“A sucking chest wound is nature’s way to tell you to stay out of a firefight”

“Keep your fucking head down, Private!”

The stuttering roar of a fully automatic weapon filled the dry air as another unseen raider sprayed burning lead toward the cowering ponies.

“What do they want?” Screamed the terrified Misty La-Moon, her pale blue coat and camouflaged fatigues peppered with red dust thrown up from bullets striking the dead ground.

“Us probably,” Growled one of the other three ponies with her. She watched as he gritted his teeth, then took a small handgun in his mouth he peeked his head over the edge of the broken wall they were taking cover behind. The magnum fired as he tried to hit the unseen enemy.

Misty’s own gun was held in her magic. She remembered the Commandant Overmare’s briefing before she left the stable a week ago, urging them to use care, and that there were monsters out there. Misty never expected that ponies were those monsters.

She crawled to the edge of the wall, feeling every stone digging into her belly. Peeking around the side she narrowed her eyes against the glare of the sun. A stray bullet struck the masonry above her head making her wince as stone shards pricked her scalp. Taking a deep breath she concentrated down the iron sights of her weapon waiting for an enemy to come into view. The voice of her firearms instructor whispered in her mind, “Breath. Don't lose focus, don't forget your surroundings. Don't spray and pray.”

A figure appeared in the dust whipped up by the warm desert wind. A battle saddle laden with an assault rifle was slung across his broad back. Misty recalled her training. She placed the figure in her iron sights, exhaled, relaxed, and fired.
The raider shied sideward as the bullet plowed into the earth beside him, then snorted and turned to where he had seen the muzzle flash. A humorless grin split his features as his rifle opened fire. The storm of burning metal drove Misty to the ground behind the wall.

“You have your S.A.T.S, so use it!” a red stallion barked at her. Misty gulped remembering the nauseous feeling she got after using it in training. Poking her head around the wall again she saw the raider had advanced. Tapping her pipbuck quickly she brought up the Stable-tech Arcane Targeting Spell. There was a stomach turning lurch, and Misty’s universe came to a standstill.

The arcano-tech spell turned the world into hues of night-vision green while data flashed up before her eyes, locking the target before her, showing the odds of hitting different parts of the raider’s body. Thinking quickly she assigned 2 shots, one to the center of mass and one to the head before the first part of the spell expired. The green glow faded and the world restarted as her body and mind returned to real-time. The second part of the spell kicked in and she felt her own telekinetic spell being altered slightly as the pipbuck took magical control. Her weapon fired twice.

The first shot missed the intended target of the chest but grazed the enemy’s foreleg. The second shot found its mark. The raider stopped and looked puzzled as one eye suddenly turned into a gaping hole while the back of his skull became flying shrapnel. There was a slight pause, then the pony dropped lifeless into the dirt.

Misty’s stomach rebelled and her breakfast splattered on the ground.
“Fuck,” muttered Misty as she wiped her mouth on her foreleg “I hate S.A.T.S.”

A yellow unicorn mare with a broken target cutie mark came up beside her with a sniper rifle. Placing it on the top of the wall, the unicorn leaned into the stock and concentrated down the scope
“Target!” the mare yelled.

Misty peeked around the corner but could only see other flashes of the raiders weapons through the swirling dust. Unable to discern anything useful she turned back to the sniper.
As she opened her mouth to answer, the snipers head exploded in a shower of brain and bone. The lifeless body fell with a sickening splatter on the dry heaving Misty.

Squealing she pushed the corpse off. No matter how much training she received at her militaristic home Stable, actual combat was far different from all the drills and simulations she had endured. All of her training was as a battle medic! She cursed her special talent and her crossed scalpel and wand cutie mark.

The thundering sound of hooves filled the air as the raiders broke their cover charging at the defenders. “Prepare for hoof to hoof!” yelled the older grey stallion.

Misty braced herself for the hell she knew was coming, the earth-shaking thunder of hooves and the chattering of weapons fire growing ever louder. The shouts of the charging ponies sent chills of panic down her spine. A red orb flew over the wall and landed several feet away.
“GRENADE!” The grey pony leapt upon it just as it detonated. Red hot shards of metal ripped his belly apart showering the area with shredded flesh. Misty felt the blast wave slam into her like a hammer blow and sent her tumbling across the earth.

