Fallout Equestria and The Number Station

Chapters

Chapter 2 - Another Day Another Job
Chapter 3 - The Mysterious Mare From Stable GoE-EoHS
Chapter 4 - Ambush
Chapter 5 - The Reason of Reasons
Chapter 7 - Time to Leave
Chapter 8 - My Liege
Chapter 9 - At Dawn
Chapter 10 - A Story to Remember
Chapter 11 - Judge, Jury & Executioner
Chapter 12 pt. 1 - Playing In The Park
Chapter 12 pt. 2 - A Vision of The Future
Chapter 12 pt. 3 - Crush The White Hooves
Chapter 13 - No Going Back
Chapter 14 - Love and The Undead
Chapter 15 - Dead By Dawn
Chapter 16 - Post Apocalypse Picnic
Chapter 17 - Race Against The Clock
Chapter 18 - Blood For Electricity
Chapter 20 - And The Truth Shall Set You Free
Chapter 21 - The Good Book
Chapter 22 - Hellhounds, Lawyers and Other Dangerous Foes
Chapter 23 - The Fillydelphia Situation
Chapter 24: The Fillydelphia Strain pt.1 It's Always Sunny In Fillydelphia
Chapter 1 - The Beginning
Chapter 6 - Brutality and Civility
Chapter 19 - And You Shall Know The Truth...

Chapter 2 - Another Day Another Job

Chapter 2: Another Day Another Job

The radio buzzed a pleasant song from a high perch on a shelf in the bombed out cafe'. Palomino was a pre-war shopping mall that had been repurposed as a town. Stores and boutiques were now...... stores and boutiques, guess some things never change. A couple stores had become living spaces. Palomino was more of a barter town, you came, sold, bought and traveled on. It did fairly well for being in scenic nowhere.

This was her.....fifth time here. Yeah, fifth time. She drank her Sunrise Sarsaparilla, it tasted like it had to much carrot flavoring and centuries of heat had long killed the carbonation. She nibbled on some of her bacon as well. Griffons were omnivorous and had no discrepancies about consuming meat. Less could be said for some ponies, they saw it as taboo but others had grown accustomed to it. She planned to drop by a friend of her's that lived here.

She paid for her meal and bade farewell to the homey chef that worked there. Ponies and Griffons alike scattered about the mall as they bought and sold each others wares. She made her way to her friend at Red Rope's House of Earthly Delights. Like the name suggest a red rope dangled from the sign. She walked in and was greeted by Red Rope, an older mare with a red coat, she wore a somewhat provocative pre-war ensemble with boots that were a little to high. She had a streak of gray in her pink mane.

"Ah, Artemis Arrow how lovely to see you again." She said in a alluring tone.

"Hello Madame Rope." Artemis replied trying not to sound interested in her business.

"What's your treat today?" She asked as she walked to a counter with a register.

"Man or woman? Oh and I'll need the money up front, my boys are getting tired cracking head because some ponies

forgot their caps." She threatened ever so suavely.

Artemis waved her hand. "No no, nothing for me thanks I just want to talk with Hans." She said blushing.

Madame Rope's demeanor changed from charmingly seductive to blatant and uncaring.

"This again? You don't even pay, there are a lot of lonely stallions that need him. Why I ought to-" Her rant was interrupted.

"Oh goddesses!" Hans exclaimed in a happily albeit feminine tone, he pranced over and wrapped Artemis in a big hug. Squee included.

"Oh how have you been Arty?" He said extrapolating his syllables.

"I've been working hard." Artemis said happily.

Hans rolled his eyes. "So have I sweetiekins, but it's not the work that's hard. Oh listen to how naughty I am." He commented.

"Let's walk, let's talk Arty." He added.

They walked out of the brothel to roam the mall. They sat on a dirty wooden bench as everyone scrambled around with their items.

"You know, you should quit this merc game before you get killed and work with Madame Red." He said flamboyantly.

"Oh! We'll be such bitches!" He added jubilantly.

Artemis chuckled softly. "Ehh. Not yet, I don't know what I want yet."

"Why? Even if you're not gay, there's a lot of men passing through that'd pay double for you." He said sounding more level.

Before Artemis could respond he shrugged. "Who am I kidding, you're not a whore." He said disappointed.

"But that doesn't mean you're not my number one pal." Artemis said reassuringly. Hans smiled and gave her big hug.

"Just be careful out on those roads, I'd hate to have to drag your ass out the fire again." He said.

Artemis chuckled amused "My ass out of the fire? You can barely shoot a gun, and you flip your lid whenever you find a radroach!" Hans blushed fiercely.

"I'll have you know it was a SUPER radroach, they're much worse." He told her.

They laughed and reminisced about the past. Until Madame Rope came over to their bench ending the reunion.

"Hans, you have client." She said curtly.

Hans looked looked a little remorseful about not getting to spend more time with his friend. "Very well madame." He ruffled Artemis's head with a smile and left along with the madame. "I guess it's time I got back to work too." Artemis said to herself.

Artemis patrolled the entrance of the mall that had become the area where the wagons were parked. Some wagons and carts had some ponies left behind as sentries to guard them. Artemis was skulking about to advertising her protection business to any would-be customers. Triple A as she called it stood for: Artemis Arrow & Associates. Although there were no associates they would come in time she just needed time to get the business afloat and the Legion needed to let go of the market.

"Miss can you help me?" A demure voice asked.

Artemis turned to see the mare that asked for her help. Behind her was a orange mare with a brown mane. The most peculiar thing on her was a her pipbuck.

Chapter 3 - The Mysterious Mare From Stable GoE-EoHS

Chapter 3: The Mysterious Mare From Stable GoE-EoHS

"Who are you exactly?" Artemis asked a tad thrown off by the pony's appearance.

This mare looked fresh off the boat. Even her GoE-EoHS jumpsuit looked pristine and what did her acronym mean? The young mare spoke up to ask her question.

"You're a experienced wastelander right?" She sounded incredibly naive.

Artemis rolled her eyes on the inside, this had to be a joke. Someone was trying to sell her something no doubt.

"Err....sure somewhat. I haven't been everywhere." Artemis admitted. Personally she had never left the San Palomino Wastes.

"Will you help me?" She grimaced.

"Sure, what's the problem?" Artemis said dully.

"Okay, oh I don't know how much to say but I need to travel with you." The mare pranced around with worry.

Artemis raised an eyebrow at her odd request. She didn't even know her name. "Why?"

"Because, because it's something I have to do." She said.

This didn't sit well with her. You didn't live long in the wasteland if you blindly believed everybody. This could easliy be a convoluted raider scheme, someone could be blackmailing her. Maybe the damned Legion was trying to rub her out but if it was Legion then they'd just come for her. She would need more info first.

"Why don't you tell me your name." Artemis asked.

"My name is Aroma." She admitted delicately.

"Well, Aroma I don't understand what you mean when you say travel."

"Y'know travel the wastes doing stuff building camaraderie." She smiled. Artemis was even more perturbed by her request.

"Listen, ma'am, I don't travel the wasteland looking for trouble. If it comes nears my caravans I'll shoot it, but if it leaves me alone I'm more than happy to oblige it."

Aroma looked down. "I need, to."

Artemis inhaled with her nose and exhaled it.

"You're not following me anywhere until I get some real answers. Why do you need to travel with me!?"

Aroma exhaled, defeated. "It's my Stable's social experiment. We elect one pony to leave the Stable and they have to unite a niche a companions."

Artemis was, was. She was really blind sighted by her explanation. It was the last thing she expected and it accounted for her jumpsuit, pipbuck, and naïve personality."Why? And why me?" Artemis asked.

"Because, you were the first person that didn't tell me to buzz off." She blushed.

Artemis pondered this. What the pony had said. What exactly she wanted. Aroma wanted to build some kind of rag-tag group that wandered the wastes, all for some social experiment of Stable GoE-EoHS. This project sounded half baked. What purpose would this experiment possibly serve? One does not simply build camaraderie by turning ponies and griffons into lab rats with a singular purpose. She was going about her experiment all wrong. But she couldn't turn her away, not as dumb as she was. She'd end up some raider's pet or on a Legion cross. That was something else about the Legion, they would crucify their prisoners. Bind them to X shaped contraptions and leave them to suffer. All the while prodding and laughing at them. It was, sick and unponyish but it demand respect and fear. That's what ran the Legion.

Artemis snapped herself back to reality, "Damn, I gotta stop doing that, or at least when I'm not a conversation." She thought to herself.

"So can I go with you?" Aroma asked. Artemis rolled her head and sighed.

"Fine, you can come on a caravan trail with me and we'll see after that."

The earth pony mare's face lit up and a smile crossed her face. "Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes!" She shouted whimsically and hopped around.

"Hold on!" Artemis said stopping Aroma's festivities. I'll need to show you a few things first Artemis trailed off giving Aroma the basics of what was needed of a caravan guard.

Later~

They had reeled in a customer and were getting ready to head out. Artemis had taken Aroma out on a montage of basic training and basic armoring. Aroma was far from a soldier but she would do, she would do. This caravan was heading out to Happenstance, a small town but an actual settlement not like the Palomino stock exchange. Happenstance came to be after a Stable opened opened up about 30 years ago and the residents inside built a town. Artemis had been there a couple times, the food was awful! Synthetic Stable apples yuck. But they did have a steady food supply and a water talisman so beggars can't be choosers right?

"Ms. Arrow." Aroma said timidly snapping her out of her thoughts.

Aroma had some cheap hand-me-down barding and a old m1911.

"Y'all ready to go?" Mr. Bay asked in his folkish accent.

Artemis nodded and Aroma nodded seeing Artemis giver her consent.

An hour later they were on the trail. The sun had gone down painting Equestria blue and black leaving the moon bright in the night sky. Artemis hovered over the caravan famas in hand. Aroma flanked the caravan's right side, she was noticeably looking all around her. The look children give when you introduce new concepts to them. What enraptured her most though was the sky. Artemis looked down at her.

"I see you staring at the sky a lot, I guess you didn't see a whole lot of it in Stable GoE-EoHS right?"

"Oh no, not at all, just pictures. I felt like I was gonna fall up into it when I first came out!" Artemis nodded.

"Well why don't you turn your pipbuck on and play us some music." Artemis asked.

Aroma's eyebrows raised and she started poking through her computer.

"Well, well, well, you weren't playing me!" She turned it on and raised the volume so everyone could hear. Everyone.....

It was a cheery upbeat tone, a combination of instruments. But it was short lived a shot rang out! Artemis shot up into the air scanning the surrounding cliffs, the night sky was bad for her. Whoever was firing would blend in easier with the landscape. Another shot rang out making the birds fly away. Artemis looked down and saw Aroma laying on the ground unmoving.

"Shit." She cursed under her breath. She landed behind the cart to take cover.

"They found me!" She cried. Her jumpsuit had a bloodstain it. Her blood...

Artemis turned off her safety and rose over the cover to peek. All she could see was rocky cliff faces. She raised her famas to the sky and fired four rounds in succession.

"Help, me." Aroma whimpered helplessly, another shot fired and Aroma's face reflected pain as she was shot again.

Artemis realized Aroma was a target and reached out a talon and pulled quickly back into cover. Aroma cried in agony. She had been shot straight in the stomach and the last shot grazed her back. Artemis was no doctor, and the only one was an hour away in Happenstance. She sat Aroma up who groaned in pain.

"Stay with me, keep your eyes open and tell me who're fighting." Artemis barked angrily trying to scare her into staying awake. Aroma just bobbed her head.

"They're......they're the hunters." She muttered spitting blood.

"Hunters...What hunter!" She added.

Aroma's head bobbed down facing the ground.

"Dammit hold on!" Artemis shouted.

"Artemis.....my pip.....buck." She handed it to her. "Turn on the EFS she muttered then closed her eyes.

Artemis clasped the machine on her right talon.

-Warning unrecognized lifeform in use. Medical display may be incorrect.

-Warning inventory is not updated, please remedy.

-Warning last user was removed without logging off.

Artemis skipped these damned warning and found the EFS button. She flipped the switch and another shot rang.

A minute later the EFS was online, it was a Eyes Forward Sparkle a type of targeting system that could automatically find targets and determine if they were friend or foe.

Artemis saw red dash on her compass and zoomed in. SATS predicted a 0% probability of hitting the pony sniper. She turned around and flew away from the wagon, all the while the merchant taking cover scowled at her. Artemis was flying over head so as not to be scoped. She hovered down slowly behind the unicorn mare, she had a pink coat and camouflaged armor on. She let out a gasp and backed away. Her magic imploded when she saw Artemis.

"Goodbye!" Artemis shouted as she pushed the mare of her cliff perch.

The mare screamed as she plummeted all the way down, then suddenly stopped.All that was heard was a thud. Artemis grabbed her rifle and hovered down to her corpse. Every bone in her body had to be broken, limbs bent in unearthly ways, some place had bone protruding out of her and her neck was broken. Looting wasn't the most glorius act ever but waste not want not right?

She unbuttoned the mare's body armor and what she saw surprised her. A Stable GoE-EoHS jumpsuits!

Chapter 4 - Ambush

Chapter 4: Ambush

A Stable GoE-EoHS jumpsuit! This mare had been from Stable GoE-EoHS, Aroma's Stable. Now she was trying to kill or had killed Aroma, the more Artemis thought about it the less she liked this experiment. She emptied the pony's saddlebag and found a half drank canteen, a knife and a small box of .308 rounds. She pocketed the spoils and walked over to her pipbuck.

-Warning 0 life signs, your local medical personnel have been notified.

-Warning local emergency care signal unresponsive.

Artemis scanned the notices and tried to remove the pipbuck but it was fastened and locked on her foreleg, the only way she get it off is if she cut the mare's leg off. It's not like she's going to be doing a whole lot of walking anyway but then snapped herself out of it. Aroma was still injured! She flew into the air and back to the wagon. Mr. Bay was looking up to the sky as she landed. "Are we safe?" He asked. Artemis assured him they were and she hoisted Aroma's body into the wagon and they began to move in a hastened pace.

"How bad is it?" Bay asked.

"Bad." She replied.

Aroma's wounds had stopped bleeding but the projectile was still inside her. A doctor would have to remove it. Artemis laid her head gently to Aroma's chest. A faint heartbeat could be heard, she was alive.

"Well shit, you're alive!" Artemis exclaimed even though Aroma didn't respond.

~Later the caravan finally gets to Happenstance and found a doctor~

The doctor's clinic was inside the town Stable. It's giant steel door lay open. Majority of the town's structures were outside while more important functions happened in the Stable. Artemis sat in a waiting room. The doctor's had taken her back for diagnosis.

"Ms. Arrow, a word please." A medical pony asked.She walked to the stallion with the white lab coat.

"What's the situation doc?" She asked openly worried.

He sighed. "She's badly wounded. The bullet is lodged in one of her abdominal muscles and she'll need immediate surgery in the next twelve hours if she wants to have a chance to regain full functionality." Artemis cringed, surgery was a personal fear of her's. She'd sometimes rather die than someone operate on her. Maybe she was being rigid.

"She has no notable next of kin and as her boss that gives you her power of attorney, you can make the decision for her. We can operate or relinquish her into your custody. But I highly recommend surgery Ms. Arrow." It was no argument, Aroma needed that surgery. She opened her mouth to okay the procedure when a nurse walked in.

"Dr. Silver! Dr. Silver!" She was frantic.

"What is it nurse?"

"We're out of anesthetic!" She cried. The doctor looked concerned and Artemis knew what this meant, Aroma might wake up during the surgery or worse might feel the entire thing!

"When's our next shipment due?!"

"Not for a couple days, and the scavengers haven't been finding much either."

"Wait!" The doctor said. "Isn't there a hospital in the north in that uh what's it called Old Olneigh?"

The nurse looked at him with a worried expression. "But doctor none of our scavenging parties have returned from there and even if there was anesthesia we couldn't form a party to go in time."

"Where's this Old Olneigh?" Artemis asked.

"Up north, over by Splendid Valley but not quite at Splendid Valley. If you follow the roads it will take you there check that pipbuck." Doctor Silver explained.Artemis hadn't realized she was still wearing it. She pulled up the map interface and found on the map what probably was the township of Old Olneigh.

"Alright, I'll grab that anesthesia and be back soon." Artemis replied.

"Don't be hasty Ms. Arrow." Doc Silver complained. "We don't know what's there. Examine your options first."

"It's fine, I'll sneak in grab the stuff and I'll be gone and I can fly and it's a one man mission." She reassured them.

The doctor and nurse bit their lips, hesitant about this course of action.

"Look just be ready to operate as soon as I get back. Maybe even go ahead and fix that flesh wound of hers while I'm gone." Artemis suggested and began to leave. The two nodded reluctantly and went into the OR.

~later~

Artemis stared down at Old Olneigh with her binoculars, her pipbuck....Aroma's pipbuck was correct. She saw figures moving around the town, oblivious to her. By their shape they were most likely hellhounds, it explains why no one returned. Hellhounds are some of the nastiest creatures in the bestiary of the Equestrian Wasteland. Vicious and angry. They are large in stature and topped off with devastating claws. It's a good thing Artemis was sneaking in.

She descended slowly and landed on the roof of the hospital. The cover of night helped her a lot the town was dark but bathed in the ethereal light of the moon. She tugged the doorknob. Locked, luckily she was a expert locksmith.

CHZZZIK KASHING!

The door window broke... somewhat quietly but she wasn't going to remain to find out if she was still hidden. She unlocked the door from the inside for her escape and went down the stairs. Her EFS had lit three entities as hostile. Artemis kept to the shadows one light began spinning around her compass.

"He's a floor above me." She thought to herself. She leaned against a corner and peeked around. Clear. But she felt something behind her she turned and saw a piece of flesh dangling in front of her face.

"Huh?" She whispered.....then looked to what the flesh was attached to. On the ceiling some goddless creature hung on it's.....six hooves?!

Artemis screamed and it's head pivoted on it's shoulders and it's eyes flashed red and Artemis could not move! Her body wasn't responding and the monster began to move. It raised a hoof and fell to the fool with a squish. It's tongues moved rapidly as it stumbled closer and closer. She strained to move with all her will. Just as it wrapped a tongue around her ankle.....

"Get away!" She uttered and sliced the tongue off with her talon. The decapitated tongue flailed spewing green blood. Artemis kicked back and grabbed her famas. It flashed it's eyes again but she closed them just in time.

Artemis unleashed half of the magazine into the creature. She opened her eyes one at a time and saw the monster die. It's fleshy colostomy bags that riddled it's body punctured and deflated filling the hallway with a agonizing stench that made her eyes water. Then she realized, the hellhounds!

She heard them coming up the stairs!

Artemis kicked up and turned quickly. Their footsteps grew louder as they beat up the stairs. She looked around to find a place to hide. Quickly she ran into a patient room and close the door just as her pursuers finished up the stairs. Inside she found her boon, a bag of anesthetic hung on a pole over a patient's bed. Unhooking it a medical bot hovered around beds that had those creatures in them. It turned to her.

"Hello ma'am do you require medical attention?" It asked jubilantly. Artemis's hairs......feathers stood on end.

"I think it came from here." One barked outside and the knob turned.

"Do you require medical atten-!" The robot asked but the hellhound violently smacked it to the ground. It laid there spouting "error 404".

Artemis kicked on the SATS feature and unloaded several rounds into the hellhound's head. It fell to the ground dead but the others were alerted. CRASKIN! One hellound jump through the observation window and fired his magical energy rifle, Artemis barely dodged and ducked behind a desk. She knew a hit to the desk would disintegrate it so she couldn't linger. She raised her famas over the desk and blindly shot, it wasn't so much to hit them but to keep them back for a little while longer. Under the desk Artemis raised it with her back and hands and barreled for the broken window. The hellhound made swipe at the desk but he was buffeted. After hearing him fall down Artemis abandoned the desk and jumped over the window frame. As she jumped the second hellhound behind took a decapitating swipe. Artemis cried as the long gash opened on the back of her neck. She fell on the floor with a thud sluggishly she rose to her feet in a daze. She put a talon to her wound and her claw had a bad amount of blood on it. She whimpered as she ran up to the roof. More hellhounds could be heard giving chase, Artemis opened the door and stumbled to find the ability to take off. She flapped her wings and struggled to lift off. If she could just get in the air she'd be able to do the rest.

All that was left of her for the hellhounds was a small splash of blood on the roof. She could hear the them as they raged about their quarry that slipped their grasp.

~Later~

Artemis's vision was becoming fuzzy but she could Happenstance. The next events we're like a dream.

Chapter 5 - The Reason of Reasons

Chapter 5: The Reason of Reasons

"Hey.......hey.........c'mon Ms. Arrow....." Dr. Silver came into existence along with the nurse and the hospital room.

"Ugh.." Artemis moaned. She did feel much of anything.

"You're safe ms. and your friend Aroma's going to be fine."

Artemis's thoughts remained jumbled and confused but she brought herself to sit up.

"What happened?" She asked.

"You landed here and passed out from blood loss. We were able to get you in here and start a blood transfusion. You had a nasty cut on your neck." Dr. Silver explained.

Now it all came back her. Old Olneigh, the hellhounds, the hospital, the flight back, the wound she got and those creatures. What hell were those things actually? Maybe it's better not to know.

"You said Aroma's okay?" Artemis began to get off the stretcher.

"Careful now, it's not a race." Sliver the doctor said easily helping her off the board. "Ms. Aroma's in the waiting room of the clinic." Dr. Silver noted.

Artemis walked out to the waiting room and found Aroma sitting patiently she became ecstatic when Artemis walked in the room. She ran to Artemis and gave her a big hug which Artemis returned with a pat on the back.

"Miss me?"

"I thought you weren't going to make it. I heard you went to go get my anesthetic and got hurt." Aroma answered sounding guilty.

"Well don't worry, I'm fine now." Artemis gave her a friendly smile.

"What was Old Olneigh like?" She asked. Dr. Silver and the nurse both turned to listen.

Artemis thought about all that was there. Those creatures were the most prevalent in her mind. "Fucking weird." Artemis answered. "But it is dangerous, don't send convoys there anymore." She added.

They thanked the doctors and paid their due, which pretty much exhausted their funds. They walked out of the Stable door and back into town. It wasn't as populated as Palomino but it was more of a community.

"I probably have some explaining to do don't I?" Aroma admitted.

Personally Artemis had forgotten that at the moment, but she decided to be nice about it. "Yeah. What was that, your attacker had a Stable GoE-EoHS jumpsuit on. What's going on?" Artemis asked calmly.

Aroma sighed sadly. "The experiment, I....I'm not the only stable pony out here. There are three, two I guess. Their part in the experiment is to hunt me down and kill me."

Artemis was shocked, things got stranger and stranger with her didn't they.

"Why would they do that?!"

"Because...the hunters are supposed to keep me on my hooves and on my mission, not to get lazy or distracted and if they kill me they get to go back in the stable."

"How long have you been out here? Why you?"

"Almost a week." She answered sheepishly. "We elect one pony to leave the Stable and be hunted. We do it every twenty-five years. It's a big deal there.....and I won the election." She looked down.

Artemis pictured Aroma's Stable plastered with posters telling the ponies who not to vote for. Vote for Aroma! She's the best equipped! Artemis imagined the Stable ponies reading these posters and feeling happy they weren't chosen. Then she imagined her parents worried that their daughter was chosen then her parents were crying as she was chosen and sent out of the Stable knowing they'll never see her again. That really pulled at her heartstrings, she lowered herself and gave Aroma a big hug.

"That's awful. I'm sorry."

".........It's okay. Besides you killed one hunter already." Aroma said masking her melancholy with a upbeat tone. Artemis could only smile at her. Aroma had a tough road to walk and she wasn't going to abandon her.

"We should get on the road. Caravans need guards don't they?" Aroma asked.

Artemis smiled. "Yeah. It'd be a shame if they weren't protected."

The duo walked down to a saloon. They hadn't ate for quite a while. Artemis sat down at the bar and Aroma followed suit. A brown coated older unicorn mare walked up and leaned against the bar. A half hour later Artemis was eating pieces of squirrel meat. She looked to Aroma who was examining hers.

"Something wrong with it?" Artemis asked with a mouth full of squirrel.

"It's just, I've never ate meat. I don't know about griffons but ponies are vegetarian." She said distraught. Artemis shook her head.

"Plenty of ponies eat meat now. It's just necessary." Aroma looked hesitant she lowered her head to her food.

"Besides, you took a .308 to the gut. If that didn't kill your stomach, this definitely won't." Artemis smirked and took a swig of her drink.

Aroma grinned sheepishly and bit the meat and began to chew. A second later she swallowed. Another second and she opened her eyes. "That...that was....good!" She said stunned. "A bit rough going down but, excellent." She began to eat the rest of the food. Artemis just smiled.

~Later~

"What do you mean there are no caravans docked here! There's always traffic!" Artemis asked the dockmaster in a disgruntled tone.

"So, no caravans?" Aroma whispered.

Artemis turned from the dockmaster and shook her head. "Yep."

Aroma rubbed her chin. "Do we just go on the road ourselves?"

"I guess so. It will be weird not having a caravan to guard but we'd be able to move faster." Artemis admitted.

"Where would we go?" Aroma asked.

Artemis sat on her tail and plotted their next course of action. Then she came out of her thoughts. "Gryphondale." She muttered.

"What's Gryphondale?" Aroma asked.

"Gryphondale is the largest city on east coast of Equestria. It's the home of the Dreadsaw Legion."

"The Dreadsaw Legion?" Aroma asked.

"They're an army. They rule the San Palomino pretty much." Aroma cringed

~The two gathered their supplies and headed out on the road.~

"Oh hey I almost forgot to ask." Aroma broke the silence.

"Hmm?"

"Can I have my pipbuck back?" She squeed.

Artemis chuckled and unlocked the computer. "Hehe, yeah. I'll admit even though it doesn't look very stylish that EFS saved my life." She tossed the pipbuck to her.

"Well, when you put it that way it's more likely you'll be saving my ass when we're in a fight so...why don't you hold on to it. At least until I'm more experienced." Aroma threw it back at her.

Artemis smiled. "If you say so. We all need that person to drag us out of the fire once in a while." She reattached the pipbuck. On a closer examination she saw that the machine had picked up a new radio signal. 140.16. It didn't have a name, out of curiosity she activated it.

"Krzrrshk...." the radio was static until just as she reached to turn it off. "This." A violent cough hindered the voice. "Is Ether Voice me and my gang were ambushed by legionnaires, we have wounded and need desperate help. Please if anyone can here this, help us. We're at the old barn off the long route 34, this message repeats." Artemis simply stared at the pipbuck with a confused expression.

"Well, we're gonna go help her aren't we?" Aroma looked concerned.

"Uh, I don't know. It was hit by the Legion, it's gonna be nasty Aroma. There's a good chance that-!"

"We still have to try, if somepony needs help then we're just as guilty as the Legion if we ignore their cries!" She interrupted.

Artemis rubbed the back of her head. She had always lived her life to fulfill her goals, not to undertake some side operation. "C'mon we're on route 34. You can probably just fly and see it from here. Please." Aroma asked.

"Maybe this would be good for her. Let her see what the Legion's like." Artemis thought to herself. "Okay. But be warned it will not be pretty." Artemis warned. Aroma nodded excepting the rewards and consequences.

Off the R34 they came upon the remnants of Ether Voice's encampment. "It's a raider camp." Artemis scowled.

It used to just be an average farm but the old skulls impaled in the spikes of the iron fence were the past residents. Before being evicted by this gang. "Goddesses. How could somepony do this?" Aroma whimpered. Artemis didn't loose her scowl, she kept her eyes trained on the broken windows of the barn and house.

"The war poisoned ponykind more deeply than any venom ever could. Ponies have unleashed a darkness in themselves that they will have to wrestle with until the end of time." Artemis told her. Tears gathered in Aroma's eyes.

"W, why?" She muttered. "When did it all go wrong?" Artemis sighed.

"I personally believe it was the technological revolution before the war. It unleashed the dark side in ponies, brought out the worst in them. On that day, ponykind lost something, that spark. And now we're here, that darkness grew stagnant and laid waste to the land."

Aroma just looked down. "You needed to see this, this is only the front gate but we'll go back." Artemis patted her back as she began to tear up. As Artemis walked away Aroma whispered to her.

"No, not yet. We have to save Ether Voice."

Artemis turned around and opened her mouth to speak but Aroma began to walk to the house. Artemis hovered to her side, famas in one hand. The house was littered with spent magazines, bottles and blood stains. The door creaked open and the interior was worse than the exterior. The home was riddled with bullet holes and several dead bloodied stallions.

"Why are the bodies all stallions?" Aroma asked.

"Prisoners. Wives. Slaves." Artemis answered.

Aroma grimaced at the idea of being at the mercy of cruel legionnaire ponies.

Inside the living room was a bloody totem signifying the Legion's presence. A bloody cracked pony skull lay in the middle of two olive branches.

"Damn, it is Legion. They may have been raiders but no one deserves this." Artemis lamented. Aroma walked around the hallway and into the kitchen.

A shriek pierced the air and Artemis jump out of her thoughts and flew to the kitchen. "Aroma!" She yelled aiming her famas around the kitchen. She found Aroma looking aghast at the table. On the table was a pony. He or she had been bound to the table by their limbs. He or she had been brutally tortured before having their face cut off and their skull removed while they were still alive. The emblem in the living room. It was this pony's skull. Aroma vomited in the sink and laid there looking weak.

"Let's...find Ether Voice and leave...forever." She chocked out.

They searched around the upstairs and found an abandoned ham radio. The one Ether Voice had been using.

"This cough cough cough is Ether Voice me and my gang were ambushed by legionnaires, we have wounded and need desperate help. Please if anyone can here this, help us. We're at the old barn off the long route 34, this message repeats." It sputtered again. Aroma reached and turned it off.

"Ether Voice is dead." She said solemnly. "Artemis, if everything is so bad." She turned to her. "Then what's the point in going on?"

Artemis sat down and looked for the right words. She wanted to tell her.....to tell her why we go on.

"We persist because, because you just have to. You have to be strong, the wasteland will throw every atrocity it has at you. But you've gotta stand strong and not let it break you." Artemis thought she sounded inspiring but truthfully she felt kind of ridiculous. It was true you had to be strong in the Equestrian Wasteland but she didn't want to turn into a lame blowhard. She wanted Aroma be strong but she also needed to think realistically.

"Now c'mon. Let's get back to the road." Artemis said confidently.

Chapter 7 - Time to Leave

Chapter 7: Time to Leave.

-The next day-

Artemis and Aroma woke up the next day in caravan section of the city. Masses of tents, campfires and wagons crowded the area. They awoke and had breakfast with a potential client. They were a homey family, they traded the seeds they could find and of course the other stuff like small firearms and miscellaneous items but seeds was their specialty. Hayseed was the patriarch of the family, he had a tan coat with brown freckles and a yellow mane. His wife, a unicorn with a dull pink coat and purple mane was named Lady. They weren't a Legion family so Lady wasn't an object with a singular task and Hayseed wasn't a violent murderer. They traveled with their two kids and Lady's grandfather. He was brown stallion who was up in his years and it was probable that he could not see. But he had a jolly air to him and he could keep a conversation going. The family planned to leave and go up north. Artemis and Aroma offered their protection for a discount. Personally they just needed to leave.

"That's mighty kind of you guys for a discount, usually we just try to outrun anything that happens upon us." Hayseed told them from across a cooking spit.

"Well don't mention it, it's time for us to leave Gryphondale anyway." Artemis said stirring her drink.

"Well still we really appreciate it." Lady stopped stirring the pot to thank the two of them.

"Is there anywhere you'd recommend going to Ms. Arrow?" Hayseed asked.

Artemis thought about it, she really wanted to talk to Hans. Especially after this fiasco in Gryphondale.

"How about the Palomino Exchange?" She asked coolly. Hayseed rubbed his chin and looked at his wife.

"Well dear we do have those old wagon engines and we would be better by unloading them for some dinar." Lady commented to her husband.

"Yeah, yeah I guess you're right." He agreed plainly. "We'll leave at high noon, after we get our mark and go through the caravan authority."

"Mark?" Aroma asked.

"Yeah, our mark of Commander Cesare'. It keeps us safe in the Legion region, only the ballsiest or dumbest raiders dare attack us with a mark on our wagon." Hayseed answered.

"Who's Commander Cesare'?" Aroma asked yet again. Then someone answered for Hayseed.

"Commander Cesare' is the leader of the Dreadsaw Legion and you will show him the highest respect or we'll hack you to pieces in front of him." Answered a legionnaire.

This wasn't just any legionnaire. This was a centurion one of Cesare's top field commanders! He was a deep gray unicorn stallion with a helmet that spouted red plumage from the top. His armor was patch-worked from his fallen adversaries. Assorted bartings, metal plates and even a leg of steel ranger power armor. He was a force to be reckoned with. Aroma's was stunned, sheer terror or admiration decorated her face. The sight of a centurion was a rarity, they were rarely seen outside Citadel Spire. He gave Hayseed his mark and went on his way.

"Whoa, that was scary." Aroma broke the silence.

"But what was with that getup with the helmet?" Aroma whispered to the others.

"I think they're based off the old Equestria royal guards from back in the day. That's where they got the plumage from." Hayseed said proudly.

"No." Muttered Lady's father. "They're acting like the ancient pegusai. Commander Cesare says he's the new Commander Hurricane. This is ancient pegusai law. The law of the pegasus legem factorum." He corrected Hayseed.

"What's that?" Aroma asked.

"Maybe another time my curious little pony." Lady's father told her nicely.

One of Lady's foal ran up to her and began asking for something. Lady obliged and Artemis's mind escaped her again. Seeing Lady with her colt made her realized, she hadn't told her mother she loved her before she had to leave last night. She knew her mother knew but it made Artemis feel bad. What if she never saw her again? Life as a slave was very short in the Legion. "Maybe one last thing before we leave..." She thought to herself.

"Hang tight here Aroma, I gotta go do something." She said. Aroma saluted and smiled. Artemis finished her drink and hovered into town. She was walking down a crowded street when a pony bumped into her. He was a legionnaire except he was small in stature unlike the normal soldiers. Artemis had to apologize since he was a legionnaire.

"I'm sorry, my bad." She said begrudgingly. The pony smiled.

"It's quite alright." He said and trotted away.

Wait, was a legionnaire just nice? Usually they were supposed to be mean and nasty but why was he-!

"Fuck shit." She muttered to herself and check her belongings. She had been pickpocketed! She wasn't going to let this go, she would kindly ask for it back but the likelihood of her getting her dinar back was slim to non-existent. She tailed the pony to his little hangout, a dead end alley where other delinquent legionnaires congregated.

"Hey! Give me back my money little boy." Artemis threatened. He didn't take her seriously even though they were younger than her. The pony nodded to his friends another pony and a griffon.

"You'd better run along lady before you get hurt." He goaded.

"Or pregnant." His griffon friend added. None of these threats phased her. She took another step into the alley, the punks weren't going to give ground just yet.

"Last warning." She said in a dark tone.

"Fuck off lady before you find yourself on a cross." The other pony threatened. Artemis barred her teeth in a vicious grin.

"Well boys this is your moment." A voice said at the entrance of the alley. Artemis turned and saw the griffon from last night in centurion armor! Maybe she wouldn't have survived fighting him after all.

"Centurion Preensdale!" The boys shouted with fear in their voice. He simply stared at them.

"You trash insult the Legion." He said coldly.

They looked scared out of their minds. "S,s,sorry sir." He couldn't finish his sentence.

"Here's your punishment." He began. "You all fight her and get twenty lashes for your incompetence. If you lose, you'll fight me and die." He said.

The boys saluted. "Thank you sir." They walked up to Artemis menacingly.

~twenty seconds later~

Artemis had beaten two into unconsciousness and she held the thief in a neck lock. Her talons could break his neck or cleave his face off on a moments notice. Preensdale smiled.

"Well well well. Looks like you're tougher than I thought. Go ahead, kill him. You have my permission. He stole from you a crime punishable by death in Legion.

"Oh goddesses please no, I'm sorry." He begged and Artemis tightened her grip to quiet him.

"No legionnaire begs for his life, it is now forfeit." Preensdale proclaimed.

Artemis refused to let Legion cruelty invade her actions. She grabbed her money and threw him to the ground. He landed with a thud and gasped for air, he crawled over to the centurion and wobbled to stand up.

"I failed sir, please forgiv-!" The boy never finished his sentence. Preensdale had drew his hellhound claw sword and cut the boy's head off in one clean swipe. His body fell to the ground and blood oozed out of his neck occasionally erupting in small squirts. He sheathed his sword and walked over to Artemis.

"You did very well, for a woman." He said almost playfully.

"What does that mean?" Artemis retorted. He smiled.

"It means if you were a man you could've been someone in the Legion." He then assumed a steely expression and approached her.

"But you have disgraced the Legion. If I let you walk free then I will have defamed the Legion as well."

Artemis's eyebrow rose. Damn she just wanted to tell her mother she loved her. Was it so damn hard to do anything in this city! Artemis knew if she killed him she'd be crucified or some other sadistic punishment. Artemis once saw a stallion who murdered a legionnaire get whipped until he didn't have a back then they salted him, and another time she saw a mare that had disobeyed her husband have her ears ripped off her head. Executions were torturous and public. Artemis had to find a mediated solution.

"Hey now, we're in a alley no one saw that. I'll just leave and never comeback." She offered, she hated sounding weak or scared.

Preensdale shook his head. "My apologies for your misfortune but this is the way it must end." He approached her. Artemis tried to persuade him one final time but she was met with his sword. She barely ducked as it cut the air and stuck a wall.

"I promised you it won't hurt." He told her. Dammit Artemis wasn't going to just lay down and die! It's funny actually, she was born in Gryphondale and it looks like she'll die here to. Preensdale raised his sword for a vertical slash but Artemis raised her right arm.

-cling!-

Her arm was still there! The pipbuck had halted the attack, although it had a deep chip from the cut but nonetheless! "Holy hell." Artemis thought to herself. In the split second Preensdale was stunned after the parry Artemis tackled him, his sword clanged on the dirt. Preensdale landed with an "oof!" He kicked Artemis with his hind legs, she struggled to stay on top of him. Artemis gave him a hard punch to his beak and she pressed his neck with her forearm. Chocking him. He began to cough with out oxygen. Preensdale struggled for a rock out of the corner of his eye. Just as Artemis was sure he was finished he clubbed her with a rock roughly the size of her fist. The right side of her head rang and she saw doubles for a second. He kicked Artemis off and scrambled to his feet.

"Not bad." He uttered and ran in for the kill. Artemis regained her composure for a second and sidestepped his attack. She grabbed him in a chock hold, holding his neck with his left arm held high. His right arm flailed as he tried to break free, he kept at it but felt himself begin to weaken and weaken. Artemis felt him give away, his left hand balled into a fist and then fell limp. She let go of her breath but still held him. His body went limp but she didn't know when to let go. But she was pressed for time now, she had just killed a legionnaire and a centurion for that matter! Maybe she could buy an extra hour if she hid him. She let go and the griffon fell to the ground limp and dead. She drug him to a shadowy part of the alley and the other three kids to. She had killed a centurion...just the thought of it. She couldn't go to her mother, not now not ever again. She flew away quickly and back to the caravan.

"Goddesses! What happened?!" Aroma exclaimed. The others looked worried as well.

"I'm fine, let's just go." Artemis bellowed.

The others looked to each other and reluctantly got set to go on their trail. Lady offered to clean up her face. Artemis hadn't noticed but she had five small gashes from that rock and her nose was bleeding. Artemis accepted the offer and climbed in the back with Lady. After going to get their weapons the caravan made out for the Palomino Exchange. She had made it out of Gryphondale, but the Legion's presence reached farther than just that city. It was a hollow victory but Artemis was alive....For now.

Chapter 8 - My Liege

Chapter 8: My Liege

Artemis played some music off Aroma pipbuck while Lady dabbed a cloth on her cuts.

"Ow fu.. fuggles." Artemis almost cursed but saw the foals sitting in the cart and decided to control herself.

"Sorry Ms. Arrow." Lady said getting another cloth.

"It's okay, and please call me Artemis." She smiled. Lady nodded and the pink mare dabbed the cloth on her face again.

"It's okay Artemis, you can call me Lady Luck. I just usually use Lady though." She returned the smile. "Kids, close your ears please." She asked her two foals. They put their hooves to their ears. Lady sat up by her.

"Hey I know what happened couldn't have been easy. I just want to tell you, if you need a woman to talk to I'm here." She said gently. Artemis searched for the meaning of this conversation. Then her eyes widened.

"Oh no no no no no. I wasn't raped, I got into a fight Lady." Artemis blushed intensely. Lady only nodded not believing her entirely.

"Hey Artemis what is this?" Aroma asked from outside the wagon. Lady finished bandaging her and let her go. Artemis flew outside and up to Aroma who had been walking this entire time. She pointed to a poster of a pink mare with stripes of gray in her mane staring at you. "Pinkie Pie is watching you forever!." It said.

"You don't....know who Pinkie Pie is...was?" Artemis asked. It was odd a Stable pony didn't who Pinkie Pie was. "Didn't you learn about her in school?"

Aroma shook her head. "We weren't taught that much, Stable GoE-EoHS only taught basics then after that they taught you about your role in the Stable."

Artemis would make a note to ask her about her Stable life later tonight.

"Well Pinkie Pie was the head of the Ministry of Morale. Basically they were a massive spy ring that kept eyes on the home front made sure to watch for traitors, saboteurs and anti-war ponies."

"Anti-war ponies? Why did they not want those, wouldn't have been better if the war was ended peacefully?" Aroma asked quizzically.

Artemis brushed her feathers. "Well yeah but, the spoils of war were their fuels as well." Aroma raised an eyebrow, she didn't understand her wording. Artemis rolled her eyes cooly.

"They fought over resources to keep going and the resources they won were used to fight for the other resources. A resource war................."

"You just fucked my mind Artemis, you said resource like four times." Aroma laughed. It was odd hearing her curse like that.

"Aroma, what was Stable GoE-EoHS like?" Artemis asked landing and starting to walk. Aroma lowered her head a little and sighed sadly.

"Lonely, nopony liked me. When my name was chosen in the lottery I knew I would be elected to leave the Stable.

"What is this lottery you keep mentioning?" Artemis asked, expressing her sympathy.

"It's a super computer that every twenty-five years spits out a pony's name and three other names to hunt me. They'll try to kill me and if they bring my head back to Stable GoE-EoHS they get let back inside....so they'll do anything to kill me." Aroma explained. Artemis was assaulted by images of these hunters laying her head on their leader's desk.

"Do you know any of the hunters?" Artemis asked.

Aroma thought about it. "No, not really. Once a name is picked the computer picks three names of people away from my work wing and sleeping quarters. The hunters are trained in assassination and survival and I was handed the clothes on my back and sent out." She said with a tinge of irritation.

"Hmm that's strange. Most Stable's I hear about are already opened or hell bent on staying closed. What does GoE-EoHS stand for anyway?" Artemis asked.

"I don't think anyone knows anymore. Not even the Overmare. But about the door yeah, my Stable's pretty liberal with opening the doors. I always knew the outside wasn't a poisoned oblivion and.....ugh...Artemis can we not talk about home for a while. It makes me homesick." Aroma lowered her head her gait slowed from her melancholy.

Artemis nodded to her. "Yeah, I'm sorry I didn't mean to bring up.." Aroma smiled sheepishly, Aroma got the message though.

The caravan traveled onward for about ten minutes in total silence. The mark of Cesare' a small flag, flew from the top of the wagon. Deterring any raiders who weren't just full-on batshit crazy. Even with the mark Artemis still couldn't help but feel she was being followed. She kept her famas ready to draw.

"So uh, since you ask me a lot about my home can I ask you about yours?" Aroma asked shyly.

"Hmm, yeah, sure. It's only fair ask away." She agreed. Aroma began to articulate her question.

"So, where did you grow up?" She asked.

"I hatched in Gryphondale but my father wanted a son and threatened to throw me off Citadel Spire. My mother smuggled me out of there in the drainage ducts. I spent my next few years as a child soldier in a small time merc band that was slowly losing to the Legion. There I learned to shoot, clean and maintain firearms. Around my thirteenth birthday the Legion finally stormed our camp and kill the lot of us and took many prisoner, those who wouldn't join the Legion or work as a slave were crucified." Artemis felt strange by how calloused she sounded.

"How did you survive that?" Aroma asked amazed.

I....I hid. I hid while my band was slaughtered." Artemis said dourly. "And once it was over, I left. To begin again y'know." Artemis added.

"I traveled the coast barely surviving. There were times I was sure I wouldn't wake up, hunger, dehydration, and all around exhaustion almost took me. I met Hans about three years later after I walked the wasteland."

"Who's Hans?"

"Hans was my first real friend. We met when this Dash addict tried to rob me. Good time good times." Artemis concluded. She decided not to detail Hans to much because they would be meeting soon anyway.

"Wow Artemis, that's....incredible. You've survived so much and didn't die." Artemis blushed and pushed her feathers back.

"Well, it's not that big, you survived a .308 to the gut." Artemis countered.

"Only because of you." Aroma countered again and halted Artemis's humbleness.

~Later that night~

Artemis had just finished reliving herself and walked away from a small rock inlet where she did her business. The camp was above her. She had flown do here to have some peace and quiet. She casually fluttered her wings and flew to the camp site.

"Hey everyone what's going on. I am ready to chow down." Artemis said excitedly. Everyone was stone faced even Aroma.

"What's wrong?" She asked, noticing the fear among her caravaners. Then a voice rumbled from behind her.

"Artemis Arrow...." She turned and saw...no it couldn't be.

"You.." She muttered.

From the shadows walked Preensdale his centurion. This couldn't be, Artemis strangled him! How could he have survived!

"You will find I am difficult to kill. If you were smart you would have disemboweled me with my sword." He unsheathed his sword and Artemis grabbed her famas.

"Well. It looks like we're gonna duke it out here, just you and me." Artemis said this time not masking her strength. Preensdale raised an eyebrow.

"But no. You bested me, Legion law makes you my superior, my compatriot." He said flipping his sword and handing it to Artemis by the hilt.

"I feel nothing for the Legion you don't have to do this." Artemis said, still not taking the sword.

"If so then I was bested by a profligate woman, death would be a release from the shame if that were the case." He said holding the hilt.

Artemis didn't trust him. Not by a longshot, he probably had soldiers in the hills watching them. If that were the case then everyone here was already dead. Artemis reached and took the sword. "Rise." She said dubbing the sword over his wings half tempted to slice his head off. He rose.

"You are my superior now. If you stay strong and maintain your dominance I will not challenge or question you. But if I suspect you are weakening or becoming soft I will challenge you for control of your group." He stated. He handed Artemis the sheath to the sword.

"Very well, centurion Preensdale." Artemis said, shouldering his sword.

"Call me Verity." He said in his dark voice.

"Very well, Verity." Artemis said.

The caravaners fell into a uneasy sleep. Hayseed and his family slept somewhat better not suspecting what Artemis imagined. Artemis warned Aroma to watch them in case Verity tried something. Aroma slept in the wagon to watch over the foals. Artemis "slept" in her small tent. she almost wanted Verity in there with her. Not that she wanted him in bed with her but so that she could keep an eye on him. Watch him like a hawk or a griffon whatever worked. But she half slept half watched Verity in a sleeping bag. If there were legionnaires in the hills then they were already dead. But they would strike at dawn. The fight of their lives...was in six hours.

Chapter 9 - At Dawn

Chapter 9: At dawn

Legionnaires skulked about the camp their helmets and masks hiding their faces. Hayseed's small family lay against their wagon bound with their throats cut, even the foals. Aroma fought them to the bitter end when a legionnaire's machete pierced her heart ending her life. Artemis hung from a cross, her breathing was strained to a breaking point. Death was approaching quickly. She had led that innocent family to their demise. They took no prisoners, no slaves, this was about the purity of revenge. The Legion was out for blood and blood they got it. Verity walked over to the cross and smirked.

"Good morning Artemis!" He said in...in Aroma's voice?

Artemis gasped as she awoke from her nightmare. Aroma was standing over her with a smile. Without thinking Artemis threw Aroma to the ground violently. Aroma landed with a thud- Artemis grabbed her famas and kicked out of the tent.

"Where!" Artemis shouted aiming her rifle in all directions spasmodically. She kicked on SATS. Hayseed, Aroma inside the tent, Verity, Lady, the two foals, Grandpa. Artemis cycled through the targets....no legionnaires....just the usual.

"Is something wrong?" Hayseed asked.

"Oww my aching head..." Aroma trailed out of the tent rubbing her head. Artemis lowered her rifle and looked embarrassed. It was just a dream....a nightmare. Verity just looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"Nightmares?" He asked plainly possibly ridiculing her.

"No..." She answered. "I thought you were going to spring a trap this morning. Have us all killed."

The foals looked at each other with worried expressions. Artemis sat down at the dead campfire from last night where everyone had congregated. They ate breakfast in quiet, Aroma massaged her throbbing head.

"So um Mr. Verity would you like to tell us about yourself?" Lady asked kindly.

Verity returned her question with a look of disapproval and exhaled deeply. "I've been a legionnaire since my birth. I've killed people, lots of people. I had two wives and two kids but sickness took them." He said coldly answering her question.

"I'm sorry. A man should never have to outlive his kid." Hayseed condoled.

Verity shook his head. "They were runts from birth, they would have never benefited the Legion. Better they go like they did."

Hayseed rubbed the back of his head and nodded. Such cruelty was the Legion's way but you were never ready for how easily they practiced it.

"How do you know, Artemis?" Aroma asked massaging her temples.

"She bested me in combat and that makes her my superior and that....that makes her my superior." He said begrudgingly.

"But Artemis isn't Legion." Aroma stated.

"Oh but she is." Verity said giving the others pause as they ate. "Artemis was born in Gryphondale. She's Maric's daughter." He noticed they didn't recognize the name. "Maric was the legate." Artemis's eyebrows rose sharply in worry.

"A legate!? No that's impossible, mother told me he was an officer." Artemis countered. Verity simply shook his head.

"Nope. Maric was a legate, the highest rank below the Cesare himself."

"Goddesses..." Aroma exclaimed softly. "Then why did they treat Artemis so....crudely?"

"Maybe they didn't know Maric, or enough to think she resembled him. She is also a woman and women have no standing in the Legion. They are physically and mentally inferior to men and their sole purpose is to bear children and ensure the survival of our species. No more, no less."

"So. My father...this Maric, was a legate." Artemis reiterated examining her hands. "What happened to him?"

"He died about five years back. His son took his mantel." Verity answered casually.

"A son! I have a half-brother!" Artemis exclaimed with a worried tone. Verity simply nodded his head.

"Yes. His name is Valiance. He hasn't seen much battle but he is strong and has the mind of a keen strategist. A son Maric could be proud of. He has Cesare's ear in running the Legion and he is merciless. He once punished an under-preforming squad by beating it's commander to death in front of them then ordered the entire squad be killed. With Valiance leading you it takes more courage to retreat than to advance."

"Wow." Aroma was stunned by Verity's words.

Verity stood up and Artemis rose quickly ready for him to try something but again he showed no hostility.

"We have wasted enough of this family's time." He pointed over at Hayseed's general area. He and the others were listening intently on the conversation.

They packed up the equipment and got on the road. Artemis kept Verity's sword. It was masterfully forged from a hellhound's claw and it was damn big. You'd hate to see who this claw used to belong to. She glanced over at Verity. He wasn't horrible on the eyes maybe even a little cute. Wait what was she thinking! Verity was a centurion he was a professional killer. Besides she wasn't sure he was waiting to kill them in their sleep!

A nice beat played on the radio then as the song faded and Djpon3 spoke....

"Hello my little ponies this is Djpon3! Voice of the wasteland or maybe not so much wasteland and just land." She chuckled happily and resumed. "Anyway, I'm here to bring you your news." The DJ trailed off in the news.

"Artemis.." Hayseed asked for her attention. She flew up to him at the helm of the wagon.

"What's wrong?" She asked. Hayseed merely pointed down the road. Artemis pulled out her binoculars and peered in the direction of the road.

"Slavers." Artemis uttered softly.

Down the road several ponies were camped around a ruin. They didn't look like they were going anywhere, probably highwaymen that would impose a toll on passing caravans. There was no signs of them being Legion tax collectors and besides a Legion outpost would have more banners and crucified ponies. Verity climbed next to her in the wagon and looked down the binoculars.

"Hmm....dissolute. Bandits." He said in a low tone.

"Just what I was thinking." Artemis concurred. Hayseed turned to the two griffons with a calm but alerted expression.

"So, what do we do? Do you guys fight them or do we pay?" He asked. Artemis and Verity exchanged glances before answering.

"We sneak around head on and make them by surprise..." Artemis and Verity answered in a horrible unison tripping over each others words. Verity cleared his throat.

"As my plan..." Verity began Artemis interrupted him.

"Why do you get to go first!?" Artemis exclaimed. She often tried to not let trivial things get to her but she felt Verity was speaking first because of his misogynistic views and she refused to let him belittle her because of her gender.

"Because I am a man." He answered simply confirming her suspicion. Artemis opened her mouth but a demure voice spoke instead. They turned and saw Aroma in the wagon. She lowered her ears and rubbed her leg, embarrased for the interruption.

"How about one of us walks up to them and ask them if they would be so kind as to help us with a broken wheel. I get them to come over here and you two jump em'." Aroma smiled as her plan was considered.

"But that puts Hayseed's family in the midst of the firefight." Artemis injected. Aroma looked saddened by her disapproval.

"Well no, these aren't the first gunslingers we've encountered. We have ways to protect ourselves." Hayseed reached under his seat pulled out a BFR and loaded it. Once he finished he reached under again and pulled out a hunting shotgun."

"What? I always keep a few guns stashed....in case of bandit emergencies." He said with a smile.

Lady walked into the wagon with the foals on her back, she told them to assume their positions for when they hide during bandit attacks. She trotted up to her husband and he threw her the revolver. She enveloped it in a aura of magic and Hayseed loaded his shotgun.

"Verity." Artemis said sternly, he turned to meet her gaze. "If I give you your sword to fight them you will only fight the raiders. If you even approach any of our group looking like you might attack so help me I will gun you down where you stand." She threatened pointing a talon at his face. Verity only smiled.

"You can trust me Artemis..." He said. It was odd to here him say her name. Artemis smirked and handed his sword. She kept her famas ready just in case. He unsheathed it slowly and raised it to the air.

"Ahh." He said being reunited with his blade. "Let's go."

Artemis nodded and they took up positions. Artemis flew up and hid in the rocky overlook that watched over the wagon, she assembled her DSR post-haste. Verity took a stance in wagon and the others assumed their positions, Hayseed purposefully removed a wheel from the wagon to make Aroma's story seem possible. Finally Aroma trotted up to the gang warmly trying her best not to be scared.

"Yoo hoo! Hello My wagon has seemed to gone and break down, lost a wheel I'm afraid. Can one of you strong young bucks give me a hoof?" Aroma asking innocently. The raiders eyed each other gauging her story. Then one chuckled.

"Hehe. Sure lady, I'll give you something." He hissed and pulled out a knife. "It ain't to smart to go up to strangers out here and say you're alone and stuck."

Aroma slowly backpeddled from the thug. "But. You guys wouldn't hurt anypony now would you?" She said sheepishly.

The bandit chuckled again and walked closer. Artemis watched through her scope.

"Dammit Aroma wasn't convincing them. That one raider's about to pounce." She thought to herself. If worse came to worse Artemis would take the shot allowing Aroma to get to cover.

"I'd give you all my caps if you'd be so kind as to-"

"Hehehe no...I think I'll kill you and fuck your corpse until rigamortis takes you!" He snarled and leapt at her! Aroma let out a shriek.

POW!

The stallion was knocked sideways in air as Artemis's round hit him square in the stomach. He did not get up. The other raiders were alerted and Aroma ducked for cover.

"She's got support!" One raider yelled. POW! Her rifle rang out again taking another pony down.

In her scope she saw Aroma firing back at the gang but her pistol was of poor quality and they were closing in. Verity! A split second later Verity was at the raiders closing in on Aroma. He decapitated one and turned another into ribbons of flesh. The last raider went scrambling back to the ruin. Artemis was to distracted to kill the last bandit, instead her scope was on Verity. He picked Aroma out of cover and took her back to the wagon. What! Artemis raised from her scope and blinked in surprise. Upon reentering the scope Verity was staring directly into it.

"Get the last one." He mouthed with a scowl. Artemis turned to the ruin, it was little more than a wall or two and a lot of bricks.

Then out of the ruin walked the final raider. She was a dark gray unicorn with a black mane. The mare raised her hooves in surrender. Artemis scanned around the ruin her EFS didn't show any hostiles. Artemis backed out of her scope and sighed with relief. She hovered down to the mare. They rest of the group in tow.

"Please...I don't wanna die." She squeaked. Verity raised his sword to her throat.

"I should kill you where you stand! Now you even beg for our mercy....pathetic!" Verity threatened. The mare masked a sob. Artemis lowered his sword with a talon.

"No, don't kill her. She's surrendered." Artemis told him calmly.

"Do you think she would have spared us if the tables were turned Artemis?" Verity responded. Artemis hadn't thought about it but he was right.

"No but we're not them." She countered. "We're better, we don't summarily execute prisoners."

"Then what will we do? Keep her prisoners until the end of her days?" He asked then turned to the mare. "What is your name!?" He asked fiercely to scare her.

"Obsi,s,s,id...Obsidian Shine." She squeaked again. Verity wrapped a talon around her face.

"Good." He then savagely bashed the hilt of his sword into her skull. Obsidan Shine fell to the ground unconscious.

"What the hell Verity!" Artemis shouted.

"If you won't execute her then she must be detained until we pass judgement. Hayseed, you and your wife securely bind this mare. Interrogation will come once she wakes up." He proclaimed. Hayseed and Lady went to the wagon to fetch their materials without question.

"Hey Verity...thanks." Aroma said delicately and gave him a big hug, squee included. You would have thought she was poisoning him. That scowl of his, Artemis allowed herself a small chuckle.

~some time later~

Reality painfully came into being as Obsidian opened her eyes. Her vision was fuzzy and her hearing was clouded. She tried to move but she was tightly bound. Hooves, gag, she could't move. After blinking several times she moaned feeling a agonizing pain in her head. Verity looked down at the unicorn.

"Ah you're awake. I was hoping I had crushed your skull but it seems you have brains to spare...or a very thick skull." He interlocked his talons and got off his chair.

They were at Palomino and had been there for a while. A couple hours actually, night had fallen. Verity was assigned to watch their prisoner until she awoke then he was to notify the others. Then they would decide her fate.

The mall's speakers played a cheesy tune that made you feel at home and ready to spend your hard earned money. Artemis was talking with her good friend Hans again.

"So that's it. I'm probably being chased by some frumentarii, I'm traveling with a centurion and I need some allies people I can trust. Do you think you could-" Artemis asked hesitantly.

"Pshh, say no more Arty I'm so in." Hans answered happily. Artemis felt relieved but she wanted to make the threat clear.

"Are you sure? Just like that? Y'know we'll probably be going up against the Legion right?" Artemis said with an eyebrow raised. Hans only smirked confidently.

"Sweetie you're my girl and if anypony is going after you they'll have to deal with me." He said boldly putting a hoof to his chest. "And besides the whole man-whore game is really boring, I think I want a meaningful relationship now." He added casually.

Artemis smiled. "So when can you be ready to go?"

Hans leaned back on the bench and put a hoof to his chin. "Hmm....two hours, tops. Where's your caravan?" He asked.

"Down by the south entrance. It has a mark of Cesare' on it." She answered.

"That's queer. You're being hunted by the Legion yet you have a mark, you're strange Ms. Arrow but I guess great minds think alike right?" He patted her back and went to get his belongings.

This was good. Hans was a tried gunslinger, while mostly proficient in handguns he was damn good with them. He could hit targets with some of the best rifles. After the conversation concluded Artemis got up and went to the food court. The old eateries were repurposed to be.....eateries. She sat down by Aroma who was lazily drinking tea.

"Hey Aroma..." She began.

"Hey Artemis...." Aroma said with a downed tone.

"Everything alright?" Artemis asked. Aroma just sighed heavily and took a big drink and watched the crowd go by.

"I'm homesick. I miss Stable G." She glumly. That was also the first time Artemis heard her call it Stable G. Artemis thought of a way to help alleviate some of her depression.

"Do you wanna talk about home? Artemis asked nicely. Aroma nodded and leaned on the table.

"I think the worst part is that I'm coming to terms that the idea of me actually returning is....distant." A tear rose in Aroma's eye. "I won't see me parents, Radio, Quick Fix or Bubbles ever again." She added hopelessly.

"Who are those ponies?" Artemis queried.

"Radio's my mentor. He teaches me about maintenance for the Stable's systems." Artemis interrupted.

"You're a maintenance pony? What's you're cutie mark?" Artemis asked, thinking back she never saw Aroma's mark.

Aroma flashed her flank and show off her cutie mark. Three gears connected in unison decorated her flank. Artemis wasn't expecting that.

"What does it represent?" Artemis questioned. Talking about her cutie mark seemed to lift Aroma's spirits. If only a little.

"Well I'm a engineer in Stable G. I'm good at making stuff, maintaining stuff and calculating equations." Aroma explained.

"Wow. So you're good with computers and that stuff."

"Mhmm." Aroma hummed and sat back down. "Hey Artemis..I want to ask you a couple questions." She added.

Artemis raised an eyebrow and accepted "Sure, ask away."

"Okay." Aroma situated herself in her chair. "Artemis what do you think of men?" She asked innocently. Artemis had to think of her words, she wasn't expecting a question like this.

"Well...I. I guess they're the...opposite sex from us..." Artemis said awkwardly. Dammit this was the opposite of a good response! Aroma snickered.

