So, Impressionsguy and I decided to do a random story arc again! A one-shot with no real plot other than to just resolve a random conflict that may or may not tie in with main story conflicts.
Hope you enjoy!
"Cindy Lou Who," Chuck called in a joking manner. "Ready to start the day, my favorite computer program?"
"Sounds like someone was reading Doctor Seuss lately," the AI chuckled as a nearby robotic pony-shaped machine whirred to life and turned towards him.
"It's about all my mental capacity can handle," Chuck joked.
"Well, you can't deny that they're quite the classics," Cindy agreed, having the suit get up and walk beside him. "So, what's on the agenda today, sir?"
"Nothing in particular. Just a couple of errands to run. Was thinking of maybe terrorizing another hive, posing as a robot from outer space," he answered.
"Okay, that last one is definitely gonna put us on your family's hate-list, especially since I'm capable of controlling the suit as much as you are," Cindy remarked, then added with a chuckle, "But the fight would be fun."
"Of course! I mean, nobody in this world even knows what a Decepticon is; I wouldn't even have to make anything up," Chuck laughed. "But alas, it's not a good idea."
"Unless you have an insurance salesman in the house," the AI joked.
"Those blood suckers? No thanks," Chuck scoffed.
"Huh. Guess computers get off easy with those fellas," Cindy commented.
"Yeah, you just have to worry about viruses and stuff," Chuck remarked. "Speaking of which, you clean?" he asked in a joking manner.
"I'm safe for work, if that's what you're asking," she teased, then more seriously, "I've been designed to handle just about any virus, Trojan Horse, hackers, and basically anything the web has to throw at me. And last I checked, Equis doesn't have much of that which could actually affect me."
"Well, I had to buy a Maxim last week, so yeah. Probably not," Chuck replied. "Do you have a... Not safe for work setting? Just curious," he asked jokingly.
"Sir!" she gasped in mock surprise, going along with it. "I'm shocked you would suggest such a thing! Even if I did have one, what use do I have for it?"
"I dunno, not safe for work stuff, like interfacing with some boy computer, or girl. I don't judge," Chuck shrugged.
"You've seen my NSFW setting, and it comes in the form of a hundred plus rounds of ammunition going through one's guts," Cindy remarked. "If that's not in the 'non work friendly' category, then I don't know what is."
"Sexy," Chuck joked.
"Don't tell your wife I showed you that," Cindy joked back.
"I won't," Chuck laughed. Cindy laughed again, then ended with a sigh as she looked outside.
"You know, I don't tell too many people this, but as much as I like combat... knowing that all is at peace is more rewarding to me than the thrill of combat," she admitted. "Because then you can sit back and know for a fact that this peace is there, because you made it so," she finished.
"It's nice. That's for sure," Chuck said. "Frankly, I hate fighting," he stated. "But doing it with you made it better for me..." He paused. "That's what she said," he snickered.
Cindy laughed a bit when she heard that. Even to this day, it was still baffling that she actually seemed human in her thoughts and emotions.
"Oh my, you do have a way with comedy," she said. "Even if it's directed at yourself."
"It's a gift," He replied. Cindy looked out at the sky again, as if unsure what to say now. Out of habit, her visor lit up and her life-sized holographic figure appeared in front of the suit, leaning against it as if she wasn't even a hologram.
"You think they'll make it rain at one point?" Cindy asked him. "It looks like perfect weather for it to me."
"Who knows?" Chuck shrugged. "Not like I can just put in a request," he chuckled.
"But one of your friends IS a weather pony. Why not ask her?" Cindy inquired, showing that she still did not fully understand the way they did weather in Equestria.
"Oy gevalt," Chuck remarked. "I'll make sure to put in a word when next I see her."
Cindy nodded, then said aloud, "Well, we won't get anywhere just standing about and talking all day." She gave him a smirk. "Care to take a ride or are you good with walking by yourself?"
"Nuts to walking," Chuck said. "Ride please."
The hologram smirked one last time before suddenly disappearing and the suit opened up allowing Chuck to enter.
"Thank you," Chuck said, climbing in. The suit closed up and the systems went online as Cindy did a brief check of everything.
"Looks like everything's in order. Comfortable, sir?" Cindy asked, a very common question given to him in this situation.