On the other side, the red stallion's body smashed against the wall and fell lifelessly to the ground. Misty’s ears rang from blast and her world seemed to sway as she tried to crawl towards her companion. She cried out to him, but the ringing in her ears was so loud that she couldn't even hear her own voice. Her mouth dripped blood as she finally collapsed a few feet from his still form.

Looking up she saw a rough-looking green unicorn mare wearing a bandana over her muzzle. The mare was holding a large handgun in her own magical field, pointing it at Misty’s head. She pulled down the bandana and ran her eyes lustily over Misty's flank and up her body. With a sneering grin she licked her lips as a huge leather clad stallion came up and stood over Misty. The green unicorn winked at the stallion and said something to him. The ringing in Misty’s ears obscured everything the green unicorn said. The Stallion looked down at Misty, and seemed to chuckle. Then he lifted his huge foreleg over Misty’s head.

Misty opened her mouth to scream.

The warm, early morning breeze ruffled the silvery mane of the blue unicorn that lay just inside the lip of an old blast crater. Her limbs twitched and she whimpered faintly as images of horror and death filled her dreams. The near silence was suddenly broken by a screaming gasp. Misty’s eyes flew open and her body bolted upright. Heart pounding hard, she tossed her head, eyes frantically seeking those who were trying to kill her. She was alone.

Seeing nothing threatening, she slowly made herself stand on her shaking hooves and looked around more carefully, her mind slowly piecing together what happened. The attack, being held captive, followed by black skin, sharp teeth and featureless blue eyes.
Then the full force of the prior day crashed into her mind, and Misty blacked out again.

Hero, as the changeling had started to call herself, thanks to that strange blue pony, did not often get the luxury of thoughts. Right now, as she cleaned up the area, her mind was full of them.

One thing that Hero was working on was the strange sensation she got from the blue pony when she was pulling the bullet out. It wasn't love, but it was an emotion. An emotion that Hero could and did feed from.

Another thought that was making its way through the brain of the changeling drone was what to do next? She could leave and try to find another battle to scavenge from, like she had always done, or she could stay with the mare and feed on those nice emotions; quite a novel idea.

While she tried to sort out these new thoughts, Hero kept herself busy, and keeping things clean was a typical behaviour for a changeling. For Hero it was also something that made her feel comfortable, and gave her what could be considered a sense of pride. She also used the time to see what else could be useful.

One thing she found was a strange object on the foreleg of the dead red stallion. It looked like the thing that the blue unicorn was wearing. Hero sniffed it, then tapped on it. It didn’t seem dangerous, so she decided to try it on. It opened easily from the dead pony’s forelimb, but when she wrapped it around her left foreleg it clamped itself shut.

As soon as the clamp locked the green screen lit up. Hero watched entranced as bright lines of text appeared on the darker background of the screen. She had no idea what they were, but the motion and patterns they made were fun to watch. The device beeped and the screen went blank. An animated pony appeared on it and she heard a voice, “Welcome to your Pipbuck. Please wait while we calibrate to the new user.”

Hero's head tilted as she watched the green shaded cartoon pony trot on the spot. She felt some light pricks against the hard carapace of her leg under the weird object’s screen.

“Error found. Unable to integrate to users nervous system. Only basic systems available.”

Nonplussed, Hero continued to watch.

“Would you like to run a tutorial on your Pipbuck’s basic functions?”

Hero remained silent.

After waiting a few minutes to see if it would do anything else, she gave up and tried to take it off. It remained firmly attached to her leg. She tried again, but it stubbornly resisted. Seeing nothing more that could be gained by her efforts she returned to her other tasks.

The shattered remains of ponies dumped over the side of the crater into an untidy heap, rations and water piled together, RadX and painkillers in a small pile of their own, and weapons and armor in various states of repair in another pile, Hero paused for a few minutes and let her mind catch up. The precious bottles of Sparkle Cola were already packed into her saddlebag along with her prized tan shirt, pills of various types, ammo, an unloaded revolver, water and rations. Things that she had watched ponies put into packs in the past. She also added a few hoofs full of bottle caps, though she was still confused about their purpose.