"I guess what I meant was. What do you think of men, romantically. Like having kids." Aroma edited her sentence. Artemis leaned back and exhaled nervously.

"Why do you ask?" Artemis questioned. She didn't talk much about her sex life, which was pretty much non-existent.

"We'll I guess I'd want to have a husband one day. Maybe have a kid..or three but I look at the life I'm living and I feel like it won't happen. I imagine I'll be dead in the next five years, they're aren't many old caravan guards y'know." Artemis finally answered.

It did cause her silent distress when she thought about it. She didn't want to settle down and become some farmer in the ass end of nowhere. It was a mental topic she tried to bottle up just for the sake of not getting lost in her thoughts......which was exactly what she was doing! Quickly she snapped herself out of her trance.

"Teehee do you do that a lot?" She asked innocently.

Artemis blushed. "Err only when I think about deep stuff. Didn't you have another question?"

Aroma took a breath. "Yeah, but this one is more serious...How do you deal with killing people?"

With that question the music of the mall faded to oblivion. The killing. How did she cope with taking the lives of other ponies and griffons. Some would say it's kill or be killed, kill one to save thousands, kill for the greater good. But personally she was truly just calloused to killing people. She had known violence and death since her birth, it may have been the legionnaire in her blood. That insensitivity to slaying your foes regardless of their lives, their families, their ended futures. The first sentient kill of her's was, was....she couldn't remember. Damn.

"I...I've done it all my life. I never reveled in it but it's been a part of my life since I was very little....." Artemis was ashamed of her calloused thinking. Aroma saw this in her face and gave her a big hug.

"Don't feel bad Artemis. If it's any consolation you kill the bad guys. You stopped them from hurting other people. Remember that." She said. Artemis chuckled and wiped a unexpected tear from her eye.

"Are all the ponies in your stable this huggy?" Artemis asked with a friendly smirk.

"Mhmm, everyone gets a hug even Mr. Verity." She smiled.

Chapter 10 - A Story to Remember

Chapter 10: A story to remember

Late at night. The mall's big lights had been shut down leaving only the dim bulbs to light Palomino. This was the time of night that Red Rope's more curious patrions came out to her place of business. The wagon dock area was now patrolled by caravan guards, each guarding their customer's possessions. As for Artemis and her gang, they sat in Hayseed's wagon. With no room to camp outside it would be a tight squeezed night for everyone. They all sat around the wagon including Obsidian Shine, although still bound.

Lady was feeding Obsidian a can of soup ever so kindly. She looked thankful for the food but worried about the judgement about to be passed on her. The area of her head Verity had hit her was now hidden by a bandanna with gauze on it. Once she finished the can Lady gently put the gag back in her mouth.

Artemis looked at Obsidian Shine then to the wagon entrance. Hans was supposed to be here by now. He did have a habit of being late and if he didn't get here soon they would be asleep and dinner was almost ready. Maybe Madame Rope had other plans- speak of the devil....

"Hi! Guys!" Hans let him self and waved to everyone.

"Hans. It took you long enough." Artemis smiled and punched his shoulder.

"Oh yeah sorry, I had this facesitting thing before I left." He said...then the air became a little awkward.

"Were you sitting or sat on?" Aroma asked awkwardly.

Hans leaned in close to the orange mare. "That's mystery isn't it." He purred mischievously. "Oh my, who's that?" Hans noticed Obsidian Shine in the corner.

"Err uh she's our prisoner. She surrendered in a shootout on our way here and we've been deciding what to do with her." Artemis explained rubbing her head. "We were actually going to do that before dinner."

"Kinky." Hans smirked.

Hans pulled out his pistol. The classic 1911 it had elaborate engravings, pearl grips and the words "With Love" engraved on the sides. It was his classic pistol. It was piece of Hans and a well crafted gun in general.

"We could just take her outside and shoot her?" He said with a charming cool. Verity nodded at his idea.

"I like the way you think. But she has used our resources being in detainment. Her death must be painful or she must compensate us for our loss." He proclaimed. "I say we put her on a cross and leave her. Or sell her into slavery to make our money back." Verity suggested.

Verity's idea wasn't well received from the looks of the ponies around the wagon.

"We could just let her go. Make her promise not to hurt anyone again." Aroma suggested shyly.

"She's a bandit, she only understands violence." Verity argued. Obsidian began shaking her head with a worried expression.

"I think we should let her testify." Hans said holstering With Love. Lady ungagged her and she coughed before speaking.

"Oh please not crucifixion! Kill me before that." She begged.

"Give us a good reason we shouldn't kill you." Artemis ordered her.

"She'll only lie. It's what the dissolute do. Her testimony has no weight." Verity declared folding his arms. Artemis only sighed.

"Ugh, everyone outside, let's think of an idea." Artemis said and hovered outside and the others in tow.

Now they huddled outside in a small circle. Preparing to quickly make a decision. Why was this so damn hard? Court should not be this complex!

"Maybe she could join us? Be a companion in our group?" Aroma suggested.

"Hmm." Artemis hummed disapproving. "If we let her go she could still try something...like Verity." Artemis added.

"Like me?" Verity asked raising an eyebrow indignantly.

"I know!" Hans said happily. "Okay now Madame Rope was...less than pleased with my departure. Maybe we could give the mare to her as a parting gift?"

Artemis had something in her gut about selling Obsidian Shine to a brothel. It felt wrong, forcing her into that was to alike to slavery. This was a losing battle, the longer it took to make a solution the less she cared about her fate, she can't believe she even considered Hans' idea.

"Ugh! Verity how quickly can you execute her? Wait, no. Damn." Artemis face palmed.

"Look slavery is a nasty word but think about it. She will live and it'll be like serving hard labor for her crimes, like prison." Verity said with that unexpected charisma. He sounded like he made this idea from facts and not his brutal Legion justice.

"But we might be selling a party member?" Aroma asked frowning. The others stared at her, bewildered by her wording.

There was a very long pause. Verity's idea was gaining majority. But they would be selling a pony into slavery! Albeit not an innocent pony, a bandit. But still it didn't settle with her stomach at all.

"It seems we're deadlocked. We'll think of a verdict another time." Artemis concurred. Expressions of relief, anger disapproval and disappointment crossed their faces.

"Court is adjourned darlings." Hans said and walked back inside the wagon.

~Later in the night. The gang sat in the wagon and Obsidian Shine lay in a corner with a bag over her head. Grandpa was about to tell a story.~

A lantern sat in the middle of the group as they huddled around to listen to Grandpa. He held his hooves together and spoke in low ominous tone.

"Now I have story for you guys. A story from before the war....." He trailed off.

"In the days before the end ponykind was desperately trying to find ways to defeat the zebras....But there was a secret project..." He took a slow deep breath. The darkness seemed to close in on them all. Grandpa's story was actually intriguing even Verity was interested and Aroma was deeply enraptured, barely on the edge of her seat.

"The ministries worked together on a project. A network called the Dead Hoof Retaliation Network. A network that was supposed to fire every warhead Equestria had if the leadership...Canterlot was attacked. Least to say it worked but there were glitches, it was imperfect. Many zebra lands sank beneath the boiling oceans once the Dead Hoof launched Equestria's arsenal. Imagine it, as Canterlot fell the DHRN activated, firing everything. The zebra's that fired on Canterlot started armageddon but the Dead Hoof finished it. A single radio station sent a signal to all the silos in seconds and overrode every safety protocol launching thousands of warheads...." He told his story masterfully. Now Artemis was enraptured.

"And in a couple hours the world was brought to a violent and fiery end....."

"But! That's just where the story begins. After the war something happened to the Dead Hoof it changed. Some say taint got to it, others say the ghosts of the dead corrupted it. I say, all those deaths, billions in under 120 minutes changed it, cursed forever as a haunted spectre, and with that the numbers station was born."

"N,n,number station?" Aroma asked weakly.

"Yes, it is a rare station that can tell the future. It tells the past, present and future. You need only find it and ask it."

"Has anyone ever found it?" Artemis asked. Grandpa shook his head.

"Me and my friend back in our youth tried to find it. He was obsessed with it. I think it beckoned to him. We traveled all over the waste trying to find it. I searched with him until my baby girl was born and I gave up. I expected my friend to be upset but by then all he cared about was finding the number station. He stopped sleeping, eating, bathing. It was the only thing he cared about. I never saw him again." Grandpa finished.

"Sometimes I wonder if he found it. But maybe there are somethings mortals just can't have." He added stoically.

There was a long pause. Grandpa sounded so right, so sure of himself. Was it true? It couldn't be true could it? The look in his eye and his expression....it spoke honestly. Like he and his friend spent their youths looking for this number station but he lost his friend to it and barely escaped himself. It's true there were things that you could never explain but this, this was a lot to believe.

"Is this real?" Aroma asked awaiting his reply. Grandpa simply nodded.

"Yes. It is." He said plainly. "We came pretty close, but me and my wife had Lady and I quit and decided to raise my family. He went on like I was never there, he was talking to himself by then....sometimes I wish I stopped him. You might not believe me but sometimes...those stories are true."

Grandpa yawned and went to his cot and bade everyone goodnight. But Artemis and her group just sat in silence. Could this be real? If such a thing existed, to know the future... Sleeping that night was difficult. Artemis's thoughts were jumbled and fuddled. Considering the cramped conditions, Verity laying next to her. She could feel his hot breath on occasion. But mostly, her brain was buzzing with thoughts of the number station.

Chapter 11 - Judge, Jury & Executioner

Chapter 11: Judge, Jury & Executioner

The music, the damn noise didn't stop did it? The cheery mall tune played in the early hours of dawn as the sun rose over the horizon. Last night was...strained at best. It was late, and the wagon was cramped but what stood out the most was Grandpa's story. That damn number station. He told it with such fervor it sounded like he was telling the truth. But he couldn't be, it was just a story. A bedtime story he probably tells the foals.

"I may go back to Madame Rope if that's how your travelling now. Although I didn't mind being close to Verity." Hans said with a comedic tone.

Artemis sipped her coffee and swallowed several painkillers. She didn't eat pills wantonly, only when she had headaches. Because if your day starts out bad it will only get worse and in the Equestrian Wasteland "worse" could be very fatal. Instantly she felt the vice on her mind break away and now she could raise her head. Hans noticed her recovery.

"So darling where does our little gang go next?" Hans asked.

Artemis thought about it. Then she realized, why was that her decision? Why was she the leader of this motley crew? But Hans did make a good point.

"Well first I say we leave then deal with Obsidian Shine. After that we'll go from there." Artemis answered.

"Ah yes, Ms. Shine, what are your plans for her.?" He asked taking a sip of his drink.

"Ugh, I guess....dammit I dunno. We could sell her into slavery but we're not slavers, we could execute her but then if we did then it trivializes detaining her in the first place." Artemis complained.

"Leave her to the fates Artemis." He said. "Just leave her tied up out in the desert, and if she lives she lives and if she dies then she dies. See? She isn't executed by you and she has a chance at life. It's all you could give her really."

Artemis pondered his suggestion and shrugged. "Damn, fine. At least we're not enslaving her or torturing her to death like Verity wants."

"See, best of both worlds sweetums." Hans smiled. "Now c'mon it's time to get rolling."

~Later after setting out and announcing the plan to the others.~

The wagon slowed to a stop. Over the cliff spanned that entire wasteland. A massive desert with mountains touching the aquamarine sky. Obsidian Shine landed on the ground with a "oof" after Verity dropped her. He sat her up and Artemis removed the bag that covered her head.

"Okay Obsidian Shine, this is your chance at life. We're not going to kill you." Obsidian Shine hummed with relief. "We're going to leave you, and once we leave you're on your own. Just thank your lucky stars you're not on a cross." Artemis said sternly and nodded to Verity.

"I still say we break her hind legs and leave her." He grumbled playing the bad cop. Obsidian Shine started squirming and mumbling something through her gag. With a scowl Artemis removed it. Obsidian gasped and choked for a minute.

"Don't leave me out here please! I know about your number station!" She begged. The last part of her sentence caught Artemis's attention.

"The number station's a story." Artemis hissed. Obsidian just shook her head.

"It's real, I know the old pony he spoke of last night. Skipper." She said with a gasp.

Artemis didn't believe her for a second. But she would have ask Grandpa about this "Skipper" character and see if she was telling the truth. But either way this ended now.

"Where is he?" Artemis demanded. Obsidian choked some more and wheezed.

"To the north. White Tail National Park, he leads a tribe of ponies. Please just let me go. I gave you something." Shine begged.

Artemis was silent for a minute. She was most likely lying, trying to barter for her freedom. But she already had it.

"We will." Artemis whispered. "But you'll have to free yourself." She added and turned away.

"No! Goddesses no! Kill me! Don't leave me here!" Obsidian Shine cried. Artemis cringed in anger and put the gag back in her mouth.

Obsidian fell over and thrashed around kicking and flailing and eventually broke into tears. She laid there hopelessly.

"Shall we investigate this Skipper?" Verity asked.

Artemis sighed deeply then looked back to Obsidian. "Yes but I feel terrible leaving her out here."

Verity put an arm on her shoulder, it was unexpected but not completely unwelcomed. "Artemis, she was a raider, a bandit. She's a killer." He said in his soothing tone. It softened the blow of what they were about to do. But I didn't make it any easier.

Without looking back she climbed into the wagon. Aroma wouldn't look at her. She just sat in the back with her forelegs crossed. Hayseed and Lady knew what had happened, they to were reluctant to speak. Whether the two of them approved or not could not be decided at the moment. Only Verity gave any reassurance that they had done the right thing. Was that a bad thing if Verity approved? The wagon drove down the road until Obsidian became a speck in the horizon.

Another hour down the road the air had become stagnant in the wagon. The unpopularity of the Obsidian verdict had cast an spell over the interior. Everyone was quiet. Verity had his usual steely face on. Aroma looked dissatisfied, maybe even a little angry. Which was unorthodoxed seeing that she practically idolized Artemis. Hans looked indifferent, he gave a slight smile when she glanced in his direction.

Artemis didn't know how she looked on the outside, but inside she felt wrong. Like she made a horrible mistake leaving Obsidian to starve. Not matter what she told herself she still felt awful. Just simply awful. Dammit, this sucked.

"Next time she'll shoot the raider, not arrest her." She promised herself.

"Artemis." Aroma said cutting the silence that had lorded over them for so long. "Obsidian Shine will die now, she'll starve or Celestia forbid someone finds her and something worse happens." Aroma scolded her like a parent.

"How dare you..." Verity responded in a disgusted tone.

"Artemis did the best she could." Verity growled. "You wanted to let her go!" He pointed a talon at Aroma.

Several others in the wagon perked up as his voice rose....although they wouldn't dare interrupt. Aroma looked at Verity, you could see her fear but she did not cower down and Aroma replied with a commanding tone.

"These..these raiders! I've seen are nothing compared to the horrors the Legion inflicts: crucifixion, torture, slavery! The Dreadsaw Legion is no more than organized killers! I saw what you did to Ether Voice!"

Verity gave a dark chuckled that barely masked his rage.

"Girl, you do even know who Ether Voice is?" He said in a passive agressive fury.

Aroma was taken aback. But she still remained as strong as she could. "No, b, but her gang didn't deserve that massacre." She stuttered. Verity smirked his beak and shook his head disappointed by her ignorance.

"Ether Voice is the radio alias of Death Belle. She gets on her little radio and broadcasts a distress signal to unsuspecting ponies. Once they fall for her trap her raider buddies captured them and ATE THEM! They were cannibals Aroma!" He exclaimed.

Now Aroma was stunned along with several others in the wagon. Her argument had taken a serious if not fatal blow. It wasn't over Verity continued.

"When legionnaires arrived to eradicate them they found emaciated colts and fillies in animal cages. They murdered their parents right in front of them!" Verity sneered in anger.

Again Aroma could not raise a hoof to his oral onslaught. She fell to her haunches, mouth agape in horror. Verity lowered his head to Aroma and pressed a talon to her chest.

"Now, maybe next time you'll think of who you're dealing with before speaking out of line. Trust your comrades first." He spoke in a low but commanding voice

Aroma was defeated. She only nodded, tears swelled up in her eyes. Verity wiped her tears and spoke softly.

"No tears Aroma. You learn and move on. There are worse things to cry about."

"Artemis...I'm so sorry." Aroma squeaked.

Artemis felt so bad for Aroma. It wasn't entirely her fault, she had been out of her Stable for what? A week at the most. Artemis walked to give Aroma a friendly hug.

KABOOM!

A second later the wagon was tossed on it's side. Artemis landed on her back and smacked her head. She was concussed, the only thing she could hear was the faint crackle of fire, various popping sounds possibly gunfire and screaming. Artemis turned on her side trying to crawl out of wagon her ears were ringing and none of her friends were in sight. What hell had happened? Seconds later as she approached the wagon door her will and strength failed her after to much strain and she fell unconscious....

Chapter 12 pt. 1 - Playing In The Park

Chapter 12 pt. 1: Playing In The Park

"....."

Artemis could barely open her eyes. She couldn't feel or see much but she was alive. It was dark, but not night time dark more like inside somewhere dark. There was a faint light out of the corner of her vision. Her head fell back down on the cot. It felt like it was made from grass and sticks.

Her breathing was long and slow. She struggled to think, her mind was in a dense fog. What had happened? Did the Legion ambush them on the road? Her friends! What happened to her friends? Were they okay? The fog started thinning but her body and vision remained muddled and unresponsive. She must have fallen back into unconsciousness because she awoke again.

This time she could see a little more. She was in a cave and a fire crackled behind her. Artemis cringed and made herself roll over on the cot. It was as if she weighed a ton, she laid on her other side completely exhausted. She breathed in long gasps as her vision became fuzzy again. Through her clouded vision she saw a pony sitting by the fire. She couldn't make out the gender but it saw Artemis and moved over to her. Good or evil she was at this pony's mercy. A second later she fell back asleep.

"....."

Artemis awoke again, this time she felt better. She could see and her maybe even move some. Her breathing was normal and her thoughts began to flow again. She rolled over more easily this time not losing consciousness now. Next to her was the pony she had seen before falling unconscious again.

He assumed an odd pose for a pony, he looked as if he were meditating. The stallion wore a bullet proof vest over an old park ranger suit. He had a dark gray coat that was a strike away from black. The most peculiar thing about him was the blindfold he wore. As Artemis looked up at him his faced turned to her's as though he sensed she was awake.

"Welcome to the land of the living." He grumbled plainly. Artemis could only stare. "You awoke several times, you were hard to keep unconscious."

Artemis did not know what to say. She was confused. She asked the only thing she could articulate.

"Wh, what happened?" She wheezed. The stallion kept his pose next to her and answered her calmly.

"Your caravan was attacked. The White Hooves initiated the attack but some of my men were in the area and drove them off."

"Where are my friends?" Artemis asked weakly.

"I'm afraid the White Hooves took some of your friends, the orange mare, two foals and a stallion. But we were able to procure you, the old one and the married couple."

"Where are they?" Artemis asked with rising worry.

"Most likely at their village to the south but you are in no shape to fight them." He rose from his meditation and stoked the fire.

This was bad. Those tribals had Aroma, the two kids, and Hans! Who knows what torture they were going through and Artemis could barely move. She felt so helpless.

"Can you help us? Please." She asked the mysterious stallion.

He did not answer immediately. He only stared at the fire with a intense focus. Even though his eyes were covered with his bandanna you could tell he saw something in the fire, something no one else could see. After Artemis was sure he had not hear her she laid her head back down in despair.

"You can help yourself." He grumbled.

"How? I can't even move." Artemis replied irritated. The stallion turned slowly and enveloped her in a cyan aura. He flipped her over on her stomach.

"What the hell!?" Artemis snapped. The stallion climbed over her back and pressed a hoof to her left shoulder blade and the other one on her lower back.

CRACK! CRACK! POP! Artemis's back snapped in several places. Now her back felt weightless and she fell to the cot, limp.

"Why did you do tha-! Hey..." Artemis stopped complaining mid-sentence. "Hey,I actually feel...better, a lot better."

A small smile happened across Artemis's face as she sat up in the cot. She cracked her back again and stretched her arms.

"See? You needed to be asleep so I could begin the acupuncture unhindered." He said in his monotone grumble.

Artemis stroked her head. "What's acupuncture?"

"Irrelevant." He groused. "All you need to know is that it restored you to functionality in two days. We have more important things to tend with anyways. The other griffon with you, the legionnaire. He wasn't taken captive, he fell into Gnawshika Gorge. Go and retrieve him." He ordered sternly and began meditating.

Verity! She had completely forgotten about Verity! Artemis nodded and then realized she had none of her equipment.

"Where's my stuff at?" She asked. The stallion did not speak but he levitated an old duffle bag and laid it at her feet.

Inside she found her equipment. Famas, DSR, P08 it was all there and had, strangely been meticulously repaired. Artemis also found Aroma's pipbuck she instantly felt awful. She thought of whatever torments she and foals were going through. She latched it on and flipped the switch. It was slow to boot up nonetheless it loaded. The map page had a new customized location marker. "Gnawshika Gorge" it read.

"Go get your friend and bring him here then we will make our next move." He nodded over to another cot that had Grandpa. The old stallion was unconscious and looked like he wouldn't wake up anytime soon.

"You..." Artemis hesitated, she could be wrong. "Are you Skipper?" The stallion frowned.

"Yes....I am. But I am known as He-Who-Sees-Everything-and-Nothing to my tribe. But you will get your answers upon finding your friend." His horn flashed and a second later he vanished into thin air.

"Dammit." Artemis muttered. She didn't trust strangers easily, especially with these mysterious circumstances.

She checked on Hayseed, Lady and Grandpa. He was still breathing. Reluctantly Artemis would have to do as Skipper ordained. Then that also meant Obsidian Shine had not totally lied, maybe Artemis would ask Skipper about the number station once she rescued Verity.

The cave led to a small village that rested in a small canyon by a river. Ponies and Zebra's lived side by side, some speared fish in the river, others tended crops, cooking food and foals ran about playing games. Artemis was met with stange looks as she wandered about the village. A foal bumped into her and fell to his haunches.

"My bad." She said casually.

"Mi'ka koda baba. Chitu wadda beeta ki kee kai-el." He ran off.

"I guess no one here speaks ponyish." Artemis thought to herself and flew away. Many of the tribals watched in awe as she flew away casually. Guess they never saw a griffon either.

Before her lay White Tail National Park and Artemis saw it from a bird's eye view. It was beyond words, beyond belief. The forest looked untouched by the ravages of the war. Trees were vibrant greens and browns. The sun was breaching the horizon starting the new day. Birds chirped and you could hear streams and animals. It made you think, no matter how hard we try nature will always beat whatever we throw at it be it on purpose or accidental. One day the plants and animals will return and life will bloom again, no matter what weapons salt the earth, nature will prevail. Artemis felt her heart stop if only for a moment.

Artemis flew low so she could see the plants and animals. White tail deer scampered about. This place's color palette was breath taking. She grew up with the endless orange and yellows of the San Palomino wasteland but here it was so much different. The sand was replaced with healthy brown dirt. This dirt was the dirtiest dirt in the whole dirt world! She flew gracefully and weaved through trees and rock formations. She felt like Aroma when she looked to the sky in awe.....Aroma.

She had to find her friends and rescue them. After that they could frolic in the park all they wanted to. She imagined Verity skipping through the forest with a smile on his face. Artemis giggled and scanned her pipbuck. Gnawshika Gorge was in a rockier part of the park, near the entrance.

Red rocks dominated this area. Some rock faces had paintings on them. One of Skipper, He-Who-Sees-Everything-and-Nothing. It was a crudely drawn face, the eyes were dark black ovals. Some of the paint had bled giving the look that the painting had cried. Tiny black streams dried down from the eye sockets. This was obviously his tribe's territory.

"Where are you Verity?" Artemis mumbled to herself. She scanned the lower parts of the canyon. At the bottom of a canyon was a shallow river with crystal clear water that shimmered with the sunlight. Artemis continued scanning for Verity.

"No, that's a fish." She told herself. Maybe she was looking in the wrong place. Maybe Verity had washed up on shore somewhere. Then something caught her attention!

Around a corner the river the funneled a figure that was face down. It was armored and the red scarf, that was Verity's arm cape! In a haste Artemis flew down to him, then she heard something. The river ended with a waterfall!

"Shit shit shit." Artemis cursed nervously.

Verity's form limply bounced off several exposed rocks along the river rapids as he approached the drop. Artemis increased her speed but the rapids were carrying him to fast. She reached out her hand and grabbed his tail but it soon slipped through her grasp. The waterfall roared like a great beast hungry for Verity.

Her mind concocted an idea, it was borderline insane with a side of suicidal but if she could pull it off they would both survive this. She reached out again and grabbed his tail, she struggled to keep a hold of it. Then she wrapped her other hand around him. She took a deep breath and pulled herself to him. The water was ice cold and would have been refreshing in different circumstances but right now it just made holding her breath difficult. Artemis could not swim but if this plan worked she wouldn't have to. She was shook violently in rapids.

Seconds later she felt her head and vision shift upside down. Artemis struggled and flailed in the waterfall. The pair breached the water in a eruption of twinkling water droplets. Time slowed to a crawl or at least it felt like it did. The only thing you could hear was the thump-thump of her heartbeat and the muffled roar of the fall. Artemis held Verity tightly in her grasp. Gravity pulled them down to the jagged rocks below. On instinct Artemis raised her wings and glided.

FWOOSH!

Artmeis sped away from the waterfall that would have been their demise. She released her breath and flew down to a sandy shore. She laid Verity down, he was cold, blue around his beak and all around pale. This didn't bode well. Artemis sat on her knees and opened his mouth. Hesitantly she put her mouth to his. She exhaled into his mouth and raised to press his on chest. Mouth chest, mouth chest, mouth chest. Dammit it wasn't working.

"Breath damn you." Artemis hissed.

She repeated the cycle two more times until opened his eyes and began choking profusely. He rolled over to his side vomiting water. Verity collapsed and laid on the shore breathing heavily.

"You....you saved me......... I thought you hated me?" Verity said amazed but quietly grateful.

Artemis shrugged. "It was nothing."

"Why did you save me?"

Artemis was silent for a minute. "I..was told to. Verity some bad stuff has happened. Aroma and the foals have been kidnapped by White Hooves. And Hans to."

Verity raised an eyebrow. "White Hooves?

"Yeah, do you know them?" Artemis queried.

"The White Hooves are trying to be integrated into the Legion. They demonstrate their strength and we decide if they are let in."

"The Legion does that?" Artemis asked.

"Naturally, it's not so much we accept them and they walk into the Legion. We accept them and haze them by storming their villages. We kill the elderly and the men taking the women to be sold as wives to the officers and the children are raised as legionnaires."

Artemis was appalled by Verity's story. "Why would they even want to join then." She asked with a disgruntled look.

"Because we're the biggest faction and we'll survive this time period, not some small tribe like the White Hooves. They see it as an honor, they practically worship us." Verity said nonchalantly and climbed to his feet.

This gave Artemis an idea....

"Well there's someone you need to meet. I can take you to him." Artemis nodded back above the waterfall.

Verity looked suspicious of Artemis. "Who is he?"

"I, I think it's Skipper. You'll have to see for yourself." Artemis raised her wings preparing to fly but something stopped her.

They stood for a second in silence. One of them wanted to say something, but neither of them knew the words. Was it affection? It felt like a presence in your stomach. Her heart sped up slightly. But in the next second the time had passed and the moment was lost.

"About that stallion then...." Verity said with a tone of disheartened disappointment.

"Right.." Artemis replied.

They flew off to Skipper's tribe, Artemis felt something in her gut for missing that opportunity. But why? Verity, affection? Not now, they had to save Aroma, Hans and the foals.

Chapter 12 pt. 2 - A Vision of The Future

Chapter 12 pt. 2: A Vision of The Future

"So, you're Legion." Skipper noted and paced about the cave. The fire in the room created tall shadows. Hayseed and Lady where nowhere to be found and Grandpa laid in his cot still unconscious but alive.

Verity was skeptical of Skipper because it proved Obsidian Shine was not completely lying. If Skipper knew about the number station then now was the time to get answers.

"Skipper. Can I ask you something?" Artemis asked slowly. The old stallion stop his pacing and turned to her. Examining her with his eyeless face.

"About what?" He grumbled. Artemis swallowed.

"The number station...."

Skipper was quiet, dead quiet. He did not move, only a minute later did he stir. He sighed and sat down. "The number station...." He said in a regretful tone.

"Did you find it?" She asked. This was the moment whether Obsidian Shine was proven true or false.

"I... I did. I found it." He confessed, though he did not sound proud of it.

"What was it?" Artemis asked intrigued.

"Awful."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Artemis asked confused.

"I went about it all wrong. When I found it, I asked it for the future. To know the future and it gave me the future. I saw everything, present and future. It was so furious, I had to gouge my eyes out or I would have went insane." He was shaken after his recounting.

Skipper had found the station, asked it for the future and he saw the entire future up to when he gouged out his own eyes to stop the insanity. Artemis felt shocked to her core. Even Verity looked stunned.

"So it's actually real." Verity commented.

"Where is the station?" Artemis asked.

Skipper looked down and shook his head. "I got lucky, or unlucky. I was able to siphon a burst from it. Everyday I wish I could have stopped myself." He said mournfully. "I also saw you Artemis."

Artemis raised an eyebrow intrigued. "You, saw me?"

"I saw you while the station burst flooded my mind. I knew you would end up in this park and I had to help you. You're destiny is very important." Skipper said mysteriously.

"My destiny? I'm no hero Skipper."

Skipper only walked over to her and gently put a hoof to her face. Up close his age became more present. He was old, not old as Grandpa. Give or take twenty years. His horn flashed in the blink of an eye.

"I will show you." He said and activated his spell. A second later they were gone. Teleported to a location of Skipper's choosing. Artemis opened her eyes and she was at the peak of a mountain. Skipper stood by her side and silently pointed his hoof outward and Artemis saw it...

Away from the mountain, beyond packs of clouds, rolling hills, sprawling ruins, tall trees, and sandy deserts it stood. A great wall spanning a massive chasm, no a river. This wall held the river. To the north side of the wall she saw a civilization. It was different from the Legion. Ponies working and building a community, farming, teaching, trading and they needed power to build their growing nation.

Then Artemis's gaze turned to the south and she saw the Dreadsaw Legion. She saw slaves toiling in fields under their brutal masters, and her mother. She saw ponies and griffons lording over Gryphondale then Artemis saw something in the distance, it was obscured but massive. She felt the Legion's need for power. To fuel their conquest, they needed the wall.

"War is coming Artemis. The north and south will fight for Hoofer Dam, and the winner of this battle will decide the fate of Equestria. I've seen you in the middle of it all. You are the fulcrum of this battle Artemis."

Artemis was in awe of this Hoofer Dam and terrified equally. "How? Why me?" She asked.

"Because it is destiny. I know not how this battle ends, I took my vision before the end. I could not bare knowing. But I do know the Legion will find the number station and they will use it for evil. You must find it and destroy it."

"H, how do I do that?"

"I know where you can start, go to Fillydelphia to the north. Find the lair of the pink one. There will you find a clue. The number station can only be manifested by doing certain things in this world, and you are that catalyst that will make them happen."

"What if I can't do it?"

"You must, if the Legion gets the station then we will be at their mercy."

Artemis grimaced. Sometimes you sacrifice to much and in the end it would not be worth it. What would have to happen? Would people have to die? What was going to manifest this station and in the end, would it be worth it?"

"Lastly Artemis. When you find the number station, activate it through a radio. Your pipbuck will suffice. Tune into the radio's signal and ask your question very very specifically. This is my warning, Celestiaspeed Artemis." He spoke mysteriously but his sense of urgency was very present.

Before Artemis could ask a final question everything became white and noiseless. Verity looked at Artemis with a worried look. Skipper's spell had not teleported her, instead she became still and expressionless. Her eyes were blank and her breathing was slow. Verity was beginning to worry when Artemis returned from her out-of-body experience.

Artemis sprang to life in her body. She gasped being back in her body. Then she realized she had been drooling. She wiped her beak and looked at Verity. He assumed his steely common expression.

"Now you have your mission, go to Fillydelphia. Find the lair of the pink one and you will find your next clue." Skipper ordered.

"We can't just leave. We still have to rescue Aroma, Hans and the others." Artemis said as she fixed her feathers.

"Will someone tell me what's going on?" Verity interjected.

Skipper shook his head. "They're irrelevant. If you waste time saving them then the Legion will be that much closer to finding the number station. If they find it then countless innocents will perish."

"I'm not leaving my friends. End of story." Artemis replied sternly.

Skipper grunted and teleported away in a flash.

Artemis let out a breath. Dammit, was Skipper mad? But then again it didn't matter. She knew what they had to do. They had to make a sojourn to Fillydelphia, up north. Find the lair of the pink one. The pink one? But before anything they were going to crush the White Hooves and rescue their friends.

“Artemis what is going on?” Verity asked irritated. Artemis sat down to explain. But before she opened her mouth thoughts rushed into her head.

“What if Verity is following me so he can lead the Legion to the number station?! Maybe he's doing it on purpose but then again maybe destiny is guiding him.” She thought to herself.

Artemis did not like this “path” laid out for people. It made fate seem like a great shackle that everyone was attached to following it for all their days. Rebellion was impossible, you couldn't just not have a destiny. If this was the case then free will was a bold faced lie. You didn't have free will you were a prisoner to fate and-

“Artemis!” Verity snapped. She had gotten lost in her thoughts! Again!

“Tell me, what's going on, please.” He asked slowly.

Artemis figured if she was going to find the station in the end then why the hell lie right?

“”Verity. There's dam, it's like a massive power plant. A civilization in the north and the Legion to the south are going to have a war over control of Hoofer Dam. Skipper told me that I will find the number station and I must destroy it because the Legion will find it as well and use it for their conquest.” Artemis huffed and puffed after finishing her story.

Verity looked unsurprised. He had his usual steely look.

“...” Verity ran a talon on the dirt floor casually and looked at her.

Artemis didn't know what to say. She really expected him to have some snide or cruel comment. As the pause continued Artemis rubbed the back of her head uneasily.

“And you thought I was a Legion spy.” He said in a dour tone.

“N,n, no it's like that. I just.”

Verity closed his eyes and clenched his hand as if he were in pain. A expression of pain and grief crossed his face. "Artemis I didn't join you because you're my superior. I, I joined you because I had nowhere else to go.” He confessed and looked away in shame.

Artemis gently put a hand on his shoulder. “What do you mean?” She asked softly, not patronizing him.

Verity couldn't look at her when he spoke. His tone was one of sadness mixed with anguish.“When you bested me in that alley I had sullied the Legion. I had been beaten by, by a woman. I lost everything my status, my home, my wives, all of it. I left before anyone found out but I know the truth and I must carry that shame until the end of my days.”

Artemis tried to plan her next words carefully to avoid further upsetting him. She wondered what a kind pony like Aroma would do. Artemis wrapped her arms around Verity and gave him a hug. It wasn't soft and sweet like Aroma's hugs, her hugs were clunky and awkward.

“There's nothing to be ashamed of Verity.” Artemis said. Verity turned his head to her.

“You don't understand. Women are...inferior, to be bested by one is to be considered weak.” He was distraught and upset.

Artemis kept one arm around him. She moved to meet his stare. She was trying to console him but in order for him to move forward she had to break this misogynistic mindset.

“Verity.” Artemis began in a calm but commanding tone. “This Legion ethic has had you believe women are cattle to just have children. But we're not, we are just as capable and smart as men. Think about it, tons of the brightest minds in history were women, the ministry mares, Celestia, Luna, the Lightbringer.”

Verity was speechless. Artemis just wanted to let him know that just because it was Legion doctrine that women were property didn't mean it was nature. Artemis brought her arm back to her person.

“I, I.” Verity stammered. “You are truly an anomaly Artemis.”

It wasn't perfect, but it was a start. Maybe Verity can now see females as equals rather than baby incubators with a single purpose. Now it was time to make a plan to crush the White Hooves and rescue the others. Without any preception Verity kissed Artemis. She sprang back interrupting him.

“What the hell Verity?” Artemis demanded.

Verity looked embarrassed and confused.

“But I thought, I thought we were.” He stuttered nervously.

Artemis wiped her beak. “I don't know how the Legion does relationships but I don't do it like that.”

“Oh no, I'm so sorry.” Verity was embarrassed.

Now Artemis felt bad. Verity just thought it was normal, cultural differences. Besides it's not like Verity was a bad choice of a man. He was even easy on the eyes but, just not right now. Consult Hans first, but dammit they were wasting time!

“Look Verity, not now. I'm not saying no but just let me think about it. Okay?” Artemis said sheepishly.

Verity nodded and without warning fled the cave. Before Artemis could stop him he flew off. To the White Hooves camp? Gryphondale? Sheesh it's not like Artemis told him no!

“Fuuuuuu-!” Artemis screamed but before her scream took flight two voices interrupted her.

A couple yards away stood two green unicorn mares. Both wore elegant businesspony attire and had haughty manes.

“Well sister it looks like Artemis Arrow is in quite the predicament hmm?” The green mare asked her sister.

“Yes, looks like she better find Verity before the Legion finds him.”

Oddly, Artemis was the only person that seemed to notice them. The other villagers walked about casually.“That's correct sister, the Legion on it's way to crush the White Hooves.”

They seemed off or alien. Something was undoubtedly wrong about them. The way the held conversations with each other. Not to mention how out of place they looked among the tribals.

“Yet I wonder why she continues to tarry.”

“Maybe she's not as sharp as we thought sister.”

“How would she ever find the number station?”

“Hey.” Artemis spoke. The two mares stopped and stared plainly at her, expressionless. “Who are you two?” She asked.

They looked to each other for a second.

“You needn't worry about us Artemis. Just be on your way before the Legion murders your friends.”

“Yes Artemis we're just observing.” The other sister commented.

Artemis blinked and they were gone. What the hell? Was this about the number station? This had bad written all over it, all over and written in the fine print and whatever space was left.

Artemis blinked a few more times. Seeing they were gone from sight she gave a rough gulp and flew off after Verity to the White Hooves camp.

Chapter 12 pt. 3 - Crush The White Hooves

Chapter 12 pt. 3: Crush The White Hooves

Night had engulfed the landscape painting the park blue and purple revealing the numerous twinkling stars in the sky. Lightning bugs fluttered about the tall grass and small creatures scampered about to their dens. If those two mystery mares were honest then the Legion was marching to “assimilate” the White Hooves by brutally murdering them. Personally she could care less about the tribe that had attacked them and took her friends captive.

Verity flew off in a haste towards the White Hooves camp. Artemis could not say what his plan was. Maybe this was when he planned to make his move and betray them all? Maybe he- oh shit.

Artemis landed and hid behind a rock spire. On the ground she saw legionnaires and lots of them. They were marching to the encampment. There was at least two hundred ponies and griffons in the march. They were fully armored and armed to the teeth, truly a sight to fear. Artemis scanned the sky for other griffon legionnaires maybe even Verity but that was unlikely. This meant she would have to take the long route.

Artemis flew over Gnawshika Gorge around the river bend. The park was probably beautiful at night. Maybe she'll come back one day, but the urgency of her situation commandeered her thoughts. Hovering into a narrow canyon with a gentle river below Artemis slowed her flight to a craw. She drew her P08 and turned her EFS on. The pipbuck's direction compass did not register the marching army as hostile and it also registered the animals in her vicinity making SATS virtually useless. Reluctantly she turned it off.

Upon exiting the open cave Artemis could see the White Hooves camp. The camp was a ranger station, re purposed to be the White Hooves village for their stay here. Artemis peered down her binoculars examining the village. The White Hoof warriors ensemble desperately tried to emulate the Legion's look. They had leaf plumage above their leather helmets and small wicker barding. These tribals were going to be slaughtered by the Legion and they won't stand a chance.

“Dammit Verity where are you?” Artemis hissed to herself.

She scanned the camp finding no trace of him. But, Hans! Aroma! Artemis gasped. Through her binoculars she saw Aroma, Hans, and the two foals tied to a flag pole dangling over a vat of boiling oil!

“Fuck.” Artemis hissed again.

“Artemis.” A voice said. She turned hoping to find Verity but instead she looked down in the still water and saw Skipper.

“Let's formulate a strategy.” He said in a icy tone. Like this was an unnecessary objective that was just wasting time.

Artemis was disgruntled by his apparently indifferent attitude about the peril her friends were in. She landed in the cold shallow water and look at him expecting a plan.

“If you want to save your friends you'll have to do exactly as I say.” Skipper began.

“Yes yes but let's not wait around to much. The Legion's coming.” Artemis replied.

“I know they are.” He told her. “I will teleport you inside the came. You sneak in and free your friends then you leave. You must leave, do not I repeat do not engage the Legion.” He hissed sounding irritated.

“Why can't we save the White Hooves?” Artemis queried. Not that they gave her the best impression but just to save them from the Legion. No one deserved the Legion's fires.

“Because the White Hooves have brought this upon themselves and after this the Legion will march on my tribe. I hid my people in the mountain to avoid the Legion, if you confront the legionnaires then they will turn this park upside down trying to find them. Do it as a favor to me Artemis, please.” Skipper finished.

“Okay, fine but how can I get out once I get them?” Artemis asked.

“No time the Legion is at their gates, sneak around while they greet them. Now go!” Skipper said tensely and teleported Artemis away.

~Somewhere in the White Hooves camp~

After a bright flash Artemis found herself a little dazed. She didn't know where she had arrived just that it was dark and enclosed. Her EFS showed no entities so Artemis took the gamble and turned the pipbuck light on. She was in a bathroom stall. The toilet was stained a sickly yellow and the walls of the stall were dented.

Artemis opened the door slowly and found the entire bathroom was dark and deserted. This put somewhat at ease. Skipper had teleported her to somewhere where she wouldn't be caught immediately. But still she felt like she wasn't alone.

Artemis turned quickly pointing her D08 at....nothing. Damn, this was getting weird. She turned and saw a face in the mirror above the sink!

“Shit!” Artemis exclaimed. She turned and saw no one. Hesitantly with her mind racing and fear in her she slowly turned back to the mirror and saw it was the two green mares again.

“Oh sister, listen that vocabulary.”

“Colorful if anything teehee.”

“Who are you two?” Artemis asked slowly. She wanted to say “Who the hell are you?” But then they would just go on about her vocabulary.

“Think of us as your guardian angels, leading you to the number station.”

“A fitting if cliched metaphor sister.”

“It works dearest. It works.”

Artemis turned her head slowly back to see if they were visible now. No such luck, she could only see them in the mirror.

“Hmm didn't we have something for our dearest Artemis?”

“Oh yes indeed. But she already has it in her bag.”

“Ohohoho sister you are a delight.”

“Adieu Artemis. Oh and remember, the east path is rocky and has no sentries guarding it.”

“Adieu Artemis.”

“I already told her adieu.”

A blink later the two mare were gone. Dammit they scared Artemis to the bone. Not that they looked frightening but there was something about them. She knew better than to believe anything they told her. Guardian angels my tail. Wait, what the hell? Her pipbuck notified her she was had received an item in her inventory.

Artemis opened her bag and found a mass regeneration healing potion. A potion she did not have ten minutes ago. The more she thought about those sisters the less she like them. Next time if she saw them and she knew she would, Artemis planned to shoot them. See how immortal they really are.

Artemis stepped out of the bathroom cabin and closed the door silently. At the main entrance of the camp all the White Hooves, warriors, women and children congregated eagerly awaiting their heroes. Heroes that would soon butcher them.

Artemis silently hovered to the flag pole. They looked severely beaten and starved. Aroma awoke and didn't believe her eyes.

“Ar, Artemis?” She squeaked.

“Shh, you guys just be quiet and we'll get out of here.” Artemis began to cut their binds.

“Artemis.” A voice said. Artemis responded by pulling her pistol and aiming.

“Motherfu- Verity.” Artemis was happy to see him instead of the green mares. She lowered her pistol.

“We'll talk once we're out of here. Here hold Hans.” Artemis freed Hans and handed his limp form to Verity. Artemis grabbed the foals and put them in her duffel bag. What? They fit. She slung Aroma over her shoulder. She was lighter than expected.

Then all hell broke loose! A load explosion boomed from the gates. Fire and legionnaires stormed in the camp. Everyone was screaming.

“Quickly!” Verity tapped her shoulder. Artemis nodded and they flew to cover.

Artemis watched in horror as legionnaires butchered the White Hooves. They were completely unprepared. Their teepees were being consumed in an inferno. A lone foal cried by two corpses. Artemis rose to rescue the foal but Verity grabbed her wrist.

“No Verity.” Artemis defied him. He simply pointed. She followed his gaze.

“Artemis look, that's your brother.” He said. Artemis watched in awe and horror.

A griffon. With jet black feathers and fiery orange eyes landed by the crying filly. He wore a suit of ornate red and black armor that seemed to be burn as it seemed to reflect the fires burning around him. He was physically imposing with merciless eyes. He spread his wings to terrify the filly.

“That's Valiance!” Artemis exclaimed. Verity only nodded, he seemed to be afraid.

Valiance laughed and drew his sword. A hellhound sword like Verity's only this was a zweihander. He held it with one hand, the sword was easily longer than Aroma. With one mighty swing he took the fillies head off in one quick swing.

“No!” Artemis cried. Verity tried to restrain her but failed. Artemis drew her pistol and opened fire.

-Tink, tink, bwoww!- The bullets barely made a scratch. Valiance looked around for his attacker and turned on his, his pipbuck! He had a pipbuck, that meant he had SATS!

“Who chipped my goddam armor!” He roared in heated anger. He scanned the area with his EFS. Verity grabbed her.

“We need to run!” He exclaimed. They ran but it was in vain.

“Ah! Sister it's high time we've met.” Valiance shouted and dashed to them. He was frightening up close. Artemis only now noticed his flowing red cape.

“You're a monster!” Artemis shouted angrily. Valiance only laughed.

“The child was of the dissolute and could only aspire to be dissolute. Besides, I don't answer to my bastard sister. Father should have tossed you from Citadel Spire when you hatched. But now I will remedy that. Your head will decorate my bedpost!” He let out a warcry and charged the group.

Verity met Valiance's charge with his own. Valiance easily sidestepped him with lightning fast reflexes, kicked him and cut Verity down the side of his torso. Verity let out a pained cry, Valiance pushed him aside and continued his charge with blood lust in his eyes. His jagged teeth formed a malicious grin.

-click click click- Her pistol was empty!

“Artemis!” In a flash Skipper appeared.

“Wha?!” Valiance gasped.

“Run Artemis! I will take us away from here! This is where my path ends. Find the number station!”

“Enough. I will kill you both!” Valiance declared agitated by the distractions.

Valiance charged Skipper with all his might. With a great swing he brought his sword to bare on Skipper. Skipper's horn flashed just as the blade struck his skull the spell activated. Artemis saw Skipper's body crumple before the weight of Valiance's blow but in a flash they disappeared. Gone. Vanished into thin air.

Everything felt ethereal, like a dream. A nightmare. So many dead, Skipper's sacrifice Artemis had never experienced anything like this. She felt weak and her hands shook. Verity limped over to her. He said nothing. He only collapsed into her limply. Artemis held him, tears began to stream down her cheeks. So many were dead and now her friends were dying. Artemis wanted stay and die she couldn't move. Her soul felt weak. She had never seen a massacre like this. Artemis held Verity close to her.

“Verity I'm so sorry.” She spoke wearily. With tears in her eyes. Verity could only give a weak smile. He was bleeding profusely. He would not survive the night. What she wouldn't do for a, for a healing potion.

“Oh my god.” Artemis realized.

She wiped her tears and shuffled through her bag. The mare's potion! They had known. Artemis broke the seal and administered it to Verity in a haste. Immediately the potion began to close his wound before her very eyes. Slowly life returned to Verity's eyes. Artemis released him as he stumbled to his feet. He was disorientated but alive.

“Artemis.” He said. “We have to go....” He was dizzy but he still knew what danger they were in.

“Verity. I, I don't know if I can.” She replied weakly. He picked her up off the ground.

“No Artemis, you're stronger than this. Don't let this break you.” He spoke calmly even as the world around them seemed to burn.

Artemis whimpered, she felt so powerless. All she could muster was a weak “O.. Okay.”

“Get them!” Shouted the legionnaires. They had killed everyone in the village. Now they were after Artemis. Hordes of legionnaires stormed at them. Gun shots rang out.

“Verity we need to take the east path.” Artemis instructed. If those mares were right about the potion then why not the path?

“Lead the way.” Verity picked up Hans.

POW POW POW! More shots buzzed by them as they ran. Artemis yelped in pain as a rifle round exited her right wing. But she had to keep moving, they just had to! Stopping now meant death.

“There it is!” Artemis shouted. Over a hill was a collection of rocky passages that the twins spoke of. Just as they foretold.

It was a good three story drop. Spiky stalagmites rose from the bottom. They would have to time their flight just right or be impaled on the spines below. Artemis carried Aroma like a baby and Verity had Hans slung over his back. Verity dove and opened his wings riding the wind stream. Artemis leaped off the cliff. Her wing burned from the slightest usage. Her vision blurred from the pain. Artemis strained with all of her strength to stay in air just barely stayed airborne.

“Verity.” Artemis said. Verity turned his head. “I can't make it that long, I've been shot. We need to land.”

“How about we go to Skipper's camp?” Verity suggested.

“I don't know where that's-” Artemis looked at her pipbuck. “map marker added” it said. To the east of the White Tail Park map was a icon that said “Skipper's hidden camp” Artemis was to tired to question how or why but the pipbuck knew and that was enough.

“I know where to go.” Artemis claimed.

~Later at Skipper's hidden camp~

Utter desolation. The tribe had been wiped out completely. The camp was stained with blood and gore, severed limbs and corpses. Tents and fixtures were uprooted. Several fires crackled about. Artemis and Verity looked upon the camp with horror. The Legion had found the camp and murdered everyone. None were spared. Then an awful realization hit Artemis. Hayseed, Lady and Grandpa were unconscious the last time she saw them. Artemis imagined legionnaires murdering them in their sleep. The foals that were in her duffel bag were now orphans as well.

“We're still in danger. Let's get you patched up and get out of here.” Verity said. He shuffled through the remains of several huts looking for supplies.

“I think Skipper had some stuff in his cave.” Artemis told Verity. She also wanted to check and see if the others were really dead. Artemis felt bad for only worrying about the ponies she knew. Artemis decided to looked the camp over for survivors.

Artemis examined body after body but no one seemed to be alive. Just as Verity made his way into Skipper's sanctum a zebra spoke. His coughs attracted Artemis and Verity's attention.

“Are you okay? What happened?” Artemis asked worriedly.

The zebra coughed and spat out blood. He was in a bad shape, barely alive. “He-Who-Sees-Everything-and-Nothing-” He coughed violently. “He returned to us, but-” The zebra had another fit of coughs. “A demon followed him. Our chief was killed, the demon looked like your people, a Cielo Cazador.

That had to be Valiance. Skipper had teleported him here! Valiance slaughtered this entire tribe alone. If Valiance was still here then they would be hard pressed to escape him twice.

“The demon cut us down one by one, none were spared, none could stand against him. After his genocide was complete he flew into the night. Back to the Broken Skull tribe.”

Broken Skull tribe? He meant to the Legion didn't he. The Legion's symbol was a cracked pony skull flanked by two olive branches.

“I tried to save my kin but-” The life in his eyes began to disappear. “The demon was to strong.- I go now to my ancestors and the sun god. You..” His life finally faded and he laid his head down on the ground. Artemis closed his eyes.

“Valiance did this, all by himself.” Verity noted with a sense of dread.

“Damn. I've got a bad feeling in my stomach this.” Artemis said worried. Something in her gut told her she'd meet Valiance again before this was all over.

“Let's get those supplies for your wing.” Verity jumped back to their pressing matters. Artemis looked at her wing. The small bloody hole made by the bullet had begun to crust. It still hurt and when she went to move it in her injured state would cause the crusted blood to break and resume bleeding. \Artemis winced as they walked into the grotto.

It was dark. The fire that lit the inside had been extinguished drowning the room in a blanket of darkness. Artemis spam clicked her SATS button repeatedly while they were in the dark. What? If it keeps them alive then why not?

Artemis reloaded her D08 and Verity readied his sword. Slowly they walked into the dark of the cave. A friendly entity was picked up by her EFS. Artemis nodded to Verity and pointed her gun in the darkness.

“Come out slowly. Drop your weapons and put your hands in the air.” Artemis commanded.

“Ar, Artemis?” The darkness replied. She turned on the pipbuck's light.

Artemis found Hayseed and Lady peeking out from behind a rock wall. They looked haggard and beaten. Lowering her pistol they ran over to the couple.

“You're alive! Are you okay?” Artemis exclaimed kneeling down to them.

Hayseed and Lady looked like they had been attacked. Hayseed had several bruises and scrapes on him and Lady wore a bandanna over her right eye. But there was no sign of Grandpa.

“We're, we're fine. We'll be fine.” Hayseed said hollowly.

“They took our babies.” Lady said crying from her good eye and a bloody tear ran down the other bandaged one. We lost our babies Artemis.” She repeated sorrowfully.

A warm smile crossed crossed Artemis's face. She reached into her duffel bag.

“You mean these babies?” She pulled the two foals from her bag and handed them to their parents.

Hayseed and Lady's faces lit up like the sun. They grabbed their children and wrapped them in caring embraces.

“You're an angel Artemis. Our guardian angel thank you.” Lady said kissing her baby colt several times. Artemis remembered the twins comments about guardian angels.

“We'll never be able to repay you.” Hayseed informed her holding his daughter.

“I wasn't alone.” Artemis said nodding to Verity. Then the thought of how the twin mares helped as well.

“What happened here? Where's your father?” Verity asked.

Lady whimpered and lowered her gaze to her son. “The gray unicorn teleported here and accidentally brought a griffon with him. The griffon killed the stallion immediately and struck my father down in his coma. We tried to stop him but nearly killed us as well.”

Then Hayseed gave his story. “That griffon thought we were dead and went outside. All we heard then was carnage after that, then everything became silent. We thought he was going to come back and finish us but then you guys came.” Hayseed gave his part and hugged his daughter.

“We need to leave. The park's not safe anymore.” Artemis said.

“Wait, can we bury my father first?” Lady asked nicely. What else could you answer her with?

“Okay we'll bury him somewhere nice.” Artemis assured Lady.

“I reckon we can repair the wagon while you two find a spot.” Hayseed suggested.

Lady couldn't look at her father. Valiance had gutted him. Grandpa was carved into several piece. Valiance was a monster, and her brother. Artemis wrapped him in several blankets. She felt guilty, like she had let him fall through the cracks. He probably had so many stories to tell, such a life and he was just a background-pony to her. Artemis felt like she let him down and now he was gone. Grandpa we hardly knew thee. Was his name even Grandpa? Then there was Skipper as well, god. This wasn't right.

“Artemis. They're going to walk down the mountain and meet us at the wagon. We'll get their early and find a final resting place for her father.” Verity said over by Lady and Hayseed.

Artemis could only nod in agreement. She had to if she did she may have started crying. They remembered to give Artemis the treatment she needed before leaving.

Hayseed and Lady proceed down the mountain trail, mourning the deaths of the tribals but happy to be reunited with their children. Artemis carried Grandpa's remains and Verity held Aroma and Hans. They flew down the mountain.

Artemis had seen to much death in the past few hours. She wanted to break down and cry, cry until she could cry no more. But why couldn't she? She wanted to go back, back before the number station, the twin mares and Valiance. The simple life. She wanted someone to hold her and tell her everything would be okay.

A little way off the wagon wreckage the duo found a suitable spot for Grandpa to be laid to rest. The sun was rising soon and the park was beginning to be bath in golden sunlight. The hill where he would be buried perfectly aligned with the rising sun and the colors it brought.

“Here.” Artemis said. She slowly put Grandpa's remains on the ground.

“Artemis, are you okay?” Verity asked worriedly. Artemis turned around to him.

“No, I'm not.” Artemis replied shakily. Verity gently put an arm on her shoulder.

“Do you want to talk about it? You've been through a lot these past few hours.” Verity asked.

“It's just, so many are dead and we were almost killed. I just feel tired. I'm to tired to cry Verity.”

“Shh. Don't worry.” Verity said. They sat down and now they had Artemis had the peace and quiet she needed.

“Verity, how do you handle it? All the death.” Artemis asked. Verity was quiet for a second and hummed.

“I've killed a lot of people Artemis. The Legion makes it into a chore to be done, but you just learn to live with it.” He answered calmly.

“But, on such a scale. So many were dead. I mean I've killed people as well but there were just so many Verity. How do you cope with that?” Artemis rephrased her question.

Verity was quiet for a little while longer. He was formulating his response. Or he did not have an answer. Then, just as Artemis was sure he couldn't answer he spoke.

“You don't let it break you, it may seem impossible but you'll come back. You're too strong not to. There will be worse battle than this, this was a skirmish.” Verity concluded ominously.

“But what if I can't?” Artemis rebuttaled.

“You have your answer already Artemis.” Verity said. Artemis glanced at him curiously. “If you're wondering if you can then you already are.” He added.

“Huh? What do you mean?” Artemis asked confused by his wording. A slight drizzle began from the dark clouds above.

“I've seen men after battles that became burned out husk of themselves. They never even wondered if they would ever come back they just never did. There is more than one way to die on a battlefield Artemis.” Verity told her.

Artemis needed a second to take his words in. “So you mean that..”

“Yes. You're already back. Was there any ever doubt?” Verity finished her sentence.

When Verity concluded his sentence Artemis felt...different. She didn't feel like crying anymore. She felt weird, she couldn't explain it. But she felt better. Her heart was still heavy for Grandpa, Skipper, and that foal.

“Verity..” Artemis began. He only gently put a finger to her beak.

“Shh. Just be silent, you need this silence.” Verity said and simply held her.

They sat in silence. They were the only two people in the entire world and there was peaceful quiet to everything, besides the occasional roll of thunder. Artemis gave Verity a kiss on his beak.

Chapter 13 - No Going Back

Chapter 13: No Going Back

Artemis gazed stoically out from the wagon's back door. The drizzle had turned into a pleasant shower. Not like the torrential deluges that plagued the wasteland almost thirty years ago back in the Enclave Wars. This storm seemed healthier and natural.

Artemis could hear the sounds of training drums down the park. The Legion was still here but at least they were far away for now. This was it wasn't it, the number station. That's where this all started and all paths lead there. She wished she never heard that story. She wished she went to bed early that night or something. Skipper and the future battle of Hoofer Dam between the Legion and this northern civilization. Personally Artemis never went far from the San Palomino Wasteland and she had to go to Fillydelphia.

As stories recounted Fillydelphia was hell on earth. Mass slavery, a self deifying dictator, it was pretty much as close to hell as mortals could get. Word was that during the Enclave War Fillydelphia was dealt a nearly crippling blow. Skipper had told her to find the lair of the pink one. What had that meant? Sometimes Artemis wished those green mares would appear, they seemed to know everything. Maybe they could help her out. Ah who was she kidding they'd probably just make snide remarks and sister this and sister that.

Artemis turned from the gray clouds and looked down at Aroma. The young orange mare was still asleep. Lady believes she's running a fever. Artemis looked down at her friend. They had only met, what not two weeks ago? Aroma was the first friend she traveled with in a long time besides Hans of course. Her and Hans used to travel all around the wastes before he tried his hooves in the manwhore game. Artemis smiled and chuckled at that thought.

But back to Aroma, Artemis tried to remember the last thing she had said to her. Aroma had voiced her disapproval about the Obsidian Shine verdict and Verity shouted her down. Artemis remembered how she went to give her a hug but then the White Hooves attacked. What if Aroma had died? Then Artemis would have to live with that guilt for the rest of her life. Artemis promised herself if Aroma got better she'd resolve to keep her friends from hurting each other.

Then there was Verity. What were they now? A couple or some friends with benefits kind of deal? Artemis looked back and felt like she wronged Verity. She forced herself at him.

“Apologize and talk to Verity about us.” Artemis noted to herself.

There was a lot to take in and think about. Aroma, Verity, Lady and Hayseed, the number station, Valiance and the Legion, Hoofer Dam, those twins, Fillydelphia. This was an ordeal for a real wasteland hero like the Lightbringer not some in small time caravan guard.

“Artemis honey, it's time.” Hans poked his head in the wagon.

Artemis gave Aroma one more look and left with Hans. They walked out to Grandpa's burial site. Earlier Lady told Artemis she did not have to come to the funeral but Artemis needed to. She couldn't help but feel partly responsible for his death.

There on the path stood Verity. He looked normal, just a little wet. To think Valiance almost killed him as well. Artemis felt embarrassed by her actions about Verity, she felt like she threw to many of her emotions on Verity even he never made any inclination that we wanted them in the first place.

“Artemis.” Verity said in his rugged voice. Artemis couldn't look him in the face, not after what happened.

“Did you find Skipper?” Artemis asked not meeting his eyes. They planned to give Skipper a funeral as well.

“About that.” Verity answered starting to walk to the hill. Artemis and Hans followed. Hans was quiet and solemn today.

“What about Skipper?” Artemis queried following him.

“I, I couldn't find his body.” Verity told her.

“But Hayseed said they saw Valiance kill him. And before Skipper sacrificed himself we saw. We saw Valiance bring his sword on him.” Artemis countered. Verity slowly shook his head.

“I have no doubt Skipper teleported them and sacrificed his entire tribe for us but in his cavern there was no body. Nothing.”

Could this mean? Somewhere Skipper had survived the encounter? But Artemis knows what she saw, but then again when you played with the number station reality was not as it seemed. This was just one of many questions for those twins, because if anyone had any concrete answers it was those two.

