Doctor Whooves

Age of Steel

And part two, marvelous. Let the fun begin.

"But we surrender."

"You are incompatible."

"But this is a surrender!"

"You will be deleted."

"But we're surrendering! Listen to me, we surrender!"

"You are inferior; ponies will be reborn as Cyberponies. But you will perish under maximum deletion!" all the Cyberponies held out their hooves and began advancing on the trapped ponies chanting "Delete! Delete! Delete!" But before they got within reaching distance, the Doctor whipped out the power cell, glowing bright. He aimed it at the Cyberpony nearest to him, a beam of golden light shot out hitting it straight on, and dissolving it into dust. The beam bounced off the one, and kept going, bouncing off the other robots until all the surrounding Cyberponies were glowing gold piles of dust.

"What the hell was that?" demanded Cogs.

"We'll have that instead, RUN!" the Doctor cried. There was a shrill whistle, it was Mrs. Mouse waving them over from a gap in the hedges. Everypony ran towards her, except Lucky Clover. He turned and ran for the house, "I've gotta go back, my wife's in there!" he protested.

"Anypony inside that house is dead. If you want to help, then don't let her die for nothing. You've gotta come with us, right now," the Doctor explained. Clover nodded, then followed the rebels through the hedge. Roseluck was still staring at the house, the Doctor put a hoof on her shoulder.

"Roseluck, she's not your mother," he said with a quiet urgency.

"I know."

"Come on." She nodded and followed him under the bush.

"Are we finished chatting?" called Mouse, "Never seen a slower getaway in my life!" Then she, the rebels, the time travelers, and the confused billionaire, raced off down the street at top speed. The Cyberponys' marching echoing behind them at the estate. They didn't stop until most of them were out of breath, then the group slowed to a brisk trot.

The Doctor pulled out the power cell, checking to make sure it was still charging. Cogs kept glancing back at it, glaring. Gear trotted nearer to Roseluck so he could comfort her. Lucky Clover was at the back, head hung low. Steam Fury and Mrs. Mouse were making plans with what ammo they had left.

"What was that thing?" asked Cogs, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"Little bit of technology from my home," the Doctor explained, pocketing it.

"It's stopped glowing, has it run out?" asked Gear nervously.

"It's on a revitalizing loop. It'll charge back up in about… four hours?"

"Right, so we don't have a weapon anymore?" Cogs said.

"Yeah, we've got weapons. Might not be good on those metal things, but they're good enough for stallions like him," Steam said, nodding towards Lucky Clover, who instinctively looked up.

"Leave him alone!" cried Roseluck, her voice rising shrilly, "What's he done wrong?"

"Oh you know- just laid a trap that's wiped out the government. And left Cybus in charge," Steam replied sarcastically.

"If I was part of all that, do you think I'd leave my wife inside?" demanded Clover.

"Maybe your plan went wrong," Cogs said, waving a hoof. "Still gives us the right to execute you."

"Talk about executions, you'll make ME your enemy," the Doctor warned. "And take some really good advice, you don't want to do that."

"All the same, we have evidence that says Lucky Clover's been working for Cybus since June of last year," Cogs explained. Roseluck looked back at him, taken aback. "Is that true?"

"Tell 'em Mrs. M," Cogs asked.

"We've got a government mole who feeds us information," she explained. "Cybus's private files, his Griffinalian operations, the lot. Secret broadcasts, twice a week."

"Broadcast from Pisces?" Clover asked suddenly.

"And how do you know that?" asked Cogs.

"I'm Pisces, that's ME."

"Oh you would say that."

"Encrypted wavelength six-five-seven using binary nine," he reported. Cogs and Steam glanced at eachother.

"That's the only reason I work for Cybus, to get information," he continued. I thought I was broadcasting to the royal army but nope! What do I get? A bunch of crazy ponies and metal monsters!"

"No," Gear protested, slightly confused. "These guys know what they're doing. Cogs said he's Hoofdon's most wanted!"

"That's not exactly true…"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm Hoofdon's most wanted for… speeding tickets," Cogs replied sheepishly.

"Great!" Clover said sarcastically.

"Yeah, well they were deliberate! Pegasus should be able to fly however fast they choose!" Cogs protested.

"Good idea," the Doctor complimented, thoroughly enjoying this. "My name's the Doctor by the way, if anypony was confused."

"And I'm Roseluck," she chirped, "Hello.

"Even better," Clover groaned, "That's the name of my dog. Still, at least I've got the catering staff on my side."

"I knew you weren't a traitor," Roseluck assured him.

"Why is that then?"

"I just did."

"They took my wife."

"She might still be alive. Because that's what Cybus does. He takes the living and turns them into those machines," he grumbled.

"Cyberponies," the Doctor corrected. "They're called Cyberponies. And I'd take those earpods off if I were you." Clover stopped walking and took them out, "Cybus could be listening." The Doctor stopped walking too and zapped them with the sonic, shutting them off.