"Quite," He nodded.
"Alright then! She's all yours!" Cindy exclaimed, then stopped. "Wait, that doesn't sound right, considering that it's technically me. But saying 'I'm all yours' is worst."
"Easy there, I'm a married man after all," Chuck quipped.
"Hence the reason I avoid the other one," Cindy stated.
"I bet." Chuck said. "Alright, let's ride." He said. "That's what she said." He snickered.
"Just get going before I blackmail you," Cindy teased.
"Alright." He said, engaging thrusters and taking off.
"Dear Celestia, that was painful," Cindy groaned. "I was THAT close to shooting that racist son of a flea-bitten rat right in front of everyone!"
"I know." Chuck remarked.
"And he sounded so sure of himself too, like he was being the good guy!" Cindy huffed. "I probably should have shot him. Would you have been mad if I did?" she asked.
"No, absolutely not." He shook his head. "I would have been nervous on behalf of the impending war."
"Really? You have me, your wife (who can be really scary on the battlefield), a self-righteous chaotic entity, and his son who's dating your daughter," Cindy pointed out. "Plus, our hive is pretty well equipped and armed. We could've taken them," she stated.
"I'm not worried, it's just a hassle, y'know?" Chuck replied. "Like I said, not a fan of war and stuff."
"Huh... polar opposites," Cindy chuckled. "How in Tartarus have we gotten along so well?"
"From what I gather it's because although we share different ideals we still respect each other," he answered. "Some folks don't understand that can be possible, and I like to imagine that's where all the world's problems lie."
"Well, that certainly explain Chancellor Neighsay's attitude," Cindy remarked. "Maybe that's who I should pay a visit to one of these days."
"I can't say I'd object," Chuck replied.
Cindy laughed. "He's almost as self-righteous as that other guy." She then altered her voice synthesizer to do a mock impression of the Chancellor. "Oh, you want to make a school that allows more than just pony students? Okay... BAM! Lock down the school! Have everyone hate us now! Thank you, and have a nice day!"
"It's interesting how racism works," Chuck remarked. "You're different than me, therefore I am superior." He summed up racist logic.
"And yet said 'inferior' race has a bunch of ingenious stuff you don't have, and knows a lot of useful things you don't, etc etc," Cindy listed. "Japan vs Pre-World War One Russia all over again."
"Mhm. That's why cultural relativism is so important," Chuck nodded.
Cindy didn't answer, but he could've sworn that she was giving him a nod from inside the helmet. She then said, "Uh, listen Chuck. I have a private meeting I have scheduled with your wife today, so if you don't mind I'm gonna kindly ask if you could please land so I can eject you safely."
"Yeah, sure." Chuck nodded. "I don't remember hearing about this, but sure." He said, landing at a street just outside of Ponyville.
"Well, it was kind of a last minute thing she wanted to talk to me about," Cindy explained, opening the suit for him to crawl out.
"Huh. Alright," he said, crawling out. "I guess I'll stop into my old place of business, see how things are going."
"Alright. Later Chuck," she said with a nod from the suit as it closed up.
"Wonder what that's about..." Chuck asked himself as he walked off. Cindy gave a heavy sigh as she approached the hive, feeling like she knew what Pinkie wanted to talk to her about.
"I am in such major trouble right now," she muttered aloud as she stepped inside. She then followed the corridors down to the well-known Royal Chambers and knocked on the doors to said area.
"Hi Cindy!" Pinkie greeted her at the gate.
"Hello ma'am," Cindy greeted in return. "You wanted to see me?"
"Yeah, I did," She nodded. "Don't worry, I'm not mad at you! I just think that maybe you and I should have a little talk. No feelings getting hurt, nobody's in danger, just a little chat between girls," she explained, trying to ease Cindy's nerves... er... circuits.
"Well, when you put it that way, it makes me feel a lot better," Cindy agreed and trotted inside, the suit making slight clanking noises every time it trotted.
"Uh, is there a place where we can sit?" Cindy inquired.
"Of course, I wanted to have the chat in the den anyway," Pinkie nodded as they come up on the royal family's block of the hive. At Chuck's request, their living space had been kept modest. Cindy gave a nod, then had the suit sit next to one of the seats in the room. Her visor glowed once again and her hologram figure appeared near the suit and sat in the seat herself.