~later up the hills~

They stood around Grandpa's final resting place. A small white granite slab stood as a reminder to everyone. Lacking the tools to inscribe anything the rock remained blank. Several flowers were planted by the tombstone so that maybe one day a pretty flowerbed would flourish over his body. They all stood in silence as Lady began to speak. Her eye was recovering.

“Coffee Cake my father, he was honorable stallion. He was always happy with what he had and was never prone to greed. I couldn't have asked for a better father.” Lady gave her eulogy and went to her husband and wrapped him in an embrace. After their embrace concluded Hayseed walked to deliver his final words.

“I always looked up to Coffee Cake. I can only hope I can be half the father he was.” He said blinking his eyes to stop from crying.

“And you guys.” He said to Artemis and her group. “I, I.” Hayseed needed to find his words.

“Just know that we're all infinitely grateful for rescuing our foals.” Artemis felt a strong tugging at her heart.

“I never knew, Coffee Cake but from what I can tell he was a respectable stallion.... Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.” Hans finished his short but sweet speech.

“The passing of an elder is truly something. There is a time to mourn but the torch has been passed from the old generation to the younger. The son becomes the father. We must not fail our fathers.” Verity gave his eulogy expressing the idea about moving on and making the deceased proud.

Soon Artemis found herself in the position to speak. Everyone looked expectantly at her, awaiting her speech. Artemis saw the two green mares standing by Verity but he didn't seem to notice. They wore elegant black dresses and they shared a black umbrella. Artemis knew she couldn't ask them her questions, not here, not like this and somehow Artemis knew that's why they decided to show up now.

“I. I wish I had gotten to know, Coffee Cake better. I don't know much else to say, but he seemed like a good man to me.” Artemis finished her eulogy but it didn't seem to end. The others still looked at her expecting something. Artemis walked away from the speaking position awkwardly. Lady gave one final look at the tombstone.

“I know you guys didn't know my father all that much but, it means a lot that you came.” Lady said with a teary voice. Hayseed walked over to his wife a put his foreleg around her. She muzzled him gently.

“I guess it's time for us evacuate the park before the Legion rolls in this area and finds us. Where should we go next?” Hayseed asked.

“No.” Artemis answered, she was done with the sadness, the tears. Now it was time for action. It wouldn't be easy this was just the beginning. The twins had mysteriously vanished from sight.

“Huh?” Hayseed uttered. Several others looked at Artemis with confused looks.

“What do you mean?” Lady asked wiping her eyes.

“Skipper showed me something, the future I think. There's gonna be a war and we have to destroy the number station before the Legion can use it for evil.” Artemis explained. There was a vigor to her tone, it galvanized the spirit. “And, you guys can't come with us. It's to dangerous.” Artemis added regretfully.

“No Artemis, we're sticking to you like caramel on an apple.” Hayseed told Artemis. Lady gave a reaffirming nod.

“I can't let you come along, like I said it's to dangerous. You guys could get hurt even killed.” Artemis argued. She couldn't bear the thought of Hayseed and his family getting hurt again, maybe even killed. This was Artemis's fight and she wouldn't be alone, Verity, Hans and Aroma would stand by her.

“Enoope. We're all in this together Artemis. Whether you like it or not you're stuck with us.” Hayseed said showing his accent.

“So get used to us.” Lady added.

“Artemis, it looks like we more traveling companions.” Verity said to Artemis in his steely tone. Artemis smiled at him then remembered her embarrassment and turned away.

“Well then, what are we waiting for?” Hans said with a smirk and snapped his tail.

“Let's make my father proud!” Lady exclaimed.

What had demoralized them instead ignited an inferno of ambition and resolve to find the number station and avenge Coffee Cake. The band returned to their wagon and found Aroma sitting at the backdoor. Aroma smiled when she saw them.

“Guys!” Aroma exclaimed. She ran wobbly to the gang. She wrapped her arms around Verity and gave him a big hug. Again Verity looked like he was being poisoned.

“Again, is your Stable this huggy?” Verity grumbled.

Artemis chuckled. “Don't worry Aroma that's his way of saying. Yay huggles!”

Aroma released her grip on Verity and stood back on the muddy earth. Verity checked to see if anyone was watching. All clear, Verity gave Aroma an indignant hoofbump.

“Tell anyone I did that and I'll throw you off a cliff.” He threatened lightheartedly and hovered to the wagon.

Aroma giggled softly and ran to join the others.

~Some time later~

“Are we set?” Hayseed asked from the helm.

“Hell yeah honey.” Hans answered crushing a cigarette butt.

“We're gonna go to Fillydelphia, to the north. Skipper told me we need to find the lair of the pink one. I'm not entirely sure, but we'll find it we have to.” Artemis declared.

Artemis checked the wagon. Everything was as ready as it was going to get. The wagon still needed repairs and couldn't take much damage, but that would come in time. Fillydelphia lay on her horizon. But first Artemis needed to take care of something.

“Back there?” Hayseed asked. Artemis only nodded. “If you say so.” Hayseed agreed reluctantly.

The wagon churned and the wheels began to move. Little by little. They were on the road again. This was only the beginning, no going back now, come hell or high water, rock and a hard place it didn't matter. The race for the number station was on!

~Later at Artemis's destination~

No one was there. Obsidian Shine was gone. Artemis scanned the surrounding area looking for her. Maybe she had crawled away or somehow wormed down the road? Then Artemis remembered. They had been in White Tail Park for almost a week. Obsidian Shine had most likely starved to death, and Artemis had damned her to that fate. She imagined Obsidian Shine. Her life was fading. Her lips were cracked and dry. She was starving, her limbs were raw and bloodied from the binds she left her in.

Artemis despaired, she had murdered Obsidian Shine. Left her to die. Hopelessly she scanned the broken road for pieces of rope but found nothing. But she did find something that brought a new fear to her mind. A small boulder bore the symbol of the Legion. In red paint, or what Artemis hoped was red paint was a cracked skull flanked by two olive branches. The Legion had been here.

Artemis imagined the legionnaires beating, torturing and raping Obsidian. Then they used her blood to paint that symbol. Artemis could only now pray Obsidian Shine was dead. But that wasn't what the Legion did. Obsidian was probably on a cross, in a gladiatorial arena, sold as a slave to some officer or some heinous Legion execution.

And Artemis had cast her to the Legion...

“I couldn't find anything.” Verity said as he landed from his aerial view.

“We couldn't either.” Hans said with Aroma.

“The Legion got to her.” Artemis said sorrowfully. The same thoughts rushed through their minds as well.

“No, no, no. No!” Aroma shouted as she paced worriedly. Searching desperately. The orange mare was searching in vain.

“Goddesses no.” She said quietly and sat on her haunches.

“She could have been one of us Artemis.” Aroma told her. “She could have been a friend that we could have come to know and love. We murdered an ally.” Aroma said with a guilty tone.

“Aroma...” Verity chimed indirectly telling her to watch her tone.

“She was a casualty, you can't save everyone. Remember Obsidian Shine made her bed when she decided to rob and kill innocent ponies and now she had to lay in it.” Verity told Aroma and the gang.

Aroma again was at a loss of words. Obsidian Shine killed with herself with the choices she made and now that circle had come full circle for her. It was like karma had used the gang to strike back at her. Karma was a bitch.

“..... Next time Artemis. If we end up with a prisoner, we take them to the proper authorities. I mean, who are we to be judge, jury and executioner?” Aroma told her.

Artemis spoke before Verity could comment to Aroma. She put an arm Aroma's shoulder. “It's a deal.” Aroma seemed to approve. It was unfortunate that Obsidian Shine had died. Artemis imagined a pony skeleton half buried in sand. Quickly Artemis banished the thought from her head.

Solemnly the gang returned to the wagon. Artemis was saddened that Obsidian Shine had to go so, so harshly but a part of her was happy that it was over. Was that wrong of her? But still she couldn't help but feel relieved.

“Where are due Artemis?” Verity said snapping Artemis back to reality.

“Hmm. Fillydelphia to the north. We're going north, to Fillydelphia.” Artemis noticed their faces. They were expectant, they looked up to Artemis to give them their direction. Artemis never intended to lead, never asked for that but their faces made it unanimous that she knew best for the group even if she did not. Artemis would not betray their trust.

“Fillydelphia, the city of steel.” Verity commented sounding mystified.

“You mean, leave the San Palomino Wasteland?” Aroma asked surprised. If leaving Stable G was a big step for her then leaving the San Palomino was like leaving the Stable again only bigger.

Did we ever really leave our Stables? The Stables we build ourselves. We all have them, locations we are comfortable with. Places we call home. When we leave our old place for the new the old remains and soon the new world becomes normal. Then we push again, we push the boundaries of our world ever outward. Did that alien feeling ever go away no matter how experienced you were?

“Fillydelphia or bust.” Hans said laying back in the wagon and kicking his back hooves up.

With further adieu the wagon began the long trek north. The mark of Cesare would be left flying until it would be frivolous then it would be stowed away for safe keeping. They would spend the next several nights traveling in the day and sleeping under the stars.

“This is going to be quite the epic eh sister?”

“Whether or not they know the truth in the end is academic. But I will say this will be fun.”

“Oh sister.”

“Oh me.”

Chapter 14 - Love and The Undead

Chapter 14: Love and The Undead

Night had settled over the wasteland bringing an uneasy but welcome silence. Unfortunately there was a rather strong wind blowing across the desert and within an hour they were headed for a nasty sandstorm. But as luck would have it they stumbled across a decrepit fueling station. It was long picked clean by prospecting scavengers but it would be a suitable shelter... Presuming the roof wouldn't collapse on them in their sleep. But beggars can' be choosers right?

Bang, bang, bang! “Damn I hate those.” Hans complained. He had shot one of those damn radroaches, goddesses he hated those.

“You know you could have just stepped on it like the vermin it is?” Verity snidely questioned. The pink stallion looked aghast at such an idea.

“Hell no sweetcheeks. I wish I didn't have to use With Love on them, cause' I got NO love for them.” Hans complained.

In another room Artemis and Aroma searched for hostiles in the back rooms. Other than the odd roach the station was green. The building had seen it's days. Dry rot had damaged the structure and was visible in the ceiling. Small to medium sized holes gaped letting in particles of sand. The painting on the wall was severely chipped and posters were decaying to near non existent. All but one.

“I know her.” Aroma said. Artemis perked slightly at her words. Aroma stuttered and reconfigured her sentence. “Well I know of her. That's Twilight Sparkle.”

Artemis shined the pipbuck's light over the poster to get a better view. It was a decaying Ministry of Arcane Sciences poster. It had a mundane message about science which was weird being that this was a fueling station. The MAS was a branch of government based for developing spells and magical breakthroughs. Why did Aroma know anything about her? Didn't Stable Tech build the Stables go figure.

“How, do you know Ms. Sparkle?” She asked. Aroma turned happily.

“Everyone knows about her back home. Oh, back home....” Her jubilant tune lowered.

“Artemis do you think I'll ever go home?” Aroma asked with a tinge of sadness.

“Well, what was the rule about your hunters?” Artemis countered politely. There were still two hunters after Aroma, it felt like a thousand years since that even crossed her mind.

“I know if a hunter kills me he or she get's to go home. But I don't know about me, no one's ever survived this kind of thing.” Aroma said grimly.

“... Well weren't you briefed on what to do? In case you won?” Artemis asked, it was a little sickening to think of this like a game.

The orange mare sat down and rubbed her chin. “Uhh actually I, I was. Before I was forced to leave, yeah I am supposed to come back with the group of friends I made.” Aroma said with a rising hope.

“Why again do you need a group of, friends?” Artemis inquired rubbing her head.

“That, I was not told. I was just told that I needed a group of friends. After that I can go home. Hey Artemis if I do get to go home would you and the others want to join my Stable?” Aroma asked like a hopeful child.

Artemis was surprised by her proposition. Most Stable's are fanatical isolationists. Maybe winning this would get Aroma some kind of special privileges. There was that game mentality again. Artemis banished that mindset. While being safe in a Stable had a nice ring to it Artemis's knew she couldn't function in a Stable. One, they're meant for ponies not griffons. If there are griffon Stable's then she does not know of any. Two, Artemis knew her place was outside. A Stable seemed like nothing short of a living coffin and Artemis would rather die free than live in that purgatory. Three, she had to much a duty to give up everything and flee to a Stable. The Number Station was her destiny, as much as she disliked the idea.

“Well-” Artemis began.

“It would be awesome! Hans would love Frankfurt and the guys in maintenance with me. I could introduce you guys to Stellar, she's like my bestest friend and you and Verity could get married and have little baby griffons!” Aroma squeed.

Artemis blushed intensely and, wait a minute. How did Aroma find out about Verity and her?

“Wait, how did you find out about me and Verity?” Artemis questioned.

“Oh Hans told me he could smell you two a mile away.” Aroma answered happily.

Now it made sense. Hans had a gift for sniffing out that kind of thing. You could point to anyone, pony, griffon, male or female and he could tell you everything. Sexual orientation, who they're sleeping with, if they're virgins, you name it. It was like his special gift, it explained his heart cutie after all.

Artemis couldn't do it. Aroma was so happy and Artemis couldn't tell her yes. She wouldn't say no but she wouldn't say yes. “Well, we'll have to win first won't we huh.”

“You're right! We gotta stay on task, first we have to beat the hunters.” Aroma said with bravado. “Oh and Artemis, do you think you could take me out shooting soon. Cause' I'd really want to improve my aim that way I could help more in combat.” She asked Artemis sheepishly.

That Artemis could answer. She rustled Aroma's mane playfully. “Sure thing lil' dude.” Aroma chuckled happily.

With the area secure they met back down on the main floor. Hayseed and Lady had taken the liberty of rearranging the refuse in the area to better accommodate their needs. Verity and Hans sat around a fire in the middle of the room. Lady instructed the foals who were coming back to health to stay on the first floor and the first floor only. Hayseed was working on fixing the cooking spit. But something seemed off. Artemis couldn't put her talon on it though.

Artemis and Aroma sat down. The others didn't look worried but Artemis couldn't help but feel … misplaced. Like there was something here, not like a cut you in two Hellhound but something more, otherworldly like a ghostly phenomena.

“No. There are no such things as ghosts.” Artemis told herself. But then the twins came to her mind, then what hell were they? Some kind of phantasm?

Artemis tried to banish those thoughts from her mind. She forced a smile and sat down by the fire. Aroma looked how she always looked really. Verity looked steely and a tad dour. But she still found him cute. Hans looked risqué as usual. You could occasionally catch him sneaking glances at Hayseed. Lady and her husband had been through a lot, and it showed. Between the traveling and stress of White Tail Park they were haggard. Sometimes Artemis felt like they were abusing the couple by bringing them along. She wanted to do something nice for them.

“Sweetie, yoohoo it's story time.” Hans snapped Artemis to reality as he lit a cigarette. Again, what number was this?

“I have a tale for you guys.” Verity began in his iron tone. “It is called The Foal and the Frumen.” He began but was interrupted.

Hans took a drag of his cigarette, rolled on his stomach and crossed his hind legs. “Sorry pretty boy but I got a better story. A story about Littlepip the Lightbringer!”

“Oh! I wanna hear about the Lightbringer!” Aroma yelled. Verity rolled his eyes, disgruntled. “Who's the Lightbringer?” Aroma added.

Hans waved a hoof to her. “Don't worry darling I'll tell you everything you need to know.”

Hans put his cigarette out and began his tale.

“The Lightbringer. There are many a story about the her. So many in fact that we're not even sure if the Lightbringer was really a mare. But I digress.” Hans began.

Artemis had heard of the Lightbringer before. He or she was a savior of sorts from about thirty to forty-five years back. Some real bad stuff was happening back then, the Enclave Wars were at their bloody peak, a self-deifying slave lord was trying to usurp god or something. The most common tale ends with him becoming the clouds or something outlandish like that. The line between what was true or what was a tall tale for children blurred and disappeared. Whatever records or anything that existed had been destroyed or sealed away.

There are stories of all varieties. Noble and saintly to heinous and evil. Wasteland heroine or wasteland hell raiser. There was even a story about how she, or he ate an adult dragon in one whole bite! Crazy shit, you had ponies claiming to have known her or him, some even claimed to be his descendants and over the years all the fake stories and tall tales eventually eclipsed the truth and now it wasn't known if she was really a mare or a stallion. Kind of sad really.

But what was for sure was that this pony, one special pony gave life back to the land. It was decades before Artemis's time but the wasteland used to be barren and lifeless. The Lightbringer tore down the sky at the end of the Enclave Wars and brought back the sun hence why he is known as the Lightbringer. After that he vanished. Know one knows where he walks, and those who do know are either gone or will never say.

“Up at Friendship City she reached out with her telekinesis and grabbed the Raptor. Without breaking a sweat she ripped it in two!” Hans recited. Aroma was awestruck and Verity looked indifferent.

“...She tore the evil trees of the Everfree Forest out of the ground by their very roots! Using her heat vision she burned every foul tree and then went for Red Eye the Devil! His end was nigh!”

Artemis saw this as good a time as ever to talk to Verity about her unprofessional actions. She scooted her way around the fire so she wouldn't interrupt Hans's story. Verity tensed and clenched his talons. He thought someone was sneaking up on him and that was a good way to get killed.

“Hey, Verity could I talk to you?” Artemis whispered. Verity turned his eye and scanned her before nodding calmly. They got up and walked to the back rooms where her and Aroma searched earlier.

“Is that the best you got?! The Lightbringer yelled gallantly as Autumn Leaf's star blaster didn't even scratch her coat. Now it was her turn. She made a full roundhouse kick and kicked the colonel's head clean off, power armor and all!” Artemis and Verity snuck away.

Back in the storeroom the lighting was much darker. Even darker now that the sun had gone down. Artemis's gut hurt with immediate regret. Was it to late to go back to Hans's story?

“What is wrong Artemis?” He said in his steely tone but he sounded honest in his expression.

Artemis sighed. “Look, Verity. I know back at White Tail I, may have said some things..” Verity said nothing, he almost looked like he was smirking. Was he enjoying this?

“I was, weak. Wait well I mean that..” Artemis tripped all over her sentence. She sighed heavily, she turned away from Verity with her head down.

“Look, I just want to apologize for the way I acted. It was unprofessional, I shouldn't have thrown myself at you. I hope there won't be an awkwardness now.” Artemis finally confessed.

Artemis couldn't or wouldn't see Verity's face. Was he smiling, frowning, was he even still here? She guessed it didn't matter in the end. Artemis had made her apology and that's what mattered. She felt Verity put a hand on her back. Artemis turned and tried not to look embarrassed.

“Artemis.” He started. Verity held one of her talons in his. “You're a great woman but I know you were under a lot of stress. I'm not saying I wouldn't mind a relationship with you but if you just want to stay like this then I'm okay to.” Verity was using that hidden charisma of his. He spoke soft and gently, Artemis felt light.

“Well, why don't we take it slow, start off small and see where we get?” Artemis suggested nicely. Verity gave a nice smile.

“Sure thing.” He gave her kiss on her head and walked back to the main room. “But one thing.” He injected. “You do know I've had two wives and two kids and I'm twenty-six right?” He asked sheepishly.

“Err yeah, I remember. Maybe you could tell me about them sometime.” Artemis replied. She remembered Verity said his children died when they were little and his wives, were still a mystery. If Verity was still married to two women then this relationship was going to go nowhere. Artemis wanted a singular relationship with any mate she had.

“I guess I have some stuff to as well.” Artemis admitted. Verity looked curious and walked back to her.

“If we're going to have a romantic relationship I need to set up some terms.” Artemis said trying not to come across like a bitch.

“If we're going to be a couple, I am not or never will be your property to own. I am a free woman and we are choosing to be with you. Two, there won't be any other women that you have romantic interest with. If your two wives are still alive then you are now divorced. Three, we are serious. This is not some friends with benefits, or f-buddies deal.” Artemis accidentally sounded a tad bitchy.

Verity smiled and held her hand again. “I would never dream of infidelity and my previous marriages were ended when I left Gryphondale. We will have a meaningful and honorable relationship, but if you expect this out of me then I would expect no less from you.”

Artemis nodded in consent. “Agreed. I didn't mean to sound bitchy but I just wanted to make sure you didn't think a girlfriend was just a sandwich maker 5000.” Artemis joked.

“But you are right?” Verity smirked. Wait did Verity just make a joke? Wow what could happen next?

Artemis chuckled. Her and Verity looked at each other, nothing was said but Artemis felt good. Her boyfriend, her first boyfriend ever. She felt tingly inside. Butterflies and all that good stuff and the best was-!

Scratch-scratch-scratch.. A scraping noise cut the silence. Artemis traced the noise as did Verity to a door that said “boiler room”. That did not bode well.

“Verity, did you hear what I thought I heard?” Artemis asked nervously. By the steely look on his face he knew something in the boiler room was amiss.

Artemis wished she had a weapon, but she left her holster in the main room. The scratching noise reverberated again this time sounding more agitated. Ever so slowly Artemis reached out to open the door. Verity hid up against the wall to grab whatever came out. Her heart raced and Artemis's kinemortophobia came to her mind. The fear of the living dead. The idea that somewhere the dead stirred with a craving for living flesh, that fear haunted her even from childhood. Artemis grabbed the knob and turned, the scratching intensified.

“Mwwwaaaaaaa!!!” A vile gurgled moaned from the other side of the door.

Artemis pulled the door open in a haste. The dilapidated torso fell to the floor. It was a pony torso with only it's front legs and a mutilated head. Artemis froze, her fear had come to life.. or unlife! It looked at her with black eye sockets and gurgled again. It reminded her of those abominations at Old Olneigh.

“Mwaaaa!” It rasped and opened it's decayed jaw to take a bit out of Artemis. Artemis cried out as it jumped to her!

Whomph! Crack! Squish..

Artemis opened her eyes. Verity had grabbed the door and closed it violently on the zombie pony. It's soft skull squished like a rotten apple and piece's of it's brain splatter on the wall.

“Sheesh Artemis I didn't know you were gonna freeze up on me like that.” Verity was understandably irritated.

“It's a phobia of mine alright.” Artemis retorted.

Artemis barely opened the door and peaked down the hallway inside. Light's flickered and sparked and to her alarm she could make out more figures rising from the ground. They heard the noises and now they were woken up.

“Aw shit!” Artemis cursed. She looked around for anything to barricade the door.

“How bad is it?” Verity asked.

“Helluva bad Verity. We need to barricade this door and get to the others!” Artemis said as she slid a desk in front of the door. Verity stacked a filing cabinet on top of it.

They stacked whatever they could find. Artemis's heart raced. Zombies, fucking zombies! Why, why did it have to be zombies?! She rather fight, legionnaires, Hellhounds, those hentai things from Old Olneigh, but not zombies.

Quickly they returned to the main room. Hans was wrapping up the story and Aroma was still enraptured.

“And the Lightbringer blew Maripony sky high and carried the goddess back to the gates of hell and not a hair out place. She flipped off some Hellhounds on her way out of the wreckage and the Enclave showed up then shit hit the fan and now-”

“Hey guys, we uh got a situation.” Artemis said deceptively calm.

“What's the sit' honey?” Hans said striking an alluring pose.

“Well Aroma, you know how you wanted me to taking you shooting?” Artemis inquired. Aroma nodded slowly looking nervous.

“Well go grab Hayseed's BFR, there's no time like the present.” Aroma walked into the garage that housed their wagon from the sandstorm.

“Seriously baby what's the problem?” Hans asked seriously this time. Verity answered for Artemis.

“We have-!”

“AHH!” A cry split the air, Hayseed and Lady scrambled up from their slumber.

“That sounded like Aroma!” Verity called out.

Without further delay they ran to the garage door. Artemis grabbed her gun bag and loaded her famas. Verity kicked the door in and Artemis and Hans ran inside. Inside they found Aroma prancing in fear.

“Aroma, what's wrong?” Artemis grabbed her to calm Aroma down.

“I heard a noise and.” Aroma huffed and huffed. She pointed to a vent on the ground floor. “I went to check it out and there was a monster!” Aroma whimpered.

“That's a ghoul, this place has ghouls! Artemis don't flip your shit.” Hans requested.

“To late.” Verity told him sarcastically.

Artemis grabbed Hayseed's BFR from the back and tossed it to Aroma who promptly caught it in her mouth. Hayseed and Lady walked in along with their foals.

“What's the matter?” Hayseed inquired.

“Me and Verity discovered ghouls in the boiler room and by the looks of things there's a lot of them. From what I see we can either pack up and evacuate and try our luck in the sandstorm or we can bunker down in the main room and hold them back until the storm subsides.” Artemis announced. Their chances of survival in the storm were bad at best.

“Going in the storm right now is suicide. I say we hunker down lay some traps and fight until dawn.” Hans suggested drawing With Love.

“My vote stands with Hans.” Verity proclaimed.

“Wait lemme see what traps I have in my bags.” Hayseed hopped in his wagon and rummaged around. He came out with a medium sized duffel bag and spill out several bear traps and tripwires.

“Perfect. Let's get setup-. The building seemed to rattle as the ghouls were closing in on them.

“We don't have much time.” Verity commented. At once they hurried into the main room and began to barricade themselves behind the counter where the registers were.

While the others laid the bear traps out Artemis sat behind the counter. Unused pack of cigarettes and broken glass were all that remained in the splintered and beaten shelf. A window on the wall gave a view outside. The violent sandstorm was at gale force and had no inclination of stopping in the immediate future. The plan was simple, the minute she could see daylight they would make a break for the wagon and take their chances outside.

Hayseed and the others returned to Artemis. Lady placed the trap bag in the corner of their holdout position with her magic.

Crash!

“Look alive everyone!” Verity shouted.

Chapter 15 - Dead By Dawn

Chapter 15: Dead By Dawn

“Mwwwaaaaa.. POW!” The first ghoul's head exploded. The corpse fell to the floor now it was going to stay dead this time.

They had all taken up a fortified position behind the counter gunning down the coming hordes. It wasn't long after Verity announced that the barrier in the back room gave way letting the masses of undead into the main room. Their suspicions were correct, the undead were large in numbers and very pissed at being awoken.

CHING! CHING! “Mwaaeeerrrrrkkzz” The ghouls howled as they mindlessly stepped on the bear traps. It hurt them but they did not stop. That is partly what inspired Artemis's kinemortophobia, how they would just keep coming at you. Artemis's neck felt electric and her mind became light. Fear was attacking from all angles. The ghouls were not firing weapons but she couldn't help but take cover so as not to look at them.

“Do it Artemis, you can do this, protect your friends!” She goaded herself to no avail.

“You got to! For your friends! Do it!” Artemis clenched her eyes and backed out from behind the counter. She raised her famas. Eyes closed she fired blindly.

Ta-da-dat-dat-dat-dat! Her famas rang out accompanied by several pained grunts and groans from the zombies. Artemis opened her eyes only to have a close ghoul grab her gun. Artemis shrieked and started tugging to regain her rifle.

“No! Step off!” Artemis cried.

SCHWING! Verity intervened. With a vertical slash of his blade he cut the pony in two. Artemis fell back with the inertia of wrestling her famas back. The newly halved torso clamored towards Artemis in an ugly flailing of limbs. Artemis screamed, she was paralyzed with fear.

“Hrnh!” Verity grunted as he stomped the ghoul's head in. He extended a hand and helped her to her feet. Without saying anything Verity went back to fighting.

Aroma fired wildly at the zombies. Often hitting the ceiling or undead torso's. Artemis hovered up to the orange mare. She was using Hayseed's BFR, her skill was mediocre.

“Artshemis.” She said with the gun in her mouth. “We can'tsh hold dish poshishon for rong.” Aroma said with worry. She spit the gun out to reload it.

“We can't hold this position for long!” Aroma declared. Artemis knew that as well. This was an uphill battle. They didn't have the firepower or numbers to hold this place all night.

“We just need to hold them off until the storm subsides!” Artemis told her companion.

Click click click- The famas was out of ammo! Artemis checked her stores. Her ballistic vest had four straps to store magazines and all four were empty.

“Bloody hell.” Artemis cursed. She ran across the floor and slid to the weapon bag.

“Shotgun, shotgun, shotgun, crowd control.” She thought to herself as she hastily searched for... Whoa. Artemis picked up a C-4 plastic explosive.

“Holy hell.” she said to herself. “Hayseed, where the hell'd you get this?” Artemis asked from across the chaos.

Hayseed replied bluntly as he wrestled off one rotting foe. “Some group of foals sold it to me a while back, doesn't matter.” He blew the ghoul's head off sending the body backwards.

This gave Artemis an idea. She glanced to the ceiling and found an air duct. It was far to big for her to fit into but not Aroma. Aroma could get in those vents, follow them to the main passageway the ghouls were coming from and use the C4 to close it. It was crazy enough to work, but it did place Aroma in terrible peril.

BAM! The zombie's head turned to pulp from the BFR.

“Aroma, I have a plan.” Artemis began. Aroma turned to hear more. She had to raise her ears to hear over the commotion.

“What is it?!” Aroma yelled. Artemis held out the C4, but Aroma didn't get it.

“I need you to go into that vent and follow it to where ever you think they're coming from. Then you set it to detonate and run like all hell back here!”

“I don't know Artemis explosives aren't really my strong suit.” Aroma noted.

“You're the only one who can fit in there, if I could fit in their I'd already be in there.” Artemis admitted.

Aroma pondered for a second they didn't have. The undead were swarming them and the counter was more than flanked by the walking dead.

“Okay Artemis! For the team!” Aroma took the C-4. Artemis gave Aroma the boost she needed to get into the shaft. She bucked the grate and clamored inside kicking her hind legs a little before sliding in.

Pitch black. Aroma coughed. The noise from down below had become muffled. The sounds inside the vents reverberated about. Rattle, scratches and thumps with the motion down below were the only things you could hear. Aroma wanted to turn around and asked for her pipbuck but she couldn't maneuver to well inside.

She had to press forward. Slowly Aroma crawled into the darkness. Dust assaulted her nostrils, her heart has starting to beat faster. She was scared, it was to quiet.

“Just follow the vents, when you hear noise put the C4 for five minutes and run like H.” Aroma told herself.

She was beginning to itch. The hairs on the back of her head were standing straight up. Her breathing became shallow. The worse part was climbing into darkness but then Aroma found a new worse thing. The vents took a left turn. What could be on the other side of here? An eyeless vent ghoul lying in wait to tear her face off and gouge out her eyes then eat her still living body. She imagined a ghoul eating her face while her back legs flailed helplessly behind her.

Aroma was tempted to set the charge now and turn tail but as much as she hated the idea of going forward she was equally afraid of going back. She made her little prayer in her head that Artemis would tear open the vent and drag her out if there really was company.

Aroma drew her BFR and slowly skirted the corner. It didn't matter even if there was a ghoul she couldn't see it. That was the worse part. Luna dammit this was scary.

“Aww cheesburgers.” Aroma cursed under her breath. She rolled down and continued.

“Keep calm and crawl in the vents. Keep calm and crawl in the vents.” She repeated in her mind.

“Mwwwaaaa!” A ghoul hissed, the hiss was in the vent! Aroma shriek bloody murder. She felt squishy hooves touch her back legs. It was behind her this whole time! Scuttling along behind her just trying to catch her.

Mwwwwaaaaaarrrrr!!!! The ghoul screamed. It bit into Aroma's hind leg with it's rotting jaw. Aroma's blood rose to the surface of her wound. The pain was agonizing. Aroma screamed as loud as she could but she might as well have been on the other side of the world.

The ghoul rocked it's head back and forth trying to dislodged the piece of flesh it grabbed on Aroma until-!

RIIIIP!

Aroma felt tears running down her eyes. The sudden pain and trauma, she felt a warm wetness on her wound and by her crotch. If she passed out now she knew she'd never wake back up. Using the last bit of her strength she raised the BFR to what she hoped to Celestia was the ghoul's face.

Aroma pulled the trigger! BAM! In a flash she saw the ghoul's wretched face and bloody mouth, then she saw it explode. The BFR echoed all around the ventilation. All you could hear was a ringing sound.

Still ringing. Aroma laid her head down. She couldn't hear anything, she couldn't even hear her own thoughts or breathing. She rolled to her stomach, her leg felt like it was on fire. Shakily she pulled out the C4 and set the timer.

00:00 – program detonation timer.

Aroma looked at the bomb, four red zeros dominated her vision which blurred and focused randomly. She felt lightheaded.

05:00 – start?

Just as she hit “begin” the vent gave out from under her. Silently she fell from the shaft. The ringing wasn't stopping, Aroma had been deafened by the gunshot! She believed she landed with a oof. Aroma was in the station's. This was bad, no EFS, no hearing. Aroma was in a very bad way. She fell to her haunches to look at her hind leg.

Her orange fur had been stained with a dirty brown coloration. Her jumpsuit had a stain from where she pissed herself. She tore off part of her foreleg jumpsuit and wrapped it around her bite wound. You could clearly make out the teeth marks. Weakly she reached for the C4, if this wasn't the place then it would have to do.

Start- starting. 50-49-48... Aroma had set the clock upside down! She didn't program the bomb for five minutes she programmed it for fifty seconds!

Aroma let out a long and vulgar curse phrase, maybe it's better she didn't hear it. Something about Luna, a garden hose, a private place on Aroma, a tractor, and Citadel Spire.

37-36-35-34... The clock beeped she presumed.

Aroma made a beeline to where ever she thought would take her back to the others. Her vision was severely blurring, pain shot up through her leg. She clung to a wall for support. Luckily the basement was better lit than the other floors. It looked more akin to a bunker than a gas station's basement though.

Bones littered the floor Aroma traversed the basement. Ribcages, legs, and skulls. Far to many bones to have just been a normal fueling station, Aroma noticed this but she was loosing her consciousness and could not think clearly.

“Need....to find... a place...to.. lie down.” she murmured to herself.

She stumbled around the hallways. Becoming more and more scrambled in her thoughts she made her way into the men's bathroom. Remembering to lock the door took as much mental strength as it would to disarm a balefire bomb. Aroma held on to a urinal, but soon she fell over. Her consciousness flickered then died.

“I'm...sorry... Stellar.”

“...”

BOOM!

“...”

Aroma flickered to life. Her eyes fluttered open. She felt fatigued and lethargic she had not been unconscious for more than a minute but she felt like she had been asleep for hours maybe even days. Aroma could here nothing, she had severe hearing damage and there was no way to tell if it was permanent. Was Artemis and the others alive? If Aroma had been asleep for hours then there was a good chance the others had left.

Aroma's head swam in emotional pain. She imagined the others holding off the horde as long they could before they eventually had to evacuate. They would have waited as long as they could but this station had become Aroma's tomb.

But in the face of such morbid thoughts Aroma couldn't help but feel a little pleased and prideful. Her sacrifice had enabled her friends to survive and continue living. She imagined her friends were alive, they evacuated the station. Then another thought crawled into her deafened head.

What if they weren't?

What if Artemis, Verity and the others were torn limb from limb and eaten alive and Aroma had done this in vain? The thought echoed her futility. No. No matter how cruel the wasteland was it couldn't have ended like that, it just couldn't have. Aroma would not believe this, she just couldn't. It took more faith not to believe. Then the final scenario came upon her.

What if they were still here and wondering where she was at?

If they were still here and holding out for her then she needed to get to them. Aroma wanted to live, not to die in this decrepit tomb of a gas station especially not in the men's restroom. Drawing on her feeble reserves of strength Aroma threw herself off the urinal. Standing up was out of the question. She crawled slowly but she imagined Stable G, her friends. Her friends, Artemis, Verity, Hans their faces gave Aroma to willpower to put one leg in front of the other and drag herself to the door.

The door moved like a ton of bricks, but moved nonetheless. There right by the door was an elegant silver plate with a flower, a small glass of water and a small bowl of candy. There was a note as well. Aroma opened the note.

Dear Aromatherapy,

These will help, put one and one only in your mouth. Then proceed to swallow it by drinking the water provided. Take the fire escape stair case to your right. The code to the door is 0451. Best of luck.

Love,

G & M

P. S. Hurry.

Aroma dropped the strange letter and stared at the candy. Six candies were in the bowl. While she would usually have been skeptical about eating strange candy. But desperate times called for desperate measures. Following the note's instruction Aroma picked up one candy and put it in her mouth. Seconds later a disgusting sensation filled her mouth. It tasted bitter beyond comprehension. Only when Aroma was able to gag did it finally dissolve. Then everything changed.

The world was bathed in a mellow bronze light. Aroma's limbs and muscles relaxed, her pain disappeared entirely. As a matter of fact all feeling disappeared. The previous befuddlement she was experiencing was replaced with a heightened sense of... well everything. She could think more clearly than ever before.

“Whoa....” This was a euphoria unlike any other.

As if she had never endured any trauma Aroma stood up and brushed herself off. Remembering the note's instructions she walked down the hall to the fire escape staircase.

0 click! 4 click! 5 click! 1 click! The fire escape door unlocked soundlessly or maybe it was because Aroma was still deafened. As she proceeded up the narrow winding circular staircase she realized the full extent of the damage.

She might never hear again. She could never hear her friends, music, or anything. She felt broken, like she was damaged beyond repair.

“I.. I would only be a liability in combat now to.” Aroma thought to herself fighting post traumatic depression.

“I'm useless now! They might as well sell me to Red Rope, I would be her dumb deaf whore. That's all I could be now.” Aroma despaired. Stopping on the stairs to wipe her tears away she noticed light not far above her.

“I.. I don't want to die here. Not like this.” She told herself.

She reached the door but the euphoria brought on by those strange candies was fleeting and Aroma felt weaker with each passing second. Aroma threw herself at the door. Her arms felt like wet noodles trying to move the heavy door.

“For the next day.” Aroma pushed.

“For Stable G.” Aroma strained.

“For my friends!” Aroma pushed with all her meager might. The door's resistance ended and slowly it opened. Her last reserve of willpower exhausted everything became fuzzy and her bedlam state returned. But it didn't matter anymore, she was saved.

“Go! Go! Go!” Verity shouted. They were running for the wagon, the undead had finally stormed their barricade and now was the time for flight.

“We have to go back for Aroma.” Artemis shouted.

“Artemis there's good chance she's gone. We have to leave!” Verity shouted over the waves of chaotic noise.

“Like fucking hell! No one gets left behind!” Artemis countered.

The ghouls began to grab onto the wagon. If the wagon was destroyed then they were as good as dead. Artemis swung her famas like a blunt object trying to clear out the zombies and find Aroma. Hans grabbed her arm mid-swing. His face was solemn his eyes said there was nothing they could do to bring Aroma back. They had to leave.

“Artemis we need to leave...” Hans said softly.

“..... No, Aroma..” Artemis said in despair.

Then in the darkest hour when all hope seemed to be lost. A door opened at the back of the garage. Out of it stumbled a weak and weary Aroma. She looked bedraggled and pained.

“Aroma! Let's go!” Artemis shouted dropping her famas in the wagon.

Immediately the undead horde turned to the easier prey. Everything slowed to a crawl, Artemis and Verity flew over the masses to their friend. Fleshy hooves and jaws rose to try to grasp them but failed. Verity decapitated a ghoul as it tried to sink it's jaws into Aroma. In an arc Artemis dashed and grabbed her friend just as the ghouls nearly had her.

Artemis carried Aroma in her arms. Her friend was haggard up close she was bleeding profusely from her leg and Artemis noticed tiny dried trails of blood coming from her ears. Aroma had been through hell, and now it was their turn to protect her.

Artemis and Verity landed in the wagon. “Get us out of here!” Verity ordered. The wagon's engine rumbled.

“Hold on this is gonna get bumpy!” Hayseed shouted.

CRASH! The wagon rammed through the garage door leaving a gaping hole in the building.

The horde ran outside after them only to be routed by the light of the rising sun on the horizon. They howled as the ghouls scurried back to the depot, it sounded like a choir of angels to Artemis's ears to hear them kicking dirt running back to their hole.

Artemis turned to her friends. The night had been exhausting, no one had gotten out without damage. Everyone was beaten but they survived the night. She looked to Aroma who was beginning to stir.

“Take us as far away from here as you can Hayseed. We can rest when that place is a speck on the horizon.” Artemis said as she gazed back at the hidden necropolis. The rising sun cast a large shadow over it.

Verity walked up to her. No words nothing needed to be said. He placed an arm over her as they looked outward.

“Mmmnn.... Art..emis, am I dead?” Aroma squeaked.

Artemis knelt down by her and gently laid a hand on her. “No, Aroma. You're alive, we all are and we safe.” Artemis told her.

Chapter 16 - Post Apocalypse Picnic

Chapter 16: Post Apocalypse Picnic

Artemis's eyes fluttered open lazily. She was in a deep slumber, or had been at least. She was laying on the floor of the wagon using her duffel bag as a makeshift pillow and had an itchy blanket. They had gone an hour after escaping the ghoul hordes until they could go no more. Hayseed had pulled the wagon over to the side of the road where they all eventually fell asleep.

She had a horrible migraine from the nearly six hours of nonstop combat last night. She massaged her temple trying to alleviate the pain. Verity lay next to her, not an unwelcome sight to be honest. Artemis stared at her boyfriend, her first romantic investment ever. She just now seemed to noticed that his fur was a beautiful hue of cornflower blue, the perfect shade. She wondered what he thought of her fur.

He looked irritated even in his sleep. Somehow Artemis found his angry sleeping expression endearing. She smiled gently at him and laid her head back down. Verity breathed in deep slow rumbles. Aww he was snoring. Suddenly he began to stir. Quickly Artemis closed her eyes nonchalantly so Verity would believe she was asleep. All Artemis could see now was the inside of her eyelids.

“Nnnrh. Artemis, I know you're awake.” Verity grumbled in a low tone.

Caught, Artemis opened her eyes to meet Verity's eyes and his steely expression.

“You got me.” She confessed playfully. Verity's expression did not change nor did his tone.

“How long were you starring at me?” He whispered ruggedly. Artemis imagined herself being overly attached and watching him intently while he slept.

“Not long, you're cute when you're asleep.” Artemis giggled quietly.

“Does that mean I'm ugly when I'm awake?” Verity retorted snidely.

Artemis blushed at Verity's assumption. “No, you just wook wike a wittle angwy baby when you sweep.” She chirped cutely. Artemis scooted closer to him and laid an arm on his shoulder.

This was the first time she ever really touched a man romantically. It dawned on her now how intimate this really scene was. Verity seemed to shift uncomfortably away from her.

“Are you okay?” She asked. Artemis hoped she hadn't done something wrong. Verity just looked at her with his sharp beautiful amethyst eyes.

Verity patted her back. “There, there.” He began slowly not sure of what to say. “I... can't do romance and intimacy very well Artemis.” He whispered nervously.

Artemis felt confused inside. “But you said you had two children? You must have had intimacy for that.”

Verity nodded his head in a disagreeing manner. “You really don't. Not in the Legion.” He answered. But he did not finish.

“When I was with them, my ex's. There was no love, they were afraid of me. That is why I think I decided to do this with you, I think you can show me how to love. To really love someone, that caring for one another. That is what I desire.”

Artemis felt moved on the inside. Even though Verity had two slave wives and had two children of his own he was no more romantically experienced than she was. But he wasn't satisfied with the physical relations with his wives, he wanted something deeper. Artemis felt a little ashamed that she felt a bit better about herself now that she knew about Verity's true feelings. At least they could be inexperienced together.

There was a pregnant pause between the two of them for a time. Maybe it was five minutes, maybe it was five seconds. Verity seemed to relax and come a little closer to Artemis.

“Knock knock knock darlings I have breakfast!” Hans exclaimed as he knocked on the back door.

While their moment was done Artemis felt good that she had seen a new piece of Verity. She rose from the floor and gah! Her mind wrenched inside her skull. A migraine for the books! Artemis clenched her eyes and reached into her bag. She pulled out her bottle of painkillers and a dirty bottle of water. She put five in her mouth and verily drank the water to wash them down into her system. Feeling relief merely seconds later she shuffled out of bed to let Hans in. Artemis did not feel addicted to painkillers but in her line of work you often stayed up a long time putting great strain on your brain, then take into account that more often than not you slept on the ground, so headaches in the morning were common. These pills were just to even her out, once her day got going she was A okay.

Artemis opened the door to let the pink unicorn in. Hans was levitating a brown paper bag with him. He opened it and gingerly gave everyone their breakfast.

“Here you go honey.” He told Aroma as he handed her some flowers.

“What!? I thought you were gay!” Aroma screamed uprooting everyone's tranquility.

“Are you okay Aroma?” Artemis asked trying to hide her agitation. She found it very rude when when someone raised their voice when it was uncalled for.

“Could you speak a little louder!” Aroma inquired. Now Artemis remembered what happened after they escaped the gas station last night.

~Last night~

“Mmmnn.... Art..emis, am I dead?” Aroma squeaked.

Artemis knelt down by her and gently laid a hand on her. “No, Aroma. You're alive, we all are and we are safe.” Artemis told her.

“I can't hear you Artemis. Something happened in the vent and I can't hear anymore!” Aroma squeaked out with her tired raspy voice.

~Back to today~

“I remember, Aroma's been deafened. When I picked her up I saw blood coming out of her ears, whatever happened in there it busted her eardrums.” Artemis explained. She felt guilty having snapped at Aroma for yelling.

Artemis opened the small hatch to the driver's seat. In there were Hayseed and Lady with their two foals. The cockpit if you called it that was a bit small and beaten up. The leather chairs they sat in were torn and missing patches here and there.

“Hayseed do you have paper and a pen I can barrow?” Artemis asked through the slot. Lady opened the glove compartment and rustled through the old documents.

“Here you go dear.” She said sweetly. She handed Artemis a paper and a pen. The paper was a license of a sort. Shattered Hoof Prisoner Transport vehicle 2060B it read. But that was irrelevant. Artemis flipped it over and wrote on the back using the wall to bear on. Once she finished it she handed it and the pen to Aroma.

“Aroma. We'll have to communicate like this until we fix your ears. We're gonna go to this town Hans found and get you some paper and pens. It will be okay I promise. - Artemis.” Aroma read it and began writing her reply.

“I'm scared. I can't hear anything. Is this forever? - Aroma.” She handed the paper back to Artemis. Now Verity asked to write something. Artemis handed it to him and he began scribbling away.

“Breakfast is getting cold guys.” Hans said with a smile.

“Verity. Let's eat first then you can give me that note.” Aroma said at an elevated volume but not exactly yelling.

“Very well.” Verity said expressionlessly. He folded the paper and placed it in his armor. It was patch-worked from his fallen foes, he had several layers of basic pony armor and patches of Steel Ranger armor.

Later the whole motley group ate breakfast outside behind the wagon. A post-apocalypse picnic if there ever was. Artemis was playing some music on Aroma's pipbuck. It felt adding insult to injury playing music Aroma could not hear, on her own pipbuck. But knowing Aroma she would probably be okay with Artemis playing the tunes regardless.

That did raise another problem for the quest. Artemis could not just leave Aroma deaf for the rest of her life. She would have to find a way to repair her eardrums. But what kind of doctor would would be able to do that kind of treatment. A simple potion would not be enough. They needed advanced medical care, maybe they could find some old Ministry of Peace technology but no one here has the know-how to use it. But if there was any way to help Aroma then they had to do it. Maybe in Fillydelphia there was something that could help them or this strange town.

“Oh Hans you really should eat something.” Lady said motherly.

Hans waived a hoof gently. “Oh no thanks darling I had a protein shake for breakfast in town.” He said with a crude smile.

Artemis quickly grabbed her beak as she choked on her sparkle cola. She coughed and spilled some her drink. Hans was vulgar stallion yes but Artemis was not ready for it this early in the morning. Hans realized Artemis was trying not to laugh out loud. He added with a risque' smirk.

“I'm stuffed.” He said purposefully torturing Artemis.

Verity lowered his meal. “Oh. I get it.” He said with a hidden disdain. “Gross.”

“Oh I'm so naughty. You think that's bad, one time-”

“Uh the young ones.” Artemis noted to her pink friend. Artemis pointed to the two foals who watched Hans and the others expectantly.

“What!” Aroma asked from her place by Verity who patted her back telling her it was nothing.

“Oh yes. The young ones.” Hans exhaled and sat back down.

“Can you finish youw stowy mwister Hans?” One of the foals asked innocently. Hans gave a quaint smile.

“Maybe when you're older.” Hans said endearingly.

“Hans what town did you go to for breakfast? We might be able to get Aroma some help there.” Artemis asked.

“Psh, I went to Clopton babe. It's just down the road.” Hans brushed his hoof not taking her idea to seriously.

Now his attitude made sense. Clopton was a town for one thing and one thing only: sex. The only doctors there would be the kind that, well least to say they would be of no help.

“Shit, Clopton. Isn't that where Madame Rope was born?” Artemis inquired.

Hans lit himself a cigarette and puffed in elegant plumes. “That's the rumor. I used to live there back in the day. It's a major party town, buck fiends dead in the streets, wanton sex, and the sweet smell of cum and desperate living.” Hans said coolly.

“Mmm hmm!” Lady grumbled as she held used her magic to cover her foals ear's.

“Oh shit I'm sorry. Damn I did it again. Doh!” Hans tripped all over his apology. There was a pause after Hans's less than stellar apology.

“Please Mr. Hans I am fine with your sexuality but please remember I have children here.” Lady said irritated.

“We have to try. If we have a chance at helping Aroma then we must take that opportunity.” Verity said in his steely voice.

As much as Artemis detested going to Clopton Verity was right. Aroma deserved it seeing that if it wasn't for her they would be ghoul chow by now. Aroma looked so alone. She was trapped in her little world of quietness. If they couldn't find anything for her they would at least find some paper and pencils for the trip to Fillydelphia.

“I don't mean to throw a wrench in your guys plan but, we won't be going to Clopton, we'll be staying here until you come back.” Hayseed said sheepishly but he tried to sound tough for his wife.

“Yes, I will not be accompanying you either.” Verity said with a stoney tone.

“What? What happened to we have to go to Clopton stuff?” Artemis retorted mocking Verity's earlier statement.

Verity sighed haughtily “I will not enter that town of filth. It is a town for the worse of the dissolute. I will stay here and watch over the family.”

Well apparently Verity resented Clopton, with good reason but he kind of betrayed his argument when he excluded himself from the mission. Now it just left Artemis and Hans for this little scheme.

“Well Hans looks like it's just you and me.” Artemis said finally.

Hans pressed his cigarette out on the ground. “Just like old times eh girlfriend.”

~Later after they prepared to the best of their abilities. Just taking a few necessities.~

“Remember baby girl, don't take anything into Clopton that you ain't prepared to lose.” Hans said with a smirk. “Including your maidenhead as well.” He added.

“Does that mean I should have sex with Verity before I go?” Artemis countered masterfully with a smirk of her own.

“Damn girl if I had Verity I'd never let him off me. I think I might be jealous.” Hans confessed seductively.

“Hehe.” Artemis chuckled.

Hans became serious. “I mean have you seen his tight little butt. Girl you hit a gold mine.”

“Ah hem, you're not as quiet as you think.” Verity said from behind the duo. They quickly turned around.

“Artemis.” Verity began.

“This sounds personal, I'll step away.” Hans commented and walked off.

“What's wrong Verity? Are you okay?” Artemis asked her boyfriend.

Verity seemed to think for a minute. “Artemis, when you go to Clopton whatever happens, no matter how close you get to Aroma's aid, I want you and Hans out of their by the time the sun goes down.” Verity explained with worry.

“Why? I something wrong.” She asked a little confused by his alarm.

Verity just stared into her eyes. “Just trust me, please. You need to be away from there by nightfall.” The steel in his voice rang with trepidation.

“Uhh okay, sure we'll be out of there by nightfall.” Artemis tried to put his fears to rest. But it still did not fit right with Artemis. She stepped closer to Verity. She could smell him now.

“Verity, you can tell me anything. We need trust for our relationship and you need to trust me. Please, what will happen at nightfall?” Artemis whispered kindly to her love.

Verity shuffled in place. His breathing became heavy. “Artemis, the Legion plans to scourge Clopton this very night.” He finally confessed.

Her mouth was slightly agape, this changed everything. A real Legion scourging. If the bloodbath at White Tail Park was bad then this scourging would be a massacre. A scourging was when the Legion would come into a town or area and simply murder everyone. Not like the assimilation of the White Hooves. A scourging was an act of genocide. No slaves, no prisoners, no survivors.

“Verity...I.” Artemis could not find the words. “How many?” She asked.

“One thousand.” Verity replied.

“One thousand legionnaires. Clopton was doomed.” Artemis thought to herself.

“I'm sorry for not telling you earlier. We can still leave, we can be gone from here way before the attack.” Verity proposed.

It was tempting but in the end Artemis had to decline. “I can't. Aroma still needs help.” Artemis said loyally.

Verity nodded quietly. “Fide letum. Then let us not waste anymore time. Don't tell anyone, not even Hans.”

“I'll be back before you know it Verity. Be careful.” Artemis said and gently planted a kiss on Verity's beak. He seemed to smile if only a little.

“You to.” He nodded and hovered to the wagon with the others.

~Later as Artemis and Hans walk to Clopton.~

The duo walked on along a destroyed road that was cracked and broken; the paint long faded away. Off both sides of the road the ground lowered into sandy fields that extended out into the distance. The sun shone brightly down on the landscape she and her friend traversed. The sun's light was nice but it's kiss also left the air a crispy hot and the distance seemed to shimmer with the intense heat.

“Look at us Arty-girl just like old times.” Hans said happily.

Artemis smiled and sighed reminiscently. It had been what, three years since they last traveled like this. Artemis was sixteen when Hans settled down at Red Rope's brothel; he had broke his foreleg and decided he wanted to stay in one place for bit. What was suppose to be a month or two turned into three years. Until now, now everything was different.

Artemis snapped herself out of her thoughts and replied to Hans. “Yeah, but I wish it wasn't as complicated. Now we have this number station, the Legion, those two creepy ass mares, and everyone else.” She complain.

“Freaky ass mares?” Hans asked a bit befuddled. Then Artemis remembered that only she could see them.

“Uhh nevermind. I just wish we could go back to the good ol' days.” Artemis longed.

Hans nodded at her request. “Sure it seems like things were better back then but remember back then we were up shit creek without a paddle. I mean, remember that family of gangsters that spent the longest of times trying to get our heads on a plate?”

Artemis giggled. “Oh yeah the Pleasants. They were pissed because we requisitioned their safe full of gold bars.” Artemis reminded.

Hans sighed happily. “Yes! And I made a solid gold pipbuck... Sorry, pimpbuck.”

“The one you lost in a card game.” Artemis smirked.

Hans gave his rebuttal. “That shyster cheated me. I still mean to get that pimpbuck back one day. From that bastard's cold dead hooves if necessary.”

They continued to reminisce in their old exploits. The days when it was her and Hans versus the world and the world had been in for the fight of it's life. They recounted the old harebrained schemes they pulled all the time. For every successful adventure there were two not-so successful forays. Looking back it was actually very dangerous but if Artemis could go back in time she would do it all over again.

Then there was the accident. There was a long abandoned Stable, something had happened and all the residents had been murdered. She and Hans caught wind that it still had a functioning water talisman so the plan was simple. They would delve into the derelict Stable and re-appropriate the water talisman to somewhere more applicable. They went at the dead of night; Artemis was only sixteen. The Stable was a bloody mess, everyone had been brutally slaughtered and there were no survivors. Things were going smooth enough; Artemis could have sworn that place was haunted though. Before long they had the talisman and were on their merry way out of that Stable when the Steel Rangers came for that very same talisman. They fought for their lives and to escape the rangers with their loot. They held out until Hans was knocked down an elevator shaft, then they had to cut their losses and flee the Stable. After that Hans became very quiet and withdrawn that's when he decided to settle at Palomino for a few months but it turned into a few years. Artemis would go and visit her friend hoping he would be ready to leave but he never wanted to and her visits became increasingly seldom, until now of course. But now everything was different.

“But you know, I don't regret it. Yeah I got my fair share of cuts and bruises but I don't regret my choices.” Artemis admitted.

“And now we're in some serious shit. How do you think we're gonna do it? Finding this number station and saving the world?” Hans asked with an unsure and worried tone.

Artemis seriously considered confessing to Hans about the green twins she sees. Although she really hasn't seen them since White Tail Park, maybe they were just figments of her imagination. She could hope couldn't she? Truthfully she knew the twins were all too real, in whatever degree of real they would use. Artemis wished Skipper was alive, maybe he had seen the mares as well. Reluctantly Artemis judged that she should tell Hans, they were close enough that he could be trusted not to call her insane.

“Hans.” Artemis began her confession slowly. However the pink buck did not stopped his canter not feeling the gravity of the conversation as Artemis was feeling it.

“Yeah babe?”

“I, need to tell you something I'v-!” She was interrupted.

“There she is, Clopton. The scummiest town to ever disgrace Celestia's green earth!” Hans proclaimed happily.

Artemis begrudgingly stowed her confession and bit her lip anxiously. Maybe it was better keeping this under the carpet anyway. Clopton was a series of vehicles: sky chariots, delivery wagons, family trailers and ragtag shacks. All these were centered around an old hotel that was in a horrid state of disrepair. The one night stand city had no walls and no defenses but it was a city that took all comers as long as they paid the price and from the position of the sun Artemis concluded they had at least seven hours before the Legion would scourge the cesspit town.

Chapter 17 - Race Against The Clock

Chapter 17: Race Against The Clock

-seven hours to the scourge-

Music blared everywhere throughout the town. Clopton was alive with ponies and the such. C-l-o-p-t-o-n, Clopton Artemis programmed her pipbuck with the unrecognized town. Despite it's seedy reputation Clopton was actually very well structured. Everything was centered around the Super-Luxe hotel and casino. On top of the hotel was a large tower that had lights spiraling down it and connecting all over the town.

“This place is a spectacle to see at night Arty-girl.” Hans commented happily, completely ignorant of the slaughter to come.

“I bet it is.” Artemis casually replied as they continued to walk into the city.

Outside the center with the Super-Luxe, Clopton was divided into four main streets that had the majority of it's attractions. The main drags had your usual brothels, bars and drug dens. If you wanted the freakier fetishes or harder drugs you had to go off the main roads. At that point you were on your own.

Main Street South was dirty and littered with garbage all sorts. The street itself was mangled from the apocalypse almost two-hundred and fifty years ago. Almost every building had been re-purposed as some business with bright neon signs to announce it. All sorts of people: ponies, griffons, even the occasional zebra clamored about the city. They stumbled with liquor bottles, brawled with one another, walked with their hired lover or smoked from bongs and injected needles into themselves.

Artemis noticed that some of the denizens of Clopton were eying them as they walked into town. Some gave disgruntled distrusting expressions, some had more pleased faces on them, but probably for the wrong reasons and others just did not care about her and Hans. Maybe that was best, they could use anonymity for this mission anyway. A pony from the sidewalk came running to Artemis in an excited trot. He was a gray buck with a black mane and a maroon beret. He came accompanied by two other ponies with cameras.

“Yes! You! Asketh and you shall recieveth!” He exclaimed overjoyed with Artemis for some reason.

“You alright?” Artemis was bemused. She knew not to give anyone here to much of her time but she was simply curious.

“You sweetie, you are exactly what I need for my movie!” He said mimicking his hands like a camera screen.

Artemis had a growing sensation in her stomach this would be counterproductive to their mission. But oddly she found the whole situation comical and she wanted to continue it, even though she had no intention of partaking in any scheme of this stallion's doing.

“What is it, some kind of movie?” Artemis surmised from the cameraponies.

Hans interrupted with a cross tone as he put a hoof to her chest. “Baby girl he's wanting you to be in a porno of his.”

She knew it, no surprise there but still it was funny. “Like adult entertainment?” She said feigning ignorance.

“Yeah sweetie.” Hans then turned to the directorpony. “So listen here, thanks but no thanks. She'll be having no part in your films.” He said with a hmph.

“Wai, wai, wait. Are you sure? Are you her agent or something?” The directorpony inquired frantically trying not to lose his dream actress.

Hans rubbed his chin. “Yeeeaaahh, her agent.” He said liking the title. “How much we talkin' here?”

“Hans!” Artemis complained a little embarrassed.

“Well, we can pay three thousand caps. But look mister, I desperately need your client. If I don't have her then the plot will be a shell of it's potential.” The directorpony whined dramatically.

Artemis chuckled. “Plot? Isn't it just a girl getting plowed for about thirty seconds then the viewers get off and stop watching?”

The directorpony became flustered and blushed. “N, no! My viewers are more refined. We watch it for the plot! Besides, it's not just a girl getting plowed thank you very much. This is not porn, it's erotica. You see it's about this griffon and this Enclave pegasus that fall in love. Really romantic, very small amount of sex. Say you wouldn't mind eating a little muff would you? If you already do then great but uh so yeah.” He finished his spew nervously and awaited Artemis's response.

“Well I hate to break it to you but my barn door doesn’t swing that way mister.” Artemis said, the disappointment was prevalent but he still did not give up hope.

“Well could you just do it for a scene maybe we coul-”

Hans put his hoof on the director's mouth. “Listen here cameraboy, all questions go to me. Let's talk, let's walk. How about we go to a bar and talk about business eh?” He spoke charismatically.

“Hans, what're you doing?” Artemis whispered in his ear.

“Don't worry baby I got a plan. Just look pretty.” He whispered back and patted her head.

They passed the body of a dash fiend that died with a needle still in her arm. Her body was decaying on the streets and no one would give her a proper burial, her corpse would just stay there until some business owner had his thugs move it or some pervert got a hold of it. As disturbing as the image of this nameless corpse was it was equally saddening. This mare's only purpose in life was to find that next fix. Who had she been before being addicted to dash? What did she have to do for that next fix? When had she overdosed? What were her last thoughts?

“Artemis darling.” Hans called out from the door to a bar. Reluctantly she left the corpse of the dash fiend.