"But he's overreached himself," he continued, pocketing the pods and continuing forward. "He's still just a business-stallion. He's assassinated the Princess, all we need to do is get to the city and inform the authorities. Because I promise you, this ends tonight!"


Cybus spun his wheelchair around, turning to face the squadron of Cyberponies standing in his office.

"My everlasting children," he said proudly, "Tell me, how does it feel?"

"We feel nothing," they droned in unison.

"But in your mind, what do you think?"

"We think the same, we are uniform."

"But what do you think of?"

"We think of the Equestrians. We think of their difference and pain, they suffer in the skin. They must be upgraded." Cybus smiled, Excellent, then let's begin! Computer, identify, Cybus Steel."

"Voice print acknowledged."

"Activate earpod primary sequence."

"Please state area of activation."

"The city of Hoofdon, I've just declared independence. Begin transmission." A high pitched ring rang through all the earpods in the city, the ponies wearing them froze. Pegasus paused midair, hovering motionlessly. Then they all turned, and started marching in a single direction, towards the Cyber-Factory, faces blank and minds in control.

The scientist, Krane, was in his lab when the signal hit. He ripped them off just in time, "Oh no you don't!"


There was a very loud ringing sound, the rebels stopped. All the other ponies, who'd been watching them curiously as they walked through the city, stopped and their faces went blank. They turned and started walking towards the factory.

"What the hell?" cried Steam.

"What's going on?" asked Roseluck. The ponies shoved past them, slow and lurching like zombies.

"It's the earpods," the Doctor cried, "Cybus has taken control!"

"Can't we just, like, pull them off?" asked Roseluck.

"Don't! It'll cause a brainstorm!" the Doctor warned. "Equestrians, for such an intelligent race, you aren't half susceptible. Give anypony a chance to take control and you submit! Sometimes I think you like it, easy life."

"Hey guys! Over here!" called Steam, pointing around a corner. The others looked round, a squadron of Cyberponies were marching alongside the drones.

"Where are they all going?" asked Roseluck.

"I don't know, Cybus must have a base of operations," the Doctor replied.

"There's a factory, by the Thames," Clover explained. "That's where he was building the prototypes.

"Why's he doing it?"

"He's dying, it started as a way to preserve his life at any cost," Clover continued.

"The thing is, I've seen Cyberponies before haven't I?" Roseluck said, remembering, "The head, those handle things in Van Statten's museum!"

"Oh, yeah, there are Cyberponies in out universe," the Doctor elaborated, "They started on an ordinary world like this then swarmed across the galaxy. This lot are parallel starting right here on Gaia."

"What are you two on about?" demande Clover.

"Nevermind that," Cogs interrupted. "Come on, we need out get out of the city. Split up. Mrs. Mouse, you look after them. Steam, distract them. Go right, I'll go left. We'll meet back at Bridge Street, move!" he and Steam Fury took off around the corner, Gear gave Roseluck a quick hug, "I'm going with him." He turned and followed Cogs towards the Cyberponies.

"Come on!" cried Mouse, "Let's go!" They turned and ran, only to be intercepted by another Cyber patrol. The Doctor looked around frantically, spotting an alleyway he called out and they changed direction.


"Which way? I don't know where we are," Gear asked, catching up to Cogs.

"Did they see us?" asked Cogs.

"Do they know where we are?"

"I think they saw us, probably have night vision."

"I bet they've got satellites."

"I bet they saw us in the dark." They looked at each other, "They know where we are."

"I don't get it, what is it with you?" asked Cogs. "You're exactly like me."

"I don't know, sill reckon you're braver," Gear admitted.

"Oh yeah, ten times. Still your friends aren't bad I'll give you that."

"Oh, that's the Doctor and Roseluck, I just tag along."

"Well then, you're not that bad."

"Do you think?"

"I suppose." Behind them, the Cyberponies' march grew louder. Simultaneously they took to the air and said: "Split up!"


The Cyberponies marched down the alley, determined on finding the rebels. Mouse, Roseluck, Clover, and the Doctor were crouching behind a cluster of rubbish bins. They held as still as possible, not making a sound. The Cyberponies stopped right next to the bins, the Doctor slowly pulled out his sonic screwdriver and pressed the button.

Immediately the Cyberponies turned and marched another direction, away from them. The Doctor slowly stood up and looked over, he motioned to the others, "Come on."


Cogs flew down one of the alleyways, accidently clipping his wing on the corner. He dropped to the ground and kept running, metal hooves clomping on the cement behind him. He turned down another back street, Gear came flying the other way. A metal gate stood between the two. Cogs jumped up and tried to grab hold, but hooves are not the best for climbing.

"Come on!" cried Gear. Cogs jumped up and tried again, he managed to hang on this time, but the Cyberponies were getting closer.