"I figured you'd want to talk to me face to face," the Mobain hologram remarked. "Or as close as you can get to talking face to face with me."
"Thanks," Pinkie said simply. "So, where is Chuckie off to right now?" she asked, curiously.
"I believe he's off to the tavern," Cindy answered. "That's where I saw him going last."
"I figured he'd be at Ivory's," Pinkie nodded. Ever since Chuck moved up in the world, he placed Ivory in charge after Sterling showed little interest in running the place.
"So, Cindy..." she began, sighing a little. "I know this is really silly of me to even think, but... it's just, you and Chuck are close; really close it seems, and... well, call it nervous, or call it jealous, call it just plain silly... but it sometimes seem like there's more to it than meets the eye," Pinkie said.
Cindy folded her hands in her lap (or the hologram did) and she sighed.
"It's that obvious, isn't it?" she asked, then added, "Before you jump to conclusions or get angry or something, I'd like to explain a few things to you."
You may." Pinkie said, her mood shifting slightly, her suspicions being at least slightly confirmed.
Cindy sighed. "What you say about feeling nervous or jealous is partially justified. You see... well, Chuck may not see it the same way, but I think... I think I've got a crush on him." The hologram blushed as she spoke. "It started after meeting him again after all those years when we were... reunited, I guess you could say. I was just so overjoyed to learn that he was still alive after thinking he was dead that... it festered into something more over time. But... that's where I'm conflicted."
"Conflicted?" Pinkie asked.
"Well, come on, let's be honest here!" Cindy remarked. "It could never work. I may have this solid hologram and rational thoughts, and even emotions like a human's or pony's... but in the end I'm just an AI, a computer. And he has all of you; a family who loves him, a hive to run, a wife to cherish... I couldn't take that from him or from you." She sighed sadly and looked down to the floor. "It wouldn't be fair to any one of us; it wouldn't be fair to you."
"You're right," Pinkie nodded. "It wouldn't. Look, Cindy, I like you. The kids like you, Chuckie likes you, so... I don't want this to affect your relationship with our family. Okay?" she asked.
"Okay," Cindy answered. "I understand. I don't want it to ruin anything between us either."
"Good." Pinkie smiled. "I'm happy this went well, but I just don't understand it." She giggled. "I mean, back when I was still expecting the twins, there was another mare who felt this way about Chuckie, and she was far worse than you were about it. I had no idea he was such a magnet."
Cindy giggled as well. "I think TD told me about that, but he exaggerated it a bit. Still, I guess he just has that vibe." She chuckled again, then asked, "So, what happens now? I guess could call Red over from his world and have him alter my code a bit so I don't..."
"No." Pinkie shook her head. "No, that woun't be necessary, it wouldn't be fair to you, so what you have a crush on him?" Pinkie reasoned. "You said it yourself, it wouldn't work, there's no need for your mind to be altered. You wouldn't act on these feelings anyway, right?"
Cindy pondered this, then smiled.
"Not if it hurt you in the process, which it would," she answered. "Thanks Pinkie."
"You're welcome." Pinkie smiled. "You can go now if you want."
"Thanks," Cindy replied. "But uh... do me a favor and don't tell Chuck about this, please. I... want to tell him myself when the time is right. It's only fair."
"I won't," she nodded. "Besides, if he found out, it'd go straight to his ego anyway," she giggled.
"Ain't that the truth?" Cindy chuckled, then the hologram disappeared and the suit stood up. "I'll see you later then. And thanks for the talk... I needed that."
"You're welcome. Come back and visit anytime you want to chat." Pinkie smiled warmly. Cindy nodded in appreciation and then trotted out of the room, feeling as if a huge weight had just gotten off her chest... or what counted as a chest for her. It certainly wasn't going to be easy telling Chuck when the time came, but it was the right thing to do. She was at least glad that her feelings were not going to ruin their friendship in the current circumstances. The last thing she needed was to have the circle of friends she had made get broken apart.
"I may have feelings for Chuck, but I won't let it get in the way of our friendship," she told herself, feeling better even as she spoke.
Well, I liked it. What about you guys?
Either way, cya in chapter two!