The bar was called Vice and it was very dark inside with it's tinted windows and dim lighting. Many of it's patrons were quiet and kept to themselves or their table. A gravel gray mare with a stained cobalt dress sung a slow and eerily beautiful melody while a pianist accompanied it with a dark theme. The group sat down in a cramped booth and a weary mare trotted to the table to get their order. Artemis noticed that the waitress had a collar around her neck, a slave collar. It reminded Artemis of her mother, Priscilla. She wanted to see her mother badly, the woman who risked everything for her. Now Artemis wanted to see her fly free and unshackled, like a griffon is supposed to.

“What would you like Ms?” The slave waitress asked timidly. Even with the dim lights Artemis could make out several bruises on her face.

“... I'd like a Scotch and Soda please.” Artemis asked nicely.

With a servant like nod she left back into the kitchen without a word. Artemis rubbed her forehead, she was going to need the alcohol. She had a bad feeling this city would depress the hell out of her. All the rampant chaos and hedonism. It reminded her of Gryphondale. Gryphondale was friendly by no means but somehow it couldn't have worse than or as bad as Clopton. Gryphondale had order, stability and law, horrible brutal law. That was the worse attribute of the Legion; you could hate them with all your might, to your very core. But they had order in this chaotic and orderless world. They had civilization, as unforgiving as it was. Artemis felt like she was being torn in two, her stomach was pained from the inner conflict; one side that respected the Legion for their stability and order, the other that despised the Legion for all the pain and suffering they brought. But without order you had chaos, you had Clopton. Artemis hated it, but she preferred the civilization that held her mother as a slave. What kind of daughter did that make her?

~six hour to the scourge~

Artemis sipped her drink quietly as her agent Hans bartered with the shifty erotic movie director. They were talking about up front pay, the money when the job was done, what all she had to do. Even though Artemis trusted him, she was beginning to feel that Hans was playing to close to the fire. Now Artemis no longer found the directorpony funny, now he was just a nuisance. An hour had passed at the restaurant and the pretty mare's performance had ended just leaving the sounds of clanking glasses and plates to hear. Artemis was tempted to just shoot the director so her and Hans could be on their merry way, which you could do that in Clopton. No law remember.

“It's a deal, two-hundred and fifty caps up front and three thousand after the movie.” The director said extending a hoof and a pouch of caps.

“Wait, let's not put our dirty money out on the table. Let's go into the back and move the money.” Hans suggested casually as ever. “Arty sweetie, would you be so kind as to stay behind and watch the table for us?”

“Uh, sure.” Artemis agreed however perplexed.

“C'mon pretty-boy.” Hans nodded to the director as he climbed out of the booth seat. The director and his cameraponies followed.

Artemis turned her neck to see where they were walking off to. Hans lead the trio down a shadowy hallway, probably where the bathrooms were at. With this city as degraded as it was then she could only imagine what the bathrooms must be like.

“What are you planning Hans?” Artemis thought to herself. Reluctantly she turned back to her drink. In one hard swing she drank it all down and returned the glass to the table with a loud clank.

“Mares and gentlecolts, please put your hooves together for the Rad Pack!” A mare with an elegant accent announced. The crowd jubilantly applauded at the declaration. Four stallions walked across the stage with four unique instruments to match. After talking to the crowd they began to play a bombastic number with snares drums and a loud trumpet. Artemis didn't find this song half bad and before long she found her talons tapping the table to the rhythm of the song.

“Phew, hey baby girl I'm back.” Hans said sitting down on the side of the booth.

“What did you do Hans?” Artemis pried.

“I, convinced them to give us their money early.” Hans answered slowly and threw a bag of caps on the table nearly hitting her empty glass. “All three thousand of them.” He added smugly.

“You robbed them didn't you.” Artemis surmised.

“You didn't call it that six years ago, back then it was re-appropriation.” Hans retorted.

“Hans we can't steal stuff anymore, let's go give them the money back.” Artemis suggested honorably.

Hans scoffed. “Why are you being so self righteous all of a sudden? This is Clopton, it's a free-for-all.”

“We've grown up Hans, we don't steal anymore.” Artemis said bitterly.

“Honey, I am three years older than you. And if you didn't notice I've been living in a whorehouse for the last six years.” Hans countered sharply.

“Besides, I kind of locked them in a broom closet, so, yeah.” Hans rumbled immaturely. Artemis and Hans were the best of friends and the worse enemies at times. She couldn't stand Hans when he acted like this.

Artemis had left that part of her life behind when Hans decided to stay at Madame Rope's brothel. By herself Artemis could not perform big jobs like they could together so she had to start earning money honestly. So like so many griffons in the Equestrian Wasteland Artemis became a mercenary, defending caravans and thus Artemis Arrow & Associates was born. Triple A was the name of her one man merc band. Sadly Triple A never caught on; besides the Legion Region was a bad economic place for private armies. The Legion didn't leave a lot of room for competition. But regardless Artemis had given that life up and started fresh and now here she was again.

“How about we split up, clear our minds and get back to the mission. That sound good?” Hans suggested hiding his irritation.

“Sounds good to me.” Artemis replied. She left before Hans could interject, and she left him to pay the bill with that dirty money.

~five hours to the scourge~

Artemis was alone, which felt kind of good actually. For the past week and a half she had been with this motley little group of hers. Reflecting, Artemis was shocked at how abruptly her life had changed in little more than a week and the colorful characters she'd met. Aroma, the meek, shy and surprisingly resilient earth pony mare from Stable G. Being reunited with her old friend Hans. Verity, the quite, stalwart griffon centurion that was now romantic investment. Hayseed and Lady, two innocent parents that got dragged into their suicide quest for the number station along with their two foals. Grandpa, Coffee Cake. He remained a mystery to her, him and Skipper. Artemis imagined they would have been invaluable to help find the number station. Last but not least those two green twins, as each day passed Artemis began to question whether or not they were really there or figments of her imagination.

“Help! Help! Somepony help me!” A voice cried in dire peril.

Without a second thought Artemis drew her pistol and shifted through the alley following the voice. She would have drew her famas that she was more accustomed to but she had left it back with the others to prevent it's theft. Changing tactics Artemis flapped her wings and gained some altitude over the garbage cluttering the alley. She skimmed the wall and peeked around.

Artemis was shocked when she saw the songstress from Vice beset by a group of filthy rouges. The poor mare was being backed into a corner behind the very same bar. The ponies corralling her threatened her with their vulgar vocabulary.

“If you participate nicely we won't kill you.”

“Yeah! We're gonna fuck you then we're gonna fuck your corpse!”

“C'mon babe it's not so bad, you ever been raped by a mare?”

What was it with raiders and necrophilia? Sheesh! Artemis's path was clear. Thankfully she remembered to turn on her EFS and SATS. While SATS was taking it's sweet time booting up the raiders made a lunge for the songstress. Immediately the sound of cutting and laceration along with bloody screams filled the already chaotic air. Artemis couldn't wait any longer she turned the corner and took aim.

POW POW POW! The pistol rang off three rounds. One of the raiders grabbed his back as he fell back off the mare.

“Huh!” The female rogue looked back. With her face in full view Artemis slipped into SATS and fired a bullet directly into her right eye, exiting her temple in messy red mist.

“Shit, I ain't dyin' over some pussy!” The last raider exclaimed as he fled.... Only to be put down a second later with a shot to the back of the head. Thank you SATS.

Holstering her pistol Artemis lowered herself to the ground and landed. She hastily walked over to the mare being assaulted. Those few seconds of inaction really hurt her. She was lacerated all over and her gray coat was stained with red cuts and bruises.

“Don't worry, I'm gonna get you help.” Artemis reassured the mare although she was in bad condition.

The songstress gurgled an stirred weakly. “Please.... get me to... the Followers. On Ashbury Avenue.” She asked painfully.

“Where is that?” Artemis asked beginning to pick her up.

“It's.. at Old Maremon Fort, you can't miss it. It's a big walled place.” She said before falling limp in her arms.

“Aww shit, stay with me. Dammit.” Artemis cursed. She flew high into the sky to get a view of Clopton. She scanned for this Maremon Fort.

The whole city was a small labyrinth with haphazard roads and destroyed buildings. However there was one place without lights from the Super-Luxe, a small walled hovel surrounded by a field of rubble on the outskirts of town. That had to be Maremon Fort! Quickly Artemis flew to the fort.

Sentries on the walls took aim only to be dismissed as soon they recognized Artemis's cargo. Artemis landed inside the fort, over the walls. Several doctors huddled around her. Examining the wounded mare. The doctors themselves were haggard, tired ponies.

“What happened to her?” A doctor asked frantically as she scrambled to find her medicine.

“She was almost raped by some raiders an-”

“No no no, just tell us what physically happened.” The doctor interrupted hastily as she rustled through her equipment.

Artemis quickly named off her wounds. “She was cut several time, and some blunt trauma.”

“Hmm, okay. We'll take her.” The doc' said and had some help bring a stretcher to transport her.

“How much will that cost?” Artemis asked. She wasn't afraid of the price, maybe she just wished she had some of Hans's stolen caps to pay though.

“Nothing. The Followers of the Apocalypse charge nothing and help everyone. Doctors without borders so to speak, now please I must get to the OR.” The mare said and ran off in a dash to a tent with the songstress. Leaving Artemis alone again.

~four hours to the scourge~

“So, what you're saying is that the Followers of the Apocalypse are a totally benevolent faction of doctors and scientists that give free aid to anyone in need?” Artemis inquired once again unable to believe it herself.

“You would be correct. You must be a local of the San Palomino, most locals are surprised about us to. Some even think we're spies, anarchist, coming under the guise of benevolent doctors.” The Followers guard said casually.

“Where did you guys come from? Artemis questioned.

“We're from the NCR, or the New Canterlot Republic. A great civilization that came out of the broken body of the Equestrian northeast and mid west. I'll admit, we're not perfect but our people live stable lives and that's a lot in these times.” The stallion said stoney.

Artemis nodded normally to his statements then popped another question. “Then why are you guys out here in the San Palomino? Does the Legion know about you?”

“We're only allowed near the border. Our superiors told us that scouts identified a large, possibly hostile faction and to go no further than Clopton. So here we are.” He seemed wary of being here away from his home. But that unknown faction.. he was talking about the Legion wasn't he....

“So, the NCR. You guys control Fillydelphia right? Cause I'm heading there as we speak.” Artemis asked.

The guard raised an eyebrow. “Trust me, you don't wanna go to Fillydelphia, the place is hell on earth, a twenty-four hour war zone.” That did not bode well for her mission. Why did everything always put them in some hellish war zone? Why not a relaxing beach? With Artemis's luck there would probably be killer sea shells anyway.

The doctor trotted up to Artemis and the disinterested guard pony. She look tired but from her expression Artemis could tell the songstress would be okay.

“Okay, we've helped her out. She should be just fine. You don't know who you saved, I'd hold onto that ace if I were you.” The doctor said as she exited the tent and removed her mask exhaling. With the knowledge that the Followers were trained doctors that offered free services; Artemis planned to get Aroma the care she needed.

“Right. Say, you guys wouldn't happen to have anything that can cure deafness would you?”Artemis inquired obtusely.

The doctor raised an eyebrow. “You don't look deaf?”

“Oh, no no. It's now for me, a friend of mine busted her eardrums a couple nights backs and she can't hear anymore. I was just wondering if you guys had like a potion or some kind of ointment I could have.” Artemis voiced sheepishly.

The doctor put on a pleasant face to mask her exhaustion. “Well I'd have to see the patient before I could give a diagnosis. You see, we used to have junkies lie to get morphine for their “buddies” that couldn't make it to Ol' Maremon. You see where I'm coming from right?” She asked. But Artemis understood; from the doctor's perspective Artemis was trying to get free drugs to get high on. Artemis felt embarrassed to be in this position.

“If I go get my friend, will you see her?” Artemis asked.

The doctor nodded. “Yes, our doors never close.”

Artemis was relieved. “Thank you, I shall return with her soon.”

Well shit. This was a bad setback. It would take her nearly two hours to go get Aroma and bring her here and three if she wanted to find Hans, Celestia only knew where he was at or if you really wanted to know. Cutting the goodbyes short Artemis flew away from Old Maremon Fort and back to their wagon way outside the town. The sky burned a hot orange in the sky as the sun began to lower. She was running out of time before the Legion scourge. Artemis looked down at the residents as they walked around the streets in drunken stupors, yes Clopton was a horrible place but they didn't deserve Legion fires. No one did.

She wished she had told the Followers to flee Clopton while she was still at the fort. But, sometimes you can't bemoan about what you wish for or what you wish you had done. Sometimes you have to work with what you had and what Artemis had was three hours, two figuring in the time it takes to leave Clopton. Her blood boiled with anxiety and resolve. The clock was ticking as she flew into the sunset.

~three hours to the scourge~

Artemis flapped her wings as she came down to land. The others came out to greet her. Verity was the first to meet her, followed by Aroma who exited the wagon in a clumsy disorientated trot. The dual “cluncks” of the closing doors signaled Hayseed and Lady coming to see her as well.

“What happened, where is Hans.” Verity rumbled showing a slight alarm.

“It's okay, I just need Aroma. I found doctors, good doctors that can help her.” Artemis assured her boyfriend. From his expression he did not believe these doctors in Clopton were as good as they appeared.

“I want to go with you.” He proclaimed in his steely voice.

“But I thought you didn't like Clopton?” Artemis reminded.

Verity straightened his gaze. “Sometimes, you don't get things your way in relationships. I was wrong to let my obdurateness put you in danger. So now I will accompany you back to Clopton.” He left no room for argument but then again he could find Hans while she took Aroma to the Followers.

“Very well Verity, while I take Aroma to the Followers you can find Hans for me.” Artemis said as she knelt to Aroma.

“He's probably busy getting hoofed in some dive bar.” Verity commented with disdain. “And who are these Followers?” He added suspiciously.

“You wouldn't believe it if I told you. They're professional doctors that offer their service for free and they accept anyone!” Artemis said happily.

“That's great, it's nice to see a group not built on violence or slaves.” Lady said pleasantly surprised.

“What!” Aroma yelled loudly. Hayseed promptly handed her a paper and pen. Aroma soon scribbed with her mouth and held the paper up.

“What's going on? Where is Hans? Did you find help? - Aroma.” Now Artemis wrote a reply to her deafened earth pony friend.

“We found some help. I'm going to take you to the Followers and see what they can do. - Artemis.” Now Aroma began to compose her return message.

“Thanks Artemis this means a lot to me, no one back home would have done this exce-” Artemis had to cut her thank you short.

“Don't mention it, it's what friends do. But I'll explain later. We're pressed for time at the moment so let's save the speeches until later. - Artemis.”

Aroma nodded with a confident smile and held her hoof out. Artemis returned the hoof bump and flapped her wings. Aroma mounted her back and, damn for some reason Aroma smelled really bad. Ignoring her friend's odor Artemis took to the sky with Verity in tow.

“Hayseed, have the wagon ready to move upon our arrival. I have a feeling Artemis is going to wait until the last minute.” Verity told him ominously.

Aroma clenched onto Artemis's neck for dear life as she and Verity flew across the landscape. The sunset was being engulfed by a purple, starless night. They were elegant and balanced in their flights. Artemis was flew more deftly than Verity, her wings were designed for stealth and agility. Verity was slower in flight than Artemis but he could take far more punishment than she could. If it was him that was shot at White Tail then he probably could have shrugged it off. But Artemis was glad she took the bullet instead, better her than him.

~two hours to the scourge~

“Hmm, yes, uh oh. What do you think?” A group of doctors examined Aroma. They held their Otoscopes inside her ears. Their grimaces did not bode well for a happy ending.

A doctor grimly walked to Artemis. “Well, we would say she has a ruptured ear drums or severe barotrauma but if I can be frank her tympanic membrane is just fucking gone. I mean just straight bing bam boom! Whatever happened to deafen her, it funneled down her ears and tore through her eardrums like toilet paper.” The doctor said completely stupefied by Aroma's condition.

This was exactly what Artemis feared and by the expression on Aroma's face she was losing hope to. There had to be a way, Artemis just couldn't leave her friend like that for the rest of her days!

“Please doc' is there any way you can make her hear again? I'll pay if I have to.” Artemis implored.

The doctor was silent for a minute pondering something. “Well there is one way she might have a chance to hear again.” She said vaguely.

“What?! What is it?” Artemis raised.

“....Well, we could experiment with cybernetics. But this wouldn't just be a cyber-prosthesis, it's a cyber-organ; the bleeding edge of technology even before the war.” The doctor said with an astounded tone.

“Would, you guys even have a pair?” Artemis inquired forlornly.

“......Yes...We do. Our scientist are slowly unraveling Stable 101's mysteries of cybernetics. But you see it's very expensive and it's one of the few things that we have to charge for.”The doctor confessed regretfully.

“How much? I'll pay it.” Artemis said impulsively.

“It's ten thousand-dollars for one, and I believe you need both of her ears right? So it would end up being twenty-thousand dollars and not to mention the weekly dosages of neuropozyne to prevent scar tissue buildup and implant rejection. In the end it would even out to twenty G's and the two thousand dollar neuropozyne doses every week. I'm sorry.” The doctor finished glumly.

Artemis tried to hide her shattered hope however in vain. She tried not show her disappointment. This world, it just had a way of giving you hope; then snatching it back cruelly. There was no way she would ever be able to make twenty thousand caps. Even if they all pooled their money together they would be lucky to make half, not even mentioning the neuropozyne Aroma would need to halt implant rejection. It looked like the cybernetic hearing aid was a dead end road; but where would that leave Aroma? Artemis couldn't imagine dragging her into dangerous situations being unable to hear. She imagined Aroma, confused and frightened as she traversed a hellish battlefield while a hidden sniper put her in his crosshairs.

“Well. Thanks for your time, we'll be going.” Artemis said sorrowfully. She nodded to Aroma who instantly understood the bad news.

“Wait! I will purchase her ears!” A voice shouted from out of sight.

Artemis turned her head, hesitant to believe and curious who volunteered to foot that bill. There trotting.. no, hovering to them was the gray mare Artemis had saved a couple hours ago! The gray pegasus was adorned with several bandages and she carried her dress in her saddlebags. She had an elegant grace to herself with an air of gentleness. She quietly landed and walked over to Aroma.

“You have a good friend my little pony, she helped me so now I'll return the favor.” The gray mare was very soft spoken. Aroma opened her mouth to inquire what the pegasus mare had said but decided against it and simply nodded.

“Aww you poor dear, don't worry. I'll get you all the help you need.” She said and gave Aroma sweet hug.

Artemis was jubilant. Out of the blue this mare had saved the day and possibly Aroma's life. The worst part was that Artemis didn't even know her name Well that was going to change real quick.

“Wow, thank you, thank you.” Artemis said gleefully and held out her talon.

“Don't mention it, you saved my life, it's the least I can do.” She said shaking Artemis's hand. “My name's Serendipity, you've probably heard of my father.”

“I, I'm afraid I haven't.” Artemis confessed. Pegusai were a rarity in the San Palomino.

“My father's general Calamity of the NCR, he's in charge over at Hoofer Dam. I should take you there so you can be properly rewarded.” She said gingerly; but those two words rang like a death knell, like a grim clock.

Hoofer Dam.... Artemis's mind began to race. What if this was destiny drawing her to her doom? But she hadn't found the number station yet and was nowhere near close to finding it. Those words alarmed Artemis and anxiety crept into her thoughts.

“You alright?” Serendipity asked worriedly. Artemis snapped herself out of her anxious thoughts.

“Uh, yes I'm fine. I.. don't think we'll be able to make it to Hoofer Dam. But this is more than enough.” Artemis tried to squirm out of going to the Dam.

“No. I insist, please. It's not far from Clopton.” Serendipity persisted.

“Well I-” Artemis argued quietly.

“Ms. Serendipity, are you sure? That is a lot of money.” A doctor counseled, which internally ticked Artemis how he made her and Aroma seem second class. But regardless Artemis shrugged it off, she had a lot to be thankful at the moment.

“Yes. Doctor, make it happen. I want this mare to hear again by dinner. I'll write you the proper checks just get to work.” Serendipity ordered pleasantly.

“But, well, we should. Very well ma'am.” The doctor's protests were defeated.

~Not long later~

The orange mare lay on an operating table with a breathing mask on. Aroma was put under by an anesthetic spell from one of the many unicorn doctors. Her heart monitor beeped rhythmically with each heartbeat.

Heart rate: 68 bpm

Oxygen feed: clear

Anesthetic: spell in full effect

The sterile surgeons went in for the operation. The head surgeon examined Aroma's ears carefully before requesting his tools which a nurse promptly handed him. One nurse rolled Aroma on her side with one ear facing the doctor. He made his way into Aroma's ear canal ever so carefully and removed the busted fragments of her eardrum. Cautious as not to hit the walls of her middle ear, the surgeon tediously held his instruments steady as he prepared the ear canal.

Now it was the Porta-Doc's turn to do the tricky part. Tech assistants put the machine over Aroma to scan her head and obtain a layout of her ear and where to place the cybernetics. The machine buzzed and whined until becoming very quiet. Using it's several arms the Porta-Doc performed the surgery on a scale that normal doctors would have difficulty. Now the surgeons prepared the cybernetics for implantation.

Minutes later the Porta-Doc raised all of it's arms back to their normal position. Now it was the doctor's jobs to finish it. Precisely, they connected the cyber eardrum to the nerve endings the Porta-Doc had erected to work with the prosthesis’s own artificial receptors. This would allow Aroma to hear as normally as she could before she lost her hearing.

“Gentlemen, I think we did it.”

~45 minutes to the scourge~

Aroma stood before Artemis, Serendipity, and the other doctors who eagerly awaited to see if the surgery was a success. Artemis could see the tiny implants in Aroma's ears however small. Just below Aroma's ears Artemis made out the head of a small black screw in her skin. Aroma's face seemed to lighten up as a doctor tinkered with the devices.

“Test. Test. Test. Test. Test. Can you hear us?” The doctor asked hopefully.

“.... Yes, I can.” Aroma answer with a normal decibel voice!

“Yes!” Artemis exclaimed as she grabbed her orange friend and hugged her excitedly.

“I can hear again! I can hear!” Aroma shouted jubilantly and returned Artemis's hug with one of her own.

Artemis began to feel some liquid pride on her eyes. “Hah, now you got me acting all sappy.” Artemis said comically.

Artemis sat her friend back down on the ground. They were both overjoyed at the success of the surgery. One doctor commented to Aroma that she could raise and lower the volume as needed with the turn of a dial. Serendipity approached the duo after signing the proper checks for the payments. She handed Aroma a small bag with several syringes full of a bright green liquid.

“I'm ever so glad you can hear again. This here is your neuropozyne, it will help your body adjust to the implants. Just be sure to inject yourself with one of those every week and you'll be just fine.” Serendipity explained cheerily.

“Implants?” Aroma asked confused and touching her ears.

“Oh, I guess you couldn't have known..” Serendipity backed away sheepishly as if she were guilty of something. Artemis stepped to explain the situation to Aroma.

“You see, your eardrum were busted and we had to give you a prosthesis. Ms. Serendipity paid for it all you see.” Artemis explained but saw Aroma was still under distress.

Aroma whimpered and lowered her ears trying in vain to hide them in her mane. Now Artemis noticed two more small screws in the cartilage of Aroma's ear.

“I'm, I'm, I'm a frankenpony?” Aroma sniffled.

Artemis immediately tried to deter Aroma from seeing her situation in that cynical manner. “No no no, you just have some cybernetic implants, in fact, your better than the average pony.” Artemis said encouragingly. But her speech failed to raise Aroma's spirits.

“I'm a monster, a cybernetic abomination, an abortion of science..... Stellar!” Aroma cried in emotional agony.

“Who's Stellar?” Artemis inquired trying desperately to derail Aroma's hysteria.

Aroma despaired. “I'll never go home now, I belong out in this world.” She grieved.

“Don't talk like that Aroma, you're still you and that can never change.” Artemis reassured her friend but by now Artemis knew Aroma was depressed.

“I never asked for this.” Aroma said dourly; the sadness in her voice gone. “You did this to me, you turned me into a monster!” Aroma stated with rising anger.

Artemis stepped back. She had never seen Aroma so upset. Tears gathered on Aroma's eyes and an angry scowl crossed her face, everyone stepped back. Aroma began to breath in slow heavy bursts as tears rolled down her face. Artemis felt truly guilty; it had never crossed her mind what Aroma wanted or was okay with this operation. She had crossed an important line with her pony friend, or if Aroma would still call themselves friends. That question was soon answered when Aroma drew her BFR and aimed at Artemis.

“You, turned me into, a monster.” Aroma hissed holding the revolver in her mouth. Quickly the Followers soldiers drew there weapons and took aim at Aroma but not firing, yet.

Artemis didn't know what to do. Normally when someone pointed a gun at Artemis would react like any other combat scenario but this, this was alien and Artemis was frozen as she stared down the BFR's black barrel.

“Aroma.. don't do this.” Artemis tried to reason with Aroma.

'Why? I'm a monster, it's what monsters do.” Aroma lamented.

“Look around you Aroma, if you shoot me the guards will kill you in turn. We can all die, right here, right now or you can lower the gun and we can talk about this.” Artemis bartered uneasily with the hysterical mare.

A war waged in Aroma's teary eyes. One side wanted to murder Artemis for her transgression and the other, wanted to lower the gun. After an hour long second the latter faction won by a hair and slowly Aroma lowered the BFR.

“Aroma, sweetie.” Serendipity whispered in her soft angelic voice. She walked to Aroma knelt down by her.

“Aroma, you're not a monster.” Serendipity said with a kind, motherly tone.

“No!” Aroma interrupted. Serendipity's plea had fallen on metaphorically deaf ears.

But Serendipity did not stop, she held Aroma's shoulders bringing their eyes to lock on each other. “Aroma, it's not what you are that defines you. It's what you do, the choices you make, the lives you touch that defines who Aroma is.” She held her hoof to Aroma's heart.

The BFR fell out of Aroma's mouth and landed with a lazy thud. Aroma's mouth was agape by Serendipity's words; she was in the midst of a new revelation. Artemis watched in awe as Serendipity had talked Aroma from her hostile position. She felt similar to her situation back in White Tail; everything seemed ethereal or dreamlike and the sky had a unnatural glow to it while the clouds seemed to rumble overhead almost like a battle raged with embers fluttering in the breeze..... Wait a minute. Fuck! The scourge! The Celestia damned scourge was happening right now, time had escaped Artemis!

Artemis drew her fama- wait, she left it back at the wagon! Dammit all to hell! Artemis grabbed her m1911 and tossed Aroma the BFR despite being recently threatened with it early. Serendipity looked shocked by the sudden change of heart warming displays of emotion but now it was time to fight!

“Wsas wrong Artemisss?” Aroma asked holding the revolver in her mouth and situating her tongue.

“Aroma, it's the Legion. They've come to scourge Clopton of the map and we have to find Hans and Verity.” Artemis declared already feeling tense, this was the first she fought the Legion since her mental breakdown at White Tail and she was determined to do things differently this time.

“Where would they be at?” Aroma inquired. She sounded like she was calmer but Artemis wasn't going to try anything.

“Wait, hold on. What's happening?!” Serendipity exclaimed severly confused.

Artemis knew these Followers stood no chance against the Legion and the Legion had no interest in slaves or prisoners; not during a scourge. Quickly Artemis formulated a plan to the best of her abilities.

Hesitantly Artemis unlatched her pipbuck and handed it to Serendipity. “Get out of Clopton and go to this marker, try to stay hidden and if we're not back before long then leave without us.” Artemis marked the position of the wagon on the pipbuck.

Before Artemis could continue a doctor spoke from behind Serendipity. “We can't go! We're doctors! We're the Followers of the Apocalypse, it's our job to help everyone and we must stay right here and fulfill our duty to the people.” He cried. The crowd proper began to murmur with nods in his favor.

“This is not time for dogmatism! Even if you offered your help to them, they would not take it! They will mount your heads on walls. The Legion cannot be bargained or reasoned with.” Artemis said with finality.

There was a pregnant pause amongst the crowd until one lone doctor raised his head. “... That's what they said about the Zebras, and the Hellhounds and the Alicorns.” He said calmly. “You can keep your mistrust, I'm going to move past the hate and fear.” He concluded and walked to the gate of Ol' Maremon.

“No! Don't!” Artemis implored.

Nevertheless he continued to the gate and opened it. He held his arms wide as he shouted to his fellow Followers. “Come brothers, let us no longer be stunted by fear! Come brot-!” His rally was cut short as, as a Hellhound legionnaire walked by the gate! Since when were Hellhounds a part of the Legion!?

“I'm not your enemy! I'm a doctor, just get me to the wounded pon-!” The doctor grunted in pain as the Hellhound picked him off the ground with one hand. Enough was enough Artemis and Aroma drew their pistols and aimed at the legionnaire. Unfazed, the Hellhound tightened his grip around the stallion until his body squished like rotten food. Organs and viscera oozed out him as feeble breaths escaped his dying lips.

Artemis and Aroma were too shocked to fire at the legionnaire. The Hellhound threw the corpse to the ground and left, continuing the slaughter.

“Goddesses no! Not my husband!” Cried a mare that attempted to run to her husband but was stopped abruptly by Serendipity.

“No, we have to go!” Serendipity told the Follower sternly.

“But that's my husband!” The mare said frantically.

“I know but we have to leave now.” She turned to address Artemis and to stop any opposition to abandoning Old Maremon. “We'll go Artemis, meet you there.... Good luck.” She said grimly.

~Later~

Artemis and Aroma left Old Maremon Fort to retrieve Hans and Verity, wherever they were at. Griffon legionnaires swarmed the sky forcing them to take alleys and the town roads. Dead ponies and the like littered the city. The Legion killed indiscriminately and in droves.

Bullets whizzed past Artemis and Aroma as they made their way through an alleyway. Instinctively, Artemis jumped to a wall for cover. Aroma hid behind a dumpster, she was beginning to learn.

“Artemis, I hear some kind of buzzing, it's a machine.” Aroma alerted her. Now would be the time for a pipbuck.

Not ten seconds flat later two Sprite-Bots hovered erratically into the alley. They were fast and darted from one position to another. These were modified Sprite-Bots however, their behavior, model make and oh yeah the machine guns on each side made one believe the Legion had re-purposed them to suit their needs in battle.

A loud rattling sound was the prelude to a barrage of bullets that erupted from the drone seconds later. Artemis's senses failed her and she flinched! Three rounds were deflected by her armor but would leave severe bruises, the other two were buried in breast and Artemis was thrown back by the injury.

“Artemis!” Aroma shouted as the drones pivoted to gun down their next target. Quickly Aroma hurdled herself into the dumpster, and closed the lid landing with a rustle of garbage bags.

Artemis rolled to her right and began to lift herself back up. Her chest burned like fire, a grunt escaped her as she rose off the ground. Standing now, Artemis put her talon to her wound. Tiny splats of crimson lay on her fingers.

“Ugh, fuck me.” Artemis groaned in a low grumble.

“Yah!” BANG! Aroma burst out of the dumpster and fired her BFR but the drones had strangely vacated the alley. Aroma realized this and exited the garbage hastily to get to Artemis.

“Oh my gosh are you okay?!” Aroma asked worriedly. “I shouldn't have jumped in the dumpster, the minute I did that I immediately remembered you were hurt, it was a reflex I'm sor-.”

“It's, fine. Let's just find Hans and Verity.” Artemis said irritably. She wasn't angry with Aroma it's just, getting shot can make anyone cranky.

Aroma nodded without a word and Artemis retrieved her pistol from the ground. They pressed onward to the open streets. The streets of Clopton were in utter chaos, more so than usual. Flames engulfed old building and collapsed, dead and the mortally wounded littered the streets, embers fluttered in the air. There a constant roar in the air as well.

“Brothers to me!” A prime ordered as he spotted Artemis and Aroma exiting the alley. Several lesser legionnaires joined to his position.

“Aroma, get to that chariot and stay low.” Artemis ordered her friend. Aroma dashed and jumped into the cart.

Artemis barely finished reloading as one recruit swung his machete wrapped in a magical aura. The blade clanged of her armor but it was still to close for comfort. She jumped into the air to have a top-down position over her blade-wielding attacker. Quickly Artemis dropped the legionnaire before he could unholster his .357. The unicorn buck fell with a thud.

“Found you!” Another legionnaire shouted as he discovered Aroma hiding in the chariot. Artemis aimed to stop him from executing Aroma but- POW! A second later his back erupted in a spew of his own lifeblood. Artemis landed in shock and found a shaken orange mare entrenched inside the chariot.

“Holy hell, where'd you find that piece?” Artemis asked Aroma where she found her new mossberg shotgun.

“I, I just found it here.” Aroma studdered peculiarly. Then the prime legionnaire barked more orders for his men to attack.

“Artemis stay here and stall them, I have an idea.” Aroma whispered. Before Artemis could inquire more Aroma jumped out of the vehicle and ran into an alley by the legionnaires they were facing.

“Fire!” BA-POW-POW-BANG! The prime had his veteran men organized into a small firing squad. They fired their mosins' in unison with each other with resounding pops.

Playing safe Artemis ducked behind the breaking and splintering chariot. She only raised her hand over cover to fire blindly. POP! POP! POP! Her pistol fired and began to click. As Artemis reloaded she realized she was getting low on magazines for her pistol. They couldn't use all their ammo fighting these guys when Hans and Verity could very well be on the other side of town. Quickly Artemis's mental complaints were replaced by a very real pain in the back of her head.

“Gah!” She shouted. Artemis turned and saw a recruit about to hit her again with the hilt of his sword and this time, do more than just damage her.

Artemis quickly dropped her pistol and grappled the young griffon. He landed with a “Oof!” on the ground and kicked Artemis off him. Hand-to-hand wasn't her strong suit but she didn't have a whole lot of options at the moment.

Artemis managed to kick his sword away and they struggled again. They both fought viciously. The recruit managed to punch Artemis in the beak, blurring her vision and making her tear up. Artemis retaliated by tossing him over her back using his right arm.

“Fire!” The prime legionnaire shouted and his men took aim.

Quickly Artemis picked up the young griffon and held his dazed person in front of her. BA-POW-POW-BANG! They fired at Artemis, but ended up killing their comrade instead. Artemis heard the pained grunts as the griffon was shot to death, tearing flesh and the cracking of bones accompanied his cries as Artemis finally dropped her shield as the firing concluded.

As the legionnaires started reloading and loud burst rang from the Legion side of the street. Artemis looked expecting Verity or Hans but instead saw Aroma! Aroma must have snuck into the building and assassinated the prime. The soldiers scrambled inside to eliminate the assassin and avenge their superior. Artemis saw the orange mare cornered at the top the stairs across the street.

Artemis easily ran across the street and hugged the outside wall by the doorless doorway. Aroma fired blindly to keep the enemies at bay but she couldn't hold out for long.

“Aroma, here!” Artemis yelled and waved her hand expectantly. Aroma lobbed her shotgun over the heads of the confused legionnaires. Artemis caught it and aimed at the troops on the stairwell.

BOOM! -chick chick BOOM! - chick chick BOOM! -chick chick. The buckshot thinned the mass clogging the stairwell. This was the first time Artemis had killed any Legion peoples. It felt, strange maybe even therapeutic? To see the pain on those Legion bastards face's as they were knocked down.

Aroma walked down the stairs and looked at the bodies aghast. It was obvious, she was disturbed at their mangled bodies and the bloody splatters on the wall. Artemis saw the prime legionnaires missing half of his head lying on the floor.

“C'mon, we have to keep moving.” Artemis said adventitiously and threw Aroma her shotgun which she caught in her mouth.

They exited the back door of the desolated apartment and found themselves in a small series of backyards with swings and small rusted jungle gyms. Artemis took this time to reload and check her wound, which was now beginning to hurt again now that combat had ceased. The duo hurdled over an ancient picket fence that was a shadow of it's former self.

“Locked.” Aroma pointed out as she tried to open a backdoor. Artemis examined the lock carefully, she was an expert locksmith if you didn't know.

“I got this.” Artemis said confidently. She turned and picked up a large rock off the ground and with a great heave she tossed it through the glass CRACK! Artemis nonchalantly reached her arm in the broken window and opened the lock from the inside.

“After you.” Artemis said politely as she held the door for Aroma.

“You really are an expert locksmith Artemis.” Aroma said with a smirk.

Upon entering the house it was immediately obvious that this house was better preserved than the surrounding houses. However, that did have it's goods and bads. The home was darker with all of it's windows boarded from the inside and the many shadows cast by the furniture that called this place home.

Everything seemed to slow down to a normal speed as combat ended and the adrenaline faded from Artemis's veins but the war continued outside regardless. Aroma walked in careful not to step on the glass that littered the dirty tile floor. She flipped the rusted switch in vain as the lights failed to come on.

“No lights.” Artemis commented as her breathing slowed.

“But I can hear, it's like I have enhanced perception.” Aroma said motioning to her ears.

“Of all the Celestia damned time I could have really used a pipbuck, I give it to Serendipity.” Artemis complained dourly, Aroma looked at her, puzzled.

“Artemis, why do you say Celestia?” Aroma asked bemused.

Even though this was far from the appropriate time Artemis couldn't help but be intrigued by her question. Why did she use Celestia in vain? Being a griffon, Artemis knew little to nothing about Celestia and Luna nor did she care. Artemis didn't know what the old griffon way of life was, but she would like to know about her shattered culture. Truthfully, she wasn't sure what griffons believed. The Legion praised Celestia, but in reality the Legion worships strength.

Artemis did believe that there was something beyond this world, something after death. A judgment of sorts. Besides, it helped her sleep at night believing the monsters in this life would get what they deserved in the next one. It was either that or believe that the raiders, thieves and killers really got off scot free in the end, that was to morbid to believe Artemis just couldn't think that way. She just couldn't.

“I guess it's because I don't know any better. You ponies say Celestia, so it just bled into my vernacular.” Artemis answered after her short reflection.

Aroma was silent, it was not the answer she had presumed. “Tell me something about you.” Artemis said as she began to open the kitchen cabinets looking for anything that may possibly help.

Aroma sat herself in a dirty kitchen chair and began to think. Artemis yanked out drawer after drawer with the sounds of miscellaneous object being shifted back and forth. Aroma was silent, she was thinking in vain. She really couldn't think of anything to tell Artemis, or more likely Aroma was hesitant to reveal something.

“Who's this Stellar character you keep on mentioning?” Artemis inquired as she meandered about the kitchen.

Aroma took an uneasy breath before speaking. “Stellar's... my, was best friend back in Stable G. We were the best of friends.” Aroma confessed with a melancholy tone.

Artemis's scavenging slowed. “You never mentioned her before. Did she work with you in Engineering?” Artemis pried nicely.

“Well, actually...” Aroma began. “When our Stable computer selected the candidates for the election, Stellar was the one chosen. Not me. I, took her place in the election.” Aroma explained with a sorrowful tone.

Artemis slowed to a stop. She closed her current cabinet and sat down with the orange mare who was noticeably saddened. It wasn't her intention to upset Aroma, but now Artemis was beginning to see the light of her friend's situation.

Aroma's stable, Stable GoE-EoHS was organized into a social experiment. This experiment centered around the stable dwellers electing a candidate, chosen at random by their supercomputer to leave the stable and go out into the wasteland. This is where Artemis's knowledge faded. She did not know exactly why the elected one had to venture out into the waste and make a group of friends to bring back to Stable G. However, that was still foggy and Aroma was just as in the dark as Artemis was on that part. Artemis imagined Stable G adorned with a massive supercomputer selecting the names the unlucky ponies and she imagined the candidates campaigning desperatly to stay in the stable. Not even mentioing that she had a pack of three hunters after her.

Then Stellar was added to this mix. From what Aroma's story told, it was Stellar that was chosen to be a candidate but Aroma put herself in the election so Stellar wouldn't have to. Aroma had sacrificed herself so Stellar could remain safe in Stable G.Artemis imagined the day Aroma lost everything, the results came in and Aroma would be leaving the stable. The sacrifice one makes for a friend.

“.... Goddesses, you, faced certain death just for a friend.” Artemis said sorrowfully awestruck.

“.. That's why I was so upset about my ears.” Aroma said as she lowered her ears to show the cybernetics. “I felt like I was turned into something of the wasteland, a creature, not the stable pony I was before.” Aroma admitted. “But only now do I see how selfish that point of view was, I'm really grateful for your help, and ms. Serendipity's. I'll have to apologize to her.” Aroma noted.

Artemis only nodded. With that she resumed her search for something to help her gunshot wounds. It was most likely that she'd just have to hold out and press onward until they got to the Followers at the wagon but damn some painkillers would be nice, maybe even some morphine.

Her chest wound had crusted and stopped bleeding but was extremely sore and any kind of vigorous movement would cause it to bleed again. She guessed what she could realistically find in the house was some bandages. Those would more likely than not, be upstairs or wherever the bathroom was.

“Get my six Aroma, I'm gonna head to the bathroom and look for some bandages.” Artemis ordered casually, but Aroma returned her with a confused expression.

“I mean, follow me and watch my back.” Artemis explained and Aroma understood that and gingerly pushed in her chair with held her mossberg in her mouth.

The pair crept through the living room. It used to have been a homey place back in it's hayday. It had a ragged, filthy couch that was opposite a large table and a busted radio rested on a dusty shelf on the wall. Several pictures of a long dead family could be found knocked over or broken in their frames.

The chaos outside seemed to be intensifying and the rattle of gunfire was resounding from outside. Then came a loud series of explosions that shook the ground and rumbled the house alarmingly. Dust fell from the ceiling as it began to reveal it's failing integrity.

“Fucking hell, that sounds like some serious firepower they're laying down out there.” Aroma swore as she tried to peek out a boarded up window.

“I thought the Legion didn't use, like modern technology?” Aroma asked as Artemis removed her from the window.

“They usually don't, and besides this is a bit excessive even for the Legion. I think that was artillery we just heard.” Artemis assumed with surprised tone.

“C'mon, let's not tarry. Let's go get your bandages and make a beeline to the wagon.” Aroma suggested as more shells hit the city.

“But we-” More bombs exploded from the sky. “Fuck it, I told the Followers to wait for about thirty minutes. We need to find Verity and Hans before we leave.” Artemis exclaimed yelling over the explosive noise. She had given up on the bandage, if they lingered in Clopton their possibility of a horrible fate would be astronomical.

“Well they're not gonna find us in here, let's get out there.” Aroma opened the door and gasped in horror.

Artemis looked outside and was aghast as well. Utter desolation, Clopton was ablaze. Fires burned everywhere and shouts, cries, the whistle of shells raining down and the constant gunfire were all that reached Artemis's ears. Trails of black smoke loomed over the from the cannon fire in the sky. It was White Tail all over again only this time the destruction was absolute.

There was a foal in the middle of the street, the child looked injured and close to death. Artemis was not going to let this child die like the White Hoof filly that Valiance decaptiated. Not again. Without looking for hostiles Artemis dashed to the child's rescue.

“It's okay, we're gonna get you to safety.” Artemis assured the colt as she slid to him.

The child looked at her miserably, he was bedraggled and forlorn. He had seen everyone he knew, possibly his entire family die right before him. “Get away from me!” He shouted with his meager might.

Artemis was taken aback but not deterred. “No, I'm trying to help you.” She reiterated for the colt.

Then the child pulled up his shirt revealing a locked vest strapped with explosives....

Artemis clamored to her feet and tried to backpedal but before she could get to her feet the child exploded. Fierce heat and extreme pressure erupted knocking her back. Artemis felt herself become airborne but she never hit the ground.

A child, they used children for suicide bombers! Artemis had no word to describe the wickedness of the Legion. Just when she thought they reached the depths of depravity they would always surpirse her. But an innocent child...

“Artemis are you alright, answer me!?” Aroma's face was blurry in Artemis's sight.

“A child, Aroma they used a child.” Artemis coughed.

“Artemis they're here.” Aroma said, she hadn't heard Artemis. Who were they? Artemis looked around herself and saw she was in a magic aura, Hans's teleknietic spell.

Artemis looked and saw Verity and Hans who was using his magic to hold her off the ground. As Verity landed Hans laid her down gentily. Artemis rolled on her side, fighting vertigo as she picked herself up.

“Arty I was so worried. Listen we have to leave. Verity told me everything.” Hans confessed solemnly. He was carrying several saddelbags on him.

Artemis stood up. “.... They beat me again, the Legion, they won again.” Artemis concluded begrudingly as Clopton burned.

“We're not out of this yet. We have to get to Hayseed and his wife.” Verity reminded in his cold, indifferent tone.

Artemis wanted to kill Verity right there, right now. He was a legionnaire, a decorated legionnaire. She wanted to gut him. But those emotions were counterbalanced by mind; Verity hadn't ordered the scoruge, or even strapped the bomb to the child. But regardless Artemis was deeply perturbed and full of righteous anger.

“.......... Let's go. I've had enough of this place.” Artemis said coldly.

The group left Clopton. Much of the fighting had moved to the inner parts of the city making their exit easier than expected. The outskirts of the city were nothing more than scorched, bombed-out structures; there wasn't a building over one story left standing. Artemis kept her rage inside her, she couldn't bare to look at Verity for fear she might do something drastic. She began to ponder if she wanted to be his girlfriend right now. Artemis could tell she wasn't in the right state of mind so she would hold her tongue.

They made their way back to the wagon, there were no words exchanged between any of them. A silence fell over them, maybe there was something about surviving a mass slaughter that had a way of shutting you up.

~They arrived at Hayseed's wagon, weary and exhausted~

“Where are the Followers?” Artemis asked Hayseed with a sense of urgency.

“The who?” Hayseed replied as he started up the engines.

“Shit. This isn't good.” Artemis groused. What had happened to-!

“Artemis! Help!” A voice shouted. Artemis looked and saw Serendipity with several Followers sprinting to the wagon from over a hill.

Before Artemis could ask what they were running from specifically a hulking metal vehicle crossed the hill in pursuit. It was a Leopard2 battle tank! A goddess damned tank! Cannon and all! Worst of all, it bore the flag of the Legion. It roared and wheezed as it's engine sped up to crush Serendipity and the Followers.

“Holy shit!” Hans yelled. “Get in! Let's bail!”

“No. There's no escaping it on this road, the gun will tear us to pieces.” Artemis said then she hatched an idea, it was insane but they didn't have a lot of options.

Artemis surmised they only had a few seconds before the tank came to bear on them so she spoke quickly. “Hans, Aroma. I want you guys and the Followers to get in the wagon and peel out of here.”

“But baby you just said that-” Hans interjected but Artemis cut him off.

“Me and Verity will stay behind and distract the tank, hopefully if you guys can get far enough away me and Verity can just fly out of it's range.”

“Wait, Artemis. I can't strike my brothers.” Verity injected regrettably.

“Dammit Verity of all times. Just distract them, I'll do the fighting then.” Artemis said irritably. Verity seemed... less than pleased.

The Legion Leopard ran over an unfortunate Follower. His body popped like a bloody balloon under the sixty ton tank. As Serendipty boarded the wagon with the remaining Followers Artemis could nearly stare down the tank's main gun. The wagon's engines hummed and the wheels began to spin.

“Artemis! Here!” Aroma shouted as she threw a small rectangular box to Artemis who propmty caught it. “Oh and don't forgot this!” Aroma added. She threw Artemis her baby.

“Oh I missed you.” Artemis told her famas. She opened the box and found several magazines along with six hand grenades.

“Okay, I think now we can keep the Leopard on us Verity.” Artemis determined. The plan was to damamge the treads and if they were lucky it could immobilize the tank cutting the battle short.

“Remember, don't kill the legionnaires, just stop the tank.” Verity propmted cautiously. He had none of his weapons drawn and he obscured his face with part of his armor. Artemis knew Verity was being annoyingly vain about fighting legionnaires and she wanted to slap him because of it.

PAM!-KABOOM! The Leopard fired it's main gun at the wagon as it made its way down the narrow road. The resulting explosion sent dirt and sand flying into the air. The wagon swerved dangerously, if it rolled they were done for! Artemis imagined Hayseed steering hectically to stay on the road and the guys in the back holding on for dear life.

Artemis loaded her rifle and fired three shots in succession to capture the tank's attention. “Hey child-killers, can't catch me!” Artemis antagonized the Legion tank.

While the expressions of it's pilots were unseen Artemis knew she had their attention as it slowly changed course for her and Verity, who was still shying from the battle. She stared down her iron sights and fired several rounds before the main gun came to bear.

PAM-KABOOM! The tank fired but Artemis was able take flight before the blast could have damaged her. Wind beat against her face as she dived into the sky and she brought herself to hover over the Leopard. A small hatch opened on top and a legionnaire took hold of the tank's mounted gun.

Artemis gasped and dashed away in any direction. She immediately heard the repeating sound of the heavy machine gun. Artemis knew her armor would be useless against that caliber of a weapon, one shot and she was done for.

Suddenly the rattling noise of the gun halted. Artemis looked down and saw Verity struggling with the gunner. Hastily Artemis descended to his aid. Verity was half-wrestling with the gunner to cease his firing at Artemis. Verity wasn't returning any of the gunner's punches instead he was trying to grab his hooves so he could break off away from the tank. Adamant not to physically harm any legionnaires. However this was not Artemis's case.

“Hey pony boy.” Artemis said mockingly. The stallion released Verity and turned but Artemis smashed his face with the butt of her famas in a swift preemptive strike. The famas hit with a unpleasant “crack” to the gunner's face. His goggles broke and he slumped back into the tank accidentaly closing the hatch as well.

“Dammit.” Artemis cursed under her breath. She could have hopped inside there and disabled the pilot, and maybe even comandeered the tank.

The tank began to swerve spasmodically as if the pilot was trying to dislodge her. Verity landed by her and grabbed onto one of the tanks armor plates. He had a line of blood running from his nose and had several scratches on his face.

Artemis wanted to belittle him for this ridiculous sentiment of clemency for the Legion at such an inconveinient time. She wanted-!

PAM-KABOOM! The tank fired at the wagon since Artemis and Verity were no longer on the attack! It's gas guzzling engines rumbled and wheezed as it began to make up lost time on the wagon chase.

“Shit, Verity stay here.” Artemis dashed off the tank to get the small box of grenades Aroma had tossed to her.

Box in hand Artemis flew in front of the tank's path. Artemis felt the gun's eye on her and the immediate, fiery death that would follow. SATS would have helped because Artemis was basic when it came to explosives anyway but recklessly she took two grenades and rolled them like bowling balls under the tank, particularly underneath the treads.

PFFT! POW! BOOM! The tank seemed to be lifted if only for a second. Verity was bucked off by the explosion. However the tank was not halted but now Artemis was a prime target.

Artemis hissed a cursed in frustration. As she readied two more grenades she realized in horror that she had stared down the main gun a second to long and instantly she was tossed violently.

PAM-KABOOM! BOOM!BOOM!

Artemis smacked the ground with a head splitting “crush!” She could only hear a loud unending buzz along with her jumbled thoughts.

“Uhhg, am, I dead?” Artemis couldn't tell, or feel much of anything. But a voice began to speak to her, it sounded distant and far off but became increasingly clearer.

“.........Artemis....Artemis......Artemis...Artemis.. Artemis!”

“C, Celestia?” Artemis moaned. But instead Verity's face came into view.

“Artemis, get up!” He ordered trying to coax Artemis to awakening. She had been ragdolled by the tank's gun but not killed luckily.

“Ver... Verity?” Artemis questioned.

“Yes, it's me Verity, c'mon you're gonna be fine. You just have to get up!” Verity assured Artemis.

Sorely, Artemis rolled to her stomach. The smell of scorched fur and feathers assualted her nose and a sickly feeling rumbled in her tummy.

“Uhg, Verity I don't feel too good.” Artemis said weakly.

“It's okay, you're alive and all your limbs are intact so let's-” Verity was interrupted as Artemis vomited her stomach's contents and spots of blood with a nasty hurl.

Verity was digusted but tried to hid it and stop Artemis from falling into her own filth.

“Help, me up, please.” Artemis requested faintly holding up her talons. Verity assisted her without hesitation. Leaning on him, Artemis was able to see the damage done.

Her armor was scorched to high hell and was virtually useless. Her wound from Clotpon was bleeding again and she felt tiny bits of shrapnel in her chest and forelegs.

PAM-KABOOM! The Leopard2 resumed firing at the others.

“Verity, I have an idea.” Artemis announced weakly, still using him for support. Verity shook his head disapproving. He propped Artemis up against a boulder.

“No, you'll kill yourself.” Verity denied her.

“I wasn't asking your permission..” Artemis rebuttaled faintly, fighting to keep her head up. “That tank has to go, we can't play mercy now. It's them or us.” Artemis added.

Verity seemed to cringe with that realization. If they didn't stop that tank they were as good as dead.

Reluctantly Verity asked Artemis about her new plan. “What is this new plan?”

“We, take that last grenade, and shove it down the main gun.” Artemis concluded pointing to their final grenade.

Verity looked in disbelief. “Artemis, that's suicide. You were lucky to survive that first shot now-!”

“We ain't exactly swimming in options dear.” Artemis said weakly as she crawled and grabbed the final explosive.

“The Leopard2's firing at the wagon. If you fly me at it while it's not firing then I think I can do it.”

Verity analyzed their situation to the best of his abilites. “Blast, okay fine. But you have to leave me alone about wanting to spare the legionnaires.”

“Fine, sure, let's just do it before I blackout.” Artemis agreed wobbily.

PAM-KABOOM! The Leopard2 fired at the wagon. It couldn't withstand any more punishment! One more shot and they were done for! Verity held Artemis by her waist as they flew head first descending towards the Legion tank. It felt strange having Verity touch her- no, stay on task they only had one chance at this.

Artemis blinked her eyes rapidly as the wind assualted her face. She held the final grenade in her right hand. The approach was going well enough until the top hatch reopened and a very angry stallion with a bloody nose and mouth manned the machine gun and rotated to her vector!

“Of all the times!” Artemis griped with good reason.

“Do a barrel roll Verity!” Artemis shouted to Verity as the gunner opened fire.

Instantly her world spun and rotated, she felt like she might be sick again but they had avoided the turret's fire. Verity manuvered their bodies on the approach to the main gun when suddenly Verity released a pained whimper and his grip failed for a split second, Artemis surmised some of the tank's gun fire hit him. The gunner turned his head into the hatched and he barked at the pilot inside. Returning to the mounted gun the Leopard2's main gun elevated to their degree, the pilot now had his eyes on them!

“Now Artemis!” Verity shouted intensely. Artemis almost stalled, but she broke the flinch and slammed the grenade down the cannon as they dashed by the tank.

BOOM! KABABOOM! The tank exploded once with the grenade then again when the munition inside detonated. One second it was a deadly enemy that threatened them with imminent death the next, a ball of fire that lit the night sky and burned fiercely. The burning chassis flipped in air before landing off the road.

The two girffons landed roughly but alive. Artemis stared at the burning machine with utter disbelief at their accomplishment. The others back on the wagon had to see it as well. Artemis could only watch in awe.

“Nrgh, we, really did it.” Verity said sharing the same disbelief. He was beaten and brusied badly, she could hear the fatigue in his voice.

Without a word Artemis wrapped him in a tight embrace. “Goddess dammit Verity we actually did it.” Artemis iterated with shock.

“I, guess we did.” He answered, now a peacful quiet began to blanket the long road.

“We won Verity, we won today. Not the Legion.” Artemis whispered triumphiantly. Artemis pulled Verity closer and deep kissed him, it was her first time she'd ever done that so it was fumbly and awkward but she felt Verity returning the kiss. Yes she had also just vomited no two minutes ago but to hell with it.

The moment was picture perfect, the two of them kissing in front of a Legion tank as it was enveloped in a great inferno. The burning fires kissed the surrounding surfaces with a hot orange glow.

Artemis released Verity from their beak lock. Now she began to feel the exhaustion of the night's fight. Verity, with all of his cuts and scratches gave her a small smile. Artemis held his head as their foreheads touched. They were silhouettes with the fire's light.

~later~

“Sweet Celestia, that was the craziest shit I ever saw!” Aroma bounced gleefully as she tossed her pair of binoculars and ran to Artemis and Verity.

“Yes, I will admit that was quite the feat you two.” Serendipity articulated nicely.

“Hell, Arty just, dayum!” Hans exclaimed as he went to his friend. It meant the world to be back with her foul-mouted motley crew. Artemis felt overjoyed, for a second back there she began to question if she was in over her head about taking on a tank.

“Awtemiz, you the shit.” One of the foals said innocently. The surprise on Hayseed and Lady's face, priceless.

“I wasn't alone.” Artemis reminded the gang. She turned to Verity with a thankful expression.

“You guysmust be exhausted. C'mon, me and the Followers will patch you guys up and you can talk about the battle tomorrow.” Serendipity insisted and the surviving Followers nodded in agreement.

Artemis and the others boarded the wagon and the Followers went to work on mending her wounds. Across from her, the Followers began to help Verity as well. He would cringe slightly as they cleaned his cuts.

“To Hoofer Dam Mr. Hayseed.” Serendipity declared cheerily.

Those words made Artemis worry. Hoofer Dam, her place of destiny. She looked to Verity who seemed to reflect her worry as well. But this time Artemis felt confident and whatever the future could through at them they could fight.

Today was victory, however small, but a victory nonetheless and that was enough for Artemis...

Chapter 18 - Blood For Electricity

Chapter 18: Blood For Electricity

“My scouts say that something's out there.”

“They're right. I've seen them, they're hostile and powerful.”

“If they're really that fierce then... do you think, you could y'know, soften them up? Maybe just stop their crops from growing for a year?”

“No! You may be a good friend C but I will not take sides. I am here to keep Equestria safe, no matter the faction. If I did oblige you then I'd be no better than... well you know who. I'm ashamed you'd even ask!”

“I know, it's just, I was just- Hello? Are you still on? Dammit, I'm sorry...”

“....”

“I'm not mad at you, but I won't do that. However, I have seen someone who can help. She's on her way to the Dam as we speak. You can't miss her, she actually reminds me of our little group from back in the day.”

“Hehehe those were the days weren't they?”

“You say that like you miss them but back then it was hell. I think I'll stick with the present for once- Oh hey she's here I gotta jet, talk to you later.”

“Okay, I'll see you later........ Hmm, sometimes I do like the old days. Things were simpler back then. We knew who the enemies were and we didn't have to wait around and-”

“And remember C, give her the key. The truth will set us free....”

“Huh?! What? You can't mean? But our oaths?”

“It's time C, the people will know and we'll use her to get the word out. Prepare for me C, I'll be out in a few months but I still need some help walking after all those years of sleeping.”

“.... Very well, I'll start telling the others. Tell H I said hi.”

~Meanwhile in the wagon on their way to Hoofer Dam~

Artemis awoke groggily. She felt sore and exhausted, the electric energy that was with her two nights ago was now replaced with a heavy sobriety. Now Artemis just felt quiet and blank. She had nearly died, how had she survived that direct blast and not just that, the Leopard2 was now a pile of scorched scrap metal. Two soldiers destroyed a tank with grenades, they didn't even have a rocket launcher. Did that make her insane or suicidal?

Aroma however was still very excited about the recent battle. Artemis suspected Aroma had put her on a pedestal and believed Artemis to be more than she really was. In truth Artemis felt far from invincible, in fact she felt frail. This had to be some psychological trauma brought on by the near death experience because even she knew she shouldn't feel this way. Hell, she had destroyed a tank with no rockets and survived a direct cannon shot. She should feel invincible, she should feel like she could take on every Celestia damned legionnaire! But, for some reason she just felt empty. But why? Why couldn't Artemis go into battle and not have to fight a second mental battle the next day?!

Dammit, as she slipped deeper and deeper and into her thoughts and feelings the more zombie-like she would become in the real world. With mental strain Artemis started swim to the surface of the ocean that is her thoughts, she would need to breach the surface quickly lest she drown in her muddled and frivolous thoughts. Artemis gasped as she inhaled the oxygen of the surface. She huffed and puffed desperately and flailed in the water before gaining stability in the rocking ocean waves that crested and lowered. The sun was rising with a heavenly orange that painted the water a violet purple, somehow this comforted Artemis. This sunrise it felt good...

“Hans I don't think that goes there...” Aroma said. Artemis's eyes perked open, that was something you would never hear with Hans and a mare.

Artemis raised her head from the seat she was sleeping on. Verity was sitting by himself with his eyes closed, possibly asleep. Serendipity and the surviving Followers were huddled around each other discussing what to do when they got to Hoofer Dam. Last but not least was Aroma and Hans were sitting in the floor of the wagon building.. building something. Aroma turned and noticed Artemis had awoken and gingerly trotted over to her while a befuddled Hans remained with their project.

“Hey Artemis! Look what me and Hans are putting together.” Aroma said happily. She seemed to be adjusting to her new ears just fine.

Bedraggled, Artemis sat up and looked to Hans who was not having a good time comprehending the manual's instructions.

“What are you two building?” Artemis inquired as she reached for her painkillers.

Hans threw the manual behind him in frustration. “Well, I bought it from some Pegasus ghoul and her husband Sir Shouts a-Lot in Clopton but she cheated me! This bucket of bolts isn't even working right, so Aroma's helping me out.”

Artemis raised an eyebrow at this idea of a robot. “Why did you buy a robot Hans?” Is this what he spent that dirty money on?

Hans wiped sweat from his forehead and brushed his blond mane from his face. “Well, I just thought that y'know it could be useful and maybe help in combat. Besides check his flank out.”

Artemis rolled her eyes comically at her unicorn friend. “Hans, if you want some sex-bot then you-” But what Artemis did see legitimately surprised her. The symbol of the Grand Pegasus Enclave, a large PE encircled by stars stamped the robopony's flank where a cutie mark would be.