"Please! Come on!" begged Gear, but as his dimensional double reached the top, a Cyberpony grabbed his back hoof and electrocuted him.

"NO!" Cogs fell off the gate, landing on the concrete, dead. Gear stared at the robots in silence before turning and flying away as fast as he could.


In the control room of the cyber factory, where cybus was overseeing operations, His head scientist was escorted in.

"This one is unprogrammed," the Cyberpony behind him beeped.

"Mister Krane," rasped Cybus, "I thought you were one of the faithful."

"Oh that I am sir," the scientist replied. "My ear pods must've malfunctioned. For which I apologize. But, I have come with a request, to volunteer for the upgrade program. I've seen the future, and it's copyright, Cybus Industries. Sign me up."

"A willing volunteer," mused Cybus.

"You've known me a long time sir. Quite a team you and me," Krane said, stepping forward. "I've been with you all the way, but believe me sir, knowing you so well, I know exactly what to do." In a flash, he galloped around Cybus's wheelchair and pulled out the cord for the oxygen tank.

"No!" cried Cybus, "Help me!" Krane bucked the life support controls, making them spark and of the cyberponies stepped forward and tossed the scientist aside, "Die you!" he cried. And was promptly electrocuted.

"Help me!" Cybus rasped again.

"You are in pain," droned the Cyberponies. "We can remove pain forever."

"No, not yet! I'm not ready!"

"We will give you immortality."

"I've told you, I will upgrade only with my last breath!"

"Then breathe no more." One of the Cyberponies took the wheelchair controls, "No! No! I command you no!" Cybus Steel was driven into the factory rooms, where the converters stood at the ready.


"I ran past the river," Steam called, galloping up the hill to join the others, "You should have seen it. The whole city's on the march. Hundreds of Cyberponies all down the Thames." There was a flapping of wigns, everypony look up to see Gear flying towards them.

"Here he is!" called Steam, thinking it was Cogs. "Which one are you?" Gear landed and looked down at his hooves ashamed.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, "The Cyberponies, he couldn't-"

"Are you Cogs?" asked Steam, hopeful.

"Gear, that's you isn't it?" Roseluck asked, putting a hoof on his shoulder.

"Yeah," she hugged him. "Cogs tried, he was flying and clipped his wing. There were too many of them-"

"Shut it," ordered Steam.

"There was nothing I could do-"

"I said just shut it! Don't even talk about him," the rebel said furiously. "You're nothing! Nothing!"

"We can mourn him when Hoofdon is safe," the Doctor said stepping between the two. "But now, we move on." He motioned and they trotted to the top of the hill, and across the winding river at the base of the hill, was the Cyber factory. Crowds of possessed ponies were flocking in, accompanied with Cyberponies.

"The whole of Hoofdon's been sealed off, and the entire population's being herded inside that place to be converted," the Doctor explained grimly.

"We've got to get in there and shut it down," said Roseluck urgently.

"How do we do that?" asked Gear.

"oh, I'll think of something," the Doctor shrugged nonchalantly.

"You're making this up as you go along aren't you?"

"Yep, and I do it brilliantly."

"Hey guys!" called Mrs. Mouse, "I think I've got something!" she had her laptop out, and was typing away rapidly. On the screen, there was a schematic of the factory, everypony crowded around to get a look.

"See here? Cooling tunnels underneath the plant," she explained, "Big enough to walk through."

"We go under there and up into the control center?" asked the Doctor. Mouse nodded.

"There's another way in," added Clover, stepping back, "Through the front door. If they've taken Lilly for upgrading, that's how she'll get in."

"We can't just go strolling up," protested Steam.

"Or we could, with these," Mouse pulled a pair of dead earpods from her pocket. "Fake ones, dead, no signal. But put them on, the Cyberponies would mistake you for one of the crowd."

"Then that's my job," said Clover.

"You'd have to show no emotion, none at all or you'd get caught," warned the Doctor.

"How many of those have you got?" asked Roseluck.

"Just two sets."

"Okay, if that's the best way of finding Lilly, then I'm coming with you," she said.

"Why does she matter to you?"

"We haven't got time, Doctor, I'm going with him, and that's that."

"No stopping you is there?" asked the Doctor,

"No."

"Tell you what. We can take the earpods at the same time. Give ponies their minds back so they don't trot into that place like sheep. Steam? Cybus's control signal, it must be from over there." He pointed over to the factory, and by mistake, the massive zeppelin at the top. Red rings were flashing out of the tip, "Oh, there it is. On the zeppelin. Great big transmitter. Good thing Cybus likes showing off. Reckon you could take it out?" Steam saluted, "Consider it done."

"Mrs. Mouse? Would you care to accompany into the cooling ducts?"

"How could I refuse an offer of cooling tunnels?" she asked, snapping shut the laptop.

