested a Stim compound, reevaluating top speed of this creature.”
 
“No buddy… She just does that. Don’t ask me how it works.”
 
>”Understood.”
 
 
>It takes a minute or two for her to set up a small target range after you tell her to
>But first you open the upper receiver and show her the inner components, pointing to what did what, to the best of your ability
 
“This thing right here is… Uh… Well, whatever it is, if this thing overheats I have to replace it. And then…”
 
>You close it back up and pop the battery out from the stock, showing it to her
 
“I have to put a replacement battery in.”
 
>You pop it back in and the screen on the front shows a giant “READY”
 
“Now just step back a bit.”
 
>You wait until the pony had done so and fired off a few bursts downrange, the targets you hit exploding in a crackle of red energy
 
“See? Every time I stop firing it vents the heat.”
 
>To demonstrate your point further, you lay on the trigger and fire a continuous stream of energy bursts
>The torrent of red spheres flies downrange, leaving scorch marks on the concrete blocks
>Soon enough the L-STAR begins to beep loudly in protest, warning you of the impending overheat should you continue firing
>You ease off the trigger and it stops, the vents opening and releasing steam and heat from the front
>You considered bringing it up and blowing the steam away like you were in an old western movie
>But you figured that would be too much
>Even for you
>You holster it on your back and turn to look at Tumblegear
>She’s… Salivating
 
“Hey, Tumblegear. You good? Uhhh…”
 
>You wave your hand in front of her face and that seems to snap her out of it
 
>”Huhwhat? Oh right, right! That thing is awesome!”
 
“Well yeah, it is. But don’t go trying to take it from me without my permission. You saw what it did to those targets. You don’t wanna know what it does to other humans.”
 
>”Alright, alright. You have my word. Now I suppose you wanna know about this, huh?”
 
>Tumblegear taps her horn and grins as it starts to light up, a shimmering golden light emanating from it
 
>”Well sit back and relax Anon. I’m gonna show you something that’ll knock your socks right off!”