“Whoa, that is strange.” Artemis concurred and sat down in the floor to further examine the machine.

The machine resembled a pony in shape. Its eyes were black and no mouth or jaw for that matter could be located on it. The ears were somewhat like Aroma's ear, with a speaker-like material over them. The wings were also strange to her, they were simply a metallic skeleton of wings with no real ability to enable flight. Maybe they were just aesthetic and served no real purpose or maybe they had deteriorated from time's passing? Besides the mild rusting on it the robot's hull his metal body was still very intact and it was easily prevalent that this machine was a very intricate piece of technology.

“What's up with his tail?” Aroma asked as she touched the metallic tail that ended in a scorpion-like stinger piece.

“It's an Enclave weapon...” Verity said unexpectedly behind Artemis. He looked tired and held his right arm in a sling.

Artemis looked at his crippled arm feeling guilty inside. She knew that he had most likely damaged it fighting the Leopard2. Verity picked up that Artemis was starring at his broken arm.

“You needn't worry... love. It's fine, just a flesh wound the Followers persisted that I keep in this sling. I will be fine.” Verity detailed in his steely voice. Artemis hid a small blush when he called her love, it sounded odd coming from him but she still liked it.

“But what is this?” Aroma continued at the tail.

“It's a melee weapon used for Enclave power armors, it can inject a poison or tear out an opponent's throat. My father fought those in the Enclave skirmishes forty years back. Whatever that machine is, it's a weapon.” Verity answered. Aroma put the tail down and glanced at the machine.

“So that explains the gatling laser that came with him to.” Hans added as he grabbed a battle-saddle with a mini gatling laser on both sides.

“And it's solar powered as well, that means the gun recharges itself for near infinite ammunition.” Aroma added as she worked inside the machine.

“Wow, guess Verity was right. It is meant for combat.” Artemis said surprised by such an advanced caliber of weapon.

“There! I done did it. He should work now.” Aroma said triumphantly after tinkering with the robot's innards.

There was a long pause in the room. After seeing the gun that went with the droid maybe it was best that this droid be left deactivated. It was an awfully big risk to take for something so trivial. Maybe the droid would be hostile and attack or self-destruct or maybe something worse. But then again it is just a machine and Artemis had no doubt Aroma could reprogram it to be loyal to them. Or they could just play it safe and scrap it for parts.

“Aroma, do you think you could-!” Artemis was halted as the robot sparked and flickered to life all by itself! A tiny whining noise rose and fell as more noise was being generated by the machine.

“Turn it off!” Artemis ordered to Aroma. Aroma hastily tried to reopen the compartment to the inside of its body but now it would not budge.

“It's stuck! I can't open it!” Aroma cried as the robot made more noises while remaining still.

“I think it's gonna blow!” Hans cried and the wining noises only fanned the flame of that possibility.

“Calm down I know what to do.” Verity yelled hushing the others. He went to grab the metal pony with his good hand to toss it out of the wagon when suddenly the winding became nonexistent. Verity halted and scanned the faces of the others who were relieved by the quietness.

“Plea: Stay your hand users.” An electronic voice crackled weakly. Everyone froze.

“Did, did you just talk?” Artemis asked the robot suspiciously.

Slowly the machine stirred and everyone backed away, even Verity. This whatever it was, moved just like a pony almost to a haunting detail, the way its hind legs rose to stand up and the way its back shifted and the wing pylons seemed to flutter. It was almost majestic, but it was just a machine right? The black lens that were its eyes became bright yellow and the wing bones soon grew a transparent hexagon-patterned webbing with the matching color of it's eyes. Now the robot seemed to shake itself after standing up all the way, seeming to emulate stretching after sleeping.

The machine stared at everyone around it before looking down to Aroma whose bright yellow eyes seemed to scare her. But no one would move. They were paralyzed with fear and Artemis with a strange curiosity.

“Question: Are you the user who activated my matrix?” It asked with a robotic monotone voice but Artemis couldn't make out it's inflection. Instead it announced the flux or tone it was speaking in, confusing but Artemis could grasp the concept.

“Umm, yes.” Aroma answered timidly under the robot's gaze. Again the machine processed the information and was silent.

“Grateful Expression: Thank you user, you repaired my matrix and thus allowed me to reboot myself.” It said with a metallic voice that was noticeably male.

Aroma whimpered. “So you're not gonna turn me to ash?”

The machine returned his head to a normal upright position. “Vexed Query: Why would you suspect that I would do that?”

Aroma lowered her shoulders in a confused expression. Everyone on the wagon, even the Followers were intrigued by what this machine was doing. How it walked, how it talked, where did it come from? What was it exactly? Aroma stood up to her hooves, not feeling as threatened anymore. She was petite compared to the robot; it's stature and build resembled that of a stallion further reinforcing the use of the “he” pronoun.

“Then, what will you do?” Aroma inquired politely.

“Request: One moment, searching special data banks....” He trailed off into his memory. Artemis wondered if this was what she was like when she would get lost in her thoughts.

“Notice: Critical memory files formatted, please insert backup memory card.” He asked Aroma, although the confused expressions of the people around him cemented the idea that they were ignorant of what he was requesting.

Aroma looked around the spare parts in vain, she knew she did not have this memory card. Artemis stepped to the robopony to intercede for Aroma. She put a talon on his cold metal shoulder. His head turned to see her with a nearly silent wind. The yellow eyes were intimidating, and annoyingly bright.

“I don't think we have this memory card, we bought you from a ghoul in Clopton.” Artemis explained.

“Explanation: Ghoul? Terminology, an organic that has experienced postmortem mutation causing suspended animation of the corpse.”

Artemis stared at the stallion perplexed. “Uhhh right. But what are you going to do now?” She asked the machine.

He looked down as if he was saddened by his befuddlement. “Confused Answer: I do not know, I theorize that finding my memory card is my main priority but if I travel with this group my odds of survivability are increased by 59.772%” He said in his synthesized voice.

“You don't know what were up against.” Verity commented sarcastically. The robot looked to Verity and returned his gaze to Artemis.

“Wary Disbelief: Does the griffon male mean to be comical?”

“No, we are in some deep trouble. There is a good chance we might all die horribly but if you'll fight alongside us we'll help you find your memory card.” Artemis suggested. She didn't know much about this robot, but if they could turn those twin gatling lasers on the legionnaires then perhaps he wasn't all bad.

“Reluctant Answer: Very well then, assisting you increases the chance of finding my critical memory card by .3% I will help you in your endeavor user.”

“You, can call me Artemis if you'd like.” Artemis offered him nicely.

“Answer: Your customs have been saved user Artemis.”

“Question: And what of you user?” He asked Aroma who seemed to backpedal from him shyly.

“I'm, Aroma. What's your name?” She answer and asked a question of her own.

The machine was silent for a minute. “Confused Answer: I am a Grand Pegasus Enclave assassin mech 2060-B. But the flux of your question implies you request a name like user Artemis's. Of which I have none.”

“You mean, you don't have a name?” Verity asked coldly from his seat, apparently his interest waned as he had sat back down.

“Apology: I lack a user name, but I require none.”

“Then what should we call you?” Serendipity chimed softly.

He was silent for a minute before talking again. “Answer: If you users require a name then you may call me 2060, a shortening of my design name.”

“Are there others like you?” A Follower asked bemused. Verity “hrmph” in his seat.

Artemis to Verity, since his father had fought them then maybe there were other 2060's out there, but he looked so advanced he must have cost a small fortune to build and design. From what he said, 2060 was an assassin mech, he may very well be a product of the Ministry of Wartime Technology. Then again, if he was from the Pegasus Enclave then his origins may lie in the Ministry of Awesome. It made sense, a robot that could replace actual ponies on the battlefield and perform as good, if not better than real ponies. That seemed like something the pre-war government would work on. Artemis was pulled out of her thinking when 2060 spoke.

“Proud Answer: Yes, I am the first model of the 2060 line.”

Aroma's face lit up jubilantly. “I got it! We can call you Alpha!” She decreed.

“Alpha? I was liking 2060 to be honest.” Hans countered.

“Think about it, alpha means first and Alpha here is the first model of his kind. It's perfect!” Aroma argued excitedly.

“Exclamation: User Aroma is correct. Alpha does indeed mean first and this is a fitting name alluding to me being the first of my kind.”

Artemis examined the machine, she was not sure how he came to the decision of actually liking the name Alpha, how did a machine have preference? But to each his own right? She extended her hand out to him, Alpha scanned her before raising his metal hoof to her claw.

“Welcome to the team.” Artemis said warmly as she shook his hand.

“Statement: Glad to be onboard.”

With that their motley little family had grown by one more. A cold and rather metallic Pegasus that announced his sentence before saying it. He had lost his memory over the years and joining Artemis and her gang was the most logistically reasonable path of action.

Artemis, while glad to have a new and capable addition to the team was still hesitant to trust a machine wholeheartedly. Because in the end, it was a machine however advanced. She was skeptical about the possibility of finding his memory cards, it seemed like a one in one million chance of coming across a small chip the size your thumb even if it survived the war. But if Artemis could turn Alpha's weapons at their enemies for the time being then she would accept his help. Not that she never planned on helping Alpha it was just, it wasn't a dire need and he is a machine after all..

Aroma began to talk to Alpha in a haste of questions. “Omigosh I have so many questions. Where were you made? Where'd you come from? Can you think?”

Artemis took this moment to slink back away from the commotion. She sat down by Verity who was stone faced as always, although his eyes did seem to watch Alpha almost intrigued until Artemis sat by him to which he redirected his attention to.

She looked at him, his cornflower blue fur was ruffled and stained with small rust brown bloodstains. Verity, he made her so happy at times and other times he infuriated her; his trepidation about slaying legionnaires in the face of imminent death. But for some reason, at the end of the day she didn't want anyone else.

Verity shrugged his shoulders with a sigh of fatigue and laid his head in her lap to stare at the ceiling and Artemis. She was caught off guard but soon became calm with him. She ran her fingers through the feathers on his head and he seemed to enjoy it. An expression of relief crossed his face.

“Hehe, look at Alpha. Looks like we got another ally in our ranks.” Artemis whispered gently.

Verity gave a small grin. “Yeah, look at us. All we need to do now is rescue some foals from raiders in an abandoned school and then we'd be like the start of every story my grandmother used to tell me.” He said amusingly.

“What do you mean by that?” Artemis asked indulging Verity's story.

“When I was a child, every story my grandmother would tell me had a lone wanderer or a small group of do-gooders rescuing helpless fillies from the dissolute raiders. Then it grew from there.” He explained reminiscently.

Artemis gave her love a gentle smile. “Well it looks like we missed that part and skipped right to the quest didn't we?”

Verity chuckled lightly. “I hear there's plenty of raider hideouts to the north that we could always shoot up sometime.”

Artemis smirked. “Or we could be hipsters and not do that part. To mainstream for us right?”

“Exactly, now all we need is the glasses.” Verity continued the joke.

Now Artemis chuckled. “Oh Verity, if I find some you'll be the first to know.”

They sat in a peaceful silence together while the others went about being themselves. Hans lit a cigarette which Serendipity promptly threw out one of the windows, Aroma continued talking to Alpha who seemed to be talking in return. Artemis continued to rub Verity's head and he eventually closed his eyes. Usually Verity seemed disgruntled or perturbed when he slept but now he seemed content maybe even happy.

“Mmmm..” Verity stirred. “This is what I've been wanting for so long.” Verity said blissfully. Artemis was silent, but she gave a quaint smile.

“This, is what I've wanted.” He explained placing emphasis on “This”.

“This intimacy, it's what I've been looking for in a relationship. We both care for each other and it's so much more than physical. There's no fear.” Verity continued.

Artemis wished this could be forever, this peace and comfort. But with all good things it would come to an end. The usual rhythmic rumble of the wagon's wheel on the bumpy roads eventually slowed and came to a stop. A sad disappointment crossed Verity's face as the engine died and the others began to exit out the back.

“I love you Verity.” Artemis whispered as she pecked him on his forehead.

“Wait, Artemis.” Verity said and returned her peck. “I love you to.” With that he rose from her lap.

“Oh Artemis dear.” Serendipity chirped kindly as Verity exited the wagon.

“Here's your pipbuck back, without it we probably would have been paste under that tank, thank you.” She added tossing the pipbuck to Artemis.

“Oh, don't mention it, it's nothing.” Artemis said humbly.

“Well it may be nothing to you but it saved me and... most of my Followers.” She said in a melancholy tone. “But me and the surviving Followers did reprogram the pipbuck for griffon physiology so now it should be able to tell you accurate statistics when in battle.”

Artemis took the pipbuck. The little icon on the limb page was now replaced with a griffon. Now Aroma would never be able to use it reliably as it was tailored to Artemis now. It felt like stealing a piece of Aroma but Artemis didn't have the heart to tell Serendipity what she did.

“Thank you Serendipity, I really appreciate that.” Artemis lied gladly as she put the pipbuck on. It fit like a glove.

Hoofer Dam, holy hell. Here it was, in the flesh and very very real. Artemis couldn't help but look awestruck as she took in the sight of the dam. The sky was blue but she could feel the pressure here, this place was a powder keg ready to explode. Only minutes later did Artemis realize she was just at a checkpoint, not at the dam proper. Artemis noticed several figures coming to their position. Her heart and mind began to race, until Serendipity waved hello to them.

NCR soldiers trotted hastily to the group. One pony stopped to talk to Serendipity but the other grunts filed into the wagon and started taking their equipment!

“Hey hey hey what the hell are you doing? Stay out of our wagon.” Artemis demanded and a mare with a face warp over mouth turned to meet her.

“Stand back miss, this is a NCR military procedure you're interfering with our search.” She proclaimed with an overbearing voice.

“What the hell're you searching for?!” Artemis argued vehemently. One soldier returned from the wagon with Artemis's duffel bag!

“Sir! We found an famas F1 and several other armaments.” The grunt reported.

“Looks like the little girl has a big toy.” The commanding mare chastised. “Here. We are confiscating your weapons and the droid until you leave Hoofer Dam. You also need to present your NCR passport to the San Palomino Outpost Master otherwise you'll be denied access to NCR.” The mare said arrogantly as she handed Artemis a clipboard with a multitude of papers.

Artemis could not help but feel intimidated by this mare and her paperwork. The talk of passports and confiscation made her feel sick to her stomach, bullshit bureaucracy.

Birthdate, gender, eye color, height, weight, mother, father, sexual orientation, coat color, race, reason for travel, pre-existing NCR citizen yes/no, blood type, diseases, mental disorders, faction associations... The damned papers went on and on! They asked everything from the understandable to the mundane to the simply ridiculous! It seemed as if when you completed one page two rose in its place and Artemis was becoming frustrated.

“I don't want to be apart of your damned system!” Artemis yelled as she tossed the clipboard off the damn with a mighty hurl. The commander mare and her soldiers drew their guns and aimed at Artemis.

“Hey! Stand down maggots! We do not take aim at disgruntled natives! Leave immediately and report to your superiors for reassignment on the double!” Another more commanding voice shouted.

It was the mare Serendipity had been talking to. A deep orange almost rust colored unicorn mare in strange armor with the NCR insignia on the shoulders of her forelegs. She wore a tan beret over her head. The mare that had been harassing Artemis timidly approached her commander.

“Reassignment sir...” She squeaked.

The beret pony grinned sinisterly. “You report to my quarters and await personal punishment, and put your socks on. That's an order.”

“Yes sir.” She replied seductively. Did Artemis just think what happened really happened? Before she could ponder the beret pony walked up to the gang.

“Sorry about that, the ponies stationed here are nervous and mistrustful of natives. I'm Ranger Rusty, I hear you guys are the noble heroes that saved my sister Serendipity no?” Rusty was friendly with her tone despite having just chewed out several soldiers.

Artemis cooled down. This mare seemed okay or at least okay-er than the commander. “Yeah we got her out of Clopton, but she helped us out to so y'know.” Artemis deflected the ranger's praise.

Rusty eyed Artemis up before resuming. “Yes anywho my superiors predicted your arrival.” She said in a causal manner.

Artemis raised an eyebrow at the mare. “You mean your father Calamity?” Rusty was caught off guard by Artemis's knowledge but hid it well enough to shrug it off.

“The very same. He wants to see you by the way, immediately.” She told the group somewhat ominously.

How did General Calamity know they were coming to the dam? Spies? Did his daughter somehow tell him? Those damned twins that oddly never appeared anymore? Whatever alerted Mr. Calamity to their presence would soon be brought into the light, and Artemis oddly looked forward to meeting this general...

“Very well, take us to your leader.” Artemis said casually, trying to not sound intimidated.

Rusty nodded and began to walk into the dam walk proper. She lowered herself under a security gate and continued on. Artemis and Verity hovered over it nonchalantly, and from the elevation Artemis received a breathtaking view of the dam under the cloudless blue sky.

A colossal wall of concrete, cracked and dirty split the mountain in two like a grand titan holding two great doors ajar for an eternity. A once great river was dammed behind one side of the wall leaving the river a miserable trickle of water while the other side held an immense lake whose water was being cycled over and over in massive turbines connected to the dam in a marvel of engineering. The generators roared and rumbled with the turn of their turbines and water occasionally splashed onto the dam road.

“Ahh, that's Lake Mareizona.” Rusty commented.

Soldiers in dull brown uniforms patrolled about the dam. Signs and poster of the NCR adorned nearly every reasonable nook. Every pole bore a NCR flag which displayed blue two-headed with an odd cosmic starry fur on it, “New Canterlot Republic” the flags proclaimed. Propaganda posters were glued, taped and nailed to many walls. “This is a Ranger! He fights for your freedom!”A poster said in big bold letters with a picture of a pony in pre-war riot armor. Artemis wondered if Rusty owned a suit of that of armor? It looked fierce. There were other assortments of NCR posters of their very own design, not just reused pre-war stuff. This was newly printed at a factory. Artemis couldn't help but feel impressed, another civilization had arisen, on that it seemed could match the Legion.

Another impressive feature about the dam was its defenses. Spaced evenly on the towers of the dam stood massive cannons. These flak cannons were far larger than any howitzer Artemis had ever seen, her mouth was unknowingly open in awe.

“I see you like the BFC's we got out here. Got them from our good friends in Friendship City to help keep the dam secure.” Rusty remarked with a nod.

“What does BFC mean?” Aroma asked shyly.

Rusty rolled her eyes. “Hehe it means Big Fucking Cannon. Dadd- General Calamity says they could even hurt a Raptor or a dragon.” Aroma seemed to grimace at the thought as did several others. Artemis couldn't see why a dragon or monster that size would attack the dam, the cannons would be to damaging to fire at normal infantrymen without cause massive collateral damage to the dam thus making them near useless.

“After you, proceed down the stairs until you to get to f3.” Rusty said as she used her magic to open a door into the stairs of the dam.

Lighting was sparse inside the stairwell and the door clanged with a loud bang when it shut behind them. Rusty returned to the front of the pack and led them down the service stairs. Lone lights on the wall of the new floor were all that lit the stairwell, the floor was a corny yellowish marble and a stuffy musk filled the air.

The gang descended floor after floor until they came upon a floor marker “f3” the third floor. Outside the door were sentries in bulky power armor adorned with the symbol of the NCR bear-mutant. Artemis was surprised by the heavily armored guards in their bulky armor.

“Wow, power armor...” She whispered to herself in awe.

“They're Steel Rangers.” Verity whispered in her ear, you could feel the warmth of his breath.

“Nope, sorry sir. I'm afraid your facts are wrong.” Rusty butted in their conversation rudely.

“Then what are they?” Verity grumbled unamused at being corrected.

“The Steel Rangers and Applejack's Rangers were integrated into the NCR military with the Treaty of Broken Steel. They are now called NCR heavy troopers.” Artemis knew little about the Steel Rangers besides the common knowledge that they crusaded for pre-war technologies and horded them not to mention their renowned firepower, however Artemis knew nothing of the Applejack's Rangers. It bewildered her to imagine how such an isolated order would integrate with something that disagreed with their core doctrines, Artemis imagined they didn't join peacefully.

“Well, this it, this is where we stop.” Rusty said finally. She seemed to look uneasy by the door to her father's office. The door was wide wooden door with fuzzy glass that obscured the room inside.

“Do these natives have clearance to see the general?” A heavy troop rumbled sounding displeased that Artemis and her friends were even there at the dam, walking among NCR people.

“Yes, I've fast tracked them past customs and immigration and besides I don't answer to you.” Rusty answered with a snarky tone and a brush of her mane. The stallion seemed to hide a disgruntled snort and walked away.

“You guys have fun now.” Rusty gestured towards the door by lowering her head. Now Artemis was beginning to feel a slight trepidation of this meeting. A nervous heat gathered in the back of her mind. Would this Calamity really friend or foe?

Artemis slowly grabbed the cold door knob and turned it. The door creaked as it opened. She peaked inside cautiously. It, it was an office. A simple office with several old antiques about the room. A painting of a lower middle-aged griffon that somewhat resembled Priscilla, Artemis's mother. A flag of the NCR stood on a small pole in the left corner of the office and a flag of the old Equestria on the right.

The room was darker than she would've liked. Many of the relics and antiques were obscured by a shadowy curtain cast by the dim lighting. Two small circular windows were behind the desk that looked out into the valley that used to be the river. The blue morning sky had now become an ominous fiery orange as the sun began to set. And last but not least behind several objects on the desk sat a pony, masked by the shadowy lighting.

“Please, sit down.... All of you.” The general whispered and waved his hoof.

Artemis's neck hairs stood with the bone chilling calmness or coldness of his tone. That anxiety was reflected on the others faces as well, excluding Verity and Alpha who seemed indifferent. Uneasily Artemis walked inside and the others in tow. They flooded into the room but remained close to the door as it clicked shut.

“Please sit down.... Take a chair as needed.” Calamity said from the shadows. Artemis looked and saw a stack of folded chairs neatly stacked on one another. She nodded to her companions to follow her to get their chairs.

“She was right, you all do remind me of us back then.” Calamity commented glumly as they situated their chairs in front of his desk. Artemis did not know how to respond and remained silent.

Once they were all situated the general leaned over his desk and turned on his lamp. In a second the darkness that masked his face was purged. What Artemis saw surprised her but then again what had she expected?

General Calamity was a rust colored Pegasus stallion with with an orange mane that was beginning to gray. His face bore a grimace that gave testimony to the violence he had seen over the course of his life. Calamity was up in his years, he wore his wrinkles well but it was prevalent he was old enough to have been in the Enclave War.

He wore a green suit with a black tie. The suit was heavily decorated with badges and medals of all sorts. His suit collar had five golden dashes on the ends of each side. Safe to say he was very well renowned and important to the NCR.

“Father I...” Serendipity began but Calamity interrupted her.

“I heard you left Old Maremon, go to your room and your mother and I will discuss your blatant disregard of our rules young lady.” Calamity said stoney but calmly. Did everyone in this family have a gene that enabled you to order people to their rooms or something? Serendipity sighed and nodded defeated, she rose and left her father's office with her head lowered.

“So now, on to our business.” General Calamity began by leaning back in his chair.

“What is our business?” Artemis asked trying to mask her anxiety.

Calamity leaned back casually in his chair but still looked official in his suit and tie. “Well, first order of business is yer reward, y'all did save my daughter after all.” He spoke in a strangely folkish accent that quite frankly didn’t fit a general of his rank really but it was obvious that decades of being behind a desk had whittled away his rural tongue.

“Whatever you heart desires.” He added in a frivolous tone.

Artemis almost rejected his hospitality seeing that Serendipity did purchase Aroma's cybernetics but something did manifest in her mind. It seemed like a thought that was not her own but yet she felt compelled to ask the general.

“We, we want to know about your radio stations.” Artemis answered Calamity's offer. This caught him off guard and he raised an eyebrow suspiciously and sat up close to his desk.

“Why?” He asked defensively.

Artemis was silent. She was inquiring about the number station, she was trying to coax any information out of him. From his posture and body language the radio obviously meant something to him or she had asked a potentially personal question.

“Because, I'm looking for something or... someone.” Artemis said trying to remain vague about the number station.

Calamity simply tapped his hooves together in an indifferent motion. “A native of the San Palomino wouldn't understand but our radios are a big part of our culture and history.”

“I guess I wouldn't...” Artemis responded.

“No, you wouldn't.” Calamity cut.

He stood to his hooves and walked over to one of his windows. He held a hoof to it and looked outside longingly. Now Artemis noticed several more very important attributes of the old Pegasus. First, one of his wings had a metallic brace spanning it's length, he was a cyberpony just like Aroma. The next detail was even more disturbing. His cutie mark was, not his own. Artemis recognized that symbol as the cutie mark of Rainbow Dash, the mare of the MoA. As Artemis connected the pieces she began to see an alarming picture of Calamity.

That cutie mark proclaimed him a dashite, exiles of the Grand Pegasus Enclave. Since the Enclave was no more the dashite would go extinct with them. This meant that not only had Calamity been in the Enclave Wars, but a full fledged member of the Enclave military! What had Calamity done all those years ago and what got him kicked out of the Enclave?

Calamity sighed in disappointment looking outside. “We, the NCR. We used to mean something, I was there when we all decided to make NCR a reality. It was at the height of the war, we were all just kids back then fighting the Enclave and making up the rules as we went along.”

Artemis glanced to Verity while Calamity's back was turned towards the windows. Verity shrugged signaling that he did not know what to do besides wait for the general to finish his story. Verity actually seemed intent on hearing the general's tale.

“Our radio station was hope back then. It showed the Enclave and the wasteland that all was not lost, that we were still very alive and kicking. But, now, things have changed...” He recounted with a mix of longing, melancholy and sadness.

“What's wrong with today?” Aroma asked kindly.

Calamity sighed. “We've got old world blues I reckon...” He answered. Aroma didn't quite understand what his phrase meant unfortunately.

“It's when you're so obsessed with the past that you can't see the present, nor the future.” Calamity explained glumly.

There was a long pregnant pause as silence engulfed the room. Calamity continued to gaze longingly out his window. The orange light of the sunset illuminated his face and tired eyes. Artemis began to feel uneasy, the general had derailed the conversation with his recollections. The expressions of the others displayed worry as well. Artemis wanted to interrupt the general nicely but failed to find the correct cue to do so. Calamity continued his lament.

“At the beginning the New Canterlot Republic was about everypony comin' together to make a better future, to help ponies, to do what ponies were meant to do.” Calamity sighed heavily.

“Worst part is, we did for a time. We helped ponies, and we thrived as a new nation. But now, now things've changed.”

“Now we've become massive and stagnant. We're about rules, laws and politicians. They bicker about while there's work to be done and ponies get hurt because of our hesitation and debates.”

“Then we found the dam. We sent out scouts to find more star batteries but instead they found this place. Our leaders mobilized our army and sent us out here, and we restored the dam to working order thus giving our citizens the gift of electricity again.”

“That sounds like a great thing you did for your people general.” Lady said gently trying to cheer him up. Calamity only nodded disheartened.

“It was, for a time. But soon we became Equestria, we now fight and die here to defend the dam. We exchange blood to keep the lights on, just like the world before.” Calamity finished dispirited.

Calamity's words took hold on Artemis's mind. He was right, Equestria had died in a war for resources. Ponies died in droves just so the people back home could continue to flip a switch, listen to the radio, talk on a phone or ride a train. It was awful to imagine, a huge machine that needed to be fed people to continue running. Bloody bones and gore snapping and mashing in it's great gears as they churned to generate the power and worst of all the ponies would do it with a smile to keep their machine running. Blood for electricity...

“I see you understand now Artemis.” Calamity said dourly but glad someone else understood.

Artemis was about to agree when a thought came to her mind. “Wait, how did you know my name?” She asked puzzled.

Calamity gave a subtle smirk. “An old friend of mine told me.”

“Who is this friend?” Verity asked.

Calamity shrugged and seemed to look into the sky from his window. “No one, but sometimes I wonder if she looks down on us and is ashamed.”

Calamity finally finished his lamentation and stepped away from his window and collapsed back into his leather chair. He was a tragic figure. Artemis felt sorry for the old Pegasus, Calamity didn't want to be a general he just wanted to save ponies from danger. But now he lived in a golden prison. This office is his posh cell. His uniform an ornate inmate suit. His badges and government responsibilities were anchors, anvils, and chains keeping him from flying high into the sky. Artemis believed he would happily cast off his hat and suit for the weathered black desperado hat that rested on a hat pole and the dusty aged battle-saddle in the corner of the room. Calamity was a slave no more than Artemis's mother except in a metaphoric sense.

“I'm sorry you had to hear that spew, I just don't have a lot of people to talk to. I try to hide my discontent from the troops for morale’s sake.” Calamity apologized and dug into a drawer in his desk. He removed a key ring with two keys on it and tossed it to Artemis.

“There's your reward for saving Serendipity, it's an apartment in New Appaloosa.” He said beginning to retire from the conversation.

A home? Artemis never really had a home before. A place to call her own, where she could hang her rifle at the end of the day. A place they could all live. It was a very gracious gift indeed.

“Oh wow thank you general.” Artemis said happily, although she masked her disappointment in Calamity for dodging her question about NCR's radio stations.

“And I didn't forget your question about the radio either. If you want to talk about the stations then you want Dj Pon3 in Manehattan, Tenpony Tower to be exact. Tell his assistant, an older mare named Homage, tell her Calamity says thirty-one. She'll know you're legitimate then.” Calamity explained ambiguously. Artemis could never guess what thirty-one could mean to this Homage character but that was a bridge to cross in the future.

“I'll remember that.” Artemis said as she saved a new note in her pipbuck.

“Now if you'll excuse me I need to talk to my daughter. Maybe we'll see each other again.” Calamity said cordially, but Artemis knew they would meet again very soon in the coming battle for Hoofer Dam.

Just as the group was leaving Artemis turned back to Calamity who was simply sitting as his desk not seeming to do anything but play with a peculiar radio.

“General..” Artemis said quietly, almost a whisper. Calamity raised an eyebrow.

“You, you be careful out here. This is Legion country, they're ruthless, just be ready for an attack okay.” Artemis felt compelled to warn the weary general.

Calamity almost smiled. “Thanks, I'll put my men on watch.”

“Hurry on now, you're on a quest. But I figured you could use a place to unload your equipment and unwind so I suggest visiting New Appaloosa first then heading where you'd be headed.” Calamity suggested.

“Yes, thanks again general.” Artemis told him nicely as she hugged the door to leave.

“And, please call me Calamity.” The general- Calamity said warmly.

“Artemis...” Calamity added once again although this time in a hushed whisper.

“Yes Calamity?” Artemis answered edging her way out.

“The closet makes noises, but don't hire an exterminator and if you find the truth, keep it a secret until we speak again.” Calamity told her. That creeped Artemis out to no end. Was this apartment haunted or something?

But she didn't want to look a gift horse in the mouth so Artemis nodded politely and left, being sure to close the door quietly. Outside the office the heavy troopers were still gone and her friends were all huddled about whispering to one another about the recent discussion. She handed the apartment key to Aroma since Artemis had no saddlebags on her person at the moment.

“What did you think of all that Arty?” Hans asked in a hushed tone.

Artemis rolled her eyes and shrugged her head. “I dunno, he seemed so-”

“Caution: Perhaps we should leave the dam before discussing the general. It is highly likely that we may be under surveillance from the three cameras in this hallway.”

Verity nodded agreeing with Alpha. “Yes, I concur with the machine. We should hold our tongues for the present.”

Artemis became more and more antsy the longer they lingered at the dam. The group walked the claustrophobic halls of the dam's concrete, steel reinforced interior. More posters adorned the inside with more pro-NCR propaganda. After reading a small directory they made their way to a service elevator.

No elevator music accompanied their ride, just the nervous rumble rumble of the gears moving the cart. Artemis glanced around at her companions. Verity, Aroma, Hans, Alpha, Hayseed and Lady. To think that is was barely a whole month before her life was turned upside down and she was forever saddled to these people in the quest for the number station. You had Aroma the quirky and shy engineer. Hans the raunchy and hedonistic gunslinger who had been with Artemis since the beginning. Verity the emotionless Legion centurion that was now her lover. You had Alpha the mysterious assassin mech. Although Artemis knew little about him or it, knowing the colorful characters they seemed to pick up he'd fit along just fine. Sheesh! Verity was right, they really do sound like characters in a bad bedtime story!

Ding! The elevator opened. The sky burned a fiery orange as the sun lowered giving way to night. The wagon pulled up to the gate leading into the NCR. Several soldiers exited the vehicle as did some troops from the back, they carried several boxes with stamps on them.

“Who's the owner of this vehicle?” A trooper asked the group.

“We do, sir.” Hayseed replied and trotted to the stallion.

“Very well, here take this.” He said and indifferently and somewhat snobbishly. He handed Hayseed a file with several papers in it held together by a paperclip.

“Those are some papers you need to fill out so you can be registered. You'll need a drivers license to drive it on NCR roads and we discovered this as well.” The stallion said and pulled out a small crumpled piece of paper.

“What's it say?” Artemis asked making sure this stallion wasn't causing to much trouble although there was little she could do. He had the system on his side...

The soldier wrapped the paper in his telekinesis. “It's a document. Apparently this vehicle was a prisoner transport from the Shattered Hoof Correctional Facility. You'll have to take it to Shattered Hoof and get it documented and return it to them.”

“Like hell! It's mine, I found it AND repaired it, she's mine!” Hayseed erupted. Him and the trooper argued over this for a good minute. Artemis saw where Hayseed was coming, she would be irate in the same situation as well. Several soldiers in the backdrop were beginning to look nervous. Artemis decided to try and split up the argument before a soldier pulled out a gun. But that all stopped with her.

“Oh, please gentleponies.” An innocent voice whispered but every NCR troop halted.

There, not three feet away stood an older charcoal unicorn. She wore a decorated medic's uniform and a small pair of glasses on her face. Her mane was snow white with stripes of red and yellow running across it. She walked with an air of compassion and grace Artemis hadn't seen since she last saw her mother. This mare walked over to Hayseed and the soldier and gingerly wrapped the document in her magic.

“What document were you two arguing about?” She inquired nicely.

Before either one could answer the mare crumpled the paper and tossed it with her magic. The ball fell over Hoofer Dam never to be seen again. She returned her sweet gaze to Hayseed and his opponent. The soldier was wordless and slowly turned and withdrew, defeated.

“Wow, thank you ma'am.” Hayseed said gratefully.

She chuckled lightly. “Oh, ma'am, you make me feel so old. Here Calamity wanted me to give you this, silly old stallion would forget his tail if it wasn't stuck to him.” She said as she handed Hayseed a badge. He looked at it ignorant of it's purpose. Luckily the mare discovered this and took the liberty to explain.

“That's a Ranger Badge. It should help you get around NCR without getting stuck in our bureaucratic nonsense. A good friend told me you might need it.” She explained pleasantly. Who the hell was this good friend people kept mentioning anyway?

Before Artemis could ask that very question the older medic pony turned to her with another package. “And this is for you Artemis, it's a radio you can use to call Rusty and some rangers when you need some backup, but it'll only work while your in the NCR.” She levitated Artemis a small device, it was less a radio and more of a small black box with a red button inside.

“Oh, why thank you, Mrs. Remedy.” Artemis thanked and read the name tag on her medic coat.

“Oh thank you for saving my daughter.” Velvet replied. So this was Serendipity and Rusty's mother. That meant Calamity was her husband, Artemis couldn't help but aww inside. They were a charmingly rustic couple. Artemis imagined when they slept, how cute it must be.

“Aww shoot Mrs. Remedy it's no problem, we just did what, y'know, anyone else, would've y'know.” Artemis mumbled and tripped over her words.

Velvet must have found her mumblings endearing. She gave a quaint smile. “Speaking of Serendipity, me and Calamity have to go speak with her. Ta ta.” Artemis imagined it must be more cute than scary when she was angered.

“Wait!” Artemis whispered to Velvet. She turned around expectantly towards Artemis.

“Yes, is there something else?” She asked kindly.

“Your husband gave me a key to an apartment, but he also said something else. Is the apartment haunted?” Artemis asked worriedly.

Velvet smiled gently. “Oh no dear, what he means is that there is something for you in the closet. But I pray you, when you find it keep quiet about it until the time is right.” Velvet implored in hushed voice.

“....” Artemis was unsure about what this meant but she felt like she was being left out of the know and that put her on edge. “Okay, Mrs. Remedy, I'll keep calm about whatever I find.”Artemis promised.

~Later~

Artemis started packing the boxes back into the wagon along with the others. However, Hayseed had some parting words for the soldiers.

“Here's my Ranger Badge, now get the hell away from my stuff!” Hayseed said triumphantly over the NCR troops who scurried off back to their positions. After prancing excitedly he made his way back to the wagon as the others were getting onboard.

“Think you enjoyed yourself a little much dear?” Lady commented snidely as she lifted one foal into the bus.

Hayseed smiled and tilted his head. “Hmm, nah! I think I did it just right.” He answered and climbed into the driver seat.

Artemis eavesdropped as she began to unload the boxes. That was something she always wanted. Whatever you called it, love, companionship, it was something she always wanted but was afraid to act on those feelings and wants. Until White Tail that was, but there was always the fear of losing him or them breaking up. That was something that had always kept Artemis from gathering the courage to break that wall. But maybe she really could have that with Verity. It seemed like a pipe dream at best but hell she blew up a tank with him so their relationship had some mettle right? She felt confident in their relationship and that good with her.

Finally she unpacked her famas and began to reassemble it after the inspectors had disassembled it. Aroma yawned and laid down in a seat to catch some z's. Verity glanced at Artemis but when she met his eyes he quickly but smoothly turned his eyes elsewhere, was he checking her out? It seemed out of character for him but it brought Artemis smug satisfaction that she was aesthetically pleasing to him. She would be lying if she said she had never checked him out in return, maybe he had caught he before and got this same satisfaction. Alpha seemed to scan everyone, his gaze moved from person to person. Last but not least Hans waved goodbye and blew a kiss to an officer behind the wagon.

“Goodbye honey, stay alive now.” Hans said femininely and daintily waved his hoof goodbye. Artemis smiled.

“Who's your love now?” She asked with a smirk. She knew she couldn't offend Hans in thousand year, not after all the stunts they pulled together.

“A Quartermaster, or he's an officer whatever. He'll be a nice present for when we come back one day.” Hans answered with his eyes facing dam as the wagon began to drive away.

“You won't break off from the battle for a quickie now will you?” Artemis joked.

“Hmm, maybe just a quick one. No penetration, unless I'm feeling brave.” He smirked.

Artemis chuckled. “I wouldn't put it past you.”

They laughed and joked as the wagon drove from the dam into the NCR. Artemis didn't know what awaited them there, but this really was happening wasn't it? Leaving the San Palomino and the Legion... it felt great, like an elephant was off your back or maybe you just traded one elephant for a different elephant.

However one thing still lingered in Artemis's forethought. Why had Calamity and Velvet Remedy been so intent about the closet at this apartment? Was there a ghost, was it really haunted? Personally Artemis didn't believe in ghost.. sort of, though those two green mares were certainly not of the mortal plane. Maybe there was some kind of weapon she could use to fight? Or maybe it could be some kind of clue about the number station? That last one sounded the most plausible but Artemis couldn't shake the feeling that she was merely a pawn for someone, or perhaps multiple persons in a grand game for control of the wasteland....

Chapter 20 - And The Truth Shall Set You Free

Chapter 20: And the truth shall set you free

“Supplies are runnin' low but we have enough for breakfast, maybe even a small lunch if were pious with this meal.” Hayseed commented as he sifted through a box of food stuffs that was supposed to be their merchandise. Again, Artemis was stealing from them in a sense.

Everyone except Lady who was changing the foal's diapers sat outside the pre-war prisoner transport as Hayseed fixed breakfast. The sky was an aquamarine blue with the backdrop of the green earth and rolling hills. NCR was truly a marvelous place seemingly untouched by the balefire bombs that scorched the land so long ago. But how did it return to this state of health and life? The zebras just didn't decide to spare the Equestrian Heartland of the balefire holocaust, actually this region should be even more devastated! This was a query Artemis often found surfacing in her thoughts. Perhaps an NCR citizen would know?

The others sat about on a dirty yellow quilt that blanketed the green grass as they waited for Hayseed to finish cooking breakfast. This only extrapolated her feelings of laziness and stagnation. The feeling only grew with time. Hans glanced at Hayseed's flanks while his back was turned to cook breakfast. Verity just seemed to sit there quietly, what was going through his mind? The cornflower blue griffon reminded Artemis of herself in a sense, deep in thought, he had her on stoicism but he seemed extremely reserved. Alpha sat on his metallic haunches as his head turned back and forth, back and forth, back and forth as he simply watched. Aroma released a hushed cry as she injected herself with the neuropozyne that the Followers had given her for her cybernetics. Weekly injections stopped the body's possibility of rejecting her new ears. After she injected the green liquid into her body with a hiss Aroma removed the needle and put it back in the pouch with her other syringes.

“Uh Aroma, maybe you should throw those away. That might be considered biohazardous waste now that you've used it.” Artemis suggested casually trying to drum up conversation.

Aroma glanced at the used needle but then looked around her. “I don't have anywhere to properly get rid of it.” She replied sounding guilty.

“Besides, I won't be losing these so I think I'll hold on to these until they're all gone and I have to get some more.” Aroma chirped as she stowed her pouch in her saddlebag.

“Breakfast is ready.” Hayseed announced stopping Artemis from falling into her thoughts.

An hour later they had all eaten their small breakfast brought to you and part by Hayseed's Caravan! Because when you're a humble family saddled with five heavily armed persons what else can you do?! Artemis still felt like they were abusing the small little family that was just trying to get by in this but she reminded herself to smile and say thanks for the food.

“Thanks for the food Hayseed.” Artemis said and flew a friendly smile.

Hayseed tipped his hat. “Don't mention it, we're more than happy to help. You ready to make the final huzzah to New Appaloosa?” He asked with a cheery finality. His words sent an odd chill down Artemis's spine, the last huzzah. It sounded as if this were the endgame of her quest. Her quest, wow they really were on a quest, an odyssey. But how come she didn't feel like a hero saving the day? She just felt like a hasbin way in over her head.

“Let's do it. I wanna see this town.” Artemis replied. She was indeed ready to see this New Appaloosa. They had traveled nearly the entire east coast of the continent and now it was time for answers.

Hayseed nodded, removed his hat and walked to the driver's door and hopped in. Artemis and the others helped clean up the breakfast refuse while Lady herded the foals onboard. Artemis raised the ramp and slid the back door shut. The engine rumbled to life and with a jarring shift the wagon moved onto the dirt road.

…..

Artemis held a council with the others in the back of the wagon as they decided their next course of action. Future planning would prove useful to them, and Artemis didn't want everyone to get bored. They sat in a jumbled circle, even Alpha because why not. For a machine he seemed like he fit in just like the perfect puzzle piece in their crazy little band.

“So what's on your mind Artemis?” Aroma asked cordially. The others looked at Artemis quizzically.

Artemis assembled her thoughts. “Well it's about Hayseed and Lady. We've basically taken over their whole lives and pretty much made them our slaves.” She began.

Verity hmph'd. “There's worse we could to do to them. I actually thought you were going to suggest hijacking this vehicle.”

Artemis didn't have a response to that suggestion. A thought like that had never crossed her mind but knowing that it had grown in Verity's was off putting. “Uhhh no, no hijacking. I had a more benevolent plan in mind.”

“What's the plan baby girl?” Hans asked casually but was offset by his risque' position laying around their circle.

“I don't want them going up to Fillydelphia with us. From what I've heard it's a hellhole of unmatched proportion, I'd much rather have them stay at Calamity's apartment while were gone.” Artemis revealed her proposition. The others nodded commenting in agreement or disagreement.

“You're probably right, Hayseed and Lady aren't trained for combat scenarios but neither am I.” Aroma said sheepishly.

“Don't sell yourself short Aroma. You've survived plenty of stuff, that Hunter's sniper the first night I met you, hell you saved us that night at the gas station and you held your own in Clopton.” Artemis reminded her stablepony friend.

Aroma looked with a melancholy smile when Hans asked bluntly. “Hunter? What's that?”

“I never told you about the Hunters?” She said disappointed in her possible shortcoming.

Hans rubbed his chin. “I don't think you have. I came along later after you met Artemis in Palomino.” He turned to Verity. “Has Aroma told about these hunters?” He asked Verity confused.

Verity shrugged. “No she have not. Aroma is a quiet pony.” He grumbled.

Aroma murmured worriedly. “No, it's not that. I'm just super shy around you guys...”

Aroma spent the next ten minutes reiterating her tale for the others. How she had taken her friend's place in the election and forced out into the wasteland, meeting Artemis and surviving her hunters where ever they lurked.

“Oh my goddesses Aroma honey that was a heart touching story. Why didn't you tell us about your Stable earlier?” Hans exclaimed dramatically and hugged her.

“So, you sacrificed yourself for a friend.... how noble.” Verity rumbled not moving from his seat.

Aroma patted Hans's head nicely. “Sacrificed? I mean to return one day. We'll all go together and be a happy family.” Aroma reminded.

Artemis grimaced inside, that dream seemed too idealistic for this cruel world. The following silence put a worried look on Aroma's face.

“What? Once I make a group of six friends and defeat the Hunters we'll have won and we can go to Stable G and live happily ever after.” Aroma said defensively unknowingly holding Hans's head tighter now.

“Why just six?” Artemis asked trying to stop the conversation from heading to Aroma's rude awakening.

Aroma rummaged her eyebrows curiously. “Why six? Because that's what the Overmare instructed me to do. Six companions and once I unite them we go back to Stable G for the next part of the game.”

“Next part?” Verity commented curiously raising an eyebrow.

Aroma tightened her grip on Hans who started to struggle to free himself. “Yeah there's a second part to this game of mine... but no one's ever survived long enough to unite six friends.” Aroma said and slowly grimaced.

“Is that why you were hell bent on keeping Obsidian Shine alive? You saw a potential ally didn't you?” Artemis figured. The name Obsidian Shine still had an icy cold to it.

Aroma became flustered. “Yes, I thought she could've been more. But now she's dead and probably on a cross outside Gryphondale.” She scowled at Verity.

Artemis spoke before Verity could retaliate verbally. The last thing they needed was a fight. “Six? You got me, Verity, Hans, and Alpha. All of us together makes five, you just need one more.” Artemis noted counting with her talons.

Verity shook his head. “Tsk tsk tsk. Aroma you will never live in the Stable again.” Aroma grimaced visibly and braced herself for the Verity's bad news.

“Things will never be the same for you now, you've been outside, you've killed ponies. Even if you could go back things would never be the same. The people in your Stable would see you differently, the foals would try to emulate you and leave the Stable. If I know Stables, you've left for good. If you're lucky you'll return for a short while to receive your next mission but you will never -live- there again.” Verity explained cynically.

Tears ran slowly down the orange pony's cheeks. She dropped Hans who inhaled and exhaled sporadically. “.... I... will never go home again? My family, my friends.. no..” She hung her head and began to sob.

It broke Artemis's heart to see the tender earth pony cry. She didn't deserve that, she didn't deserve to lose her family and home just for because of her Stable's social experiment.

“Well, we're like your family.” Artemis tried to cheer her friend up.

Aroma sniffled and rose her head, her eyes were teary and she bit her lip. “... You guys, my family...” She whimpered. “But, if I can't have my loved ones again then what's the point?” She added glumly.

Verity shook his head. “You sacrificed yourself because you want this Stellar pony to live on right?” Aroma shook her head in agreement. “Then you go on because you know that every night you're out here she's in her Stable safe and sound, because of you. You're the reason she's safe.” Verity explained in his subtle but commanding voice.

Aroma's tears seemed to cease. She blinked the remnants away and wiped her nose with the sleeve of her jumpsuit. “She's safe... because of me and she'll live to be old, because of me.” Aroma said with a rising sobriety.

Verity only nodded.

Aroma calmed down. Although she was still shaken by the idea that she may never go home ever again she did seem to come to terms with the possibility of it. It was a start and Aroma had a whole new family that would be there with her in her hour of need. If only Artemis had learned that earlier.

…..

Aroma and Alpha were talking with one another as the wagon rumbled from the occasional bump in the road. Artemis was examining her famas and what was left of her armor. The Leopard2 battle left her armor little more than smoldering clothes that smelled faintly of ozone. Her famas was scorched to an unusable state even after getting back from the NCR inspectors at Hoofer Dam. Black lumps of melted metal gathered and cooled on certain parts of the rifle, clearly this gun was little more than a doorstop now. Artemis eyed her baby sadly.

“Well ol' girl looks like that was your last battle.” She lamented. Artemis doubted that anyone besides a gunsmith of ungodly skill would be able to repair her baby; there just came point where something was to damaged to go on.

“Guess I'm in the market for a new signature weapon huh?” She told her broken famas stoically.

She sifted through the little firearms Hayseed had in his inventory. Dammit she was taking advantage of them again. This was their stuff not her's, how complacent had she grown? With an irritated sigh she ended her rummaging and instead examined her m1911. It was in decent condition but compared to her rifle it might as well be straight off the pre-war assembly line. Personally Artemis was just keeping herself busy to avoid falling into her thoughts. What did that mean when you're scared to fall into your thoughts? It seemed whenever she pondered on something her thoughts would just throw her around in vicious circles.

“I still don't understand Alpha.” Aroma proclaimed in a confused tone. Artemis perked up and began to eavesdrop.

“Exasperation: Must I reiterate again? I have no gender or genitalia, I am neuter.”

“Conjecture: Your continued use of the -he- pronoun may be because of my voice setting.”

Aroma blinked. “But still, wouldn't you want to be a boy or girl? I just felt calling you an it might offend you?” She emphasized the pronoun it.

“Correction: Since I have no gender the only correct way you should refer to me is with -it-.”

A coy smile happened across Aroma's face. “Ohhhh so you're a Grammar Neighzi?” She chuckled.

“Perplexed: I know not of what faction you speak of. I am just informing you about the correct way to address me.”

“Sure thing dude, I'll remember it.” Aroma said smirked.

“Audio file-recording2299:” Alpha said and then out of nowhere a hideous growl rumbled through the air. Artemis jumped to her feet, her neck hairs stood on end. Aroma shot back away from Alpha.

“What was that?!” She said breathing heavily.

“Satisfaction: An audio recording in my memory banks.” Artemis lowered her gun and sighed.

“What the hell made that noise?” She asked Alpha.

“Statement: There was no monster. I merely recorded your voice User Aroma and played it backwards and slowed six thousand times.” Aroma was shocked as were the others.

“Addendum: I only played the file to get back at User Aroma for goading me about her improper vernacular.”

Artemis glanced to Aroma who was still surprised her little voice could be transformed into something so monstrous sounding. It made Artemis hate to see what he could do with a real monster's voice.

“So, so it was a joke?” Aroma said timidly and slowly approached the robotic Pegasus.

“Affirmation: Yes User Aroma it was a joke.”

“B,b,but why?” Aroma said still shaken.

“Statement: I enjoy striking fear into organics.....” His words hung in the air ominously. Artemis looked to Alpha and then to Aroma who reflected her hidden worry.

There was a pregnant pause in the room before Alpha let out a static sigh. “Satirical Statement: Sheesh you two look as if I'm going to harvest all organic life and preserve them in giant machines.”

“You're not helping your case.” Verity commented idly from his chair. He did not wear the worry Aroma did. It's not that Artemis was legitimately worried about Alpha it was just unheard of for a machine to crack jokes. Although it was apparent that Alpha had a rather disturbing view of comedy.

“Playful Indignation: And I'm the robot?” Alpha stood up and primly turned around and faced away from the others.

“Miscellaneous Effect: Hmph!” Alpha sat down but kept his mechanical nose high.

Artemis scratched her head confused. It still didn't make sense, Alpha was a machine incapable of any kind of self thought but yet here he was acting like a real pony. The more Artemis tried to wrap her mind around the Pegasus the stranger he became. A machine no matter how advanced could not think for itself. Alpha was not sentient he probably just had to have very life-like processors right? Although Artemis far from knowledgeable about robots.

Aroma snapped Artemis out her thoughts with a mischievous grin. Artemis raised an eyebrow at the orange pony but Aroma only put her hoof to her lip in a hushing gesture. Lithely Aroma crept up on the metallic pony. With a leap she jumped on Alpha's back and started finagling with his settings. Quickly the robopony stood and immediately tried to buck her off his back.

“Vague Threat: User Aroma I request you get off me before I take countermeasures.” But Aroma held on until she had made the changes.

Once she changed his settings Alpha finally dislodged her. She fell with grunt but still looked satisfied with her prank whatever it was. It appeared Alpha glowered at her but his eyes showed no emotion. They were simply big yellow lens that made a helluva nightlight.

“What countermeasures?” Aroma said with a chuckle.

“...” Alpha didn't speak he just seemed to glare.

“Something wrong Alpha? What'd she do to you?” Artemis inquired curious to see what Aroma had done.

Alpha only shook his metal plated head.

“You wanna tell us?” Artemis amended.

“Resignation: I don't want to talk about it.” He no she said in a very feminine voice.

Aroma busted out laughing and Artemis snickered as well. Alpha's voice that was undoubtedly male now sounded like a young mare! She had to admit it was quite comical. Big bad Alpha the Enclave deathbot now sounded like she belonged on a grassy meadow picking daisies and watching rainbows.

“Aww mind making us some sandwiches?” Hans smirked.

“Yeah maybe we should all have a girls night out now huh.” Aroma commented falling on her back laughing.

“Unamused Laughter: Hahaha.” Alpha or in this case Alphine laughed roboticly.

“Declaration: Voice setting reset to Default Male 1.”

“Statement: You win this prank battle User Aroma.”

“Oh come on Alpha it was all in good fun.” Aroma said wiping her eyes. She walked up to the metal Pegasus and wrapped him in a hug, a hug he didn't return.

“Query: What are you doing?” He asked as Aroma wrapped herself around his foreleg.

“It's called a hug, it's a friend thing.” She explained.

“Bemused: Friend? Hug? You express camaraderie through physical affection?”

Aroma simply mhmm'd gingerly.

Alpha slowly returned her gesture. He gave her a hug that ended when Aroma's back popped. Alpha didn't realize how much strength he had to put into a hug luckily Aroma's wasn't hurt or anything. But maybe Alpha needed to work on his hugs.

…..

Midday. The sun is high over the sky and the gang draws ever closer to New Appaloosa. The wagon rumbled onward on the road after a quick bathroom break. Artemis rummaged through Hayseed's old gun parts in the hope of assembling a few he could sell, Verity was sharpening his sword with a flint rock; remembering the Hellhound in Clopton it did seem strange that Hellhounds would be in the Legion seeing that it's higher ranking members had weapons made from their kin but the possibility of getting an insight into their reason was nonexistent. It's rare to survive one let alone engage in conversation. But back to the others in the wagon. Alpha was sitting on his haunches for a change his head turned from left to right with an interval of two seconds left right left right left right, last but not least Hans was teaching Aroma how to curse- wait what?

“No no no sweetums.” Hans chirped and brushed his mane.

But what am I doin' wrong?” Aroma asked sheepishly.

Hans rolled his eyes and took a drag of his cigarette before levitating it out of his mouth. “If you're gonna be a part of the Equestrian Wasteland then you gotta be able to make overly obscene curse conglomerations. It's what we do.” He said with a wave of his hoof.

Aroma still stammered in her mind to put a decent curse together. “Uhh damn you..... punk.” Aroma squeed in embarrassment.

Hans sat up and cracked his back. “Nah sweetiepie, like this.” He flicked his cigarette out the back of the wagon.

“Hey Verity, you're a dumbass motherfucker.” He said with a suicidal confidence.

Verity stopped sharpening his sword and glared darkly at Hans. He was silent for a minute, Artemis began to think he was actually going to kill Hans right there even Aroma's face looked horrified by the potential bloodshed of Hans's words.

“.... Hilarious.” Verity murmured and resumed sharpening his sword.

Aroma blinked in disbelief. “Whoa, I thought he was gonna kill you.”

Hans laid back down and propped his head on his hooves. “Yeah baby girl that was actually one of my lighter ones, why don't you try it on me and don't worry I've been called everything you could think of.” He said confidently.

“He really has.” Artemis chimed as she fixed a sliding mechanism.

Aroma rubbed her chin. “Nrgh! Fucking feces engine!” She yelled cutely. Her curses were impossible to be threatening.

“D'awww. Aroma darling they might be curses but they have to make an inkling of sense. Try something that is relateable.” Hans corrected and laid back down.

Aroma took a few deep breaths with an intense look on her face. “Hans you cock sucking cum guzzling butt pirate ass rammer manwhore!” She eeked. A hushed chuckle escaped Verity on the other side of the wagon.

Hans shot up shock in his face. He turned away and start to cry heavily. He had Aroma good, the orange mare's face immediately turned to worry. She rushed to comfort and apologize but Hans swatted her away.

“I'm so sorry...” Aroma said frowning.

Hans turned his head with tears in his eyes. “You, didn't have to be that mean.” He sniffled.

Aroma teared up. “I...I..”

Hans turned back around normal completely losing his ruse. “Nah I'm just playing with you baby girl.” He said casually.

Aroma stuttered. “You mean you're not upset?”

Hans telekinetically grabbed a Sparkle Cola and popped the cap off. “No of course not. Believe it or not I've been called much worse.” He said and cooly drank the soda.

“I was just yankin' your..... err pulling your leg.” He changed his sentence.

Aroma wiped her eyes and blinked rapidly. “Really? What was the worse thing you've ever been called?”

Hans waved his hoof for her to lean in closer for him to even say the horrible word. “A liberal...” He said with a sarcastic fear.

Aroma's teary eyes seemed to dry with his little joke. “How horrible.... Wait, what?” She whimpered.

Hans nodded triumphantly. “You bet, I like my guns and I hate big government.”

Suddenly Hayseed's voice shot from the driver's seat up front. “Hey guys look there's New Appaloosa!” He said with a revived excitement.

Everyone rushed to the windows on the right of the wagon even Verity paused his sharpening to see the sight. Off the hill they were currently on laid a hamlet of a town. It was bigger than many of the cities in the San Palomino except Gryphondale. There no buildings over three stories high but they did seem in excellent repair they might not even be pre-war buildings. A small wall blocked off the city that faced south to the San Palomino.

“What's that?” Aroma asked and pointed outside the Appaloosa wall. Artemis narrowed her eagle eyes to see better.

Sure enough there was a large group of ponies gathered outside the town. What could it be? Raiders? Legionnaires? A riot? Artemis retreated from the window and rummaged through Hayseed's inventory to find some binoculars. Returning to the window she glanced down the goggles.

A handful of NCR soldiers lorded over several masses of ponies in orange jumpsuits. The ponies in the jumpsuits had chains on their hind legs, slaves. Just when Artemis had hope of the NCR being a decent civilization she discovered they kept slaves to work under their military masters. If this was the case then the NCR was a greener Legion and Artemis couldn't help but feel disappointed. The slaves were laying down a train track that went south it seemed.

“What're they doing? Are they slaves?” Aroma asked everyone, it appeared she came to a close conclusion like Artemis.

“It would appear so.” Verity answered in his steely voice.

“Nah honey, they're a chain gang. More likely than not they're convicts of some sort and that's their sentence.” Hans proclaimed finishing his Sparkle Cola.

Artemis returned her vision to the convicts. Criminals as they may be it still rubbed her the wrong way seeing them slave in the heat while the NCR soldiers kept guns trained on them. If she didn't know any better she would've guessed they were back in Legion country, the situation was too reminiscent of legionnaires lording over their many slaves and her mother.

“Pshh it just looks like legalized slavery to me.” Artemis said disgruntled and walked away from the window.

…..

The wagon came to a halt right at the gate and voices could be heard outside. Artemis and the others tried to listen in on what was being said. From the noise it must be Hayseed talking with a gate guard of some type. Artemis heard a door click shut and the clopping of hooves on the road coming towards the back of the wagon. She couldn't help but grimace, any NCR inspection never seemed to benefit their cause.

A brown stallion in the typical NCR uniform stepped to the back of the wagon and he motioned them out with a lazy wave of a hoof. “Just exit out the back we need to run a routine inspection.” He said drearily.

Artemis hopped out the back of the wagon. Not another damned inspection she hated theses! Wait! Maybe they could skip this inspection altogether.

“Hey didn't our driver show you our Ranger Badge?” Artemis asked sharply.

The brown buck shrugged lazily as the others started to shuffle out of the wagon as well seeing that the inspection was not going to be adverted. “Yeah but, we still wanna see you inventory to make sure you're not smuggling any contraband into the city.”

“What? What's the point in having a Ranger Badge if you're just gonna make us part of the system?” She complained indignantly.

Verity tapped her shoulder. “Artemis, use that radio Rusty's tracking us with. Maybe she can talk some... sense into these ponies.” He whispered.

Tracking? That disturbed her but that could wait. Quickly Artemis fished out her radio Velvet Remedy had given them back at the Dam. She found the radio and turned it on. Changing the small antenna just so and Artemis pressed the red button to speak.

“Hello. This is Artemis Arrow, we're outside New Appaloosa but these soldiers are being troublesome could you help us out Rusty?” Artemis asked the radio primly.

There was a pause, the brown soldier scowled at Artemis no doubt for the grief she's caused. A minute later the radio cracked. “Artemis? Who's that? Are you the griffon from Hoofer Dam?” Rusty asked nonchalantly it even sounded as if she was eating.

Artemis pressed the button to talk. “Yeah that's me.” She said a bit embarrassed.

“Huh. I'm surprised we didn't exchange names. I must be slipping. Shit.” Rusty said lazily and noticeably munched on potato chips.

“....Right, so do you think you could help us out?” Artemis asked awkwardly.

“Gate guards? Hmph yeah sure lemme talk to em'.” Rusty said and stopped eating her chips. Artemis handed the radio to the brown pony who stared at it with a strange grimace.