"We attack on three side, above, between, below. We get to the control center, stop the conversion machines."

"What about me?" asked Gear.

"Gear, you can, uh…"

"What? Stay out of trouble? Be the tin dog? No, those days are over, I'm going with Steam."

"I don't need you idiot," Steam snapped.

"I'm not an idiot! You got that? I'm offering to help!"

"Gear, good luck," said the Doctor.

"Yeah, you too." He turned to Roseluck, "Roseluck, I'll see you later."

"Yeah, you'd better."

"If we survive this, I'll see you back at the Tardis," the Doctor said. Gear nodded, "That's a promise." Then he turned, and followed Steam towards the factory. The Doctor hugged Roseluck, "Good luck."


The cooling ducts were dark, very dark. The only light there was coming from the moon through the entry hatch, and that wasn't much. Down the tunnel, strange shapes blended with the shadows. The Doctor dropped down from the ladder, landing on all four hooves.

"It's freezing," commented Mrs. Mouse as she followed him down the ladder.

"Any sign of a light switch?" the Time-Pony asked, peering into the darkness.

"Can't see a thing," Mouse added. "But I've got these," out of her saddle bag, she pulled a pair of headlamps out. "Device for every occasion." The Doctor smiled and took one, slipping it on and activating the light. Mouse did the same.

"Haven't got a muffin in there by any chance have you? I'm starving," the Doctor asked, hopeful.

"Of all the things to wish for, a pastry."

"What? Muffins are quite tasty I'll have you know. Especially banana." Mouse pulled a flashlight out of her bag, "A proper torch too."

"Let's see where we are," the Doctor said, switching on his head lamp, Mouse did the same. They both jumped back in surprise, the entire hallway was lined with Cyberponies.

"Already converted," the Doctor whispered, "Just put on ice. Come on." He tapped a hoof on one of the robot's faces, no reaction. "Let's just go slowly. Keep an eye out for trip systems." Slowly, they tip-hoofed down the corridor, their hoofsteps echoing off the walls.


Ponies passed in front of them, lots, all possessed and controlled. Roseluck and Lucky Clover stayed hidden in the bushes. Over the sound of marching hooves they could hear mechanical voices calling out inside the factory.

"Chamber six now open for upgrading. Chamber seven now open for upgrading. Chamber eight now open…" Clover pulled the dead earpods out of his pocket and handed two to Roseluck.

"Just put them on, don't show any emotion. No signs, nothing. Okay?" Roseluck nodded, "Don't worry, we can do this." She slipped hers on, immediately they started blinking blue; Clover's did the same.

"We could die in here," Clvoer reminded her, "Why are you doing this?"

"Let's just say, I'm doing it for my mom and dad," she replied. "Right, let's go." Simultaneously they stood up from behind the bush, and joined the line of drones.

"Chamber nine now open for upgrading."


Steam climbed up the ladder to the roof, Gear flying behind him. They looked over the edge of the roof, two armed guards stood at the base of the docking ladder to Cybus's zeppelin.

"Two guards, we can take them," Steam said. He moved to climb over, Gear caught his shoulder. "Don't kill them."

"Who put you in charge?"

"If you kill them, how are you different from a Cyberpony?" this made him stop, "Well… Okay, I suppose we could use these." He pulled a pair of vials from his jacket, "Smelling salts?"

"Bit stronger than that. One of Mrs. Mouse's little tricks. Should knock them out." Both of them poised to leap, "On three. One, two, three!" They jumped up from their cover and galloped forward. Before the guards had a chance to react, they had intense smelling salts in their faces. Both collapsed quickly.

"There's got to be more guards on board," said Gear. Steam smiled at him and began to climb the ladder, "Then let's go get them.


"How did you get into this, rattling along with Cogs and Steam?" asked the Doctor, keeping a sharp eye in the tunnel ahead.

"Oh, I used to be ordinary. Worked for Cybus industries nine to five," Mouse explained, "Till one day, I find something I'm not supposed to. A fiel on the mainframe, all I did was read it and suddenly- bang bang! Soldiers knocking on my door a three in the morning. Life on the run, then I found the guys. They needed a techy, so I sat down and taught myself everything."

"What about Mr. Mouse?"

"Well, he's not called Mouse. I got it from a book, Mrs. Mouse, safer not to use real names," she said. "Only way to keep him safe. Him and the kids. What about you? Got any family, or…?"

"Oh who needs a family?" the Doctor scoffed, trying to play it off, "I've got the whole world on my shoulders. Go on then, what's your real name?" Mouse shuffled her hooves for a moment before replying, "Sparkler. Don't tell a soul."

"Not a word," the Doctor assured her, smiling. They kept walking, unaware that a single Cyberpony behind them had activated when they passed. It slowly looked up at them, before sending an alarm signal back to the home base.


"Movement detected in deepcold six."