A second saddlepack lay open and empty as she pondered if she should pack it for Misty. If she did that perhaps she would get more good emotional energy from the mare. To finally feed was intoxicating, and she wanted more.

Hero filled the second saddle pack.

Putting both packs on her back, and grabbing a haunch of meat from the pile of the dead, she trotted into the crater to where she believed Misty was sleeping. She was slightly surprised to see Misty was awake.

She walked up to Misty and dropped the dripping flesh at Misty's hooves, then sat like an excited dog, even wagging her stubby tail.

Misty's body remained unnaturally still as Hero waited patiently. As she sat she watched a drop of water leave Misty’s closed eye, rundown down her muzzle, and land on the meat. Hero gave a quizzical chirp, trying to get the unicorns attention. Misty’s head remained bowed as she slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was a bloody chunk of pony.

The unicorn squealed in fright,backpedaled rapidly, and fell on her back. She looked up and saw the changeling, jaws covered in drying blood from butchering and carrying the raw flesh. Misty’s mouth gaped open to scream, although her terror only allowed a faint gurgle.

Hero watched this strange reaction. She brought food for the mare. She had packed bags for the mare. Wasn't she doing a good thing? Can she get more of those nice emotions? Hero’s mind whirled as she tried to comprehend the reaction.

“Would you like to run a tutorial on your Pipbuck’s basic functions?”

Misty’s eyes went straight to the pipbuck clamped on Hero’s leg as it decided now was a good time to remind everypony of its presence. The fright that had taken control of Misty gave way to visceral fury.

“Why are you wearing that?” Misty got back to her hooves and advanced towards Hero, a death scowl on her face, “THAT BELONGS TO MY FRIEND!”

Hero’s ears flattened against her head and her body hunched down. She felt the fury emanating from the mare. This wasn't what she wanted! She wanted nice emotions, good emotions. Emotions that were filling and made her feel... not this!

Misty roared in anger and charged the changeling. The saddle packs fell from Hero’s back as the raging unicorn barreled into her and sent her rolling across the hard dirt . Looking up she could see murderous hate in the eyes of the unicorn. Misty raised her own pipbuck laden forehoof over the chitinous head of the terrified changeling.

There was a loud crack and dirt sprayed as a bullet struck the ground near Hero’s head.
Outside the crater came a guttural male shout, “Kill them!”

Leroy was in a foul mood. He and his small group were rudely awoken before dawn and sent from their main camp to try to find another band that his leader had sent out days earlier. The leader, known only as “The President”, was angry that they had not returned yet.

The dark purple stallion with a deep blue mane seethed quietly as he led the six of the seven other ponies he was in control of. A yellow unicorn was scouting ahead looking for any signs of New Canterlot Republic or Herd forces and any traces of the missing warband. Although neither the NCR nor the Herd had made any major inroads into Southern Utrot, it was known that both groups desired to expand their influence. The President wanted to make sure that neither of them would.

The yellow unicorn scout whistled to Leroy, who trotted with the rest of his band to where the unicorn was waiting for them. He pointed out hoofprints on the dirt and muttered, “Less than two days.”

Leroy nodded to the scouts abilities, and turned to his band. Muttering about how stupid the former warband was, and the need to gather more material and slaves, Leroy checked his weapons and looked over his troops. Satisfied they were still in good marching order Leroy grunted and gestured the unicorn to lead the way. Silently the party continued down the dusty path. Quick pony eyes scanned everywhere as they continued their march, taking in the rocks and brushes for creatures or bandits, while a dirty white earth pony at the back scanned the cloud covered sky for any pegasi of the Enclave. The Enclave’s latest actions had worried the President, but as he told his followers, times were changing and it was up to Leroy and the rest to seize it with both hooves.

The sun had risen higher in the cloud speckled sky before the scout came galloping back to the party, his face pale and his emerald eyes wide in horror.

“Eaten... they've been eaten!” he cried out.