“Ranger Rusty sir?” He asked in a small voice.

Static. “Yes. These people are on special ranger business, you're gonna open the gate and let them in and if they call me again I'll have your job and your dick am I clear?” She threatened so casually and started eating not long after.

The brown stallion shuddered. “Uhh yes ma'am we'll let them in posthaste.” He said nervously.

“Good. Dismissed.” Static again. The stallion handed the radio back to Artemis.

“Open the gate.” He ordered and slowly the gate slid open.

Artemis felt a smug satisfaction in defeating the system. The other soldiers backed away and eventually made their way back to their posts, the commanding officer left without a word. Artemis climbed back in the wagon with the others, Hayseed seemed to share her smile at thwarting the system as well.

“You don't actually think they're tracking us do you?” Artemis asked Verity.

He nodded. “Without a doubt, you've obviously shown yourself to be an important asset to them, an asset worth keeping alive. Or perhaps an enemy to keep tabs on.” He explained ominously.

Artemis lowered her gaze at the small radio. This small olive branch conveniently doubled as a tracker for the NCR high command. What a dirty trick, Artemis wanted to toss it out of the wagon but then again what if she did need ranger backup? Right there it made even more sense; if she was being tracked then that could explain why rangers could be in her vicinity within minutes. That meant she had highly trained elite commandos away in the distance. It felt one part comforting another... unsettling.

New Appaloosa was a small town with a frontier feel to it. Wooden buildings with a long dirt road forming the main drag of the town. Artemis could make out a church with a steeple, a town hall of sorts, a saloon and what seemed to be a rail yard near the south side of town. It explained the convict slaves laying train tracks starting down there. Artemis also noticed a billboard that was re-purposed as a sign for a store...

“Absolutely Everything! New Appaloosa corporate branch.” The sign said cheerily with a picture of a jubilant mare with an overstuffed shopping cart. Artemis decided that she should drop by there and see about finding some new armor and maybe a new rifle.

The wagon seemed out of place as it drove into town seeing that most of it's residence were walking about but that didn't stop them besides, Artemis doubted she would sleep easy if they parked it with the other carts and stationwagons.

“Where is this apartment complex exactly?” Hayseed asked through the slot up front. Artemis scanned through her pipbuck and rummaged through her notes until she found the entry on Calamity's safehouse.

“It's uh near the back of the town actually.” Artemis said a tad surprised herself. The general's apartment was located in the western recesses of the town.

The further they drove with Artemis's coordinates the more she began to doubt her pipbuck. This area looked like no place a general would call home, the word dump came to mind instead. While most of the town had been rebuilt using the lumber of the countryside this section of town had been where most of the pre-war rubble had been sectioned off into. Cracked sidewalks and derelict concrete roads with piles of rubble varying in different sizes. Just as Artemis was about to tell Hayseed to turn back she saw it.

There out the window was an old abandoned apartment building. It was small, probably only consisting of only nine rooms six on each side. From the looks of it the apartments were most likely economical livings before the war, now they were just a building in the part of town where all the rubble was shoveled to. Their vehicle pulled into the faded yellow lines of a parking space and came to a stop, the engine dying as Hayseed removed the key from the ignition. Artemis nodded out the back and hopped out of the wagon, the others in tow.

Artemis checked her pipbuck, it was a little after noon. Artemis heard Lady herding the foals out and their mumblings. Artemis snapped her back to shrug off the fatigue of the ride and stretched her wings. Everyone else stretched except for Alpha who simply stood there with his head turning every few seconds. Hayseed and Lady walked to the back where Artemis and the others were.

“Well. I didn't know what to expect but not this to be honest...” Hayseed said trying to not sound demeaning.

Artemis looked at the old building. She would confess, it was dumpy and the last place she'd expect a general to live in. Although it could be possible that this was some kind of safehouse and not his main residence.

“Well, all it needs is a little tlc.” Artemis suggested hoping to keep morale up.

“Hmph.” Verity scoffed. “This place doesn't need tender loving care. It's supposed to be in disrepair.” Verity objected.

“Why? I was thinkin' we could have little montage of repairing this place.” Aroma suggested innocently.

Verity shook his head. “Think about it. If Calamity's mysterious closet is here then he would want it hidden from the prying eyes of the public and this ruin is the perfect ruse.” He motioned to the complex.

The others were quiet, Verity did make a point. If you wanted to hide something as precious as whatever the general had then you would want to hide it in the best place possible, in plain sight.

“Of course.” Artemis muttered. She hovered into the wagon to grab her pistol. “C'mon guys let's go make sure there's no squatters or anything.” Artemis pulled the slide back with a click.

Aroma handed Artemis the keys to the apartment. There were two keys on the ring and a piece of plastic that said “119” that could only be the apartment number. 119 was on the ground floor and behind the first staircase, the door was nestled in the back between a pile of rubble, it would've deterred the normal squatter but Artemis had come too far to be defeated by a bunch of dumb rocks. After clearing away the large pieces of rubble Artemis unlocked the door to apartment 119. Finally it was time for Artemis and her crew to do some work instead of Hayseed driving them all over creation, although they were still putting themselves in harms way but Artemis took a strange comfort in knowing Hayseed could have a break.

The apartment was far from a spectacular state of repair. The little furnishings it had were little more than ruined stained chairs, an old futon that had been left folded out in its bed form, a weathered wooden table with a radio on it sat alone in the small kitchen and an old refrigerator loomed not far from the table. Refuse and discarded Sparkle Cola and whiskey and other assortments of bottles littered the few smaller tables along with the other miscellaneous garbage. Obviously this wasn't pre-war litter. Someone had lived here before, possibly Calamity? But what would Calamity do here?

Artemis kicked on her EFS and scanned the compass. Looks like four red lights on the EFS, possibly squatters or drug fiends maybe but then Artemis heard the telltale frwt frwt of a radroach. Just as they turned the corner of the small foyer to go into one of the two bedrooms a radroach crawled harmlessly into view and whisked its antennae about and continued to crawl about harmlessly. However it might as well have been a demon from hell come to take Hans's soul.

Hans let out a terrified and feminine shriek before jumping in the air only to be caught by Verity who wore a disinterested expression. Verity dropped him calmly and wordlessly. The pink pony landed with a oof but resumed panicking when the roach casually crawled closer.

“Oh hell naw!” Hans panicked and levitated out With Love. But it wasn't With Love that killed the bug...

The roach turned to ash and left a black burn mark on the ruined carpet along with a fiery smell. Everyone turned to Alpha who had simply disintegrated the insect with his gatling laser that smoked with having recently been shot.

“Wow, I had completely forgot about that gun of yours...” Artemis admitted pleasantly surprised.

“Observation: My Eyes Forward Sparkle detects only three more entities in our vicinity. Using deductive reasoning I can concur reliably that they are a mutated version of the Periplaneta Equestrius Linnaeus as well.”

“You mean radroaches honey.” Hans retorted picking himself up.

“Suggestion: I say me and User Aroma go out back and work on the spark generators while you three dispatch any interlopers.”

It wasn't so much of a suggestion because once he finished his sentence Alpha turned and left for the door before anyone could say any different but at least it was a sound plan. Aroma sprinted after him with a “Wait up...” and a few seconds later they were gone. Leaving Artemis with Hans and Verity.

…..

Much like Alpha's prediction the radroaches were easily killed, well maybe except for Hans's dramatics. But now was the moment of truth. Calamity's closet lay before Artemis, the only closet in the house. It was located on the far end of the apartment in the back master bedroom. The only light in the apartment was the silver colored light that barely breached the blinds on the windows, this window was small and almost hugged the ceiling casting dark shadows over the room.

“Holy shit, it is real.” Hans exclaimed in a hushed tone. It appeared he didn't believe the general's story, until now.

“It seems our road has brought us here. We should proceed with caution but we need whatever's in that closet.” Verity intoned.

Artemis gulped and her skin crawled with anticipation or anxiety. The twins' words replayed over and over in her mind. Telling her that Calamity's scheme was only a distraction. Her heart sank as her drive began to leave her. Even though they had gone through all that they did she felt herself choke.

“I, I don't think we should open it...” Artemis confessed in a whisper. Hans and Verity shot Artemis a worried glance.

“Why not? This is what we came here for. After all.” Hans reminded.

“...” Artemis didn't speak. No lying but.

“.... Someone told me not to investigate Calamity's request.” Artemis glanced to Verity hoping he would understand who she spoke of. G & M.

Hans moaned in frustration. “Arty darling I know when you're playing coy, I've known you too long. What's happening?” He groused nicely and put an arm around her.

Not again. Artemis fully planned to confess to everyone about the twins but she didn't have time to tell Hans the whole story. Especially since the shadows themselves seemed to watch.

“Hans. I can't explain right now but I just need you to trust me that it's for the best.” Artemis implored to her good friend.

Hans eyed her suspiciously for a moment. “Hmmm. Alright, I'll trust you... but don't leave me out in the dark too long.” He warned with shadows on his face from the lack of lighting. Verity purred and when it was clear they weren't going to open the closet he walked out of the room.

There it was. All that journeying, all that danger and peril just to stop so abruptly. Artemis felt a hardness in her gut that she had done wrong, like she had faced so much only to falter on the precipice of making all their sacrifices worthwhile. No, Artemis wasn't going gloss over this with smart excuses she was going to march back in there and make their sacrifice worth something dammit!

Just before Artemis crossed the doorway back into the living room and she stopped dead in her tracks and charged back into the room with a fierce determination. She grabbed the plastic handle to the closet and she could hear Hans and Verity rushing back. With a hard thrust Artemis slid the closet door open and inside was-!

Nothing?.... Just an empty closet with nothing but an empty clothes rack and a single light bulb dangling from the ceiling. Her heart sank as her eyes scanned in vain.

“No... No!” Artemis despaired and yanked the closet light on. Even with the lights illuminating the interior Artemis could find no trace of anything being here. What Calamity had wanted them to find was long gone.

“Artemis I'm so sorry.” Hans condoled and put a hoof on her shoulder.

“No Hans, I'm sorry. I dragged us all over creation for, this.” Artemis waved at the empty closet. Hans couldn't respond so he gave her a comforting hug and nuzzled his head on her shoulder. That was until Verity nudged them aside.

“Stand back.” He said curtly with a small rebar club.

“Wait what're doing stahp!” Artemis yelled in vain as Verity broke the drywall with the pointed debris.

CRUNCH CRUNCH CRACK! Verity punctured the wall and it crumpled with a dry smell and scattering dust everywhere.

Verity put his battering ram down and let out a few wheezing coughs. “If it was important was the general made it out to be then it would only make sense to hide it well.” He revealed waving his talon to fan away the dust.

As the dust settled Artemis heard the faint pitter patter of water. All that lay behind the wall was more insulation, dust and the wooden/iron frame along with a now busted pipe that poured a gentle stream of water. Least to say her heart sank deeper now having had a small hope before.

“Dammit all to hell.” Verity cursed under his breath.

“Futashy fuck my ass.” Hans cursed in disdain.

“I'll go see if Aroma can close off that pipe.” Hans volunteered and trotted off to find Aroma and Alpha.

“Hey...” Verity whispered and placed a talon gently on her shoulder.

“You don't have to cheer me up Verity, it's okay.” Artemis said glumly and slowly stood.

Verity was quiet he just seemed to look at her with his piercing eyes. “...I know. It's just, I can see the disappointment in your face.”He scooped up her right hand with his. Now Artemis got it; Verity was be sweet. She felt a depressed yet fuzzy warmth inside her.

“I'll be fine, I just wish something could go as planned for once.” She gently let go of his hand to inspect the closet in vain hope.

“I've searched high and low. High! And- huh?” Artemis halted her dramatics and heard a faint squish on the closet's carpet...

The squishing sound came from her back leg she pressed down on the floor just to be sure and with a -squish squish- she turned around to see the water damage. No, it's wasn't water damage instead Artemis made out an indention in the carpet from where the water pooled slightly to form a square shape. Then it hit her.

“My god Verity it's not in the wall, it's in the floor.” Artemis said as she began to cut the square piece from the floor.

“Quick Verity help me cut up my carpet.” She motioned for his help.

Verity lowered his head. “I hardly think this's an appropriate time for that.” He smirked.

Artemis blushed intensely. “You know what I mean Verity.”

Verity knelt down and started clawing away the damp carpet as did Artemis. A couple minutes later they had cut the square off the floor and removing the innards of the floor had found their boon. There under the floorboards was a riveted metal hatch large enough for a pony or a griffon if they sucked in their gut. Artemis only stared at in disbelief, there it was, Calamity's secret. A small keyhole was centered on the middle of the hatch. Quickly Artemis ruffled through her stuff and pulled out the keyring Calamity had gave her, the second key on that ring had to open this hatch. It just all fell into place now.

Artemis slid the seemingly mundane key into the lock and turned hard. The lock turned slowly and with a final click released a sickly wheeze as it popped up slightly. Artemis looked to her lover anxiously before they both pulled up the extremely heavy door. Once they got it up far enough they let the hatch door rest on the broken wall. On the other side of the hatch was an assortment of cobwebs and dirty smudges and that wasn't the main attraction. Under the hatch and beyond the cobwebs was a dusty ladder that descended forever downward into the pitch black shadows.

“What the hell are you hiding Calamity?” Artemis wondered aloud in a hushed voice Verity’s face seemed to mirror that same thought.

Artemis flipped on her pipbuck's light and shined it down into the darkness, she also noticed that now her EFS identified as “Jammed” and the map screen turned to static. Artemis cursed under her breath as the light failed to penetrate the darkness. It only illuminated a long ladder.

“What do you think we should do?” Artemis asked Verity and rose up from the open hatch to oblivion.

Verity hummed and glared at the hatch. “Hmm well we don't know what or Celestia forbid -who's- down there but we shouldn't take any chances. I say we go get some supplies, high powered flashlights, NV goggle before going down there.” He suggested.

Artemis almost wanted to go now. She had finally found this mysterious secret Calamity had placed so much emphasis on but maybe it was for the best to come back properly prepared. She felt so alive like there were countless butterflies in her stomach from the thrill of this discovery, finally she felt like she was on the tail of an illusive enigma. Who knows, maybe something about the number station could be down there? Hell maybe even the damn station itself and the twins were lying! Her previous depression had now been replaced with excitation.

“And when we go down there one of us should stay up here and make sure nothing happens to the hatch, maybe even ajar it from closing while we're down there.” Verity added as he examined the hatch before closing it, cursing anyone down there back to their darkness.

Artemis wrapped her arms around the blue furred griffon and nuzzled him with excitedly. “I feel like we're finally onto something. Some fruition.” She announced happily.

“Hehe yes, but let's be cautious.” He advised and lowered a wing over her.

Artemis looked at Verity. In all her excitement she seriously considered sleeping with him right now or maybe something else if time didn't permit- wait did she really just think of that? It made sense him being her boyfriend and all but it still just felt out of the ordinary to be actually considering a situation like this. She felt so excited Artemis thought she might explode.

“I think someone needs a cold shower.” Verity smirked playfully.

“Would you take it with me?” She flirted back.

“How else would you get cleaned?” He gave her neck a short kiss.

“Hey hey hey can I join in on the fuuuuun?” Hans asked gingerly and walked in with Aroma and Alpha.

Artemis and Verity released each other shyly. “In on what?” Artemis asked embarrassed at having been interrupted at such a... sensitive moment.

“Oh I think you know, maybe we do some kind of threesome- what the fuck?” Hans quickly changed his tone at the sight of the strange hatch in the floor.

“We found it. That's what Calamity's been wanting us to find.” Artemis explained and spun the keyring on her index talon.

Hans stepped on his cigarette butt and continued to examine the door.

“Statement: User Artemis my scanners detect dead zones, most likely jamming technologies.”

Artemis flashed her pipbuck which had returned to normal after closing the door. “Yeah, I kinda already found that out.”

“Well what the fuck are we waiting for?” Aroma asked so nicely despite her crude language.

“No baby girl if you're going to use cuss words you have to use them in a curse string otherwise it just sounds crude.” Hans corrected her use of the F word. Aroma nodded to her cussing mentor and turned back to Artemis.

“Well, what are we waiting for?” She asked.

“We have the key but we're gonna buy some supplies before heading down into that tunnel. Who knows what's down there.” Artemis proclaimed although the waiting would be difficult.

…..

Having decided to put the mystery hatch on hold Artemis and the others decided to help Hayseed and Lady move their stuff into the apartment, they also worked to move most of the debris out and with the electricity back on it wasn't long before the place was looking halfway decent to be honest. Throwing the rubble out back, emptying the fridge, picking up the garbage and moving Hayseed's home merchandise inside all to a couple songs by on Artemis's pipbuck with an oddly absent Djpon3 but the time did pass faster.

Aroma came in handy more than several time with her technical expertise and small figure that could fit in places the others couldn't like behind the fridge, washer and dryer and under the sink however Artemis refrained from asking her to go in the vents. Now she tinkered with a busted radio on the table. Alpha was good for removing the garbage with an incinerating blast from his gatling laser, several ash piles of varying sizes decorated the front lawn. Artemis and Verity removed the larger rubble by flying it to another part of the derelict part of town. Hans was the home decorator deciding where everything would look simply fabulous. He often couldn't decide between a few inches to the left or the right but in the end he was satisfied with the end results.

While the apartment had been completely revamped it still needed a few things, a few light bulbs, groceries, and a few mattresses because the old ones looked like... they needed retired. But all those things could be bought tomorrow for it was getting late and dinner was nearly ready.

“Eat up y'all earned it.” Lady said primly and levitated their plates around the table.

Artemis looked at their handiwork and she felt a solemn pride in their work. A little tlc had turned this place into a decent hovel. She looked at her friends faces and they seemed to reflect the thought as well. To think this was a place of her own, a place she could call home, she'd never had a home back in the San Palomino but now it was better.

“I have friend's, love, and a house.” Artemis thought to herself and she felt a fuzzy warmth blossom inside of her, not a smug satisfaction but a calm revelry.

This is the place she'd want for her mother. A place to call her own and a place where she could be free. Artemis felt her spirits lower inside, her mother was an aging slave that was always kind and supported Artemis in whatever she did and here she was hundreds of miles away gallivanting around while real people suffered.

“Damn...” She grimaced to herself. She missed her mother so much. “I'll make it right one day mom.” She promised her mother even with her absence.

“Something wrong?” Hayseed snapped her out of her thoughts with a worried look.

Artemis shook her head. “Yeah I'm fine, just sleepy.” Artemis forced a small yawn.

Chapter 21 - The Good Book

Chapter 21: The Good Book

A day later...

Artemis sat in the laundry room in the back of the kitchen. She didn't know what exactly Lady had in the washing machine exactly but that was beside the point really. Artemis purred as the gentle vibrations of the washing machine she sat on sent electric chills about her body. She was discreet of course, no one would have any reason to be back here for a bit. Personally she wished she had brought something to read during her little personal time. Then again Artemis decided that reading the back of the detergent box seemed... uncouth.

Artemis's wings ruffled with delight with the rumblings of the washing machine. She disbanded the thought of reading something in favor of simple revelry because even though she had a'hundred and one problems sometimes you just had to shut up and bask in a victory, however small.

“Ahhh....” Artemis half sighed half moaned.

Her indulgences came to an end with a sudden muffling on the other side of the door. Artemis quickly rose and she hopped off the washer and hastily looked for excuse to be there.

“Hey Artemis, can we talk?” Aroma asked as she opened the door sheepishly. Artemis stopped arranging the garbage when she saw her orange friend.

“Yeah, sure, whatchu need?” Artemis answered quitting her work to help Aroma. Because she was totally working on the garbage.

Aroma hopped on the washing machine but she didn't seem to get the sensation Artemis got from sitting on it, Aroma seemed more sullen and had a melancholy expression. She also lacked her trademark Stable G jumpsuit allowing Artemis to see the mare's tiny frame. Aroma sipped a drink as she leaned over.

“What's that?” Artemis inquired about Aroma's drink.

Aroma glanced at her drink. “Oh it's a mojito, Hans made it for me.” She concluded and resumed sipping.

“What is it you wanted to talk about?” Artemis asked again.

Aroma looked down and sighed. “Remember back on the wagon when you had reminded me about Clopton?” Artemis nodded and listened politely seeing that Aroma had become serious.

“Well I was thinking; I killed a pony, a real flesh and blood pony. I took his life. Sometimes I still see his pained face when I shot him.” Aroma continued sorrowfully.

Artemis thought on Aroma's words. The poor girl was scared. The guilt of one's first kill was something that a lot people wrestled with. Personally Artemis never felt that kind of regret about the people she had killed. Not that she sought out people to kill but when the time came Artemis had never felt that feel about killing someone. Should she be ashamed? What does that make her? A sociopath, or simply a desensitized teenager? Maybe it could be genetic, her father Maric was said to have been a monstrous griffon with a love of cruelty but then again her mother Priscilla was a saint. Sometimes Artemis felt like she was no better than Valiance or her father. Constantly torn between the brutality of her father's side and the benevolence of her mother's.

But returning to Aroma's dilemma Artemis remembered the pony she had killed. Clopton; She and Aroma were fighting to get out of the city. Legionnaires had them pinned down on the street and Aroma took cover in a cart. A legionnaire had discovered her and thought she would've been an easy kill but soon the tables were reversed and Aroma shot the stallion point blank range peppering his torso with buckshot. He fell back and landed in a pool of crimson.

Artemis flapped her wings and cleared her throat. “I guess that's normal. Your first blood.” She tried to sound emotionally supportive but she seems to have failed.

Aroma only sipped her mojito and gave a sad nod. “Mhmm.”

Artemis couldn't seem to find the right words to comfort her friend but that wouldn't stop her from trying. She hovered up and sat on the dryer. “I guess when it comes to this kinda thing, you need to remember that when you're fighting for your life it's you or him. If he kills you then he walks on, he won't feel any regret for killing you later on.”

Aroma looked up at Artemis but her face seemed to grimace with the bluntness of her counsel. “... But, he's dead, what if he had a family or something, goddess forbid foals.” Aroma despaired.

Artemis shrugged. “I guess that's why war is hell I suppose....” She couldn't think of a meaningful addition to her statement.

Aroma drank her mojito in one gulp and drop the plastic glass on the floor. “Artemis.” She asked. “Who was the first person you killed?”

Artemis rubbed her beak and pondered about her first blood. She almost couldn't remember it, killing was so mundane to her. “It was a while back, a little after me and Hans first met and became friends. One of his ex boyfriends had grown a little too attached to Hans and when he told him it was just about the sex he became frantic. Mind you this had happened before so we thought nothing of it when Hans told him the truth but this guy went a little further over the edge.”

“What was his name?” Aroma interrupted sheepishly.

Artemis thought back again. “His name was... Viceroy, if I'm not mistaken.” Artemis continued.

“Anywho yeah, this Viceroy hired some thugs and they kidnapped Hans. Luckily I was able to trail them to an abandoned warehouse. I snuck past the small handful of thugs and Viceroy ready to gut Hans for breaking his heart.”

“Oh my...” Aroma grimaced with anticipation.

Artemis nodded. “I didn't have the guts to shoot him so I snuck up on him and hit em' in the back of the head with a fire extinguisher. I didn't mean to kill him but I would later learn that I hit him harder than I thought.”

“Hmmm. I see, so does killing get easier? The more you do it?” She asked realizing how morbid that question sounded.

Artemis gave a soft smile to try and get her friend's spirits up. “I suppose it does but don't lose yourself to the violence or else that's all you'll become.”

“... Wow.” Aroma said and glanced at her empty glass.

Artemis felt she had botched that conversation all to hell although who knows maybe it worked. She was not the person to consult about the psychological effects of killing.

Artemis hopped down off the dryer and patted her friend's back. “Look, just don't be too hard on yourself or you'll turn into a worrywart. Now what say we go hit the town, Verity and the others are at Absolutely Everything.” She said cheerily.

Aroma smiled and hopped off the washer. “Totally. Everypony likes to shop.”

…..

Artemis locked the door as Aroma trotted off into the daylight, she had also remembered to bring her famas in the hopes they found a gunsmith. The day was bright and cloudless and stood as a stark contrast to the cloud cover that use to cover the sky and blanket the land fifty years ago. Artemis rose a wing to shield herself from the bright sunlight because her eyes hadn't adjusted yet. Aroma walked up her.

“Maybe I should go back inside and grab my jumpsuit.” She pondered aloud.

Again Artemis noticed Aroma wasn't wearing her jumpsuit. The only thing Aroma wore was a bag to carry the goods she would buy from Absolutely Everything. She reckoned Aroma must've felt a little naked. “I think you'll be okay, if you remember, most ponies out here don't wear much else besides a hat or vest.”

Aroma blushed slightly and sat on her haunches. “Yeah I guess they do, it's just odd. I guess you don't wear clothes either.” She pointed out.

Artemis blinked. “... Right, I don't. But that reminds me I need to buy some new armor.”

Aroma stood back up. “Oh yeah that's right. When you blew that tank up you were all like KABOOM fuck yeah!” Aroma threw up her arms and fell on the tall lawn grass.

Artemis blew at her hair deflecting the praise. “What else could we have done? That tank was going to kill us all.”

Aroma smirked. “Spoken like a true wasteland badass.”

“Pfft, c'mon that's enough language. You gotta stop letting Hans teach you those words.” Artemis nudged Aroma towards town with her wing.

The duo walked out of the decrepit part of town into a busier district. Much of the city's structures were made of wood from the trees that dotted NCR countryside. Artemis felt an odd pang of melancholy at the sight of the frontier town. things were starting to be rebuilt... There was no Equestrian Wasteland anymore. Not that that was a bad thing it's just, Artemis felt ashamed that she ever called herself a wastelander when she lived in the San Palomino but in reality she was just playing wastelander. She was no Lightbringer, she was just a fool gallivanting around with a gun playing post-apocalypse. If anything Artemis felt embarrassed by her naivety but that was the way of things wasn't it? Yes there had been an apocalypse but the Lightbringer saved everyone and the days of the wasteland were coming to a close. Artemis was just pretending.

The ponies that walked about seemed like they never struggled to survive. Sure they wore the signs of hard work and gruffness but none of them were never in a life-or-death situation. Artemis imagined this trait would increase the more they entered into the NCR and met the upper class ponies. The only people that could call themselves wastelanders were ponies like Grandpa, and his was a slowly dying breed.

Artemis noticed the odd foal and adult would catch a glance at her. It wasn't a look of hostility or malevolence but it dawned on Artemis there were no griffons in New Appaloosa. It seemed strange seeing that this town had no griffon population here.

They passed a town hall, a saloon, the rail yard, a handful of small shops, a sheriff's office. Artemis made a note to scope out the rail yard and see about finding transport to Fillydelphia although she'd never rode a train before, it was for Hayseed and his family's well being. What caught their attention most was the stone cathedral that stood out like a sore thumb in the town.

The cathedral was Gothic and bore a stark contrast to the frontier-sy feel of the town. Wrought iron gates and stained glass windows depicting a white alicorn the size of a pony repelling evil demons like nothing short of an angel.

The bells began ringing in the air like a siren and many ponies hastily trotted to the cathedral and went inside its massive mahogany doors. “Let's go see the service!” Aroma said excitedly and grabbed Artemis's arm tugging.

“I dunno...” Artemis said grimacing at the spikes of the steeples. “This place gives me a bad feel.”

Aroma activated her puppy eyes. “Pwease. I never got the church experience in Stable G. I promise if they sacrifice anyone we'll leave.”

“Good job putting that in my head...” Artemis commented sarcastically and walked with Aroma into the church with Aroma's tugging.

Vaulted ceilings with ornate designs and architecture decorated the inside along with the several statues of warrior ponies that seemed to hold the ceiling up. Now the with the shadowy interior the stained glass windows really glowed with a celestial light. They depicted a pearl-white alicorn with a golden pipbuck damning three demons to hell for eternity. The first monster was a huge mass of flesh that resembled a pony. This demon seemed to have it's eyeball on a tentacle protruding from it's head and it had a what seemed like a computer in it's stomach. Around this monster were other smaller pitch black alicorns that were being cast into hell with their master. Artemis squinted to read the inscription under the glass.

“The Lightbringer smites the false goddess.” Artemis turned to the second window.

The second depicted the white alicorn triumphantly holding the decapitated head of a red stallion whose body lay headless behind her. The second hoof held measuring scales. Artemis bit her lip at this second portrayal of the Lightbringer. Was this Red Eye the devil from the stories? Artemis felt a sickly feeling in her gut. Against her better judgment Artemis read the inscription.

“The Lightbringer slays the devil.” Her foreboding sense grew... Artemis understood what this cathedral was now. It was a cult, a cult of Littlepip and if this huge cathedral was just a small church out on the border then this cult must be very powerful in the heart of the NCR.

Artemis and Aroma sat down in a pew as the rest of the crowd did so. However Artemis was still able to see the last window, it's multicolored light shone down on the both of them. The picture in the final window showed the white alicorn literally grabbing the clouds and pulling them downward to the earth revealing a yellow sun and Artemis noticed scores of what had to be pegusai falling to the earth with their cloud cover. She couldn't put her talon on it but this church gave her a bad feeling. Artemis couldn't shake the ominous feeling of dread that accompanied every nook and cranny not to mention how devoted everyone there looked, they looked almost zealous about this cult...

Everyone was silent the second a pony walked out to the altar. He wore detailed robes of maroon, scarlet and gray but what was most eye catching was his mask. It wasn't just his mask, all of the clergy here seemed to wear these mask except there's wasn't golden. The priest's mask was indeed solid gold and resembled a pony's face with a sullen expression. It particularly perturbed Artemis seeing the priest's eyes slowly moving to scan the crowd. Out of nowhere a deep Gregorian song materialized in the air. Artemis glanced up and saw more masked ponies singing the chants high on the second floor of balconies. The song itself seemed dark and powerful it seemed to command respect out of everyone. But it strangely sounded painful, like the singers themselves were in pain and their song was the only way to cry out. Next more masked acolytes walked down the isles levitating incense and slowly spread the smoke over the crowd. The ponies looked so fervent with this worship Artemis had never seen anything like it, the Legion never had any formal religion.

“Artemis I'm kind of scared...” Aroma whispered.

Artemis had to find the moment to talk back to her, she felt some innate fear of speaking during the service. “... I am too. Just sit quiet until this service lets out.”

Just as Artemis finished her sentence the chanting seemed to die to be replaced with a low organ and everyone's undivided attention was given to the priest with the golden mask who approached a black marble podium.

“Littlepip's blessing.” He said cooly in a gravely male voice.

“Littlepip's blessing to you our priest.” The crowd answered and Artemis hastened to whisper it to avoid detection.

“Now for the prayer. Littlepip, Lightbringer, savior....” The priest held his hooves together and lowered his head into them. He gave a long winded but well versed and very ornate prayer describing there thankfulness for her gift of the sun and her sacrifice. Artemis almost felt moved by the prayer if she wasn't so disturbed by them.

“Now.” The priest began at his podium while the other acolytes stood like statues. “The recitation of the Dogma of Light.” He said with finality and opened a large tome on his podium.

“Ahem. So it was, the hubris of mortals that caused the goddess Celestia to abandon us to our demise. We placed our faith in fallible technology and our own strengths and meager wits. We were alone and our tools of conquest had ultimately destroyed us and we were left to extinction. For a time we despaired in our perpetual agony but this was only the rise of evil. Three devils arose from our self-imposed torment; The false goddess an abomination of science and mother of the alicorns. Red Eye the devil, lord of slaves and usurpation. Finally the Pegasus Enclave demons of the sky and terror of the time. With these foes ponykind was pushed to the brink of extinction or worse but finally the goddess turned back to our plight and took pity on us. Using the brightest flare of the sun she crafted Littlepip the Lightbringer and told her to save the mortals for they have seen the error of their ways. The Lightbringer came to the corpse Equestria had been and spelled doom for the three evils. The Lightbringer had the false goddess and her children burned in the fires of the old world, she removed Red Eye's insidious head from his vile body and finally tore the very sky down to the earth and the Enclave with it. But even after she had finished her mission The Lightbringer saw all was not well with ponykind; Yes the evils had been annihilated but the earth was still salted beyond repair and she understood we would not survive this world. So with one final act of selflessness The Lightbringer gave her life to revive Equestria and give us a chance at redemption. Amen.” The priest finished his opening sermon but showed no sign of fatigue.

Several ponies in the crowd were tearing up with his speech but Artemis felt more intrigued by this dogma than actually moved for her spiritual salvation. Personally she felt amazed that there was actually a religion about Littlepip, the only thing Artemis knew about Littlepip was the tall tales she'd heard while traveling with caravans and those were far from trustworthy. Most of those stories usually had Pip having heat vision or boxing with a hellhound that had a gentlepony mustache. The stories could get out there but nothing really seemed quite like this, such fervor and devotion. This preaching had to be the real deal considering the following.

As the service went on and on the priest's preaching became more fiery almost zealous like he was preaching for death to non-believers. But while Artemis saw malevolence Aroma seemed legitimately enraptured and many of the other church goers were beginning to stir with his ominous revival.

“And that my children is the tale of The Lightbringer and I proclaim that her second coming is nigh!” The masked priest threw his hooves into the air. The crowd cheered jubilantly in this revelation.

“And when she arrives the reincarnated Lightbringer will strike down the Dark Angel and will reign over our great land now and forevermore. Amen!”

“Amen!” The crowd rejoiced more zealously than gratefully.

The back thoughts of Artemis's mind started to race. “Dark Angel? Great this cult had their own prophecies. But then again my fur is black and I have wings, but I'm not an angel I'm just a normal griffon. Maybe they spoke of Valiance, he had a pipbuck... no that's unlikely.” Artemis thought to herself. Artemis couldn't be some prophesied devil from a crackpot cult besides she had real things to worry about: Like getting the hell out of this cathedral.

“Lightbinger's light.” The priest said and dismissed the service.

Not long later at the cathedral...

“Ugh here Aroma hold the pipbuck for me while I wash my hands. That church gave me a bad feeling in my stomach.” Artemis asked and Aroma used her key and unlocked the pipbuck and put it in her bag.

They were in the cathedral's ornate restroom with marble floors and dark wooden stalls. This decadence somehow still perturbed Artemis even more. Even with all these decoration the whole church still managed to come across as sinister. Artemis finished washing her hands and proceeded to dry them with a haste to leave the cathedral but when they exited the restroom there were a duo of the masked acolytes outside the door glaring at the two of glaring at the them.

Aroma jumped and Artemis eyed the masked ponies in less ornate robes. “Can I help you two?”

They were silent. Artemis would have thought it was the twins in disguise if Aroma hadn't seen them first. “... The Dark Angel will come bearing the same keepsake as The Lightbringer. Hark! Fourth devil if you be the Angel of Doom then we shall strike you down.”

Artemis froze but she didn't flinch. “I'm not from your prophecy I'm just here to buy supplies assh-!” Artemis was interrupted.

“Acolytes!” A familiar deep voice bellowed and there stood the priest from earlier. “Look again upon this griffon for she bears not the keepsake of The Lightbringer. This woman is merely a test by Celestia to see if we are staying vigilant against the signs of prophecy.” Someone his voice sounded haughty or very self-assured.

The masked acolytes looked downward. “Forgiveness madam.”

“It's fine...” Artemis was still a little annoyed.

The priest opened the door for the duo as they left. It felt good to get the hell out of there sheesh what a bunch of freaks! Now as they walked amongst the town Aroma reached into her saddlebag and returned Artemis's pipbuck.

“What do you think they would've done if they you had that on you?” Aroma asked in worry.

Artemis sighed. “I'm afraid to think of that but one thing is for sure, I do not like that Cult of Littlepip. Not one bit.”

“I'm just glad we got it off you when we did.” Aroma added cooly.

“I was worried you were going to show them when they mentioned the Lightbringer's keepsake.” Artemis confessed.

Aroma snorted. “I might be naïve but I'm not stupid. I know when someone means my friends harm.”

“You're right and I shouldn't have worried.” Artemis gave her a soft smile.

“Don't fret, it's okay. Besides, you know what that meant back there?” Aroma inquired raising an eyebrow.

“What?” Artemis indulged.

“That meant that Littlepip was a stable dweller just, like, me.” Aroma said and trotted proudly with that fact.

Artemis had to concur with Aroma. The Lightbringer had indeed been a stable dweller but Artemis couldn't help but think about their prophecy, was the Lightbringer destined to kill her or Valiance? And what would lead up to such an event? Screw it Artemis refused to play their game. The Lightbringer was a pony, nothing more, nothing less and she had to be elderly even if she was still alive. What she should really worry about is the twins and the number station. Not some fascist cult.

…..

After the disturbing church session Artemis and Aroma made their way out of freakytown and back to New Appaloosa. They were heading to Absolutely Everything to meet up with the others. Artemis also wanted to look into getting her baby repaired and back into working condition but as of now it was just a scorched paperweight, and maybe some new armor.

While most of New Appaloosa had been built from the lumber of the surrounding forest Absolutely Everything homed itself in a pre-war supercenter that had been reinforced by newly made metal sheets, it was much like Palomino except small and just housed one store. Artemis could hear loud noises oonts'ing faintly from the outside. However odd she and Aroma walked across the parking lot of carts and wagons. Just as they walked to the worn glass doors Aroma stopped and her ears fluttered, eyes darting.

“Um... Artemis, I gotta go.” She said awkwardly and seemed to eye around their environment.

Artemis looked at her curiously but casually. “...Is something the matter?”

Aroma seemed to backpedal. “No, I just, trust me.” She squeed.

Artemis looked around the parking lot. There was nothing out of the ordinary just the odd pony walking into the store or some ponies smoking outside but other than that there was nothing out of the ordinary. Then again Aroma wanted her trust and Artemis had asked the same of Hans almost a day ago so she would have to trust her stablepony.

“Well... okay. I'll be inside if you need me.” Artemis said nonchalantly and proceeded to Absolutely Everything.

Leaving Aroma to... whatever it was she was doing Artemis opened the door to the old store and then BOOM! A blast of heavenly cool air bellowed from the interior. Hot damn this place had air conditioning and apparently lots of it. The music also began to boom louder with the open door.

Oonts oonts buh da duh buh buh buh buh'duh'da oonts oonts buh da duh buh buh buh buh'duh'da oonts oonts buh da duh buh buh buh buh'duh'da oonts oonts buh da duh buh buh buh buh'duh'da! The techno music boom just loud enough to be in forefront of your mind and it made Artemis feel like she needed to buy stuff she didn't need.

Artemis walked inside and looked around at the surprisingly restored interior. The store was well lit and had been overhauled to nearly it's pre-war condition. Ponies milled about with their goods in buggees and Artemis found Verity and the others carting a buggee around as well. Seeing Verity push the cart while Hans lounged amongst the items and Alpha hovering over them seemed quite hilarious to tell the truth. Something about the three of them shopping, it just seemed so, so civilian. Now the buggees just conjured thoughts of how they weren't really wastelanders they were just softies playing wanderer...

“Hey guys, what'd you get?” Artemis said bottling those dour thoughts.

Verity eyed the buggee. “Hmm eggs, cheese, milk, bread, butter, cola, cereal, water-”

“I think she meant stuff for us honey.” Hans commented as he stretched. Alpha landed and folded his holographic wings.

“Recitation: We have assembled twenty feet of rope, five flashlights, two flare guns, three crowbars, and a jack for purchase.”

“The jack's so we can reliably hold the hatch open.” Verity added.

Artemis looked at the full cart she was amazed by the amount of items they racked up. “Wow, this is a lot of stuff.” She commented as she rustled though the buggee until Hans grabbed her head and pressed his close to hers.

“I know! The music here, the damn music makes you buy buy buy.” He said in exasperation and fell back in the buggee.

“Explanation: Sensors indicate white noise embedded in the tracks to stimulate desire in organics.”

“I knew it.” Verity grumbled and glared around the store. “Look at this trash. The people here are corporate whores, suckling on the merchants teet. They depend on this decadence like an addict lives for his next fix and the minute they lose that luxury their society collapses that is why I take pride in the Legion. We may seem cruel and harsh but we teach self-sufficiency and self-reliance. You won't find this capitalistic treachery in Gryphondale.” Verity left a silent vacuum after his heated monolgue.

“... Right, yes.” Hans started the conversation over again. “This music is kind of like brainwashing. This is the kind of music you can swallow some mint-als and party the night away. One time I...”

“Oh here we go.” Artemis commented sarcastically.

Hans glanced with more determination now. “Don't give me that, I know it really happened.”

“Continue Hans.” Verity rumbled coldly.

“Right. One time I took a handful of mint-als and I shit you not I discovered a cure for the common cold... Then I had sex in the restroom that I had been working in and safe to say my research was destroyed BUT nonetheless I discovered a cure.” Hans recounted his drug-induced fantasy vehemently but the others didn't seem to believe him.

Artemis shook her head. “Tsk tsk tsk Hans that's not how I remember it. From what I recall I found you the next morning with your head in a urinal and your two partners sleeping in the floor.”

Hans brushed his mane nervously. “Ooo yeah, I still don't know if I should count that as rape but whatev's I guess.” He gave a nonchalant shrug.

“Warning: Mintaliphetamine is a highly addictive narcotic and it is not recommended for consumption.” It was just like Alpha to use the scientific name for mint-als.

Hans waved a hoof at their robot companion. “Nah baby err robot. Not the way I take em. Well at least they're not as addictive.” Oh boy Hans was about to reveal his mint-al trick. Artemis felt herself shudder.

“If you take them through your rectum they get into your system faster and they last longer.” Hans proclaimed proudly and held his hooves at his waist as if he had made a clever point.

“Gross.” Verity muttered.

WHA-POW! A levitating purse whacked Hans on the back of the head. Artemis and the others looked and saw a mother and her foal who had accidentally heard that rectum part.

“Pervert, there are children here.” The grape colored mother scolded Hans with disdain. She indignantly herded her child away while Hans rubbed his temples.

“Oh Luna's bloody menstruations that hurt. What does she got in there anyway?” He wondered aloud in annoyance.

“Hans you were talking about shoving pills up your ass. Maybe you were in the wrong.” Verity suggested steely.

Hans flopped his ears and massaged his eyes. “Shit I dunno. Besides she just looked like some asshat mother goose, whatever. Let's just wrap this store trip up.” Hans griped from his seat in the buggee.

“Wait. I wanna find a gunsmith and check out some armor before we split.” Artemis reminded and pulled out her scorched famas from it's cloth carrying sack.

Artemis and the others went to the armaments and ordinance section of the store. The aisle had several signs showing about how one would need their license and registration along with a valid firearms permit and even more crap for heavier firepower like rpg's and a certain FIM-92 which had caught Artemis's eye more than once.

The rifles were dismantled and in boxes, ammo was sold separately and apparently in accordance with some law passed to where citizens were only allowed to own three magazines of three types of common ammos. Why what purpose did this serve? What if a pony needed to defend his home, Artemis had been in enough firefights to know three magazines is barely enough to sustain a defense AND all purchases were being recorded. Damn when did this crap end. Back home you could just walk into a store and if you had the caps you could buy whatever you wanted.

“Goddess damn gun control blowhards...” Hans scowled at the postings all about the firearm aisle.

“Sheesh I concur Hans this is a bit... much.” Artemis agreed with the pink unicorn. Somewhere in her mind Artemis imagined this had started out as a simple gun control law to protect ponies now it appears to have spiraled out of control into a cumbersome system of regulation.

Verity was right in a sense but in another he was at the same fault that the NCR was. The Legion kept even tighter reigns on their guns, only warriors like him could own or learn to use firearms. The fact Artemis was born in Gryphondale and can do what she can stood as a defiant testimony to Legion laws. However on the NCR and the Legion; Both sides seemed more like reflections of one another. Both kept their civilians under a government thumb but the way that thumb crushed the common man was what made the NCR and the Legion differ. The Legion simply crushed all opposition with overwhelming force and simply lorded over them with their brutal rule. The NCR was a zebra of different stripes but a zebra nonetheless. The New Canterlot Republic ruled over their citizens with the illusion of self-freedom but in her mind Artemis saw the foundations of a socialist dictatorship that would control every aspect of their peoples lives making the NCR as bad if not a worse fate than Legion rule. The NCR moved slowly using big words and pompous politicians to whittle away the people's rights until there would be nothing left and then they would be slaves to the system. That was the worst part, in the end everyone was a slave.

This revelation inspired a newfound fear in Artemis to say the least...

Artemis pilfered around the discount armors because the new ballistic armors were ungodly high so as to deter buyers from purchasing them. Artemis found mostly used pony vest but she did find a decent pre-war riot vest made for a griffon. The name tag on the vest was worn but Artemis could faintly make out the name Drescott on the tag above the breast. This might have been a male's vest but it was small enough to fit her. Artemis imagined who this Drescott character might have been before the war. Was he nice? Was he a dick? Did he have a family? Did he die in a riot? So many questions but it all seemed frivolous seeing that he, his kids and his grandkids were long dead. It also stirred feeling of her own surname. Arrow wasn't actually her last name, it was just given to her back when she was a child soldier and her mother wasn't allowed to use it anymore... mom, Artemis wanted to save her so badly...

Keeping the Drescott vest Artemis also found used guns for lower prices as well. The quality of these used weapons ranged dramatically from practically new to barely better than her famas. But as many guns as there was here Artemis only had room in her heart for one rifle. She walked around the weapons department fighting the music that had changed to a calmer tune in this section of the store but she fought it regardless.

Finally Artemis found a help desk. She pressed the little bell with her claw and waited by the empty counter. Just as the waiting became awkward a door beyond the counter opened up and out trotted a ghoul pegasus. Artemis felt her heart beat a little faster at the sight of the ghoul but for the sake of cordiality she tried to keep it under wraps. The pegasus ghoul had leathery gray skin that had missing patches of flesh and scraggly strands of lemon colored hair. Her wings were little more than the bones that used to be her wings they actually reminded Artemis of Alpha's wings when the holograms were off. But what was strangest about the zombie mare was her eyes, they seemed to stare in all directions like she was crossed eyed. She also carried a small chalkboard in her mouth.

The ghoul mare walked to the counter and put her squishy hooves up ready for business. Artemis could smell the ghoul's undeath.

“Um... hi?” Artemis asked trying to break the ghoul's silence. She immediately dropped her chalkboard and started writing with the chalk in her mouth. After scribing something on it she turned it up for Artemis to see.

“Welcome to Absolutely Everything. I'm Ditzy Doo pleased to meet you. Retired. Daughter runs the business. I just watch around. Would you like to make a purchase? Do you have any muffins?”

Artemis finished skimming the chalky message. “Right, well I'm Artemis nice to meet you as well and yes I would.” She put the vest and brought up her famas as well. “I'd also like to see about getting this repaired.”

Ditzy Doo immediately went back to writing.

“Artemis? Believe it or not Calamity could've repaired it for you. I can but I need time.”

Artemis was instantly stunned by the mention of Calamity. “How do you know about Calamity?” She narrowed her eyes. If Ditzy Doo knew Calamity then this ghoul may be older than Artemis imagined.

Ditzy hastily wrote. “About the repairing or your meeting at the Dam?”

Artemis's heart skipped a beat. She began to worry. “...Both.”

Ditzy wrote and wrote then erased and wrote some more. “Me and Calamity go way back. We even knew Littlepip. But wouldn't you have known-”

Artemis didn't need to read the rest, the mention of knowing Littlepip stopped everything else. “You and Calamity knew Littlepip?” Artemis whispered but stunned nonetheless.

Ditzy's face seemed to force a worried expression before she wrote. “You haven't been inside Oubliette yet haven't you?”

Artemis connected two and two. Oubliette? Ditzy was obviously talking about Calamity's hatch in the apartment. She had to be. “No. I haven't. What's down there? Who's down there?” Artemis asked in a hushed voice.

Ditzy only wrote. “I've said too much. They'll come for me if they find out. I'll repair your gun but you have to leave. They're everywhere...”

“P.S. Take the armor and go.”

Artemis quickly finished reading the chalkboard. “Wait!” She whispered sharply in the hopes of stopping Ditzy Doo who was beginning to slink back to the room she had come out of. Luckily the ghoul mare stopped although she still managed to look anxious even with her zombie features.

Seeing the ghoul did not want to walk back up to the counter Artemis decided to hop over and go to her. Artemis walked to Ditzy Doo and handed her the chalkboard.

“I need to know, what is inside Oubliette and does The Cult know about the apartment?” Artemis whispered in a much softer voice than before. Perhaps it was pity seeing that Ditzy was far from being the enemy in this situation.

Ditzy released a silent exasperated sigh before writing on her board. Artemis read her message after once Ditzy gave the board to her again.

“The apartment is safe for now though, try not to attract their attention and about Oubliette, you wouldn't believe me if I told you. Now just take your stuff and go, please.”

Artemis, Artemis didn't know what to think. Just when it seemed like this hatch quest was almost figured a new twist was thrown into the plot. Artemis still had no idea what was in Oubliette, perhaps Littlepip's skeleton? Artemis could see it now: A dusty skeleton in an ancient and torn stable jumpsuit laying down in the darkness under their apartment. An ironic final resting place for a savior. The tomb might be decorated with gifts from her friends and possibly things she owned in life. Or maybe it was completely empty, just the pony skeleton on a small empty altar... But that was a moot point. They had lingered around Ditzy Doo long enough and if they stayed around they might all get hurt maybe even killed. The Cult obviously had eyes on Ditzy, but why?

Artemis made her way back Verity and the others. Hans immediately noticed her anxious disposition. “Are you alright baby girl?” He asked in a somber voice. “You look like you've seen a ghost.” He added It seemed ironic seeing that he was completely unaware of the twins she had been seeing.

Artemis leaned against the buggee and released a sigh before scanning around inconspicuously. “I'll, be fine. Let's just get out here, don't looked worried but someone may or may not be watching us.”

Hans seemed most perturbed by the news but it was Verity who grumbled in his low voice. “So we have scouts watching us?”

Artemis kept her voice low. “I don't know for sure but let's check out and get back to the apartment, pronto.”

“Statement: Users Artemis, Verity, and Hans my EFS detects no entities besides the entity you were just speaking with. However I do detect personnel cameras within the aisle.” Artemis hadn't noticed them before but sure enough in the corners of the ceiling and the walls were little cameras that turned back and forth rhythmically.

“Damn. You know we're not going to blend in with Alpha following us around. Wait! Ghoul pegasus? Hold up.” Hans paused and climbed out of the buggee.

“Wait, Hans!” Artemis hissed with a whisper but Hans jumped over the counter and knocked on the back door with determination.

“Hello? Yeah you sold me a killer robot a while back and I was hoping you had one of his memory cards.” After the door was silent long enough Hans shrugged and walked away. That was, until a chalkboard bushed under the door. He levitated out from under the door with his magic.

“I did sell you the synthetic pony back in Clopton. Tell Artemis that's why I knew her from the Dam, I didn't mean to freak her out :( I was at the Dam when she was there but I was tending to my husband. I did not have any memory cards but I know they might be located in MWT hub in Fillydelphia. Or maybe the MoA building because he's Enclave.” The addition of the frownie face was odd but it might have been her way of being apologetic.

Hans slid the board back under the door. “Um, thank you then. I'll be on my way.” Hans gestured frivolously to the door as if he tipped his hat.

“Hey Artemis. That ghoul wrote and said that she was at the Dam at the same time you were and she's sorry for scaring you.” Hans relayed and nodded back at the door.

“We have the tools we need, we should stop loitering about here and get down there.” Verity declared snapping the others out of their small talk. They were just standing idly about while Littlepip's secret lay buried beneath their apartment!

“Query: So you guys shall purchase our tools while I take the long way home?” Alpha seemed almost disheartened? Maybe it was just how Artemis heard his words.

“No, you're coming with us. You're not expendable Alpha you're our friend and if someone is tracking us then we're not going to sacrifice one of our own.” Artemis spoke valiantly for some reason she imagined that she might actually miss Alpha if he was gone. Somehow the more she looked at Alpha and watched him talk he almost seemed more of a pony brain in some high-tech exoskeleton. He just seemed to be more than a machine.

“Heh well said baby girl.” Hans smirked and hopped back in the buggee to Verity's dismay. Then he perked up. “Hey. Where's Aroma?” He added with a worried expression.

Ah shit that's right Aroma had run off or something like that. What if some cultist nabbed her after the church service! “I think Aroma might be in trouble, she ran off before I found you guys.” Artemis despaired and rubbed her hair.

“Verity, me and you let's go find her.” Artemis suggested matter-of-factly. She and Verity broke off into a hurried run. It seemed ironic seeing that she had just literally gotten done preaching about staying together but this was to save one of their own so it worked out right?

“Wait! What're we supposed to do with the groceries?” Hans yelled from his perch.

“You buy them and get them home. You sat your ass back on them the entire time it won't kill you.” Verity answered in a mocking tone. He turned back to Artemis in their fast walking. “What? He sat on them the whole time and now he has to do the rest.” Verity seemed to make a small smile.

They exited the store and Artemis looked at the parking lot. Dammit she could be tied up in anyone of these carts like Obsidian Shine... karma. No, Artemis was not going to let her friend meet that same fate. Her kidnappers better be saying their prayers that Artemis would just kill them instead of tearing out their still-beating hearts! Was that her Maric genes showing? Regardless her friend was in danger! That damnable cult no doubt-!

Artemis was brought out her violent fantasy when hooves poked her sides just under her wings. She turned and saw Aroma. She looked happy as ever actually, no bombs, cuts or bruises, no fanatical Littlepip cultist?

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?” Artemis asked and checked the small orange mare.

Aroma scoffed. “Artemis I'm a big pony I can look after myself.” She almost sounded a bit ticked by Artemis's over protectiveness. “Besides...” She added. “I want to introduce you to a friend from Stable G.” Artemis cocked her head up.

Aroma waved a hoof and from behind the corner of the building walked a maroon unicorn stallion in a Stable G jumpsuit. He looked more afraid than anything but if he was from Stable G then he had to be a hunter out for Aroma's head.

“Aroma's he's a hunter.” Artemis informed bluntly but to her alarm Aroma merely nodded.

“I know but he's a friend from back, home.” She seemed to falter at the mention of her old home but she muscled through the pain all while the stallion kept his distance. “His name's Mathlete, he's cool. He was our math teacher back in school but you can trust him.” Aroma reassured but Artemis would not be swayed so easily.

“I assure you I mean no harm...” Mathlete said in a soft tone but Artemis still met his words with a glare.

“Likely story but the minute we turn our backs you'll shoot us.” Artemis predicted cynically.

Aroma furrowed her brow. “No Artemis trust me, he's safe besides he just wants our help.”

“With what?” Verity asked steely.

Aroma turned her head desperately. “Tell em' Mathlete.”

The maroon red pony sighed. “Okay. We'll I don't want any part in this hunt. Aroma was a student of mine and I could never bring myself to kill her so I thought I'd try to go a different route and when I saw the progress she'd made I thought you guys could help as well.”

Artemis and Verity exchanged glances. “Progress?” She opened her wings.

Mathlete seemed to backpedal nervously. “Yes, Aroma has acquired five of the six companions as the rules of the game dictate, but Aroma I don't know if griffons count.” He pondered despairingly.

Aroma didn't seem to flinch with that possible roadbump. She simply nodded. “No, the rules are that I need to make five friends and bring them back for Stage 2, it said friends it did not specify the race.” Aroma countered defensively. Stage 2? More mysterious stable stuff, it had been a lifetime since the hunters weren't even in the recents of Artemis's thoughts but here they were.

“Tell them your plan Mathlete.” Plan? Artemis didn't plan on doing anything this pony was wanting. If Artemis would do anything to help this pony it would be for Aroma and Aroma alone. Artemis had her own problems to deal with.

Mathlete began his little spell. “As I said I thought I'd try a different solution. The only way Stable G Game Command knows I'm alive is through my pipbuck, see it had our markers on it for the game.” He said and lifted his pipbuck. After walking closer to the stallion Artemis saw four markers. They had cartoon-like pony heads in a diamond formation, two mare heads and two stallion heads. One mare head was red, Artemis surmised that was the huntress Artemis had pushed to her death the very first night she and Aroma had met. The other head was Aroma's and it too had an X. No, not an X but an Error message.

“Go on...” Artemis indulged but she refrained from seeming too engrossed in his scheme.

Mathlete continued. “I noticed your icon said Error just a few days ago and I thought you had taken off your pipbuck. I guess the sensible thing to do in your situation would be to take your pipbuck off and ditch it, but you somehow smuggled your pipbuck's key out with you and you pawned it off to your friend so if anything we would hunt her instead of you.” Was that disappointment in his words?

“Is that true?” Artemis asked hoping Mathlete was lying. But when Aroma nervously kicked at the dirt with her hooves Artemis knew the answer.

“I, I I was scared. I had just lost everything I ever knew. You don't understand stable life. We don't picture outside life like you do. My world was Stable G, I was born there and I would die there, hell when I first saw the sky I thought I was gonna fall up into it. And I was being attacked. I had to outrun Ellis for miles before I found Palomino and I was scared. I'm sorry for what I did but I had get him off my trail.” Aroma hung her head low and her cyber ears drooped low as well. Mathlete seemed to grimace at the mention of this Ellis character.

“Who's Ellis?” Artemis asked Mathlete as she knelt down to Aroma.

“Ellis is, the Overmare's son. I see why Aroma was afraid now. No doubt Ellis got special privileges, training, armor, and weapons what being the Overmare's son and all.” Mathlete answered dryly.

Artemis touched her friend's shoulder. Aroma looked up but didn't seem any better. “Look, Aroma. You were in a bad spot so I guess I-”

Aroma interrupted. “I almost sacrificed you for my own safety, you who took me under their wing when the entire wasteland would close their doors to me. I deserved getting shot by that sniper that first night. Ellis hadn't found us but the other mare had.” Aroma's lips quivered.

“Aroma, it's okay. You've saved me more than once, remember when you saved us at that gas station?” Artemis tried to cheer her friend up in a soft voice.

“Don't do this Artemis. You're supposed to hate me for selling you out not forgive me!” Aroma buried her face in her hooves.

Artemis glanced to Verity for some kind of support. The cornflower blue griffon walked over and gently lifted Aroma's face from her hooves. “Aroma. What you did was dishonorable, tricking the one person that showed you kindness, I'd have slime like you nailed to a cross if I had known.” Okay Verity maybe something possibly uplifting?

Instead he continued. “I won't lie and say you're forgiven. Trust and honor has to be earned after that kind of treachery even more so since you tried to hide it. You have to prove to us and yourself that you are still worthy of such an honor. Now get up.” His words were so harsh Artemis almost wanted to butt in but it seemed to help Aroma more than comforting. The mare wiped her eyes and stood back up.

“Thanks Verity.” Aroma eked out.

Artemis saw Hans and Alpha exit the store out of the corner of her vision and it was most likely that they noticed their little confrontation in the parking lot.

“Please...” Mathlete whispered delicately and tried to re-gather everyone's attention.

“Please, continue.” Aroma acknowledged and wiped her nose.

The maroon stable dweller inhaled slowly. “Okay. A couple days ago I noticed Aroma's marker said Error so I knew somehow she had gotten her pipbuck off or deactivated it. What did you do to break your pipbuck by the way?” He spoke calmly. If he meant them harm then he was damn good at hiding it.

Aroma rubbed her chin in thought as to how her pipbuck could have changed. But just as Aroma was about to admit to her ignorance it hit Artemis! She thought back to Hoofer Dam...

“I remember now.” Artemis began and revealed the pipbuck on her leg just above her talons. “A friend altered it for griffon physiology. It seems like that might explain the error on your screen Mr. Mathlete.” Just as Artemis finished her sentence she was haunted by thoughts of cultist possibly watching her every move.

“That sounds most probable but that's just the first part of my story. You see, I don't want to die in this game. I have a wife and kids that need their father and when I discovered you broke your pipbuck I thought we could help each other out.” He seemed to nod to his pipbuck.

“What's your offer?” Aroma asked shortly.

Mathlete took one step closer and turned his pipbuck screen towards them. He had a stable icon on his pipbuck's map screen. “Stable 2” it identified. For some reason Artemis's heart skipped a beat.

“So?” Aroma continued.

Mathlete looked at his map and pressed some of it's buttons. “It's a stable that's not too far from here, Ponyville to be precise. Since Aroma smuggled her key out of Stable G she was able to unlock her pipbuck but I didn't get mine however, every Overmare has a skeleton key to the people's pipbucks. If we can get in there and find that key we can get my pipbuck off.” And there was his plan. Plain and simple, get in, get the key and get out.

“Sounds like you want us to go to Stable 2 for you.” Artemis revealed his implied request. Immediately Mathlete stammered nervously.

“No no no I plan to go with you to Stable 2. It's just...”

“Just what?” Verity asked coldly narrowing his eyes.

Mathlete rubbed the back of his head. “The Ponyville area has become inhabited by those Hellhound creatures. I would've gone myself but I would really need your help.” Hellhounds, now things made sense.

“Hellhounds huh? Well what would we get for helping you out?” Artemis crossed her arms expectantly.

Mathlete didn't answer right away. “I, I don't have much in terms of money but I can assure you I will be out of your way once my pipbuck is gone. I won't be a threat to Aroma anymore.”

“Try again. I can kill you now and you won't be a threat to Aroma. Besides we have stuff to be doing.” Verity was right, they had to get to Oubliette not entertain this hunter. Killing him would be easiest path but Aroma wouldn't stand for that. Artemis thought about taking him back to the apartment but she only entertained that idea for a second.

Of all the possible times. Right when they were so close to the answers they sought after. Artemis was tempted to kill Mathlete right there and weather what discontent Aroma would show. Artemis wasn't that selfish was she?. Dammit this was Obsidian Shine all over again! Yes this Mathlete pony was important to Aroma yes but, the scales were not in his favor.