"Awaken the army!"


Mouse stepped around one of the Cyberponies, and stopped. One of the hooves had just twitched. She trotted to catch up with the Doctor, "Hey, is it just me or did that one move?"

"It's just the torchlight," the Time-Pony assured her, "Keep moving." He happened to glance to the left, where one had just lifted its head. "They're waking up, run!" both ponies broke into a sprint, as they ran the Cyberponies behind them fell into line and began to march. At the end of the tunnel there was a ladder with a hatch at the top. The Doctor climbed up, sonic already in his teeth.

"They're coming! Open it!" cried Mouse. He buzzed it once and the hatch unlocked, he pushed it open with one hoof and climbed out, pulling mouse with him. "Come on! Come on!" At the base of the ladder, a Cyberpony was starting to climb, they slammed the hatch shut and the Doctor sonic sealed it. They both sat back for a moment, breathing hard, "Oh good team Mrs. Mouse!"


A Cyberpony stopped the progression, right in front of Roseluck. Clover was immediately behind her, "You will wait." It ordered.

"You ok?" whispered Clover.

"No," Roseluck whispered back. Next to them, a mare walked into one of the chambers, the sounds of whirring blades sound came out of the chamber, along with the slicing of flesh. Roseluck had to restrain herself from puking right then and there. Moments later, a fully mechanized Cyberpony stepped out.

"Any sign of Lilly?" asked Clover. Roseluck barely shook her head. One of the Cyberponies clomped up to them, "You are Lucky Clover. Confirm you are Lucky Clover."

"C-confirmed," he stammered.

"I recognize you," it continued, "I went first. My name was Lilly-Luck."

"No!" cried Roseluck, forgetting she was supposed to be a drone.

"What?" exclaimed Clover, doing the same.

"They are unprogrammed," Once-Lilly stated, "Restrain."

"You're lying!" yelled Clover, "You're not her! You're not my Lilly!" The Cyberponies grabbed them, "No, I am Cyber-form. Once I was Lilly-Luck."

"But you can't be, not her," Roseluck insisted.

"Her mind is inside this body."

"Lill, I came to save you…" Clover said weakly.

"This stallion worked with Cybus Industries to create us, he will be rewarded by force, take him to Cyber Control," the Cyberponied pulled Roseluck and Clover away from Once-Lilly.

"They killed her. They just took her and killed her," Roseluck growled.

"Maybe there's a chance, I don't know, maybe we can reverse it," Clover said hopefully.

"There's nothing we can do."

"But if, if she remembers-where is she? Which one was it?" They both looked around trying to find Once-Lilly, "They all look the same."


Gear and Steam dropped the fifth and final guard.

"Nice one, nopony's home," Steam noted. "We need to find the transmitter controls."

"What do they look like?" asked Gear, looking at the control panel and giant boat-like steering wheel.

"Well I don't know, they might have 'transmitter controls' written in big red letters. Just look!" They walked up to the controls and began to search. Gear saw a reflection in the window, he spun around. Steam followed his gaze, "Cyberpony!" he pulled out his pistol. The robot remained still. Slowly, he stepped forward, and turned on the light. It still didn't move.

"It's dead," Gear explained, also stepping forward. "I don't think it was ever alive." He reached up and knocked a hoof on the head, resulting in a hollow banging. "It's empty, no brain. Just a robot suit. It's for display."

"Okay," Steam said uneasily, "Transmitter."


Mouse and the Doctor rounded a corner, a Cyberpony stood before them.

"You are not upgraded," it said immediately.

"Yeah? Well upgrade this!" Mouse pulled a rod wrapped in copper wire from her saddlebag and threw it at the monstrosity. It stuck to the metal surface, sending white streaks of electricity over the armor. The Cyberpony jerked, then collapsed, stiff.

"What the hell was that?" asked the Doctor in awe.

"Electromagnetic bomb," Mouse replied. "Takes out computers, I figured it might stop the cyber suit."

"You figured right. Now, let's have a look. Know your enemy," they both stepped forward and knelt next to the Cyberpony. A logo on the front. Cybus turned them into a brand, heart of steel, but look." He soniced the brand, it popped loose and he pulled it off. The electronics inside were lit blue, and something white and meshy was woven through them.

"Is that flesh?" asked Mouse.

"Mm-hm," agreed the Doctor, pulling it out and dangling it on his hooves. "Central nervous system. Artificially grown then threaded throughout the suit so it responds like a living thing. Oh but look," he brushed some aside, revealing a metal block. "Emotional inhibitor. Stops them feeling anything."

"But why?" asked Mouse.

"It's still got a pony's brain. Imagine the reaction if it could see itself, realize what happened to it. They'd go insane."

"So they cut out the one thing that make them Equine."

"Because they have to," the Doctor said grimly.

"Why am I cold?" the Cyberpony whispered.