“What are you talking about?” Leroy demanded.

“Sir, I found them. They're all dead, bu-but they’ve been butchered an-and some of them look like they’ve been eaten!”

Leroy turned to the line behind him “Double-time!” he barked. The warband broke into a canter, following Leroy and his scout.

The scout led them onwards for over an hour, and, just as they were about to ascend a low hill, he came to a stop and raised his hoof in a silent signal to the rest. The band remained below the summit as Leroy went up with his scout. They lay flat on their bellies and peered over the crest, and saw, near an ancient crater on the dusty plain before them, a pile of dismembered ponies.

The unicorn scout hoofed a pair of binoculars to Leroy. “Check the bodies. You can see...” the unicorn’s already broken composure collapsed, “...where they’ve been eaten!”

Leroy knew he was not a good pony. While he had the respect of his superiors and had the admiration and obedience of his subordinates , while serving the will of the President with zealous vigour, he had also killed, taken slaves, even committed acts of rape and torture on a whim, but this was beyond even his flimsy morality. Ponies do not eat ponies. Growling he scanned the area, until he saw movement from inside the crater.

He nudged the scout and gave back the binoculars. “What do you see there?”

The unicorn growled as he looked, “Two flesh eating abominations.”

Leroy released his weapon from the harness aimed it and fired. Then turned with a roar to the rest of his band, “KILL THEM!”

Misty's hoof hovered above Hero’s head as her attention was suddenly diverted. A puff of dust rose from where a bullet had buried itself in the ground. There was a heartbeat of hesitation as another bullet whizzed past her head before she leapt aside.

She ran towards the small pile of weapons and grabbed the first one in her magic, a filthy assault rifle. “Oh Celestia, please let this thing be loaded!” she muttered as she ran back to the lip of the crater and took aim. The weapon barked as she returned fire.

In the distance she saw a pony go down hard. She swiveled herself slightly and fired again. The raiders took cover behind rocks, and in small gullies.

Misty ducked her head down from the responding automatic fire.

Still laying where she fell Hero watched as Misty started shooting. When a bullet grazed her chitin covered leg, Hero’s brain decided that it was time to do something. She trotted her way to the weapons pile and pulled a handgun out with her mouth. She then ran to where the unicorn was firing and poked her head out over the side. Hero pointed the weapon at the raiders and bit down. Nothing happened. A spray of dirt from a near miss peppered the changelings face and she ducked her head down. Blue eyes crossed in concentration as she chewed on the weapon trying to work out how to use it.

“The hell you doing?” Misty turned her head and yelled at Hero, “Don’t point that thing at me!”

Confusion crossed the face of the changeling, but she turned her head to the side and continued trying to manipulate it with her jaw and tongue.

The weapon fired and Hero’s head arched back from the recoil. She looked up at Misty for guidance but Misty was concentrating on defending herself. Copying Misty's example, Hero propped herself up against the crater rim again. She randomly gnawed on the weapon until it fired again. The round disappeared safely over the heads of the attackers.

Hero tried again. This time the bullet struck the ground a few yards from her face.

“If you going to help, try shooting the fucking enemy!” Misty snarled at Hero. A baffled Hero sat back and tried to think of what to do next.

Dropping the weapon from her mouth, Hero’s wings unfolded from her back and started buzzing. Before Misty could react, Hero had taken to the air.

Hero could hear Misty cursing at her, and feel the breeze as bullets from the raiders reached up and passed her. There was a slight tug with a brief spasm of pain as bullets ripped through the delicate membrane of one of her wings.

Her wings buzzed frantically as she flew straight upwards, her sharp changeling eyes focused with hawk-like precision on the ponies below her. She could leave now if she wished. She would have to abandon the bottles of Sparkle Cola, and her prized shirt, but her own safety was more important than they were. She owed nothing to that blue unicorn either. After all, didn't she attack her?

As she gained altitude she could see the attackers break cover and charge the blue unicorn in her crater. She saw Misty retreating and heard her scream.