Aroma turned to Artemis with solemn eyes. “We have to help him. I know we have a lot on our plate but if we could do this I'd be very thankful.”

Artemis looked down at her orange friend. Goddesses why did this decision come down to her? Artemis let out a reluctant sigh. “Aroma I don't know if we can. I mean he has us running into Hellhounds and into a stable with Luna knows what inside it. What if it's just an elaborate trick to kill you?”

Aroma's disappointment was physically noticeable. “But, Mathlete...” Her head lowered.

Artemis took a reflexive step back as Mathlete placed a hoof on Aroma's shoulder. “It's okay Aroma. I'm asking a lot of you and your friends. If they don't want to help then I can't make them but I sincerely hope you guys would consider it out of the kindness of your hearts.” Mathlete seemed to pause at the sight of Alpha.

“Don't try to placate to our sense honor, stable dweller.” Verity grumbled.

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to.” Mathlete let out an exasperated sigh. “Look, what I mean to say is that if you don't want to help me then that's fine but please I really need your help. I really want to go back home to be with my children.” He pleaded somberly and Artemis felt the truth in his words. This stallion truly wanted to survive and get back into Stable G to be reunited with his family... Who were they to make that call? But important as his ordeal was it had wait until later.

“Guys, how would you feel about considering Mathlete's request?” Artemis asked the others. Verity brought the others up to speed on the situation and soon they looked like they were tossing the idea around.

“We'll consider it but if Mathlete makes one wrong move or even gets too close to Aroma we'll gun him down.” Verity answered in a subtle but threatening tone. There it was democracy at work.

Artemis turned back to Mathlete. “Okay Mathlete we'll consider your proposal. Stay down at the saloon until we come for you. We'll be in touch.”

Mathlete's face seemed to brighten up a little. “Oh my thank you, thank you!” He tried to approach for a hoofshake but he quickly changed his mind about getting too close. “I'll rent a room at the saloon right away. Again thank you.” He added happily and ran down to the saloon.

Whether or not they did anything remained to be seen but at least he was gone for the moment...

Artemis sighed. “Ugh things are just never simple are they?” She asked rhetorically.

“We should have snapped his neck the minute he said he was a hunter. But we can save the moral anecdotal conversations until later, for now let's go do what we came here to do.” Verity rallied one last time.

Without anymore protest and roadblocks they group finally made their way back home. Yes this trip to the grocery store was one for the record books but still it did feel more comfortable knowing that they would be going to down to Oubliette properly prepared. Mathlete posed a different problem as well but if he could be put on the back burner for the time being then he would have to wait. The secret of Littlepip was about to be dragged into the light...

…..

“Oh hey guys welcome back. That must've been a mighty long line at the market.” Lady said from the kitchen putting away the plates.

“Hehe yeah, while y'all were gone I took the liberty of fixin' up the cuboards. Now they're practically new and clean of mold.” Hayseed added with a happy grunt as he picked himself up off the kitchen floor.

Lady grimaced at the Oubliette equipment. “So, when are you going down?” The relaxation in her tone was replaced with a worried trepidation.

“Hey guys come help daddy put up the groceries.” Hayseed said fatherly. The two foals that were playing in the living room came scampering to their father's call eager to help their daddy.

“We'll lock the door so they can't get in.” Artemis told Lady with a calm tone but inside she felt anxious. What if the hatch was meant to keep something down there? Than this could be Pandora's box.

Before they started work with Oubliette everyone was sure to get their personal gear. They were taking every precaution. Now they took only the bags with their equipment and made sure to lock the door so the foals wouldn't stumble in there. The bedroom with the small window seemed eerily musty like it remain untouched while the rest of the house was being repaired and the closet still way open with the torn up flooring.

Artemis reached into the closet and pulled the dangling light switch. Immediately the light revealed the steel hatch reinforced with rivets. A certain tensity seemed to pool in everyone.

“Okay. First we should decide who's staying up here to make sure nothing happens to the hatch.” Artemis announced turning away from Oubliette.

“Statement: User Artemis I believe I would be fit to guard the door while you go below. Besides I would not fit in the hole nor could I hold the ladder rungs.”

Hans nodded in agreement. “I vote with the machine honey. He's too big and if opening the jams your EFS's then what if there's other anti-machine defenses in there?” Aroma and Verity nodded in his vote for Alpha.

“Okay, it's unanimous Alpha you stay out here and make sure the hatch stays open. Now to decide who goes in first...” Artemis's sentence ended with an ominous silence.

“I will! For my friends.” Aroma volunteered bravely even though she may come to regret that.

“Very well but first let's get the door jacked open.” Artemis got her keys while Hans fished out the jack from one of the bags.

After sliding the key in and opening the hatch Artemis felt that familiar musty aroma of whatever lay down there. As she peered down into the darkness Artemis began to really envision where they were going. Littlepip's tomb, the real Littlepip not the deity from The Cult. To be so close to her final resting place felt so, so invigorating to be honest. Down there lies the mare that saved all of Equestria decades before Artemis was ever born... But it still begged the question why was Littlepip buried here and not at her own memorial grounds or someplace she deserved? Artemis felt that this place wasn't fit for a pony of her magnitude, why Littlepip deserved her very own castle just to be entombed in! Hmm maybe that was the fanaticism The Cult felt all the time, they couldn't find an outlet for their savior so they made one themselves.

Upon fully opening the hatch Artemis's EFS only identified as “Jammed” and Aroma whimpered from the other side of the room. Artemis lifted her head out of the closet to see what was the matter.

“Are you alright Aroma?” Artemis asked the mare as she pressed her hooves to her ears.

“What! I can barely hear you! Something's messing with my ears! I hear a lot of static make it stop!” Aroma yelled and ducked to the floor pressing her ears shut wincing at the white noise. Quickly Artemis closed the hatch and her pipbuck returned to normal and a look of relief crossed Aroma's face.

“I didn't see that coming Aroma, I'm sorry. I guess you'll just have to stand guard with Alpha.” Artemis apologized and sighed at this unseen complication.

“Maybe it's for the best.” Hans commented. “Besides maybe it'd be good have two people watching the door y'know.”

“Wait! I wanna go down there, I gotta go down there.” Aroma quickly tinkered with her ear implants. “I turned down the volume on my ears so maybe I won't hear the static! Don't approach me from the back though!”

Artemis almost said something to her but Aroma wouldn't hear it, literally. With a roll of her eyes Artemis reopened the hatch. Her pipbuck became jammed again but this time Aroma stood normal. “Huh, wow what do ya' know?”

“It works!” Aroma shouted loudly making everyone cringe.

Now that Aroma had been fixed sort of, the construction began. They opened the hatch and position the jack on the side and twisted the lever to stop the door from moving at all. Yes if they really wanted to prevent closing altogether they could just remove the hatch door but if something is down there that is supposed to stay down then they would need that hatch to close. Once they got the hatch stuck open reliably they proceeded to tie a long rope to the handle of a lantern that they would lower down into the dark until it reached bottom, however long that took. Last but not least was their own personal equipment; Hardhats with flashlights, ropes, flares, crowbars and a few other tools they might need.

About an hour had passed and now they were slowly lowering the tied lantern into the darkness. It was taking longer than everyone suspected but suddenly clang! was heard! That was it the lantern had reached bottom!

“Are you ready boys?” Hans said and tightened his tool belt.

“Ladies first...” Aroma said but gulped once she stared into the black darkness with the lantern's orange light from below.

“It's okay Aroma, I got this one.” Artemis said and nudged her friend's shoulders. Aroma didn't protest this time.

Artemis climbed over and grabbed onto the ice cold bars of the ladder. She felt an icy coldness bellowing from below. Her expression must've been one of worry because the others seemed to reflect that same fear as she faced them on the ladder. It felt disorientating lowering herself under the floor but wordlessly Artemis began to climb down into the darkness...

Colder and colder. The ladder almost stung to the touch from the cold and all visibility was gone. If she had known about this cold beforehand she would've bought some gloves and coats but it was comforting to hear the cling clang of the others on the ladder as well. Artemis also felt mildly claustrophobic when she first felt the cold wall on her back and if her body was touching the back of the small tunnel then she knew Verity wasn't doing much better, this tunnel was built for ponies not griffons. But even for ponies this tunnel was small, very tight, Artemis's elbows were at her sides as she descended. It felt as if she didn't have room to think.

“I'm going to turn on my light.” Artemis announced as they neared the lantern's light. She flipped the switch on her helmet and tried to turn to see downward but it was futile as the tunnel was too cramped. The others turned their lights on as well, Aroma did so when Hans patted her flank as a signal.

After staring at icy ladders and Verity's backside for an awkward amount of time soon Artemis felt the tunnel open up into a very wide space even large enough for her wingspan.

“Guys it opened up down here.” Artemis said as she outstretched her wings. Being especially careful Artemis turned on her pipbuck's light, at least that wasn't jammed. What the light revealed shocked her but in truth she didn't know what to expect in the first place.

She was only a yard or two from the ground. But this was no tomb, not by a long shot. Artemis hopped off the ladder and gave the word that she was off. She picked up the lantern and in it's light she saw her breath coming out of her mouth in a fine fog. Artemis unholstered her pistol from her belt.

Soon later the others got down off the ladder and looked around in surprise but were sure not to leave the lantern's light.

“This is no tomb...” Artemis said as she scanned the... wherever they were. Everyone turned on their flashlights that penetrated the thick darkness better than the pipbuck's LED light.

“What the hell Calamity?” Hans said in somber shock as he levitated his flashlight around.

“Why is it so c'c'cold? Aroma whispered shivering even with her jumpsuit back on. No one could answer her question though.

Artemis handed Aroma the lantern and pointed to the ladder. “Aroma we need you to stay here in case we need to escape quickly, with you here we'll know where the ladder's at if we need a quick escape.” Artemis explained and used hand gestures to get her point across.

“Artemis, you're gonna want to see this.” Verity called out in a perturbed voice. Artemis walked to her chilled boyfriend and looked where he pointed his flashlight. The faint circle of light landed on a large object obscured by a sheet covering it.

“It's a crate of something.” Verity explained foreboding the contents within.

“Keep the light on me Verity.” Artemis ordered in a whisper and walked over to the crate. She lifted the frozen tarp and sure enough there was a large wooden crate easily bigger than her and Verity together. For better or worse this box had to be opened.

“Hans, keep your light on us and Verity help me get this tarp off.” Artemis asked and hovered to the top of the crate. Even though she couldn't see the ceiling Artemis had the gut feeling that she could fly freely in here.

Hans kept his light trained on them as the duo pulled the green tarp off and threw it off the crate into the floor below. The crate was wooden and Artemis's flashlight revealed a line of nails keeping the top on nice and secure. But still no name of who made these boxes or what was inside. At this point Artemis would've preferred to find Littlepip's skeleton because this just made no sense.

“Let's get this top off Verity.” Artemis pulled out her crowbar, as did Verity. She worked the wedge side under the wood. It took a few good nudges to push the bar under the top but eventually Artemis got the metal under the wood.

With each visible breath Artemis thrust the crowbar up and down trying to dislodge the nails in the biting cold. There were no light switches in Oubliette or at least they hadn't found any. It seemed what ever Calamity wanted hidden down here he wanted it buried even from the light.

By now Artemis's breathing was becoming strained and difficult. The cold had dried her throat and her eyes were starting to burn and from Verity's coughs Artemis surmised she wasn't alone. Even if this place was clear of hostiles they would be forced to retreat from the sheer cold, not to mention the advanced darkness of Oubliette.

Luckily they were able to dislodge all the nails before long. Artemis looked to their spotlight Hans.

“Levitate it away, Hans it's clear.” Artemis said with a raspy voice and a plum of fog from her mouth.

This was it, the moment of truth. Hans nodded and the box was enveloped in a magical field and he moved off the top with Artemis and Verity's help, he too was beginning to falter from the cold. When Artemis's flashlights fell on the contents of the box she was taken aback by the sight of-

Books? Just lots and lots of books...

Artemis landed on the large crate. It was books nothing but books, but why? No tomb, no Littlepip, this didn't add up. Books was the last thing Artemis expected.

“What?” Verity thought aloud as he picked one up and wiped the frost away

Artemis reached down and grabbed one. The books were all neatly arranged inside the box, packed to the brim. She couldn't make out the title at first due to the frost on the cover so she instead opened it to the first few pages. Her flashlight beamed down on the cold book.

“If I’m going to tell you about the adventure of my life, explain how I got to this place with these people, and why I did what I’m going to do next, I should probably start by explaining a little bit about pipbucks....” Artemis skimmed down the page.

“As a unicorn pony myself, my innate magics allow me a level of fine manipulation that earth ponies don’t enjoy. Any pony can hold a key in their teeth and open a lock, but using multiple tools in a very delicate operation?” What the hell? This was just some stablepony's rantings?

“Oh, my name is Littlepip. Go figure. I was given the name because I was the youngest and the smallest, and even my mother had the good sense not to call me “Pipsqueak.” Wait, what? No this couldn't be.

“Pleased to meet you. Here is my story…” Anxiety bloomed in Artemis's neck. She already knew the answer but still she couldn't believe it. Artemis closed the book and rubbed away the frost on the cover.

“The Tale of Littlepip.” Artemis dropped the cold book, it landed with a thud on top of it's hundreds of brothers and sisters.

“Verity.” Artemis whispered in fear. “This is Littlepip's book.”

Chapter 22 - Hellhounds, Lawyers and Other Dangerous Foes

Chapter 22: Hellhounds, Lawyers and Other Dangerous Foes

A week and a half later...

Night. Artemis laid in her bed in a strained sleep. She had taken the room with the Oubliette hatch, it seemed appropriate. The bed was nice if a little too soft for her taste but it had several fluffy blankets and pillows. It wasn't the deluge outside that kept Artemis from falling asleep and ashamedly she wasn't wrestling with the people she had killed before, she just wasn't that type of person. But what was keeping her up was that damnable book. The Tale of Littlepip. It was so addictive, Artemis couldn't put it down and she had read through it all within a week! The others were reading some other copies brought up from Oubliette but none of them seemed to really get the story like she did.

A savior born in a stable, an archetype if there ever was one...

The story was so simple but yet had so much grandeur to it at the same time. Littlepip had been a stable dweller just like Aroma had surmised. She left her home in search of her friend and it all escalated from there to impossible heights. Honestly Artemis was wordless about the book, the questions it answered only left two more in its place. Perhaps most intriguing of all is the thought that Pip didn't save Equestria so much as open the window for Equestria to be saved. After Littlepip logged into the Single Pegasus Project and defeated the Enclave only then did Homage, Calamity and the others go out to find the bearers of the Elements of Harmony and activate the Gardens of Equestria. Who those ponies were, it could not be said. The book ended before that.

Hearing about Pip's tale had a double effect on Artemis. While it amazed her to no end it also made her diminish her own self-worth in her own mind. No matter what she did Artemis could never come close to what Littlepip did, not by a long shot. She was no Lightbringer, no hero. She was a griffon with a dysfunctional family. She wasn't on a heroic quest to save Equestria or to find her virtue. No, she was a quest to find a pre-war megaspell retaliation station that can tell the future. The cause was good, to stop the Legion from getting a hold of it yes but why had the others decide to follow her in such an obscure endeavor? Artemis rolled over in her bed and looked at the ceiling pondering that very question.

“Mmmrgh...” Aroma groaned as she lifted her head from under the covers next to Artemis. “Artemis...” She moan in a groggy whisper dreadfully tired. “What's wrong? You keep moving...”

That's how the sleeping arrangements were at the moment. There weren't enough beds or rooms for everyone so it was decided that Artemis and Aroma would sleep in one bed, Verity and Hans took the futon much to Verity's subtle dismay.

Artemis let out a sigh. “Aroma, why do you follow me?”

The tired pony blinked slowly half covered by blankets. “What do you mean?”

Artemis frowned at the ceiling. “Why didn't you leave? I'm mean, you gave me your pipbuck, you were pretty much home free but yet you stayed.”

Aroma rolled over on her pillows. “Hmm, I can't say why. When I first met you I didn't give you my pipbuck right away. I gave it to you so you could fight of that hunter.” Aroma looked down at the wrinkled sheets. “And... that was it.” She admitted with guilt in her tired voice.

“It's okay, I don't care about the pipbuck thing anymore but I just want to know why you still followed me to Gryphondale when you could have gone anywhere else.” Artemis asked again still gazing at the ceiling.

Aroma uncurled and laid her head on her pillow and stared up at the ceiling as well. “Personally... I dunno. You guys are kinda like my family now, I couldn't imagine bein' without you guys.”

Artemis gave the ceiling a soft smile. It felt good knowing that she had made an impact on Aroma's life. “When did you consider me your friend?” Artemis asked.

Aroma opened her mouth but closed it again to find the right answer. “Remember when you and me were eating after you helped the doctors back in Happenstance?”

Happenstance. It felt like a lifetime ago, ethereal, almost like it was a dream. It dawned on Artemis that she too couldn't imagine her life without her friends as well. “Yes, you had some qualms about eating meat.” Artemis answered.

Aroma nodded. “It was there. You risked your life to save mine, I don't even think most of the people in my stable would have done that for me.” She confessed poorly masking her disappointment.

“You mentioned that before, that many of the dweller of Stable G were really...” Artemis's sentence trailed off. Personally she couldn't bring herself to say not many people in Aroma's stable liked her.

Aroma released a quick sad huff. “Yeah, the ponies back home thought I was, annoying. They never really like me, I never knew the right things to say and I always came across as a nuisance. I bet half the stable partied when I left, hell maybe they still are now.” Aroma's spirits seemed to dwindle.

“That's why I value you as a friend. You took me in and you didn't even know me.” Aroma added before continuing.

“Stellar was the only pony that would give me the time of day. She was my only friend in Stable G, I don't know why she liked me. Pity, maybe making herself look better by comparison? No, I can't think like that. Stellar really liked me... She was the only pony that kissed me.”

Artemis perked up but remained still. “So you and Stellar were more than friends?”

Aroma stuttered a little. “I- well- y'know- yeah- sorta -no -maybe. I can't tell, I never really had any attraction to anypony. It just never clicked with me. I get the idea of romance, but I don't feel strong enough to make it. Sheesh listen to me ramble.” Aroma gave an embarrassed chuckle.

“What does that make me? Gay, straight, bi ugh.” She added trying to clean things up but in vain.

“Don't worry too much Aroma. I didn't mean to get you upset about home and I'm sure Stellar's just as worried about you. Though if you want you could talk to Hans, he knows everything about love, it's his special talent.” Artemis whispered in an upbeat tone.

Aroma gave a light chuckle. “Sure I'll talk to him soon. Goodnight Artemis.”

“Goodnight Aroma.” Artemis concluded and soon all there was to be heard was the rainstorm outside.

“Psst! Hey Artemis I almost forgot. I made a couples name for you and Verity.” Aroma whispered after their final goodnights.

“What is it?” Artemis asked shyly. She felt a little fluttery now knowing Aroma had really noticed the two of them even though Artemis they were felt estranged at times but she found this couples name endearing nonetheless.

“Artery.” Aroma chirped quietly then snickered under her breath. Artery, how quaint and spelling-case correct. The “Art” of her name and the “er-y” from Verity's. It was actually pretty ingenious when you thought about it.

“Clever. I like it.” Artemis whispered warmly before rolling back over for the night.

Morning...

Artemis blinked daintily a few times before her eyes were fully open. It was morning, the sunlight shone in her room from the small window near the ceiling. She rolled over ruffling her wings and found Aroma was gone, odd. Artemis kicked off the covers and sat up but strangely no morning headache, not that she was complaining maybe it had to do with sleeping in a real bed for once. She let out a yawn and twisted her back left and right with resounding pops, then Artemis proceeded to pop her knuckles. It was a habit.

Artemis examined the messy bed but ultimately decided not to fix the covers, she had them the way she liked them. After fixing her bedhead feathers Artemis walked into the living room where everyone was getting their breakfast in the kitchen except for Hans who sat on the futon that had been reverted back to a couch. He sat in that awkward position that only ponies looked awkward in and he held a flask between his hooves.

Artemis sat next to her pink friend while the others milled about in the kitchen. “Isn't it a little early for the booze Hans?” Artemis asked cooly. She didn't care when he drank hell vice was a part of who he was, it's just how they talked to one another almost like brother and sister.

Hans took a drink from his silver flask. “I'm just trying to get my back pain to go away.” He griped and rubbed his back in discomfort.

Artemis chuckled. “Hehe you didn't get fresh with Verity did you?” Artemis smirked but Hans didn't seem to care, his face of discomfort remained.

“Quite the contrary honey, I learned something about your man last night.” He took another drink of the flask before taking it out of his mouth and held it upside down. Seeing it was empty he just threw it in the floor.

“What'd you learn?” Artemis indulged.

“Hmph. It would appear Verity Preensdale is a cuddler in his sleep. I think he mistook me for a body pillow last night.” Usually Hans would've enjoyed cuddling with a man but he legitimately sounded pained by last night.

“Aww but that's so cute.” Artemis cooed and glanced at the cornflower blue griffon, he didn't seem to catch her though. “If you want we could switch sleeping arrangements, you could take Aroma besides I think she might need to talk to you anyway.”

Hans chuckled shallowly. “So Aroma has some sexuality problem I take it?” Wow he was good but Artemis had come to expect that kind of skill out of Hans. It did explain his heart cutie mark after all.

“Yeah, Aroma's confused I think...” Artemis's sentence trailed away into silence.

“Nope, Aroma's just asexual with homosexual tendencies.”Hans declared matter-of-factly as if it was common knowledge.

“How could you tell?” Artemis wondered, she wasn't surprised but just bewildered at how he always knew.

Hans sighed and tried to move his back. “Body language, I watch where her eyes glance, I've even seen her glance at you sometimes.” He gave a smug smile.

Okay that was a little off putting. Aroma had actually looked at her with intimate thought. Now sharing a bed was a little awkward. Hans continued nonchalantly.

“Don't go thinkin' you're on Aroma's mind all the time, I've just caught once or twice. No, Aroma is asexual which means she doesn't feel attraction to someone but she can crave physical intimacy at times. Asexuality does come with a sub-sexuality like hetero or homophilia. There's a science to sex Artemis, and I got a PHD.”

Artemis nodded finally with his diagnosis. “That I have no doubt but about Verity, we can switch if you want and my bed's more comfortable.”

Hans gave another coy smile. “Hmph. You wish, I ain't ready to become an uncle yet. I don't want to risk you getting the D just yet.”

Artemis raised her wings over her head and hid her face in the cushions blushing furiously. “Goddesses Hans I just said we could switch sleeping arrangements, I'm not gonna let him charge up my loading ramp.” She corrected clumsily.

The pain on Hans' face gave way when he giggled before leaning his head close to her. “Don't worry baby girl, you've spent nineteen years of this self-imposed abstinence you'll know when the time comes and you'll know when it doesn't.” He wore a suggestive smile. Artemis only blushed harder, nearly her entire face was rosy.

“Prepare yourself Artemis, I watch you too. The time is fast approaching, I notice when you get intimate with Verity: Outside Clopton, when you destroyed that tank, and don't think I missed that little escapade when you first found the hatch.”

Hans stopped antagonizing her and weakly stood up. “Nrgh I'm gonna head out baby girl and see if I can find a nice massage and maybe some afternoon delight.” He slowly walked to the door and turned around. “Oh, and I won't be going to Stable 2, me and stable's don't mix y'know, sorry...” He announced regretfully but Artemis understood. Hans had fallen down an elevator shaft in a stable nearly lost his leg, his was normal. The more Artemis thought about the hellhounds the more she wanted to forget about Mathlete.

But it was breakfast time. Since Hans was out getting some afternoon delight there was one less pony at the table. That same feeling of misplacement crept into Artemis's forethought. Seeing everyone around the table eating food so casually just seemed so pedestrian again they weren't wastelanders. Artemis felt wrong for wishing she was a wastelander but honestly that's what she truly believed she was back in the San Palomino, she still felt embarrassed for being so naive.

Artemis sat down at the table and grabbed a biscuit from the bowl in the middle. Everyone had a decent meal, oddly Alpha sat by a bowl of cereal as if he was going to eat it.

“So what's the plan for today, Artemis.” Hayseed inquired pleasantly.

Again why did this decision fall to her to make? Artemis hummed and took a bite. “I supposed we'd better get to helping Mathlete, then we need to get on to Fillydelphia and I need to see if Ditzy's still working on my baby.”

“Sounds like we have a plan.” Verity rumbled as he quietly ate.

“Right, where did Hans go?” Aroma asked from her chair.

Artemis answered. “He went out to get some afternoon delight and he said he can't come with us to Stable 2.”

“Why isn't he coming with us?” Aroma asked a little worried.

Artemis glanced around the table and the foals. “Well Hans and stables don't have a good history. You see a couple years back me and him were trying to get a water talisman out of a vault and eventually Hans fell down an elevator shaft when we were attacked by Steel Rangers and nearly lost his leg.” Odd didn't Rusty say that the Steel Rangers were brought into the NCR as heavy troopers?

Aroma looked worried from Artemis's recounting. It seemed she couldn't have imagined Hans being vulnerable Aroma made a habit out of raising individuals above their actual talents and mortality.

“And.” Artemis began her second announcement. “When we go to Fillydelphia I want one of us to stay behind and watch this place and you guys.” She motioned to Hayseed, Lady and their two foals.

“Nope. Remember Artemis, I said we stick together no matter what.” Hayseed clopped his hooves on the table in stubborn loyalty.

Artemis rubbed the back of her head. “I know your heart's in the right place but Fillydelphia is a dangerous place and you guys.. you guys.” Artemis trailed.

Lady sighed and adjusted her mane. “Hayseed honey, Artemis is right we're not soldiers besides we'd just get in the way.” She nudged her husband.

Hayseed sighed begrudgingly. “I still can't help but feel like wer' leavin' our friends high and dry. How do you plan to get there?”

Artemis logged on her pipbuck. “We're gonna take a train up north and find the lair of the pink one.” Skipper was most likely referring to the Ministry of Morale hub in Fillydelphia. She had learned that from Littlepip's book to be honest.

“No, I think it would be more prudent if our whole group goes to Fillydelphia.” Verity chimed in as he wiped his mouth with his napkin.

“Really now?” Artemis defaulted but tried her best not to sound sarcastic.

Verity nodded. “If you believe we are being followed then if the spies see us all leave for Fillydelphia then they might suspect we were just traveling with Hayseed and his family thus keeping them from being ponies of interest.” Hayseed and Lady exchanged worried glances at the mention of possible spies.

“What do you mean by spies?” Lady asked with trepidation in her voice.

“Yes, maybe you should explain dear.” Verity suggested in his steely tone. Still it felt oddly cute when he called her dear though.

Artemis thought about how to word things so the family wouldn't be perturbed so badly they would flee New Appaloosa while they were away. So Artemis told them the truth, sugar coated naturally. “Well, basically...”

“A zealous cult about Littlepip? That explains the masked ponies about town passing out pamphlets and preaching in the streets.” Hayseed thought aloud.

“But I want to help Mathlete before we go.” Aroma added in hastily almost as if she begun to think the others had forgotten about her dilemma.

“Agreement: I concur with User Verity and User Aroma. If my memory cards are in Fillydelphia then I must try to acquire them.” Alpha sounded determined and the cereal bowl in front of him was empty now... curious.

Artemis stood up from the table and pushed her seat in. “Alright guys we got a busy day today so let's get on the road.” The others stood casually and Aroma did so quickly, eager to help her former teacher.

“Vale.” Verity told Hayseed and Lady as the gang made their way out of the apartment.

“This is why the decision comes down to you Artemis...” Verity whispered in her ear with his hot breath.

“What do you mean?” She whispered back not quite seeing what he was getting at.

“You made a plan and we're executing it without interjection. People follow you once they get to know you. You told us to get up and we did so without hesitation.” He whispered back almost purring. Artemis hadn't really noticed it before, she really could command on a small level even if she wasn't conscious of it. Her mind immediately went to her being able to command Artemis Arrow & Associates but she could only see her mercenary dream as a laughable fantasy now.

“Beware, Artemis that power of command comes at a terrible cost. Remember that.” Verity added ad walked on to the others.

Strangely Artemis didn't feel as frightened about going to Fillydelphia as most people would be. Personally she just felt refreshed with finally being off the road and out of the wagon. However, the NCR was not without its own brand of danger albeit more systematic and invisible. The Cult of Littlepip still remained ominous to Artemis and after she read more of Littlepip's book the more she saw the inconsistencies of The Cult's version of her. Artemis really needed to see Calamity again to ask him... something. She couldn't even formulate a question to ask besides “Why?” Was that all she could muster?

They had reached the main street of town, a wide dusty dirt road that led to all the smaller streets.

“Alright guys you head over to the saloon and get Mathlete ready, I'm gonna see if my famas is finished.” With that Artemis flew off to Absolutely Everything, she just called another shot hadn't she? Part of it made her feel tingly on the inside, another part felt like she was ignoring any suggestions her friends might have. But it was just a small matter right? No big deal or maybe that's how it starts. Maybe it'll spiral out into a-!

“No Artemis dammit quit thinking in these circular motions.” She told herself. It could really become annoying when her when her mind would race with frivolous thoughts that got her nowhere, all it did was add unnecessary stress.

Artemis landed outside Absolutely Everything flapping her wings as she came in for the landing. A handful of ponies looked at her as she landed but that was probably because they weren't expecting a casual flier. She sometimes forgot ponies aren't accustomed to folk of flight besides the pegusai of which Artemis had never noticed in New Appaloosa until now. The only pegusai she had met was Calamity, Ditzy Doo and Alpha.

“But! I can ponder that another time.” Artemis told herself and dispelled her pondering on the pegusai.

She entered the heavenly air conditioned super store and quickly made her way to Ditzy's desk in the firearms section of the store. The blaring music died as Artemis neared Ditzy's office door away from the speakers. She also had some questions about Oubliette if Mrs. Doo wasn't too terrified of The Cult stalking her. Artemis knocked on the door just as Hans had about a week ago. A couple minutes later Artemis heard the sound of several locks being unlocked and bars sliding. This level of paranoia didn't seem to fit the happy-go-lucky pony ghoul. The door slowly opened only slightly enough to reveal the ghoul mare's crossed eye.

“Hello Ditzy Doo.” Artemis greeted nicely if a little awkwardly.

The eyeball only stared off into space before the door closed shut. Artemis backed only an inch at the noise of the door shutting but she heard the telltale noise of scribbling.

Ten seconds later her chalkboard scooted under the door. “Hello. Have you seen Oubliette? Did you bring me any muffins?”

Artemis let out a lighthearted chuckle. “Sorry Ditzy Doo no muffins today but I did see Oubliette... why, why was it down there?” She whispered and slid the board back under the door.

There was no scribbling noise this time but like clockwork Ditzy returned her message. “Bad stuff. Nearly twenty years back, I can't say much, they watch me.”

Artemis grimaced. “You mean The Cult don't you? I've seen them, in their cathedral. Why are you letting them pervert her story? I read about you in her book.”

The board returned moments later. “I have no choice. They'll hurt me and family if I try anything.” Artemis could feel the desperation in her written words. She was beginning to become frustrated with Ditzy Doo's fatalism but then again it really wasn't the poor mare's fault. The real villain was The Cult.

Artemis sighed. “Look, Ditzy I'm sorry. Just, where could I get some answers from you guys?” She apologized softly and leaned on the door.

A few seconds later. “I'm sorry too Artemis. I'll put you in contact with Calamity, don't worry.”

As Artemis finished her reading the door opened and there stood Ditzy Doo who looked tired and fearful. Only now did Artemis realize what she was going through, the sight of the once lighthearted and happy ghoul now looked weary and forlorn. Has to be awful, living in fear and having to watch something you fought so hard for to be warped retold as a lie. Artemis's heart sank at the sight of Ditzy.

The pegasus mare reach behind her door and gave Artemis what had to be her famas wrapped in a brown cloth. Artemis held her rifle like a child in her arms. “Thank you Ditzy, I really appreciate it.”

The ghoul mare picked up her chalkboard. “No, thank you. C can give you answers, I'm being watched too closely. You should go before it looks like you're here for more than a weapon pickup.

PS. I also added a grenade launcher for you.”

Artemis unwrapped her famas and sure enough it looked brand new, no scorch marks, melting, or dents and under the barrel of the rifle was a single grenade barrel. Hell yeah! It wouldn't fire common hand grenades but it looked like it would fit a 40mm grenade capsule. This was sure to come in handy since she expected to be fighting hellhounds later today.

“Wow thank.... you.” Artemis slowed as she saw Ditzy had closed the door. It was just wrong seeing such a cheerful mare suddenly full of fear. Artemis just had to make it right she just had to!

Not Long Later...

Artemis had purchased a few 40mm's and made her way back to the saloon where Mathlete had been staying. It felt right to have armor and her famas again. The Drescott vest fit her well, while not as heavy as her older combat armor it would be more protective than nothing at all.

The saloon was your typical bar but it did have a more pioneer-y feel to it seeing that it was made out of lumber instead of being repurposed from a pre-war building like Absolutely Everything. Inside were people from about the town that had settled in for some spirits. Ponies sat at tables playing cards and drinking their alcohol. Many of the ponies here looked as though they worked down at the rail yard with their convict/slaves. Artemis felt a slight revulsion at them, she was rigidly anti-slavery/forced work since her mother is a slave and has been for nearly her entire life.

Artemis sat at the bar, a few heads turned since again she was the only griffon to be seen. The bartender walked up. “What can I get you?” He said nonchalantly but his mustache must have been the envy of mustached men.

“Um, just a shot of whiskey.” She answered and scanned for the others.

The bartender smiled. “Maybe just one little lady, we don't you getting tipsy with that piece on your back.” He commented sardonically as he poured her a small glass. Artemis snorted as she imagined herself getting drunk and having target practice with empty bottles.

“Fair enough, I gotta be going soon anyway.” She agreed with him and drank her shot. She felt a warm warmthyness inside her.

“You headin' back to Fillydelphia?” A gruff cyan stallion asked from the other side of the bar. How would he know?

Artemis almost didn't want to tell the truth so she'd just remain ambiguous about it. Technically not lying. “Yeah, long ride back y'know.” She said casually spinning her talon around the rim of her empty shot glass.

Another stallion perked up. “So you're one'a Gawd's Talons, wokrin' down at Talon Steel.” He said heartily and tipped his beer towards her.

Gawd? Was he referring to Gawdyna from Littlepip's book? Gawd's Talons was her mercenary gang but what was Talon Steel? Artemis gave a weak smile and rubbed her head. “Yeah, I'm kinda new though, I still don't get it really.”

“Hehe.” Cyan chuckled. “Talon Steel's only the biggest producer of steel the NCR has. Hell our president is the daughter of Talon Steel's founder.”

President of the NCR? If Artemis surmised correctly then Gawdyna Grimfeathers might be the founder. Although she wasn't too sure about NCR history though. Maybe she could coax it out of these construction workers.

The bartender saw Artemis was fit for another drink and wordlessly poured her another shot. “I'm a bit dusty on my NCR history. Could you fill me in?” She asked and drank her shot.

Cyan hummed. “Hmm well I'm no history teacher but the Lightbringer purified the land and after that Gawdyna Grimfeathers became the first president. She ruled for about ten years and then her daughter Regina became president and she's ruling up to present day actually.” He explained rubbing his chin.

Artemis would have asked more questions but her excitement boiled at the mention of Reggie Grimfeathers, still alive and president of the NCR at that. She read about Reggie in Pip's book, damn Reggie had to be almost in her early sixties by now. It felt hard to imagine the rambunctious preteen from the book now being president of the NCR. Artemis also remember Kage Grimfeathers who was killed in chapter... damn she couldn't remember but if it wasn't for him then defeating the Enclave would have been near impossible.

Another stallion piped up. “Oh yeah that was back when those heretic terrorists were defeated!” He announced sharply almost spilling his drink.

“Terrorists? Heretics?” Artemis asked in a muddled tone as she drank another shot. Good thing she wasn't a lightweight or did that mean you got drunk faster?... ugh.

A yellow mare with a short silver mane nodded seriously. “Yeah totally. Almost twenty years ago there were these false disciples that denied the Lightbringer's gospel. They yelled and yelled about some whacked out dogma until they took the Grandeur de Littlepip Cathedral hostage. Luckily they were brought to justice and they've never been seen since.”

What the hell? Did that mare mean what Artemis thought she meant? Did the normal people of the NCR know Calamity and the others false disciples? The Cult was indoctrinating them with their chantry, distorting the truth of Littlepip. Artemis felt lightheaded. She knew the truth, the horrible unaccepted truth. Littlepip wasn't a holy alicorn, she was a normal mare but this was madness. The most sickening part of all was how they all acted so casual and righteous even when they believed lies! They believed The Cult's lies and took them as fact and scorned Calamity and the others for saying differently. Would the same happen to her if she spoke out against their dogma? But this mare mentioned the false disciples were never seen again yet Calamity is the general of the NCR regiment holding Hoofer Dam? Artemis began to suspect some fowl play behind closed doors. What had Calamity and the others done? Artemis ached for the truth like one would ache for food or maybe the alcohol was causing the aches...

“Ms. You feelin' alright?” The cyan stallion asked with legitimate worry.

Artemis stumbled off her stool and started making her way to the swinging doors of the saloon. Standing was a task in and of itself, three shots.

Artemis stumbled out of the saloon and leaned on one of the wooden beams supporting the roof of the porch. All she could do was cynically laugh in disbelief. Those people actually believed The Cult's dogma and took it as fact! Artemis imagined that Calamity, Ditzy Doo and all the others must be burning in silent anguish from seeing the idle indoctrination of the country they gave blood, sweat and tears for. At least she hoped they were, Artemis couldn't fathom the thought if Littlepip's friends betrayed her.

Artemis was brought out of her preoccupation when a voice called out to her. She tried not to seem inebriated but that care was replaced with a seed of dread when Artemis saw a Cult mare levitating a pamphlet. She wore the telltale gold mask she had to be sweltering under it although her robes were not as ornate as the priest back at the cathedral.

“Hello drunkard, can I tell you about the Lightbringer and how you can repent!” She said happily even as her eyes seemed to dart in her mask.

Artemis had some questions alright but they were probably the ones that would get her and her friends on their blacklist. However Artemis was not in her most cognitive state of mind. She leaned off the pole but still held on. “Not, right now. But I have some questions... for you.”

The cleric seemed to backpedal slightly but did not back down. “Sure! I'd be more than happy to answer any questions you have about The Cult of Littlepip.” She somehow sounded overly pleasant.

Artemis snorted. “First, what's the Grandeur de Littlepip? Second, what's under your mask cuz' I don't trust ponies that wear masks.” She slurred as her inebriation turned to drunken discontent.

The mare perked up. “Oh! The Grandeur de Littlepip is the largest cathedral we have and it's the first cathedral. His holiness the Archbishop Prophet resides there. It was built in the Everfree Forest where it was believed that Littlepip slew Red Eye and sent his anti-cathedral to hell. She built The Grandeur over it so the church would always keep the evil locked away. Praise be the Lightbringer!” Like all the cultist she spoke so fervently it scared Artemis.

“What was your other question?” She asked coming off her religious soapbox.

Artemis almost forgot after that little display, almost. “Your mask, what do you hid?”

The Cult mare's eyes seemed to narrow before answering. “They are aesthetic, our faces maybe be disturbing to most people.” She answered ambiguously but Artemis was buzzed enough to press on. Where were Verity and the others all ready?

“Why? Are you branded? Cybernetically enhanced?” Artemis persisted.

Her eyes looked downward. “I will show you, it's a symbol of pride but I must warn you it may not be pretty to you.” She warned but Artemis detected a slight pride in her tone. Artemis nodded in understanding or more of an agreeing bobbing of her head.

The mare exhaled and reached her front hooves behind her mask and began clicking whatever was on the back of her head to unlock her mask. What Artemis saw was grotesque to say the least. The mare, the wine purple mare was deformed under her mask. Her lips were gone revealing pink gums and white teeth, her nose was removed too just leaving a sickly diamante hole in her face. Artemis didn't want to look anymore. Before she could tell if the mare still had eyelids she waived her hand beseeching her to put her mask back on.

“Oh goddesses, who did that to you? I'm so sorry.” Artemis stumbled albeit her vision was beginning to clear and gave her a clumsy hug.

But The Cult mare did not return the gesture. Instead she gently pushed Artemis back. “I told you but these are good among The Cult. We do this to show our love for the Lightbringer that loved us when ponykind was at our worse. It's a sign of fierce admiration and commitment to our savior, it also represents how the Lightbringer gave herself even though we could never come close to what she did. I took my first Severance after my seventeenth birthday, glorious.” She sighed in a grim revelry.

“How do you perform a Severance?” Artemis asked in sobering horror.

She seemed to glance inconspicuously at her pamphlets. “Ah, greatest day of my life. It was at The Grandeur, I stood in the drained baptistry and my Bishop and fellow clerics watch as I showed the Lightbringer that I was fit to preach her gospel. I did it, it was bloody but I did it. I took off my bottom lips. Many can't do it their first time but I did.” She paused. “Praise be.” She added with dark finality.

The drunkenness came to an icy end. Something about the cultist mare's pride in her self-mutilation just brought Artemis to a sobering collapse. The Cult of Littlepip, the lies, the indoctrination but why the blood? They had the power, the money, the influence but why did they find it necessary to deform themselves? Was this Archbishop Prophet just a sadistic pony who just wanted to see gullible ponies gut themselves for his pleasure but then came the awful possibility that this Archbishop might actually believe this dogma himself and might believe the lies himself. It just seemed too awful to imagine.

The mare spoke again but pointed behind Artemis this time. “I guess those are your friends come to take you home. Thank you for your time and we'd love to see you in church sometime.” The cordiality had returned to her. That innocent voice once belonged to such an innocent mare.

Artemis glanced back and saw Verity and others minus Hans. Mathlete looked perturbed by the cultist she had been talking to and rightly so. Aroma looked downright afraid of them. Telling her the horror of what lies beneath the mask wouldn't help lighten that fear either.

“Ah... Artemis is it? Glad we found you.” Mathlete spoke up and trotted to her.

“You alright Artemis?” Aroma asked with an innocent tilt of her head.

“Goddesses, Artemis you've been drinking haven't you.” Verity divulged with modest disdain. “Intoxication is a sport of the dissolute.” He added.

Artemis wrapped an arm around him. “It was just casual drinking and I forgot how much I was drinking but don't worry, I'm sobering up real quick. I just had the most disturbing conversation with that cult mare.” Artemis explained and pointed to The Cult mare who was walking down the street talking to other ponies.

“They're a cult? I've been wondering what those masked ponies were doing.” Mathlete commented cordially but in actuality he was probably just trying to get the attention focused on him and getting to Stable 2 already.

Artemis dismounted Verity and tried to see straight. Her vision was fuzzy in places but it was beginning to clear. “Where do we need to go, Mathlete?” Artemis cut to the chase and Mathlete was quietly thankful.

He scanned his pipbuck's map screen closely. “Okay, I've done some scouting and if we follow the NCRCCSR Line it'll eventually lead us to the Ponyville and the Hellhound Sanctuary.” Now his speech seemed to slow in hesitation. “Then I guess we'll be sneaking into their nest and hoping to find a pipbuck master key in the Overmare's office.”

Damn they hadn't left New Appaloosa and already things were getting hairy. The idea of sneaking past hellhounds sounded like a pipe dream at best and with five people going in on this mission only stood to slim their chances of success. However, Artemis thought back to The Tale of Littlepip. The hellhounds were just as sentient as ponies or griffons, perhaps sneaking and fighting did not have to be the main course of action. But that memory of Clopton stood to give her pause, she remembered the one Follower pony that was killed by that legionnaire hellhound- wait! Legionnaire hellhounds! If the hellhounds somehow had an alliance with the Legion then Verity could serve as an olive branch. It wasn't much of a plan and it was crazy enough to get them all killed but then again, the last time Artemis got one of those crazy ideas she blew up a tank and when dealing with hellhounds there was always the probability you would end up dead.

“Mathlete.” Artemis interrupted. “I got another idea.” She turned to Verity with determination. “Verity, if my memory serves correctly then you might be able to get us in as diplomats.”

Verity raised his eyebrows in ever clam surprise. “Really now, do tell.” He asked in his steel voice. Artemis imagined he was thinking about how she naturally assumed the role of leader.

Artemis formulated her idea into words. “Okay, in Clopton I saw a hellhound in Legion armor. Since hellhounds aren't native to the San Palomino then they must've come from the NCR. I'm thinking, if the hellhounds have set up some kind of alliance then maybe they'll recognize you and we can get a diplomatic foot in the door so to speak. Then we just feign to be Legion ambassadors, claim that there's something Cesare wants down in Stable 2.”

The others were silent neither agreeing or disagreeing. They exchanged contemplating glances to one another. But it was Mathlete and Aroma who looked the most worried about meeting the hellhounds. Although Aroma had to have read about the hellhounds when she read Littlepip's book she still retained an anxious demeanor.

'I say we do it.” She spoke in a meek tone. Personally it wasn't what Artemis expected but she welcomed the idea of Aroma being on board.

“But Aroma, I've heard terrifying stories about those hellhounds I-” Mathlete shortly protested until Verity interrupted.

“Would you rather us all fight them?” He asked rhetorically.

Mathlete lowered his hoof. Verity spoke. “If Artemis thinks she can get into the hellound sanctuary without a firefight then we need to try.”

“Chiding Statement: User Verity, I did not expect clemency from you.” Alpha chimed but his voiced crackled as if he was amused by himself.

Verity turned to the synthetic pony. “No, I mean that hellhounds can put up fierce offensives and if we can avoid it for our goal then it is only the most probable course of action.” He eyed the machine closer. It was clear he didn't trust Alpha. That was strange though and Artemis didn't entirely blame Verity. Alpha did seem, odd at times. He would often be silent until he would usually give some scientific advice but it somewhat disturbing when he acted like he was a real pony, he came across as alien and disturbing especially if she felt hints of an inflection in his robotic voice. Verity wordlessly turned away from Alpha, the others did seem put off by Alpha's interjection. It was just strange when Alpha emulated organics.

“Right. Anyway, I say we get underway before it gets dark.” Mathlete suggested awkwardly after his meeting with Alpha.

Later. The group, minus Hans, is walking along the NCRCCSR...

The group walked along the train tracks that raced ever outward towards Ponyville. The earth had been cleared to make way for the steel rails that formed the tracks. However, they were not walking along some forgotten rail line that the old Equestria had used before their annihilation, no. This was a new train track that the NCR had laid to suit their new needs, most likely laid by the convict slaves she had seen when they first got to New Appaloosa. They had spent nearly two weeks in the New Canterlot Republic and now Artemis found herself with time to reflect.

Artemis and her friends had reached this country that had the means to rebuild what was lost in the Great War, something that sounded like a fantasy before. Perhaps what was the most fascinating thing in their foray to the north was the discovery of Littlepip's book. The real story of the Lightbringer straight from the horse's mouth, literally. Littlepip wasn't a deified pearl alicorn that turned her enemies into dust instead she really was a normal pony, normal being relative in her case. But this wondrous discovery was overshadowed by a new type of monster, The Cult. Perhaps what made The Cult so dangerous was that they didn't force ponies to call Littlepip lord but they convinced them they should. The Cult wasn't an army that was taking over the NCR through brute force but instead they had made political connections with NCR's leaders and fortified a place in the spirituality of the common pony. This wasn't a monster Artemis could kill with a weapon.

When The Cult came to the forefront of Artemis's thoughts Calamity and Littlepip's old friends followed in tow. What had happened to the others like, Xenith and Spike? Artemis knew or at least part-knew what had happened to Calamity, Velvet Remedy, Littlepip-sort of, Steelhooves and Reggie. Calamity was now the general of the NCR army defending Hoofer Dam although he seemed glum about his desk job. His wife Velvet Remedy was a medical officer at the dam with her husband, more likely she was the head medical pony at the dam. If anypony from Littlepip's book touched Artemis more than Littlepip herself then it was Velvet, she held on to her morals against the ravages of the wasteland and even though she could have been a supreme bitch at times she still was the kindest pony. Artemis bemoaned her naivety at truly believing she had lived in the Equestrian Wasteland. Sheesh how stupid could she have been. If anything her generation had things going great for them. Littlepip had assimilated into the Single Pegasus Project and now had control of the weather but whether or not Pip lived anymore remained to be seen. Her mind conjured grim thoughts of Littlepip's skeleton lying in the SPP pod in Neighvarro. However morbid, it was unlikely. Calamity was older than Littlepip and yet he was still alive but still deep down Artemis couldn't even imagine existing in the same dimension as Littlepip. The Lightbringer just seemed so abstract and intangible when you really tried to imagine her living and breathing before you. Last but not least was Steelhooves and Regina Grimfeathers. Steelhooves had been killed by hellhounds just after Littlepip killed the goddess at Maripony. In many senses Steelhooves reminded her of Verity with their stoic or grim natures. Artemis remembered when she read the scene with Steelhooves's death, she almost didn't believe the words and had to reread that scene to see if she had read it correctly. Then that one hellhound had the audacity to throw his decapitated head at the Sky Bandit! Artemis wanted jump into that book and strangle that hellhound with his own intestines. Thinking back, if Steelhooves's grave still stood she might pay a visit. Finally there was Reggie, daughter of Gawd. Artemis would admit that seeing a griffon as the leader of the NCR did instill a feeling of pride in her. No one was really sure what race Cesare belonged to, there was only speculation among the lower rungs of the Legion. The officers that knew Cesare would sooner cut out their own tongues than disclose any information about Cesare.

Among the many things that stood in Artemis's mind with The Tale of Littlepip was something that could actually help her in the present. In chapter thirty-seven Littlepip was in Canterlot trying to find the black book for the goddess but what Artemis found most intriguing if slightly disturbing was the mention of twin mares in the Ministry of Arcane Science. If what Artemis believed was true then those two mares were the twins that she had been seeing, Gestalt and Mosaic. They matched the description that the book gave to a haunting degree. If Artemis ever saw them again she planned to invoke their names and see what kind of reaction she gets. Even then, Gestalt and Mosaic had met their demise and were joined with the Unity almost two-hundred years ago. If that wasn't enough they were “killed” when Littlepip detonated a balefire bomb under Maripony but still they live. Why? No doubt Gestalt and Mosaic had a hoof in making the Dead Hoof Retaliation Network that would later become the number station.

The zebra's that fired on Canterlot started armageddon but the Dead Hoof finished it.” Grandpa's words echoed in her thoughts.

Not long later...

The rails eventually led to the train station where the NCR freighters make most of their shipments to Ponyville. The station had been built after the apocalypse but it showed that it was not brand new per se like the remodeling of New Appaloosa. Artemis guessed it was built perhaps ten years after the founding of the NCR.

The gate was no problem with Artemis, Verity and Alpha simply carrying the ground-bound ponies over the gate. Aroma hopped off Artemis's back and stepped on the patchy dirt. The gate they had flown over had rings of barbed wire crowning the tops serving as a deterrent to would-be trespassers. But that wall was nothing compared to the inner wall Artemis saw. Behind the front gate was a large steel wall almost a good fifteen feet high. It was reinforced with steel rivets much like Oubliette's hatch and it had tall pylons that hummed with electricity even from, Artemis could hear them even from where she standing. Did this gate serve to keep the hellhounds in or keep curious ponies out?

“Artemis, we got company.” Mathlete announced worriedly as he pointed to several NCR uniforms that were making there way into the receiving area.

“Halt! You are trespassing on Crystal Canine embassies. Relinquish your weapons and prepare to be detained.” The NCR soldier buck said as he approached them with several other armed guards.

The others tensed up feeling a firefight was imminent but Artemis wasn't, she merely stood nonchalantly. She imagined her uncaring expression might have worried the soldiers that she had something up her sleeve, which she did. Artemis drew her Ranger Badge and held it in her hand and revealed the gold plate badge. The soldiers only flinched before realizing what it was.

“A Ranger?” A young stallion whispered in amazement.

The previous soldier glared at the young buck for speaking when he should have been silent. Then he turned to Artemis. “A Ranger, I suppose you wish to speak to Commander Tight Ship.”

Relieved that the firefight would not ensue Artemis cooly replied. “Yes, take us to your commanding officer.”

The group was escorted further into the base which consisted of your standard base having; Barracks, Mess Hall, of course the receiving area they snuck into but what was stood out was the great steel door that lay at the end of the tall walls that made the interior hellhound sanctuary wall, almost like a killzone funneling targets into scope.

Not Long Later...

“So...” The gruff yellow unicorn mare hummed unamused by the group in her office. Her office was much like Calamity's only darker and there wasn't pleasant view of the valley. The commanding mare sat behind a dark wooden desk with papers and pens arranged to an almost painfully precise order. She also had a NCR flag on a pole along with pictures of her and a painting of President Reggie. There she was, the teen from Littlepip's book all grown up and at the helm of the NCR.

“Hey Ranger I'm talking to you.” The commander snapped bringing Artemis out of her reverie.

Artemis blinked and returned her attention to the commander. “Yes, Commander Tight Ship we're trying to get into the hellhound sanctuary.”

The mare smiled cynically. “Ha. Well Hellhound isn't racially sensitive or politically correct. They prefer the name Crystal Canines. I'll thank you to use the correct terminology, Ranger.” She corrected putting emphasis on Hellhound and Crystal Canines and with the disdain when she showed it was clear Commander Tight Ship didn't like the Rangers.

Artemis had no quarrel with the commander but they needed to get to Stable 2 so they could help Mathlete and get on their way to Fillydelphia. And it appeared that the plan of using Verity as an ambassador to the hellhounds -sorry Crystal Canines- was going to have to wait until they actually met the hellhounds. Artemis was actually surprised she didn't see something like this coming. Regardless Artemis decided to go with the good cop routine.

“With all due respect commander my squad is trying to contact the Crystal Canines so we can get something important from Stable 2. So if you would be so kind as to get us past the paperwork so we can get back to Ranger business we'd really appreciate it.” Artemis requested courteously but her words had a curt undertone.

Commander Tight Ship scowled. “Nrgh that's why I don't like you Rangers, untethered by the law. You do whatever you please under the ordinance as the right hand of the president but you can't be held accountable by a court of law. You don't pay for your actions but uniforms like me and my men do. If I let you through the border and you cause a diplomatic incident then it'll be my ass that gets chewed out, and not in the good way!” She hit her hoof on the desk sending one of her pencils slightly off position. She rectified this with my telekinetically moving the pencil back in place.

So the commander disliked the Rangers because they weren't tethered by the cumbersome bureaucracy that everyone else was tied to. It seemed somewhat like the government was trying to a problem they weren't willing to admit; Founding the NCR Rangers and giving them immunity in the name of keeping the peace only showed that the system was already too much for the NCR to handle. Even though Tight Ship seemed to despise the Rangers it was odd when Artemis noticed a picture of a younger Tight Ship in a wedding dress next to a cream colored stallion that wore the same armor Rusty wore, guess opposites really do attract.

“Is, that your husband?” Artemis inquired nicely. Hopefully this could get them some more maneuvering ground.

Tight Ship glanced back at the photo. “Yes...” She admitted sounding playfully annoyed. “He'll be the death of me. Buck's pretty much the antithesis of me, and a Celestia damned Ranger.”

“And isn't he one of the best soldiers? To be a Ranger?” Artemis added slyly to her query.

The yellow mare rolled her eyes. “No he's a terrible soldier, but he does get results quickly. They don't just let any schmo be a Ranger y'know.”

Artemis nodded. “Right, so you know we can get what we need and there won't be no incident, and if luck's on our side the Canines won't even know we were there.” She assured cooly.

Commander Tight Ship turned back to face Artemis in her leather chair. “Dammit all to hell. You better be careful because the Crystal Canines are big, mean, they have sharp claws, big teeth and most importantly they have a helluva legal firm and will sue your ass into next year.”She threatened menacingly somewhat angered by losing the argument.

“Don't expect any less.” Artemis reassured cordially. But the commander's grimace remained.

The commander began writing on one of her papers. “I'll open the gate for but if you fuck this up so help me Luna I'll penetrate you with the throbbing cock of bureaucracy.” Ew that was new phrase, Artemis imagined Hans would've found that throbbing cock phrase a nice addition to his foul repertoire.

The group exited Commander Tight Shift's office back into the better lit hall of the NCR embassy. That had gone better than expected to be honest. Artemis couldn't really explain what came over her but the words just rolled off her tongue. Not to mention her friends that had remained silent during their little meeting. Aroma was actually the first to bring this up.

“Wow Artemis you really persuaded her! I really didn't know what to say to her but you, you were all like-” Aroma slicked her mane back. “-Hey commander, we want into hellhound territory, that's all.” She said mimicking Artemis's voice.

Artemis blushed a little. “I actually don't know what came over me.”

“Hmph, our fearless leader in battle and in voice...” Verity smirked and nudged her with his wing.

“I take it you're the head of the group then, Artemis?” Mathlete surmised with a waive of his hoof.

“Resigned Statement: I would have contributed to User Artemis's conversation with Commander Tight Ship but it appears my speech is not as well received by other organics.” Alpha almost sounded annoyed. Had his feelings been hurt when his clemency statement had been met with... mixed results? Wait no, Alpha was a machine his feelings couldn't get hurt but then why did Artemis feel this vibe from him?

“Alpha, did we hurt your feelings?” Artemis asked with a faintly guilty inflection.

The robot pony shifted in place. “Query: Feelings are moods the brain creates through the release of certain chemicals, I have no such feelings.” Now he sounded defensive, as if Artemis had pressed one of his buttons. But she didn't like the idea of having possibly upset one of her friends even if he couldn't recognize the emotions of being upset.

Artemis walked to Alpha and picked up one of his hooves with her hand. “Alpha, you might be a machine but you got the soul of a pony.” She gave him a nice hug in which Aroma joined in too although Verity was far too tough hug and Mathlete looked more disturbed than anything.

“Statement: Soul...” He said leaving the word to trail into the infinite as if he was philosophizing.

…..

The gate at the very end of the embassy killzone opened with an iron hiss that threw dirt into the air. Beyond the dirt and dust Artemis saw the remains of the Ponyville area. While not all was revealed she did noticed what must have been the town hall and the final remains of had to be Twilight Sparkle's library. Part of Artemis wanted to see it all Sweet Apple Acres, the library just to see the places Littlepip had been. Artemis remembered back to Littlepip's book, if they were heading to Stable 2 then that would actually take them to Sweet Apple Acres since the stable had been built into an apple cellar. Score! Two birds with one stone.

“Remember Ranger, don't tarry.” Tight Shift warned disdainfully from a catwalk overhead. “And don't let Pembroke find you, she'll sue your ass so hard your grandchildren will still pay the bill.” She added finally. Jeez they really were terrified of these hellhound lawyers. Personally Artemis couldn’t help but snicker internally.

Once inside the Ponyville enclosure the small town seemed more like an arena with the giant steel wall corralling the entire town in. Much of what the town was seemed to have worn away a little more than when Pip first described it. Although now there was vibrant green plant life which now overgrew most of the outlier buildings. “Ponyville.” Her pipbuck identified. Artemis almost forgot it did that. She casually went into the settings interface and changed the name to “Hellhound Sanctuary”.

“Jeez, where could Stable 2 be in all this mess. We could be looking for hours!” Mathlete despaired when he saw the decrepit town.

“I have a feeling our boon will be found on the farm due east.” Verity grumbled casually but Artemis saw it as a stroke of ambiguous genius. If she or Aroma had spoke first they might have unwittingly told Mathlete about Littlepip. That kind of information had to stay under wraps, good to see Verity was in right state of mind. Not bad Verity, not bad.

“How would you know?” Mathlete complained checking his pipbuck again.

“... Gut feeling.” He replied shortly.

“Well what are we waiting for?” Aroma stamped the lively dirt in anticipation.

The group made their way down the dirt road until they finally reached the town hall. The majority of the roofing had fallen in on itself leaving the building little more than a ruin with degrading patios. But something felt off. There were no hellhounds skulking about but where could they have gone? Then in a second Artemis felt the faintest tremor underneath her feet, only a second. She didn't have to time to warn the others, fly up or at least yell.

CRASH! The hellhounds could burrow! Dammit why hadn't she remembered that!

The hellhound erupted from the earth knocking Artemis upward until she landed with a sick crunch! Her vision was horribly fuzzy and her hearing was concussed, replaced with a high pitch whine. All she could make out was Aroma screaming something and she heard Alpha's gatling laser fire. Well fuck so much for a clean diplomatic mission. But then in her incapacitated body she began hearing more gunfire and more gunfire, way too many guns to just be her group returning fire. Her pipbuck was flashing a warning message as Artemis tried to pick herself up. She strained amidst the chaos of the background but before she pick her hind legs up she felt a sharp crippling pain in her chest.

“Goddesses I landed on my famas.” She thought to herself in painful dismay. That crunch was her rib n doubt.

More weapons were being discharged, the hellhounds must be fighting each other. But why? Regardless Artemis knew she was going to get intentionally or unintentionally in this crossfire. Fighting the pain Artemis start crawling to one of the porches but she was going nowhere fast without being able to stand or fly. But Artemis was saved when a blur of orange ran out from behind the porch she was crawling to and picked her by her arm.

“Don't worry Artemis I got you!” Aroma shouted but it sounded more of a muffled yell. Aroma was pulling Artemis out of the fire. How about that. She could feel carrying her limp body weight was putting considerable strain on the petite pony. Aroma halted and fell to her haunches panting heavily. Aroma was fatigued but seconds later she muscled her way onto the porch and laid Artemis up against the wall.

Artemis's vision began to clear and she saw Aroma had been damaged as well. Small dribbles of blood ran down her face from the top of her head. “Thanks Aroma- nrgh!” Artemis cringed as she tried to move.