"Oh Celestia, it's alive!" said Mouse, surprised. "It can feel."

"We broke the inhibitor," the Doctor explained. He pat the Cyberpony's head, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Why so cold?" asked the Cyberpony again.

"Can you remember your name?" asked the Doctor.

"Ea-gle. Golden, Eagle," he replied.

"You're a stallion," Mouse exclaimed.

"Where's Sparrow?"

"Who's Sparrow?" asked Mouse.

"She's going to be so upset. I'm very late," the Cyberpony said sadly.

"You're getting married?"

"I'm cold," it moaned, "I'm so cold…"

"It's alright," the Doctor assured him. "You sleep now Eagle, just go to sleep." He put the sonic in the chest cavity, buzzed it once, and let Eagle go.

"He didn't die for nothing, because that's the key," the Doctor said solemnly. "The emotional inhibitor, if we could find the code behind it, the cancellation code, then feed it throughout the system into every Cyberponys' head, they'd realize what they are."

"And then what?"

"I think, it would kill them. Could we do that?"

"we've got to, before they kill everypony else. There's no choice Doctor. It's got to be done." Mouse stood up, and turned around, only to have a Cyberpony grab her by the throat and electrocute her.

"No!" the Doctor roared, shooting up, "No! You didn't have to kill her!"

"Sensors detect a binary vascular system," the Cyberpony said, approaching the Doctor. Two others were coming from the sides, "You are an unknown upgrade. You will be taken for analysis."


"The transmitter controls are sealed behind here," Gear explained pointing to a metal box, "We need like a blowtorch or something."

"Oh I forgot to bring it with me," Steam Fury retorted sarcastically.

"Well then, what do we do?"

"Crash the zeppelin!" Steam said like it was obvious.

"With us inside?"

"We could set it on automatic and just leg it." Steam turned to the controls, he tried a few keys but nothing happened. "It's locked. There's got to be an override…" Gear gently nudged him aside, "Let me have a go. I'm good with computers. Trust me." And he set to work, hacking into the zeppelin controls from the computer. They were both unaware however, that next to the Cyberpony in the alcove behind them a red light blinked off and on. The Cyberpony's head lifted slightly, looking at them.


The Cyberponies led their newly captured Time-Pony into Cyber control.

"I've been captured but don't worry," he said when he entered, "Roseluck and Clover are still out there. They can rescue me." Roseluck rolled her eyes in annoyance, she and clover were both sitting next to the computers, prisoners, "Oh well, never mind," the Doctor continued. "You two okay?"
"Yeah, but they got Lilly," Roseluck replied somberly.

"We were too late, Cybus killed her," Clover added.

"Then where is he?" asked the Doctor, rather loudly, "Don't we get a chance to meet our Lord and Master mister Cybus?"

"He has been upgraded," the Cyberponies droned.

"So he's just like you then?"

"He is superior," they continued, "The Cybus Unit is designated Cyber Controller." The wall on the raised platform leading to the conversion rooms opened, sliding aside to reveal a monstrosity. A Cyberpony, sitting on a throne of metal and wires, with a battle armor of gold.

"This is the Age of Steel, and I am its Creator!" the Cyber Controller said, pride evident in his voice.


"Almost there," Gear insisted, typing away.

"Not bad," Steam commented, leaning against the controls. There was a creak, he looked over at the Cyberpony, just in time to see it wake up.

"It's moving!" he cried, "You said it was dead!"

"Yeah," Gear agreed, spinning around, "But a robot's still a big robot. Hey, wait a minute. I got an idea." He whistled, the Cyberpony looked his way, "HEY! Cyberpony! Over here!" the robot cocked its head and began marching his way. Gear continued to taunt it, positioning himself directly in front of the transmitter controls. And as the Cyberpony stood in front of him, raising a hoof to electrocute, Gear ducked.

The Cyberpony still punched though, through the air and into the transmitter controls. The energy inside of the controls and the electricity the Cyberpony was pulsing backfired and started electrocuting it. The transmitter stopped sending the signal, screams erupted from the factory below. Gear punched the air, Steam smiled like crazy, and the Cyberpony collapsed.

"The transmitter's down!" Gear cried happily, as ponies pushed their way past Cybers to escape the factory.


The screams echoed even into Cyber Control, the Doctor smiled proudly.

"That's my friends at work," he explained, "Good colts! Mister Cybus, I think that's a vote for free will."

"I have factories waiting in seven cities in three kingdoms," Cyber Controller growled. "If the earpods have failed, then the Cyberponies will take Equestria by force. Hoofdon has fallen, so shall the world."


Gear turned back to the computer, "Hey, I've logged on to Cyber Control." Steam stepped over an looked, it showed the captured members of their team and the Cyber Controller. "They're alive! The Doctor and Roseluck, there they are!"

"Never mind them, what the hell is that thing?" demanded Steam, pointing to the Cyber Controller.