All thoughts in her mind disappeared as the changeling’s instincts took over. Her wings folded to her side as she nosed down and plummeted. Small flicks of her wings drove her faster and directed her to her target. Pointing her horn forward, her body became a living missile. Air rushing through the holes in her limbs created an unholy scream. As her body sliced through the air a shock cone began to form in front of her.

She put what little emotional energy she had gained from Misty into a glowing green plasma of magic surrounding her horn and merged it with the compressing cone of air. It enveloped the changeling and she became an intense, fiery green meteor. Hero could hear nothing but the tortured screaming of the air and feel nothing but the intense pressure from the magically charged shock cone pressing against her body. Instinctive aggression fueled her as she pushed herself faster and harder. A final flick of a wing put her fall right on target.

Leroy stopped his charge as a roaring scream filled his ears. He looked up just in time to see oblivion.

The tip of the magic infused shock cone left nothing but fine red droplets of what once was a loyal servant of the President.

The changeling landed.

Kinetic energy and magic erupted around her in an inferno of green fire and shattered earth. The blast wave thundered outwards into the other raider ponies. For those closest to the impact, death was mercifully instant as the intense shock crushed bones and vital organs. The unfortunate found themselves thrown carelessly into the air, shattering limbs, skulls, and spines as they landed and bounced on the unforgiving ground, rendering them unconscious. As the dust cleared, Hero appeared standing in a bowl of crystallized earth, snarling. Misty peeked over the rim of her crater, then stared at the devastation in jaw-dropped awe.

Misty ran over to where the changeling was and grabbed her in a magic field, and carried her back into the big crater. Dropping her on the ground, Misty's magic grabbed a pack and tossed it on Hero’s back. Hero gave a surprised chirp.

“Come on!” Misty exclaimed as she tightened the strap around Hero’s belly, “We’re getting out of here!”

The other pack that Hero had filled went over Misty's flank and she took off at a gallop using her magic to tighten the straps as she ran. She looked back and saw a unmoving Hero blankly watching her. “Are you coming or what?!”

The changeling’s brain once more fired her into action and she ran behind the unicorn.

Several hours after fleeing from the raiders, Misty was leading them along an old track. They slowed their pace to a more sedated canter. The crumbling remains of ancient buildings were scattered along the ruined laneway, the remains of a once prosperous farming community. Geckos scattered out of sight from where they were sunning themselves, and dry, browning weeds broke through hard packed red soil. Slowing herself more, Misty let the changeling come up beside her. She looked over at the expressionless face of the bug like creature and softly smiled.

“I should thank you for saving me like that,” Misty said quietly, “You seem to enjoy being my hero.”

Hero blinked slowly, “Hero,” she buzzed, “We are Hero.”

Silence returned as pony and changeling continued side by side.

“Would you like to run a tutorial on your Pipbuck’s basic functions?”

The electronic voice of the pipbuck startled both Hero and Misty.

Misty snarled as she looked at the offending technology “And why do you have that on your leg?”

Feeling Misty’s anger, Hero’s blue eyes looked down and she stopped. “We found. We saw you have one. We tried it on, we can't get it off.” There was a slightly bashful look to the changeling’s face as she demonstrated. Misty came to a halt and watched as the changeling struggled.

Misty sighed and poked at the device clamped around the black leg. “Well, ‘Hero’,” she sighed as it powered down, “I might as well teach you how to use it, since we are both stuck with you wearing it.”

Hero looked at the device. “You will teach us?”

“But after we get back to my stable. I need to report what happened,” Misty continued.

There was no sound other than hooves crunching dirt as the two companions resumed down the path. “And I think we need to work on your personal pronouns.”

The black face with featureless blue eyes turned to Misty.

Misty smiled at the changeling.

Inside Hero’s mind strange things were happening. Seeing the smile of the blue unicorn, and feeling the growing respect coming from her, long dormant neural pathways started to fire. As she fed on the emotions directed at her, Hero's own lips twitched.

For the first time, Hero smiled.

Hidden inside one of the ruined buildings, bright purple eyes watched the unusual pair with growing interest.

Author's Note

Well its finally here! Chapter two and all is well.

And now the re-edited version! Huge thanks to my editor for helping out with this! Enjoy!