"Shh, has this got audio?" he tapped a few more keys.

"-ill bring peace to the world. Everlasting peace-"


"And unity and uniformity."

"And Imagination?" asked the Doctor. "What about that? The one thing that lead you here, imagination and you're killing it dead!"

"What is your name?" asked the Cyberpony Controller, curious.

"I'm the Doctor," he replied.

"A redundant title, Doctor need not exist. Cyberponies never sicken."

"Yeah but that's it, that's exactly the point!" the Doctor cried. "Oh Cybus, you're a great stallion. I'd call you a genius but I'm here. But everything you've invented was to battle your sickness. And that's brilliant! That is so, so, good. But once you get rid of sickness and mortality, what is there to strive for eh? The Cybeponies won't advance, you'll just stop. You'll stay like this forever! Metal ponies with metal thoughts, lacking the one tiny thing that makes this planet so amazing, so alive! Ponies, ordinary, stupid, brilliant ponies!"

"You are proud of your emotions?" asked the Controller.

"Oh yes!"

"Then tell me Doctor, have you known grief? And rage? And pain?" The Doctor's face darkened, "Yes, yes I have."

"And they hurt."

"Of course."

"I could set you free, would you not want that? A life without pain?"

"You might as well kill me," the Doctor replied.

"Then I take that option," the Controller said, the Cyberponies around them raised their hooves.

"It's not yours to take," the Doctor reminded him. "You are a Cyber Controller; you don't control anything with blood in its heart."

"You have no means of stopping me. I have an army, a species of my own." The Doctor face-hoofed, "You just don't get it do you? An army's nothing. Because those ordinary ponies, they're the key." He looked back at his friends, "The most ordinary pony can change the world." He looked up at the camera behind them, "Some, ordinary Pegasus maybe, an idiot. All it takes is for him to, say-"


"Find the right numbers. The right codes, say, for example, the code behind the emotional inhibitor. The code right in front of him!" Gear's eyes widened, he set to work, typing away. "Because even an idiot knows how to use a computer these days. Knows how to get past firewalls and passwords. Knows how to find-"


"-something encrypted in the Cybus Family Database under uh, what was it?" asked the Doctor, looking at Clover.

"Binary Nine," he supplied.

"A moron could find that code, the cancellation code. And he'd keep on typing-"


"-Keep on fighting, anything to save his friends." Gear typed even faster, the Doctor was telling him how he could help, not be the tin dog anymore. He could save them, all of them.

"Your words are irrelevant," the Cyber Controller said, monotonously.

"Yeah, I talk to mus, that's my problem. LuckyI got you that cheap phone Roseluck, for all out loooong chats." Gear finally got the code, it popped up onto his screen, 6879760. He pulled out his own mobile phone and texted it to Roseluck.


"You will be deleted," the Cyber Controller beeped.

"Yes, delete, controls, hash, all those lovely buttons," the Doctor joked. "The of course, my particular favorite, send!" he mimicked pressing a button. Roseluck's phone beeped, she pulled it out. "And let's not forget how you seduced everypony in the first place, by making everything compatible with everything else." Roseluck checked her message and smirked, "It's for you." She tossed him the phone, he caught it expertly in his mouth.

"Like dis," he said, plugging it into the computer. The code appeared on the phone screen, then on all the computers. The Cyberponies twitched, then began screaming and cyring. Sobbing actually as they realized what Cybus had done to them. The Doctor unplugged Roseluck's phone and tossed it back to her, he caught sight of one looking at itself in a shiny screen.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"What have you done!?" demanded Cybus, fury filling his robot voice. One of the cyberpony's heads exploded, sending fire shooting out.

"We gave them back their souls!" the furious Time-Pony cried, "They can see what you've done Cybus! And it's killing them!" Then he, Roseluck, and Lucky Clover turned and they ran for their lives. Things were exploding around them, sending fire and sparks falling down on them. The Doctor stopped, pulled open the emergency exit, but it was filled with writhing Cyberponies.

"There's no way out!" he cried. Roseluck's phone rang suddenly, "Roseluck? Roseluck! Can you hear me? Head to the roof!" Gear cried.

"It's Gear," she explained, "He says head for the roof!" They turned and kept running, dodging falling metal and jumping over fires. Behind them, there came a roar of pure metallic fury as Cybus disconnected himself from the metal throne.


Soon, they made it up to the roof, fire was beginning to burn through the top. Cybus's massive zeppelin was lowering down towards the docking station.

"Gear? Where'd you learn to fly that thing?" asked Roseluck in awe.

"Joyboy," he explained, "Just hole on Roseluck, I'm coming to get you guys."

"You can't go any lower!" Steam warned.

"I've got to!" Gear insisted.

"You're going to crush them!"

"There's got to be something," he spotted an emergency pull lever. "Oh, okay." He pulled the lever, a rope ladder unrolled from the bottom of the airship.

"You've got to be kidding me," Clover said as the rope ladder fell down.

"Roseluck, get up," the Doctor ordered. Roseluck began climbing the ladder, the Doctor followed, Clover was last.

"Hold on tight!" Gear's voice called through the zeppelin's speakers. "Welcome to Gear's Airline, please enjoy your flight."

"We did it! We did it!" Roseluck cried. The Doctor laughed with her, Clover just held onto the ladder, scared out of his wits. Suddenly, something very heavy pulled on the ladder. It was Cyberpony Cybus, climbing up the ladder. The Doctor pulled out his sonic, "Clover! Take this, hold down the button, and press it against the rope!" he dropped the sonic, Clover was barely able to catch it and hold on.

"Do it!"

"Lilly-Luck, this is for her!" Clover cried, pressing the buzzing alien device to the rope. It snapped, sending the Cyber Controller falling down down down into the now burning shell of the Cyber factory. And as he crashed through the roof, the building exploded. The Cyberponies were gone, mostly.


The Doctor walked back inside the Tardis, pulling out the power cell, he plugged it into the Tardis consolt. The whole thing lit up bright, glowing, whirring. Outside, Roseluck and Clover were walking along the shore.

"So, what happens inside that thing then?" he asked, gesturing to the Tardis.

"Do you want to see?" asked Roseluck.

"No, I don't think so. But oyu two, you know, all that stuff you said about different worlds… Who are you?"

"It's like, you know, imagine there are really those different worlds. Parallel. Worlds where another Lucky Clover, and Lilly-Luck's still alive, and their daughter…" Clover turned, "I've got to go."

"But if you just look inside-"

"No I can', there's all those Cybus factories out there. And all those Cyberponies still in storage. Somepony's got to tell the authorities what happened, carry on the fight," he said.

"Roseluck?" called the Doctor, looking out of the Tardis. "I've only got five minutes of power, we've got to go."

"The Doctor could show you."

"Thank you, for everything," Clover said.

"Dad-"

"Don't. Just, don't." He turned, and walked away. Gear took his place, flying down from the sky.

"Here it is, I found it. Not a crease," he said, handing the Doctor a bundle of clothing.

"My suit! Good stallion!" Steam Fury walked up behind him. "Now then, Steam, We've got to run. But one more thein, Mrs. Mouse, her real name was Sparkler. She's got a husband out there, and kids. Find them, tell them how she died saving the world."

"Yessir!" Steam said, saluting.

"Off we go then," the Doctor said.

"Um, the thing is, I'm staying," Gear interrupted.

"You're doing what?"

"You can't," protested Roseluck.

"It sort of balances out," Gear continued, " 'Cos this world lost Cogs, but there's me. And there's work to be done, with all those cyberponies still out there."

"But you can't stay," Roseluck insisted.

"Roseluck, my gran is here. She's still alive, you remember her yeah?"

"Yeah."

"She needs me."

"What about me? What if I need you?"

"Roseluck, you don't. You've got the Doctor, and he needs you."

"Well, we'll come back, we can travel anywhere. Come and see you yeah?"

"We can't," the Doctor interrupted. "I told you, travel between parallel worlds is impossible. We only got here by accident, fell through a crack in time. When we leave, I've got to fix it. We can't come back." Gear nodded, "It's been good knowing you Doctor." They shook hooves.

"Take Roseluck's phone, it's got the code. Get it out there, stop the factories. And good luck, Gear the idiot," the Doctor said, still smiling.

"Watch it." The Doctor trotted back inside the Tardis, Roseluck pulled out her phone and handed it to Gear.

"Thanks," he said, slipping it into his jacket. "We've had a laugh though, haven't we? Seen it all, been there and back. Who would've thought, ordinary you and me, flying through the stars?"

"All those years just sitting there, imagining what we'd do, we never saw this did we?" asked Roseluck, pulling him into a hug.

"Go on then, don't miss your flight," Gear said, patting her on the back. Roseluck stepped back, and with a last tearful wave, trotted into the Tardis.

"Steam, you want to watch this." The rebels stood there, watching the blue box as it began to fade from existence.

"What the hell?"

"That's the Doctor and Roseluck in the Tardis," Gear explained, smiling. Together, they turned and walked away, "I know it's not easy me looking exactly like Cogs, but I'm a different stallion. But we can remember him by getting rid of those things. Think there's a Cyber Factroy in Prance?"

"Yeah."

"Then let's go liberate Prance."

"What, just you and me?"

"There's nothing wrong with just us two. I once save the universe with a chain and a few friends."

To be continued in the Idiot's Lantern…

Me: Oh, my, Celestia. This was bloody hard to do! All the big words and so many distractions! Homework being one of them.

GAH! Please excuse my ranting. Hopefully the next will be easier.