“Don't move Artemis stay still until I can find help.” Aroma ordered against the gunfire.

Artemis nodded in pained agreement. “Fine. Where are the others? What happened?”

Aroma cringed as an explosion rocked the battlefield. “I don't know!-” Boom! “One moment we were walking and then the next was chaos. The hellhound, they're fighting each other. I think Mathlete and the others are-!” Boom! “Across the street in that building.” Aroma pointed across the street at a building nearly identical to theirs.

“Halt!” A voice commanded fiercely from above. There on the one of the balconies of the town hall stood a snow white hellhound.

“Begone Vox Canis, your kind are not allowed here!” He shouted and aimed his rifle at one of the hellhounds on the ground. Then Artemis noticed there were two distinct differences among the hellhounds. One side wore the worn pre-war vests like their ancestor before the war and the others wore red. Several wore red capes with hoods, red cloth tied around their arms, bandannas.

One hellhound with a helmet adorned with red plumage shook his fist at the snow white hellhound above. “You can't suppress our will by bowing to the ponies, Pembroke!” So the snow white hellhound was the infamous Pembroke.

“Get the hell off my land!” Pembroke shouted and shot her rifle. It did not pop like a rifle but instead seemed to hiss.

The hellhound call Vox Canis backpedaled as he was hit before angrily shouting. “Your rivet gun won't kill me!”

“Ha! I don't mean to kill you yet but you will the when the cavalry come in.” Pembroke retorted purposefully antagonizing the angry hellhound who was plucking the screws out of his arms like they were nothing.

He clenched his fist so hard Artemis thought his bones were going to break of of his skin. “Fall back! Fall back to the camp!” He shouted and waived his obsidian claws. He turned again to Pembroke. “You might win today, but it is fleeting! Mighty Cesare will fall on you and your dissolute father!” He shouted before running away with his red brethren. So those must be the legionnaire hellhounds and apparently their alliance with Cesare has been met with... less than happy results. But why would the hellhounds ally themsel- argh! The broken rib or ribs- gah!

“Oh no...” Aroma grimaced as she tried to help Artemis but they had no professional medic, no Velvet Remedy. They were more of an attack team which had its pros... and its cons.

But that wasn't scared Aroma. The fighting was over but Pembroke's hellhounds remained. Worse yet they started approaching Aroma's fortification on the porch. Even with their weapons holstered or slung over their backs they still managed to instill panic in the orange pony.

Aroma tried to move Artemis like she had before but the adrenaline had left her leaving her a tired husk. Artemis tried to tell Aroma but breathing had become strenuous on its own. She wanted to tell Aroma that the hellhounds did not look hostile, even to herself Artemis found it hard to believe but it seemed as if the hellhounds were approaching with pause. Aroma reached for her shotgun and weakly hobbled over to the stairs ready to make her final stand. No no no Artemis couldn't let Aroma die like that, not when they looked friendly- if just not full on hostile.

“...No.” Artemis whimpered as she cringed in pain trying to pick herself up. Aroma turned her head.

“What?” She whispered in subtle horror.

“You'd best listen to your friend pony, we come in... mutual peace.” Pembroke, the white hellhound snarked as she jumped off the balcony. “It's about time the NCR sent me those specialist I've been requesting.” She added nonchalantly as if Artemis knew what she meant.

“Ppp- lease we've got wounded.” Aroma stuttered uneasily as Pembroke closed in.

Pembroke walked on the porch and examined Artemis. She rubbed her chin with her furry finger that ended in a large claw that easily dwarfed her own. “Hmmm. We don't know much about... non Crystal Canine but I do think what we have back at the farm will suffice in getting you back to working condition.”

“The... farm? Sweet Apple Acres?” Artemis moaned.

Pembroke nodded or at least it looked like she nodded, it was hard to tell with hellhounds. Aroma interrupted Pembroke's examination. “Oh goddesses, no!” She exclaimed then ran off out of Artemis's field of vision.

“What happened? Verity?” mumbled. Now Pembroke's attention had turned to whatever took Aroma's.

“C'mon. Let's get you out of here, hold on.” Pembroke said bluntly but with resolution. Before Artemis could protest or question the white hellhound picked her up off the ground. Artemis cringed and gasped but tried to the pain in. Even though her vision and hearing had returned Artemis still could not see what the others had gasped at. What if it was Verity? Was she really that self-centered? The first thing her mind jumps to is what will affect her. Deplorable yes but yet Artemis couldn't help but worry more about Verity.

…..

Artemis remained conscious through it all. Pembroke had carried Artemis to Sweet Apple Acres and her pack's undisputed territory. They didn't go down into the stable cellar but instead Pembroke took her inside Applejack's old house. If she wasn't in so much pain Artemis would have enjoyed the thought of being somewhere Littlepip had been. Who was she kidding even through the pain Artemis internally squeed at the idea of being in the same house Pip had been.

Pembroke sat her gently on the old ragged couch before walking off to another room without a word. Artemis laid on the brittle yellow stained couch and examined her surroundings. The living room was dark save for the sunlight that was cast in from the long shattered windows. The tattered curtains in window fluttered almost like ghost or specters of the past that used to inhabit this home. Beyond the sunlight the rest of the house remained in shadows, it faintly reminded Artemis of the home she and Aroma had visited on their way to Gryphondale. Broken refuse and debris littered the ancient wooden floor along with a large mat that was slowly decaying. The walls were torn and damaged revealing their age, the wallpaper was peeling in places and in others chunks of wall were outright gone. This was what Artemis expected the rest of the world to be like- broken, decaying and in disrepair. But even then she had sunlight and green plants instead of the ugly seas of brown and the never ending cloud cover. In one sense the Hellhound Sanctuary was like a bastion of the wasteland, completely untouched by the new NCR. Artemis still couldn't help but feel ashamed by her secret want of the wastelander life. She had grown up thinking she and Hans were living after the apocalypse but now she's learned that her entire life has been a lie, a sham. She should be happy things were starting to get better and she was in a sense but still Artemis felt like she had just wasted nineteen years of her life thinking she had been a bonafide wastelander when really she was just a fool.

She wanted to talk to someone, Hans or Verity, see what they thought about it. Hans was probably getting drunk in New Appaloosa right now and Verity, she didn't know about Verity. It's like she could do much though, all she could do was wait for Pembroke to return.

And return she did. Pembroke walked back into the living room carrying a large crate labeled “NCR” in black stencils. The white hellhound opened the nailed box like it was nothing. She reached in and pulled out a large healing potion and handed it to Artemis. “Here, drink up, there's more if you need them.”

“...?” Artemis mumbled as she slowly took the potion. “...Thanks.” That was all she could articulate. She was at a loss of words, it was just so strange to see such a hulking monster act so cordially. Even then Pembroke seemed less... brutish and maybe even refined for a hellhound at least.

Pembroke arose wordlessly and started making her way to the door. “Wait, Pembroke.” Artemis murmured but it was loud enough to get her attention. Her ears shot up and she turned her head.

“Yes, griffon?” She asked in a low but gravelly voice. Again, her voice didn't sound as gravelly as the other hellhounds.

“Do you know what happened to my friends?” Artemis muttered in worry.

Pembroke returned t leaving out the front door. “We have your associates but the red one needs urgent help. Stay here until I return, Ranger.” She ordered coarsely before closing the door. Now Artemis was all alone.

She rolled onto her back on the couch and looked up at the decrepit ceiling. Red one... That had to be Mathlete, Verity was blue and Alpha was... metallic. She wondered how badly Mathlete must have been injured or if he was even alive. If Mathlete was dead than this foray would have been for naught. Then that would just leave Ellis as the last hunter pursuing Aroma. Looked like either way Aroma's game was coming to an end and before long they'd be making the long drive back to the San Palomino. With her curiosity piqued Artemis looked at her pipbuck's map screen and skimmed the map until she found the icon of Stable GoE-EoHS, jeez that name was a mouthful and what did the letters really mean anyway? General of Electronics? Games of Election? Gardens of Equestria? The last two made plausible sense, maybe not so much the Gardens of Equestria though. But what did EoHS stand for then? Empire of High School, Artemis chuckled at that thought. She zoomed in on the icon and- whoa... If the icon was correct then Stable G was located in the Baker's Spine! The Spine was a long series of spires that formed a mountain range, they were the steepest mountains in the San Palomino and Stable G was nestled deep in its interior. Hell, how did Aroma get out of the mountains without a Zerpa? Guess they'll come to that bridge or mountain when the time comes. More than likely Ellis would go into hiding and try to wait for Aroma to be killed by some other means... like walking into a hellhound city!

Artemis bit the cap of the potion of and spat it out on the floor. She drank the potion's contents and put the bottle on the ground with the rest of the trash. She felt the pain recede and her rib mending. What would we do without healing potions? Artemis reached into the box and grabbed another red bottle. The entire box was choked full of the things! Artemis would have suspected that the hellhounds were great scavengers but these bottles were too clean looking to be pre-war medicines. Great. The NCR was now making their won medicines too. She was practically just a gun-toting citizen at this point.

Eventually her ribs began to feel better and later she could sit up again. Artemis waited for Pembroke to come back from wherever she had gone to but there was no sign of the hellhound. Artemis sat upright on the old couch interlocking her talons out of boredom. Then it re-dawned on her; Littlepip had been here almost fifty years ago back when the wasteland- err land was a very different place. Then Artemis got an idea. Pembroke had told her not to leave the house but Artemis wouldn't need to do that for what she was planning. She hopped off the couch and ruffled her wings before walking up the stairs at the right of the living room. In Littlepip's book she found a message from Velvet Remedy the night she left Stable 2 on a computer upstairs and if Artemis was correct then that very computer may very well be up there.

Artemis walked up the old creaky stairs, the rails were long gone leaving only spikes running up the side of the steps. More ghostly light shone down from the top of the stairs, she wasn't one for ghosts but did place did seem more... surreal. Something about the Apples that used to live here until the war began and the world ended. It seemed sad that the picture perfect family had been torn asunder and now this old house was all that remained. This feeling seemed to amplify as she got closer to the top of the stairs.

The hall split into three directions. Straight, led to a dusty bathroom with a shattered toilet and more torn curtains flowing in the breeze. Right, well... the right path was boarded up actually. Planks of wood varying in length and width were haphazardly nailed on the walls successfully blocking that half off.

“Pip didn't mention that in her description...” Artemis thought to herself. Was it pretentious that she referred to her as Pip?

Regardless, the final left path led into what looked like an office. Artemis walked in and felt an odd reprieve from the dread she felt on the stairs. Well well well, there on an old wooden desk sat a Stable-Tec home computer. The screen was black and dusty from no usage in the last four or five decades but if this computer could have lasted two-hundred years then it could have probably weathered fifty more.

Artemis sat on the stool in front of the computer and pressed the power button. The console was silent until a barely audible whine could be heard. Would you look at that, when Stable-Tec built something they built it to-!

Crack-Snap! The stool splintered and broke under her weight! Artemis fell with a grunt but other than the slight shock she was okay.

“Guess Stable-Tec didn't make chairs...” Artemis mumbled dusting herself off.

The familiar green font danced about on the screen as it booted itself. It actually worked how awesome was that! She was where Littlepip had been and now she could see the very same message that Velvet Remedy left her. Thinking back she didn't realize the magnitude of meeting her meeting with Calamity and Velvet in the flesh. But that was before Oubliette. If Ditzy Doo really could get her into contact with Calamity Artemis would be able to talk to him and get a first hand... or hoof account of what happened.

The computer opened up a command screen displaying: Log off, Messages, Options and several other selections but Artemis had already selected Messages. She skimmed through the messages that were mostly corrupted until she found the mail named: “To any pony who has left Stable Two in search of me” Holy crap, that was the message! Artemis clicked on it without delay.

“Please, go home. I am –------------- if she –-------------- be back. Do not look for –---------------- my sake. Forgive me.” Artemis let out a disheartened sigh. The message had suffered some corruption throughout the years. Shame but it did go on to prove Littlepip's book more factional. Artemis downloaded the message as a keepsake.

“So I take it you are recovered ,Ranger?” Pembroke's hard voice cut the silence.

Artemis turned around to the white hellhound and quickly turned off the computer. “Yep. Feelin' a lot better now.” She answered nervously.

Pembroke nonchalantly shrugged. “Do not worry, I don't care about what you did to that computer. We don't really use them if you couldn't tell.”

Artemis eased up. “Thanks. Are the others okay?”

“That's what I came to talk to you about. The only one I worry about is the red one.” She turned and waived her hand as she started to make her way down the stairs. “Come, follow me.”

Artemis glanced computer one last time before following Pembroke. In the living room back on the first floor Pembroke picked up the crate of healing potions with no heft. “Where did you get all those potions anyway?” Artemis asked.

Pembroke rolled her green eyes. “They just kept sending them. I've been filing for a meeting with the NCR ambassador for months now but whenever I send my request I just get these boxes of supplies about a week later.” She sounded almost frustrated by it. Pembroke shrugged. “I mean, the supplies are nice but I have a desperate need to speak with the ambassador.”

“Why do you need to speak to the ambassador?” Artemis asked a bit bewildered. Pembroke looked at her with a disbelieving expression.

“Why? Did you land on your head and get short-term memory loss? You saw Vox Canis' warriors out there. It sounds like they've made some kind of alliance with a foreign power and they're hammering us inside here. I keep requesting a summit with the NCR but they just send us these crates of sundries.” She rolled her eyes in frustration.

Artemis continued to follow her into the kitchen where she picked up two more NCR crates. “Personally Pembroke, it sounds like they're just appeasing you by sending you supplies.”

The hellhound sighed. “That's what I've told myself sometimes. They're afraid of us, afraid to meet with us. I think they still think he hate their guts for Splendid Valley Holocaust-” She corrected herself. “-Well, some of the older Crystal Canines and the Zealots still do but...” She noticed Artemis's confused expression.

Pembroke but the boxes down and them for Artemis to sit on. Casually Artemis hovered and perched on them as the hellhound laid against the kitchen counter. “I guess I should fill you in on the deets of our peoples situation. We were granted the Ponyville area after the end of the Enclave Wars, back when my father was a youth. Since then our kind have broken up into several political factions: First. You have Vox Canis and his zealots, they want to fight the ponies and get revenge for the holocaust. Second. You have my father who is an Isolationists, he and his pack just want to stay away from the ponies and live without their interference. The Isolationists and the Zealots are the two parties you saw fighting today.”

“You speak as if you're not an Isolationists like your father?” Artemis inquired. It still seemed strange to see hellhounds being more than the overly hostile monsters from Littlepip's book.

Pembroke shrugged and crossed her long arms, at least it looked like she smirked but Artemis couldn't read hellhound expressions well. “Personally I'm not. I'm the head of the smallest faction here in the Sanctuary, I am an Ambassadorial. I want to have political relations with the outside world, trade, cultural exchange.”

That certainly was a... different viewpoint for a hellhound. “I take it your ideas aren't very well received with the populace.”

Pembroke nodded dourly. “You bet. My father thinks I'm just going through a phase and the Zealots only see red and won't accept anything less than pony blood flowing like a river. The Zealots' cry for blood was ignorable for a time but now they've made an alliance with this Cesare character and now their numbers and weapons swell along with their support. I fear if left unchecked or intervened Vox Canis could do some serious damage. That's why I keep trying to get the NCR's attention but they won't listen.”

“Wow, that's some high tension political strife.” Artemis admitted but personally she was surprised how intricate the hellhounds actually were. She had not expected this kind of division, Artemis always imagined they lived simple tribalistic lives but apparently that was not so.

Pembroke sighed and rolled her eyes. “Tell me about it. But the worse part is, both sides are wrong. The extremes won't win in the long run. If Vox Canis wins then he'll spill out of the border and start slaughtering ponies again. Then the NCR will fight back and we'll be driven to extinction as bloodthirsty beast. If the Isolationists win then we will slink away from the world but that can't last forever, you have to become a part of the world or become its victim.

“This must be a pivotal time in hell- Crystal Canine history.”

Pembroke nodded. “It seems that the present will always be the most pivotal moment in history. But it looks like things are taking a turn for the better for once. Now that you're here that means that the NCR finally heeded my call, though I didn't expect them to send Rangers though.”

Aww shit, it just dawned on Artemis. No this wasn't happening. They were just here to find Mathlete's key, getting involved in a hellhound war was the last thing on their list. Artemis wanted to tell her the truth but she remembered Tight Shift's warning about being sued to death. But if Artemis didn't come clean then she and her friends might get lacerated to a literal death. Then again, both choices put Artemis in the path of an angry hellhound. The real question was: How many hellhounds did each path hold? Now it wasn't that hard of a choice.

“Well, if you need to see the NCR ambassador then why don't you use your legal team to get an appointment? The Commander at the embassy said you guys had a great law firm.” Artemis asked but really she was subtly surveying Pembroke's response.

She sighed in defeat. “We have no legal team. I'm the only thing close to a lawyer/ambassador. I spent my entire life learning NCR politico.” She reached into the long broken freezer and pulled out several paper and handed them to Artemis. “Those are the letters I sent to the embassy and the letters I got in return stapled to those supply crates.”

Artemis skimmed to the papers legitimately surprised by how decently Pembroke could write and articulate herself.

Dear NCR Embassy,

I have reason to believe beyond the shadow of a doubt that a faction among my people have allied themselves with a foreign hostile power. I know your time is short but I must urgently request a meeting with the ambassador. I wish to come to a resolution to halt the infighting among my people and I believe this may be possible with our cooperation.

I await your reply,

Pembroke, Ambassador of the Crystal Canines

The letter was dated several months back. Next Artemis found the response letter.

Dear Ambassador Pembroke,

We are very thankful for your letter and wish you the best of luck in your endeavors. We hope to get you into contact with our ambassador in the following months.

Best wishes,

NCR High Command

That response sounded decent enough if a little too ambiguous. But if the tables were turned and Artemis was in Pembroke's position she probably would have accepted that response until the months began to pass. Artemis checked Pembroke's other writings to the NCR. With each letter she seemed more and more desperate but each and every NCR letter was the exact same, all spewed the same droll.

“Jeez, they-” Pembroke interrupted Artemis a little ticked by the memory.

“They gave me the wrap around that's what they did.” She took a breathe to regain her composure. “They had given me the wrap around but now you're here. I'll confess, I would have rather preferred the ambassador but I can work with Rangers. I hear you guys are the best of the best.”

Artemis grimaced and look downward. “Well... you see...” She explained the situation.

“What!” Pembroke exclaimed. Artemis had explained the truth to her and to know surprise she was... less than enthusiastic.

The hellhound facepalmed. “I should have known. Serves me right for thinking the NCR would take me seriously.”

Artemis simply brushed her feathers. “If it's any consolation, I'm sorry.”

Pembroke shook her hand. “No, it's not your fault. I was the one that assumed you were here to help us.”

“Guess you'll want to see your friends and we'll get you on your way then.” She added plainly but disappointed no less.

…..

The giant steel door of Stable 2 opened with a metallic groan. It felt like going back in time, Artemis felt like the door would open and inside would be ponies milling about doing their mundane business. Littlepip would be back in the back of the stable, in the maintenance wing. Going back to where it all began, a door to the past.

Everything was the same but it was all different.

After the door opened it rolled on its gear toothed legs behind the wall and there stood Pembroke at the controls to the door. Now the past became the present. The passing of time would not stop for anyone, not even the Lightbringer or her home.

Stable 2 was now home to the Isolationists hellhounds, along with the miniscule Ambassadorials. The stable door had been sealed but Pembroke burrowed beyond the door to open it from the inside like so many hellounds did casually. The hellhounds of Pembroke's pack walked about the stable as if it had been built for them and they had made themselves at home. Even with all the excitement of being where Littlepip had been Artemis couldn't help but find the stable a bit claustrophobic if not downright cramped. These hallways and doors were built for ponies, not griffons and if not griffons then especially not hellhounds. Artemis found herself ducking to go through a doorway more than once and in certain places her head almost hit the light fixtures.

“How did Aroma live in one of these things?” Artemis thought to herself after just barely dodging yet another light!

“We're almost there, your friends are in the infirmary.” Pembroke commented as she entered the atrium. Here the stable opened up to where they could both stand comfortably. Near the ceiling there was a circular window, the Overmare's office. Where she lorded over all creation... in Stable 2 of course. Artemis noticed several hellhound shaped figures in Overmare's office, no doubt Pembroke's father.

“Can tell me about your father?” Artemis asked as the hellhound opened one of the doors for her.

“My father? Yeah sure, he's the Isolationists pack leader. He was in Splendid Valley when the holocaust happened. That's also where I lost my mother, I was only a pup then...” Pembroke said sadly.

Artemis blinked. “You're nearly fifty years old?!”

“... Yes, forty-eight exactly. We Crystal Canines have longer lifespans. That's also why Vox Canis is able to rally so much support for the Zealots. He was there at Splendid Valley, and so were many of his constituents. He irritates old wounds and makes the survivors call for blood.”

The more Pembroke spoke about the strife her people faced Artemis couldn't help but feel so, so foreign. Though seeing the tense situation they were in maybe being foreign wasn't a bad thing. Even still Artemis wanted to help, futile as it might be seeing that this conflict has been going on for a while but nonetheless.

Artemis entered the infirmary and saw Aroma sitting at the side of one of the beds. She turned to see Artemis when she entered, the orange mare seemed okay with just a light gauze wrap around her head to soak up any blood. Artemis almost let a gasp escape at the sight of Mathlete. The maroon stallion laid unconscious in the bed with a tube helping him breath. Artemis couldn't make out the wound on Mathlete due to his reddish coat but the blood on the white sheets of the bed boded ominously that he had been savagely cut during their encounter in town.

“Oh, Artemis... why...” Aroma despaired and kept her teary eyes on her old teacher.

Artemis lowered a wing over the disheartened earth pony. “I'm sorry, Aroma.” She condoled at a loss of words

Aroma sniffled. “I.. I.. I, it should've been me.” She buried her face in Artemis's chest whimpering quietly.

Artemis patted her head. “Hey, don't talk like that. This is no ones fault but Vox Canis's.” Artemis reassured gently.

“I just, I just wanted something to go right in this damned waste-... land. What am I supposed to do now?” Aroma bemoaned.

Artemis lowered her beak to her ear pieces. “What do you think you should do?” She whispered.

Aroma pulled her face out of Artemis's chest. “I.. I will kill, Vox Canis.” She declared softly with tears mixing with newfound determination. The sadness would eventually boil to rage.

Artemis had the innate feeling that she and her group wouldn't be leaving without disposing of Vox Canis anyway, gut feeling. It felt odd seeing the sweet pony swear revenge on Vox Canis, even though Equestria was no longer a wasteland it still had a way of changing you. Aroma was experiencing that first hand, she wanted blood for the blood of her former teacher. She was almost like the Zealots Pembroke had described.

Artemis nodded. “And so you shall have it.”

Revenge. Base and honest, there was no complicated scheme or plot twists. Aroma simply wanted revenge, to do unto the Zealots as they had done unto Mathlete. Revenge was so simple yet you could build an epoch on it. It all depended on Aroma's drive, her will to see Vox Canis dead. Aroma seemed to ignore the fact that Vox Canis was a hellhound, not the easiest of kills for a pony like her.

“And I want Mathlete to wake up without his pipbuck.” Aroma amended turning her gaze back to the unconscious stallion.

“Speaking of that Aroma I want to introduce you and the others to Pembroke.” Artemis said glancing to the waiting room outside the infirmary.

“Can she get us the Overmare's key?” Aroma asked bluntly.

“Yes she can in fact she wants us to meet her at the Overmare's office.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” Aroma asked rhetorically and walked to the door only stopping to give Mathlete one last look.

They left the relatively sterile infirmary and found the others waiting outside. Verity wore a few new scratches but no worse for wear. Alpha... was just Alpha really. He just stood there turning his head every few seconds.

“I see you two are okay. I was almost...” Verity mumbled.

“Worried?” Aroma cooed.

Verity didn't respond. “Declaration: I too was worried about the well being of you Users as well.” Alpha chimed with his synthesized voice.

Artemis gave Verity a quick “I was worried about you too” before checking her pipbuck to find the Overmare's office. “Alright guys follow me, and I have some major information to catch you guys up on.”

Artemis recounted her discussions with Pembroke before entering Stable 2. She mentioned the political powder keg Ponyville had become over the last fifty years as they made their way to the Overmare's office to speak with Pembroke and her father.

“So, Vox Canis has allied him and his followers with the Dreadsaw Legion.” Verity purred almost proudly. Aroma seemed to wretch at the mention of his name.

“Yeah, but this also explains the hellhound we saw at Clopton too.” Artemis reminded the group but it had been Aroma that had seen I with her when the city was under siege.

“But why would Cesare need the hellhounds in the first place? And how would he even have any voice this far north?” Aroma asked aloud.

“Cesare's reach is far longer than you'd imagine, I wouldn't be surprised if he's had agents in the NCR already.” Artemis could help but detect pride in Verity's voice.

“But that still doesn't explain the whole hellhound thing.” Aroma added.

“Warning: User Aroma remember, Commander Tight Ship said the name hellhound was racially insensitive and they prefer Crystal Canines.

“Theory: It may be that Cesare wishes to use spies to turn NCR assets to his favor.”

Verity hmrph. “No, the Legion would never resort to such treachery or skullduggery...”

“Skullduggery? The Legion takes over new tribes by pretending to be their friends and then brutally slaughtering them.” Artemis countered.

Verity was quick to defend his Legion. “No, those schemes are the domain of the frumentarii. We centurions are honorable officers of Cesare's will.” There Artemis remembered Verity was still patriotic towards the Legion even though he had abandoned it after his defeat in Gryphondale. He had left the Legion because he had been ashamed of her...

That made Artemis think.

…..

The hydraulic stable door opened and led into the Overmare's office. A large circular room with a semi-circle desk and a wall of computer screens behind it. The same circular window Artemis saw earlier was present in the office as well. Pembroke and her father along with several other hellhounds waited. Pembroke's father sat in the Overmare's seat, his daughter stood behind him. His fur was a deep brown bringing Artemis to believe Pembroke got her white fur from mother.

Pembroke walked past her father and his advisers. She spoke solemnly, the once brash attitude was replaced with quiet respect. “Father, this is Artemis and her companions. Artemis and companions, my father Chief Welsh.” Then she stepped out of the way allowing her father to get a good look at them.

Chief Welsh looked old even with his fur and unreadable features. He eyed them with same green eyes Pembroke had. “So... you're from beyond the wall.” He stated in a gravelly voice that made Pembroke's sound like a singing bird.

“Yes and we were just looking for a key that you might have.” Aroma spoke up.

Chief Welsh shifted and looked into his desk. “Hmm yes, I might have a key but we need to talk. If you haven't guess outsiders aren't welcome among our kind, especially ponies.” He glowered at Aroma.

Artemis interjected cordially. “We mean you no harm Chief Welsh-”

The old hellhound leaned on his table propping his head up with one of his sharp-clawed hands. “I know your kind. Ponies, griffons, zebras. You do mean harm even if it is not your intention. Destruction follows you people wherever you go.” Welsh interrupted grimly.

“Then why is the entire tribe splintered and fighting each other? Tell me that?” Verity smirked.

Welsh narrowed his eyes at Verity. “Because, Vox Canis would doom our kind to a second and final genocide at the hands of your kind.”

“Query: User Chief Welsh, why have you not attacked him as he has attacked you?”

Welsh turned his gaze to Alpha but still did not move from his chair. “Don't you think we've tried that? the Zealots and we Isolationists are equally matched and we can't mount a full assault on Vox Canis and Sugar Cube Corner without laying waste to both of our armies and then we'd all die out.” Welsh pointed to one of his advisers who pulled out a crudely drawn map of Ponyville.

“You can't hold up this fight forever, Chief Welsh. If what your daughter says is true then Vox Canis's forces grow by the day. If you continue like this the Zealots and their faceless backers will bleed you and your men slowly.” Verity spoke grimly but he seemed to know what he was talking about, he even elicited looks of intrigue by the advisers.

“...Go on.” Welsh said simply.

Verity continued to walk over to the circular window and stare down at the Isolationist hellhounds. “It's called attrition. If you wait too long and waste resources in groundless skirmishes then you only delay the inevitable and soon your people will be too few to mount an assault on Sugar Cube Corner.”

“But I can't assault Sugar Cube Corner without devastating our people beyond repair and then my daughter Pembroke will have no people or a future.” Welsh interrupted worriedly.

Verity turned to the chief and walked to his desk. “And if you don't do something then Vox Canis and his warriors will come crashing through Stable 2 wipe you all out....” Verity paused when he slammed his talon on the old desk.

The advisers exchanged worried glances. “Chief Welsh, maybe we should heed the griffon's words.” One said sheepishly.

“How do you know?” Welsh asked Verity.

“I've seen it happen before, done it myself. If you want your daughter to have a tribe to rule then you must act quickly or else she and everyone you will end up as slaves or dead.” Verity warned again.

“Father.” Pembroke broke in. “Verity has point but we don't have to do something that drastic yet. Let me get help from the NCR, I am the Crystal Canine ambassador. I can get support, we don't have to go all out on this preemptive strike. Let me go with Artemis and her friends.”

That's when Welsh rose in his seat. “I cannot allow that, Pembroke. The ponies outside will not understand you, they will only hurt you. The ponies would sooner see us burn in balefire again before they help us with a fight that ours to fight and ours alone!”

Pembroke threw her arms in clenched fists at the ceiling. “Nrgh! Father not every pony is like that. We bleed and die in Ponyville everyday fighting each other. Your scared isolation and Vox Canis's warmongering will be the undoing of our species!”

“And if you bring the world to our doorstep then our way of life will be over!” Welsh returned fire but then stopped after seeing he had yelled at his only child.

But Pembroke wasn't phased. “Way of life?! We're engaged in abloody civil war when we barely have the numbers to sustain a population.”

That really hit Artemis. After Littlepip's balefire holocaust the hellhounds were nearly pushed to extinction. Now nearly fifty years later they're engaged in a bloody civil war with one another when they should be trying to mend their numbers and if what Pembroke debated was true then the hellhound race was hanging by a thread. The real question was whether that was a thread or a noose that her race hung by. Were they dangling for life or slowly killing themselves...

“You'll understand one day, Pembroke. I'm doing this for you.”

Pembroke was not dissuaded. “I'm not a pup anymore father. If you won't let me go then I will defect. They are my ticket out of here.” She pointed to Artemis and the others.

“No! If you leave then you'll end up like-” Welsh paused unable to bring himself to say it.

“Mother.” Pembroke said. “If we can't put our grievances with the ponies aside then we'll be seeing her again very soon.” She said grimly but her voice had lowered.

Welsh lowered his head on the desk. “Pembroke my daughter, you know I love you but if I let you go into that maelstrom outside I'll never be able to forgive myself if something happened to you.”

“That's my problem father, I'm a big girl now and I can take care of myself out there.”

The room fell into silence until Welsh released a heavy sigh a minute later. “I can't let let you do that. I forbid it.” He turned to Verity to ask about the assault but Pembroke raged.

“Nrrgh! Why won't you listen to me!?” She turned away from her father. “Fine, you've forced my claw. I'm leaving. I'll get the help we need.” She spat. “I will go with Artemis and the Rangers.”

“No.” Aroma muttered under her breath but nonetheless angered. Pembroke paused. “I want Vox Canis's head.”

“What?! You mean you're going to buy into this madness?” Pembroke argued.

“It's settled!” Welsh said with finality slamming his fist on the table. “We attack at dawn. Artemis, you and your squad take up whatever position you want outside Sugar Cube Corner.” Welsh's advisers looked surprised and spoke to each other in hushed whispers. That was it there was gonna be a war. War was back in Equestria. Pembroke angrily stormed off without a word. But Artemis imagined she had some choice words that rhymed with “buck chew”.

Welsh sat back down in the Overmare's seat. “Forgive my daughter, she is very headstrong like her mother. You four can stay down in some of the room in Maintenance. I'll send for you in the morning.”

“Thank you.” Verity said in his deep voice.

As they walked out of the room Welsh called out one final time. “Wait!” He said. Aroma turned and the old hellhound threw the Overmare's key to the orange mare who deftly caught it in her teeth.

“Shank hou.” She said through the key in her teeth as she ran back towards the infirmary.

Later that night

Night or at least that's what the clock on her pipbuck says. Artemis sat alone in one of the room in Stable 2's maintenance wing. The room was small, dark, a tad cramped and all the amenities had been stripped off the wall save for the lights and the yellow wallpaper. Littlepip was right, they really did buzz if you listened hard enough. She filled the pockets in her Drescott with magazines for her famas, two on each side and she took whatever potions she could fit in her saddlebags. Something in her gut told Artemis this was going to be bad. They were fighting for the future of the hellhound species, if they lost that would mean the end of Pembroke's kind. What was even worse was the knowledge that winning the battle could still mean the end of the hellhounds. Their numbers could be so spent that even if the war ended there wouldn't be enough DNA left to keep the species alive. Only now did Artemis truly understand the urgency Pembroke must have been feeling this whole time. Her kind was driving itself to extinction after surviving near annihilation fifty years ago.

Artemis was brought back to reality when there was a knock at her door. Who could it be? Littlepip's specter telling her about the coming battle, Verity, Pembroke come to crack her skull or Gestalt and Mosaic?

Artemis opened the door with a low hiss and there stood Verity. Choice B after all. In fact Artemis felt that the two of them needed to talk. Artemis let Verity inside.

“Something wrong, Verity?” Artemis asked casually.

Verity sat on her bed. “I think I might know who's backing Vox Canis.” He admitted someberly.

Artemis hovered over in attention and sat down next to him. “Really? Who?”

Verity sighed grimly. “It's just a guess but I think it might be Vulpes Incolta.”

“Vulpes Incolta?” Artemis asked.

Verity nodded. “You've probably never heard of him. He's the leader of the frumentarii, sneakiest bastard you've ever not seen. But this is all speculation.”

Artemis blinked and cracked her fingers nervously. “And there's one other thing...” Verity added.

“I... I'm sorry for starting this war. I had to tell Welsh, he was leading his people to disaster.” Verity apologized and yet it still felt odd to see the Legion centurion say he's sorry, especially to a female.

Artemis patted him on the back. “Hey don't apologize because... I kinda wanted to fight too.” Verity looked up at her questioningly.

Artemis continued. “The hellhounds, they're not mindless monsters, they're just like us and they need out help now more than ever. They're on the verge of extinction and if there isn't a miracle at this battle then they may very well be done for as a species.”

Verity looked away. “So this is an uphill battle. Pembroke's the only one who can save her race but yet her leaders refuse to listen and she wants to join us.”

Artemis nodded. “I think she'd make a good addition, a hellhound diplomat and especially since we're going to Fillydelphia in a couple days we could use a tough ally.”

Verity smirked playfully. “The hellhound diplomat would fit right in with the meek stablepony, the self-aware synthetic pony, Hans and me and you.”

A small chuckle escaped Artemis. “Artery.” She giggled.

“Hmm?” Verity hummed slightly raising a brow.

“Oh, it's just Aroma's couple name for us.” Artemis answered and gently laid her talon on his.

Verity looked at his hand then at her. “You, you still consider us a couple?” He asked somewhat surprised.

“Of course.” Artemis answered somberly trying not sound overly attached. “Why, did you think otherwise?”

Verity took his hand back and assumed his steely attitude. “It's just... sometimes I can't help but feel like we're just a relationship of convenience. I was there when you had your... accident in White Tail and you've clung on to me and I feel that's the only reason you even like me.” He glanced towards her. “I really like the intimacy but I feel like we're off and on and I can't keep up.”

Artemis's heart just about broke into a million pieces. Verity had been falling apart the whole time and she was none the wiser. She really was an awful partner wasn't she? But in truth Artemis didn't really know how to be a partner, romantically.

Artemis wanted to wrap him in her arms but something told her not to, for better or worse. “Verity, I'm so sorry... I never meant to hurt you.”

Verity slightly shifted away. “I just don't know where we stand. I don't know what we are. Are we just on and off? Are we just physical? Is there even an us?”

Artemis's heart broke a little more. She wanted to tell Verity how sorry she was, for everything. The worst part was that she was so romantically inept she couldn't pinpoint what she had done wrong. When had she ignored Verity's needs so badly that he felt this way? What did Verity need? That's how inept she was.

Verity was questioning whether or not the two of them were in a real relationship or was this pretend. Deep down Artemis had to wonder the same thing. Would she have fell for Verity if he hadn't been there when she had her mental breakdown? Would she? But that was beside the point, she had clung to Verity when her psyche snapped and now was the time to choose if she really wanted Artery to be more.

Verity was a griffon of several sides. Some good, some bad. He was a legionnaire and a high ranking one at that. That was a bad mark because her mother, Priscilla was a slave for the Legion and although he had fled Gryphondale he still had ties and loyalties. He was a steely person and hard to know but yet Artemis sensed a lot of pain in him. Verity was also a father. He had fathered two children that died in infancy. That's where Artemis suspected a lot of his pain came from, no matter how indifferent he acted he had to grieve for his two children in his own way. Artemis remembered something Verity had told her a couple weeks back, back in the San Palomino. He talked about how the Legion's views on romance had twisted his to a very plain almost bleak outlook. Verity was a man with baggage even if it was baggage he didn't admit to having but Artemis couldn't make a decision so robotically. It came down to one simple but complex question.

Did she want them to be more?

Artemis reached her hand out to hold Verity's again, he did not protest this time. “Verity.” She said softly. “I know we've had a rough start and I have not been the best partner for you but... but if you'd be willing to do it again I'd really want to try again too.”

Verity looked back up at her. “You promise? We'll actually be something more?”

“Yes. I promise.” She gave Verity a gentle kiss on the forehead.

“Would you... want to stay the night? With me?” Artemis asked in a sheepish voice.

Verity looked up at her before giving a soft smile. He held her hand in turn. “Of course.”

…..

“Well, there's Sugar Cube Corner and the surrounding camps.” Pembroke pointed out next to Artemis. The next day had dawned and with it the Battle of Ponyville. The Isolationists forces led by Welsh and seconded by Verity and Alpha were down the road from the candy store. Artemis and the others went with Pembroke to find a vantage point in one of the empty buildings outside the Zealots territory. Strange things was, Artemis didn't see any camps per se just the old candy shop.

“What camps?” Artemis asked as she looked through a pair of binoculars. All she saw was an abandoned store.

Pembroke groaned. “They're underground remember?”

That added alarm to Artemis. She had almost forgot that hellhounds could dig underground. You'd think she'd remember that having experienced that fact firsthand and not to mention she had been to a hellhound settlement in a subterranean stable.

“How about sentries?” Pembroke asked hunkering down next to Artemis to get a look at Sugar Cube Corner.

Artemis looked but oddly she didn't see anyone really. No movement no nothing. Either they were lying in wait or they had set some trap. She was sure of it.

“...!” Artemis yelped as she noticed Gestalt and Mosaic on one of the neighboring rooftops. Sure enough it was the two green mares and they had appeared too far for her to yell to them, almost like they knew. Artemis's blood became ice when the twins suddenly turned their faces and stared directly at her, but they just stared. When Artemis rose her head from the binoculars the twins had vanished. They always did have a habit of appearing before battles.

“Did you see Vox Canis?” Aroma asked coldly as she loaded her shotgun.

“It's a shame it's come to this. I fear that whoever wins this battle the Crystal Canines will lose as a people.” Pembroke lamented. Artemis truly felt sorry for Pembroke. If anything Artemis and her friends tipped the scales in the wrong favor. She wanted to help Pembroke and the Ambassadorials but in the end they ended up causing the exact opposite. If they could somehow kill Vox Canis before too many died then maybe this situation could still be salvaged.

Artemis gave her binoculars to Aroma. The earth pony was out for blood. Artemis picked up her famas and loaded the small grenade launcher. “I know it's worth much but I'm sorry things turned out the way they did...”

Pembroke shrugged and leaned against a pile of boxes trying not to sound too upset but then again how could she not be? This would be the point of no return for her people. If this battle turns into a bloodbath the hellhounds simply won't have the numbers to continue their species.

“I'm gonna hope that if we kill Vox Canis then maybe his supporters will surrender. Unlikely but what else can I hope for?” Pembroke said pessimistically.

Aroma cut in grimly. “Vox Canis is mine.”

BOOM!

All three of them hastened to see what caused the commotion. Artemis took the binoculars and stared down by Sugar Cube Corner. Isolationist hellhounds had burst out of the ground and were firing on the old shop. Every minute more and more of the Isolationist warriors erupted from the ground and encroached on Sugar Cube Corner. However the Zealots did not seem to be firing back or even present for that matter.

“The Isolationists had gotten through the tunnels that quickly?” Pembroke wondered aloud in a worried tone.

“I got a bad feeling about this.” Artemis forbade. She wanted to tell Verity to fall back but more and more Isolationist troopers spilled out into the open.

Aroma mumbled and grabbed her gear. “Fuck it. You only live once and I'll be damned if I let someone take my kill away from me.” She turned to Artemis pointing a hoof. “Artemis, fly me over to Sugar Cube Corner and throw me in one of the windows.”

Artemis protested outside the one-sided gunfire. “No Aroma that's too dangerous. If the Zealots are lying in wait upstairs they'll kill you.”

Aroma waived a hoof in determination. “Irrelevant. Fly me there or I'm running but either way I'm gonna kill Vox Canis, you promised me.”

She had promised Aroma, dammit. Artemis cursed under breath and slung her rifle over her back and picked the orange pony up. The duo flew out the window leaving Pembroke behind. Artemis flapped her wings with the extra weight but she was able to sustain the flight. Flying would make them airborne targets but it seemed as if the Zealots weren't putting up a fight. Out of the corner of her eye, Artemis glanced at the rooftop where she had seen Gestalt and Mosaic minutes before but the twins had disappeared.

The gunfire outside Sugar Cube Corner had died as the Isolationist were starting to cease fire. The pre-war sweet shop had been nearly obliterated by the onslaught but still no Zealots to be seen.

Artemis flew Aroma up to a large window. Hold on!” Aroma yelled. A second later Artemis was forced backwards in air as Aroma shot the glass window with her shotgun. “Throw me in!” Artemis hovered closer to the window and with a heave tossed Aroma inside the window. The pony landed with a roll and soon ran off out of sight.

“Well well well.” A cool voice said lowly. Artemis looked up and saw a pony leaning on the tip of the vaulted roof. Artemis flapped up to meet him. The thin sea blue pony carried himself with an air of poisonous leisure. His armor was Legion, no doubt about that but his choice in hat wear was different. He wore the pelt of a coyote's head with the mouth and skin removed to show his face but even on his face he wore a visor obscuring his eyes.

Artemis couldn't think of what to say. She wished Verity was here but then again maybe it's good he wasn't, he'd have qualms about killing him. “Vulpes... Incolta?”

He grinned maliciously. “Fox Boy. I just thought I'd stay behind to tell you my underling Vox Canis and his associates have abandoned this frivolous civil war. They've gone to where they can be of real, tangible use to mighty Cesare.”

Artemis raised her famas and pointed it at Vulpes's direction. “And tell me why I shouldn't kill you now?”

The Legion spy stood perfectly on the tip of the roofing not even swaying in balance. “Because, Valiance said you didn't have it in you to attack unprovoked. Valiance was most displeased when he learned you had escaped White Tail alive. I imagine you two have some family issues?” He asked sarcastically.

Artemis teetered on going into SATS. She wasn't going to let him get under her feathers about her family, messed up as it was. “Lemme guess, there's a big ass bombs here or something isn't there.”

Vulpes smirked. “Why? Cesare's loyal hellhounds will need a place to return to as victors and if they killed the Isolationists then who would be the slaves? That doesn't sound very smart, Artemis...”

Artemis wasn't relieved by his assurance and refused to believe anything that came off his snake tongue. “What're you doing in the NCR?-”

Vulpes cut her off with a waive of his hoof. “I'm afraid that's enough questions, I must be off for Gryphondale. Ta ta, Artemis.” Blue feathered wings erupted from his sides. Vulpes Incolta was a pegasus! Pegusai were unheard of in the Legion. Fox Boy flew away soundlessly south leaving Artemis stunned.

Artemis almost gave chase to the pegasus but then she heard Verity call from the ground. “Artemis?!” She turned back to where Vulpes had been flying but the illusive legionnaire was long gone and out of sight.

Artemis landed on the ground outside Sugar Cube Corner where the Isolationists had all gathered around and were talking with one another presumably about the absence of the Zealots no doubt. The hellhounds seemed more confused than worried but this meant that the clock was ticking, the Legion had an invisible foothold in the NCR and wherever Vox Canis and his supporters had left to only boded ill for their return. But where could Cesare possibly need hellhounds? Artemis imagined keeping hellhounds as slaves in Gryphondale would be more trouble than it was worth-!

Then it came to her!

She should have realized it sooner. It all made sense, Clopton was the prime example: Cesare sent his emissary, Vulpes Incolta on a mission to the Hellhound Sanctuary. Vulpes fanned the flames of discontent among the hellhounds, they splintered and one faction allies itself with the Legion, granting Cesare fierce hellhound warriors. If Cesare was calling his loyalist back to the San Palomino then that could only mean he was amassing for an attack on Hoofer Dam. She had to warn Calamity but the Dam was days away. If Ditzy Doo could get her in contact with Calamity early enough maybe just maybe she could warn the general.

“Artemis, do you know where all the hellhounds have gone?” Verity asked as he made his way through the crowd Alpha in tow.

“This is bullshit, come out and face me Vox Canis!” Aroma raged storming out of Sugar Cube Corner.

“She's really angry.” Verity commented in disbelief at the usually cheery pony. He turned back to Artemis. “Did you see anything up there? Who were you talking to?”

Artemis glanced back up at the perch. “Your suspicions were correct, Vulpes Incolta was behind this civil war.”

Verity grimaced. “...What did he say?”

“He said that Vox Canis and his legionnaires have left under Cesare's orders back to the San Palomino. I think he's going to assault Hoofer Dam...”

Verity rubbed his beak. “Unlikely but possible mayb-!”

The ground by them sudden broke and Pembroke pulled herself out of a mound of dirt. She dusted her white fur off. “I can't find any Zealots, they've all disappeared, I can't tell if I should be happy or extremely worried.”

“I wouldn't call it a day just yet. This civil war is not over, not by a long shot.” Artemis warned being sure to leave Vulpes out of the conversation.

Pembroke didn't relax. “Something in my gut told me that this was too good to be true.” She said disappointed.

Artemis glanced at Verity then to Pembroke. “If you want your people to survive the Zealots homecoming slaughter then you will need the NCR. Are you still interested in accompanying us?”

The white furred hellhound looked outward at the Ponyville wall. “No one else will. This is a fleeting victory the Isolationist but I think now I could be able to convince my father to let me go with you guys, who knows maybe I'd fit in with you guys.”

“Artemis sure knows how to pick them.” Verity scoffed.

“But there is one last thing we have to check up on.” Artemis noted.

While the celebrations were getting underway Artemis and her friends had returned to Stable 2. The infirmary. Aroma looked at her teacher, the anger in her seemed to have finally cooled. She held his open pipbuck in her hooves and quietly laid it on the nightstand next to his bed.

“You're out of the game now, Mathlete. Just Ellis is left. Survive damn you, for those daughters you risked life and limb for.” Aroma whispered under her breath.

Mathlete's eyes fluttered open weakly. “... Aroma.” He looked at his foreleg. “You, you did it. Thank you, thank you.”

Aroma leaned nearer his face. “Be safe, Mathlete. I... I have to go. My friends need me and we need to be going north, when we come back I'll find you here or in Ponyville.”

Mathlete tried to hold a smirk. “...I'll hold you to it. You've changed so much since I last saw you, you've grown up and become such a confident mare. Those bad ponies up north are gonna need more backup.”

Aroma smiled and back downed from his bed. “I don't want to hurt them too much.”

Mathlete sniffed. “Give em' hell Aromatherapy, I'll be here.” He rubbed his bare foreleg where the pipbuck used to be. He closed his eyes and fell back into his slumber.

Aroma turned back to Artemis and the others. “I believe we have a train to catch in New Appaloosa?”

The gang stood outside the giant steel opening of Stable 2. Things had changed so much Artemis could scarcely believe she had been in Littlepip's stable but that stable was now a home to a different form of life that really wasn't that much different. Pembroke and her father stood by the entrance inside the stable.

Welsh grumbled. “Nrgh, while I don't like it at least we have Vox Canis off our backs for a time and if you truly think you can help end this civil war then I guess we have to try.” He still sounded reluctant to let his only daughter leave the stable but here he was.

Pembroke slung on of her bags over her back along with her rivet gun. “Don't worry father this will simple, I go to Manehattan, talk to President Grimfeathers and get a sanction to help us. Hopefully I'll be back before Vox Canis.”

Welsh nodded and gave his daughter one final hug. Hellhound do hug after all. Pembroke walked out of Stable 2 just like Littlepip had so long ago. Artemis reckoned that was the thing about stables, they were meant to be left one day. Everyone has their stables, hers was the San Palomino and now she was a thousand miles away from home but that's you grow isn't it.

The stable door with the iconic 2 in the middle churned and screamed shut with a metallic groan. With the shutting of the door also came with a darkening of the apple cellar.

“Wait, Pembroke. Wouldn't the NCR get mad at you leaving the borders?” Aroma asked.

Pembroke smiled and shook her head before pulling out a small scroll from her bags. “Not with this baby signed by my dad. I am now the Crystal Canine ambassador and therefore am granted diplomatic immunity on NCR soil.”

“So basically you're telling them to eat one.” Artemis snarked.

Pembroke chuckled. “That's what politics is all about.”

“Then you're gonna love Commander Tight Ship.” Verity assured.

…..

Back at New Appaloosa

The group was at the train station, Railright's old station to be exact. After all the commotion in New Appaloosa they were going to go up north to Fillydelphia and find the MoM hub and try to find the first piece of the number station clues. Personally Artemis wasn't really sure how she'd go about it. Would it be a code, or some kind of memory orb? They would also scope out the MWT or MoA buildings and see into possibly finding Alpha's memory cards. It was no secret that they'd have their work cut out for them in Fillydelphia make no mistake. Rumor, speculation and Littlepip's account made Fillydelphia out to be a hellhole but with luck and outdated information maybe Filly could turn out to a decent city that produces steel.

However they had not heard from Hans, well that was until an engineer came to talk to them. “Uh, lady, does he belong to you?” He asked and pointed down the rails. Artemis looked and sure enough their lay Hans in the middle of the train tracks passed out.

“Celestia dammit Hans. Yes, he's mine.” Artemis admitted and hovered nonchalantly to her pink friend.

Hans lay passed out around several bone dry beer bottles. “Hans.” Artemis poked the drunken unicorn. Hans just groaned like a filly not wanting to wake up for school.

Artemis opened one of her canteens and poured the water on his faces. He quickly sputtered and sat up rubbing his eyes. “No honey we already did the golden showe-!” He noticed he was talking to Artemis.

“Arty baby!” He clambered to his hooves stumbling a little. “Where the hell have you been? You've been gone for like two whole days.”

“We helped Mathlete and added a new member to our motley little crew.” Artemis explained.

Hans picked up a bottle then threw it when he discovered it was empty. “Knowing the peeps we happen to pick up I wouldn't be surprised if you picked up a teenage dragon with mommy problems.”

Artemis chuckled. “Close, a hellhound/lawyer actually. What were you doing on the train tracks?”

“I was here last night giving some buck the deuce and we had decided to do it on a train tracks to make things more exciting and it was glorious.” The pride radiated from his words.

Artemis shook her head. Hans was always up to some dangerous antic but she couldn't help but smile. “Hehe and I worried about you when you were in that asphyxiation phase.”

Hans narrowed his eyes. “Ugh don't remind me. That whole myth about hanging yourself while climaxing is bs, all I did was fall from the ceiling and break my tailbone.” He interrupted his rant and looked down at the others by the train. “Oh shit that's right we're going to Filly. Carry me maybe?”

Artemis rolled her eyes and scooped him up in her talons. The others were already boarding. But it was here with a griffon's eye view that Artemis noticed that she and her friends were the only people getting on the relatively small train to Fillydelphia. Guess Filly wasn't high on the NCR's tourist attraction lists, couldn't imagine why.

“Thanks baby girl.” Hans said as she let him go. He stepped on the train but he lost his footing a second later. Like a flash one of the hostesses caught him before he hit the ground.

“Watch your step sir.” She smile and picked him back up.

Hans looked back at Artemis. “Looks like you got competition for saving my ass honey.”

Artemis entered without incident thankfully. The interior of the entry car consisted of a long hallway with doors to the rooms spaced in equal intervals.100 101 102 103 104 were the rooms listed above the doors.

“Excuse me miss but I'm afraid we have six in our party.” Artemis interjected.

The hostess that had caught Hans fluffed her mane cordially. “We heard about your robotic partner. I regret to inform you that this train had enough room to accompany Mr.... Alpha is it. But we hope you would be consent to him staying in the kitchen overnight. We apologize for any inconvenience.”

Alpha in the kitchen all night? It didn't seem fair, it just made Alpha sound like a utility to stow away. Artemis also imagined Alpha trying to make conversation with their toaster all night. Regardless that was not her decision to make, it was Alpha's. “I'll ask him ad see if he's okay with it.” She replied.

The hostess almost turned away when she remembered something. “Oh and you should get your rooms and stow your things, our chef is preparin' supper. The meal car is down this one.” Then she disappeared beyond the door ahead.

“I'm guessing this is a dry train isn't it.” Hans hollowly complained to himself as he opened his door.

Artemis's room was exactly the same as the other rooms to her left and right. Small, cramped but oddly cozy along with a small indent in the room for a tiny restroom. She approached the window looking out at the train yard. Docked trains, conductor ponies, cultists preaching and travelers walked about on their own business. It reminded her how she had done everything in New Appaloosa except for freeing the convict slaves. It had just slipped her mind truly it did. With everything that had happened her mind was preoccupied by the hellhound civil war, The Cult of Littlepip, Oubliette and the truth of Littlepip. It seemed like the truth about Littlepip seemed to be more paramount than her actual quest for the number station. That was just the thing, what could she possibly do about Oubliette and uprooting The Cult's lies? From the patrons in the bar earlier it seemed as if Calamity and the others tried to do the same thing but were ultimately defeated without the real Lightbringer. Artemis really wanted to speak with Calamity to get some concrete answers but it would appear she would have to wait until after their escapades in Fillydelphia. After that they would make their way down to Hoofer Dam to talk about Oubliette and warn him about the Legion.

An idea spawned in Artemis's head. She thought back to when they had first arrived in New Appaloosa and that soldier buck was giving them trouble at the gates. Artemis had used her Ranger Radio to call Rusty!

“These people are on special ranger business, you're gonna open the gate and let them in and if they call me again I'll have your job and your dick am I clear?” Rusty's words echoed in her thoughts. Without further delay Artemis retrieved her radio and tuned it.

“Hey Rusty you there? Hey Rusty you there?” Huh that strange, it sounded like her voice was doubled.

“Come in Rusty? Come in Rusty?” Artemis tried again. Her voice sounded distant but yet just outside her door.

Artemis brushed her head feathers in confusion when the radio crackled. “Uh- shit. Hello Artemis is someone giving you trouble again?” Rusty sounded rushed and oddly her voice seemed double as well.

“Are you okay? Has the dam been attack?” Artemis asked again her voice sounded doubled.

“Dam attacked? No. What is you need I'm kinda busy at the moment.” Rusty inquired shortly.

Artemis cut to the chase. “I just needed to know if you could put your father on, I have some questions for him.”

The radio crackled for a second before Rusty came back. “Daddy? Err no, not right now, he's talking with my mother and I have to go too. Ciao baby.” With that Rusty disconnected and radio became silent.

“Well so much for getting to talk to the general.” Artemis said to herself and deposited the radio back in the bag. She entered the small restroom to prepared for dinner.

Artemis looked at her face in the mirror, her face tattoo looked odd with the scar under her right eye. That was something ponies didn't understand about griffon warpaint or feather dye. They just saw it as men and women wearing makeup on your face or dying the tips of your fathers but to a griffon the paint on your face stood as a symbol of who you were, it set you apart from the other griffons almost like the pony equivalent of a cutie mark. That made griffons fundamentally different to ponies, whereas ponies find who they are, griffons spend their entire lives making who they are, it was a journey that started a day after you were hatched only ended when you died and then it fell to your hatchlings and friends to carry on your memory. The tiny paper cut scar under her eye stood out among the red of her eyeliner like a stain on a cloth but in some way she liked it. It hurt when the twins cut her but now it made her different and that's what griffons were all about. They didn't have sub-species like unicorns or pegusai everyone was the same and that's why griffons ally themselves with factions or family clans to differentiate themselves, hell that accounts for why she made Triple A.

Artemis digressed and stopped washing her hands.

Night. Artemis entered the dinner cart where the others were sitting down in twos at the small tables. Hans and Pembroke would be getting better acquainted with dinner tonight. Aroma and Alpha sat together although she wasn't too sure why Alpha was present seeing that he didn't eat but to each his own right? Last but not least left her and Verity, the match made in heaven.

The lights were dimmed and the majority of the light at each table came from a small candle on each of their tables. Verity entered not long later and made made his way over and sat down in his chair at Artemis's table.

He looked at her cool as he slid his sword under the table. “So, just me and you tonight.”

Artemis noticed him hiding his weapon but couldn't find the words to ask so she leaned forward and tried to look casual. “Mhmm just like last night. Is something wrong, Verity?”

The blue griffon sat down but continued to look around the car uncomfortably. “No, nothing's wrong between us but I still can't help but think something's off with this train.”

So Verity was paranoid? As far as Artemis saw the train seemed to be okay, maybe they could have better signals for radios but other than that it seemed okay. “I don't know what you mean... But c'mon lets just have a nice dinner, the two of us.”

Verity still didn't lower his defenses but at least he tried to act calm. “Yes, the two of us.”

Artemis smiled sheepishly but Verity wasn't giving her a lot of conversation to go on. “What do you think we'll find in Fillydelphia?”

Verity lightly scratched his head. “I can't say for sure, a ruined city no doubt. I do want to talk to you about something though.” He lowered his voice and Artemis leaned in to hear him.

“Yes honey?” She asked nicely but in a low tone like his.

Verity paused as if he was hesitating at first before he began. “Before we found New Appaloosa you promised me you'd tell the others about the twins you've been seeing and it got swept under the rug. The only people that know are me and Alpha, I understand if you didn't want to tell Hayseed and his wife but you must tell Aroma and Hans, Pembroke too if she stays.”

“May I take your order mademoiselle?” The cream colored waiter snuck up.

Artemis halted her thoughts abruptly. “Uh, yeah, sure.” She picked up the menu. “I'd like the brahmin wellington please and a scotch and soda.”

The waiter took Verity's order and then they handed him their menus. “Thank you, I'll put your orders in right away.” He said classy as hell before leaving for the kitchen car.

Now where was she? Oh yeah.

Goddesses she really had forgot. She told Verity she would come clean in New Appaloosa and here they were New Appaloosa a spec in the background. “Honest to Celestia, Verity I forgot what with all this Oubliette/Littlepip nonsense. I-” Artemis was interrupted.

“I wouldn't call, Littlepip, nonsense Artemis.” Calamity said sitting at a dark table. He closed his newspaper and laid it on the table. Velvet Remedy took off her black sun hat and veil.

Artemis gasped, she was glad to see them but she was startled as well and being startled can be startling. “Calamity?”

“I'm here too, Artemis.” Velvet Remedy smirked. “I do hope you're enjoying your evening together.”

“I knew it.” Verity grumbled and clenched his talons. “Let me guess, these ponies wokring the train aren't staff either.”

Calamity nodded smugly. “Nope. They're Rangers to be exact, can't be too careful nowadays.”

“Hey guys.” Rusty called out nonchalantly as if this was no big surprise. She wore the uniform that the other employees wore. Now it explained the bad radio signal from earlier. The train didn't have a bad signal she was just hearing two voices at once!

“Calamity, but you're supposed to be at the dam?” Aroma asked turning in her chair.

The rust colored pegasus sat up. “Ditzy Doo told me you needed to see me and as it happens I need to see you as well Artemis.”

“Oubliette...” Artemis muttered. Calamity and his wife exchanged a short glance.

“So you know now, don't you...” Velvet choked almost as if she didn't expect her to approve.

“I know about, Littlepip.” Artemis confessed then paused. “I need answers, The Cult, the SPP and I heard something about you guys taking the Grandeur de Littlepip hostage.” She wanted answers and finally they had all the time in the world.

Calamity seemed perturbed by her wording of the happenings at the Grandeur de Littlepip. “What happened at the Grandeur was a disaster, a botched plan. Looks like I better tell you what happened after the Tale of Littlepip ended.”

“About ten years after the book ended and the NCR was just really getting on it's feet a new kind of fanaticism started to spread about the Equestrian Wasteland. I don't know who but it was those damned Children of the Cathedral that started the whole thing, they would later become the first cultist. At first when we heard word of them we merely saw them as a broken fragment of Red Eye's Unity and thought nothing more of them.”

Calamity looked regretfully at his wife with his hazel eyes. “A couple months later I led a caravan with some Followers to see if they needed any medical help when we... when we discovered the Grandeur. When I saw it I could barely believe it, they had dismantled the Thunderhead Overcast and built the Grandeur out of it. When the cultists came out to greet us they started preaching... preaching their Dogma of Light.” Calamity scowled at the recounting.

“They, they had become fanatics about her, they worshiped the ground she didn't walk. Then came the blood...” The general grimaced.

“They would do horrible things to themselves, all in the name of appeasing the Lightbringer. I saw ponies gouge out their own eyes just so they could see the Lightbringer in her heavenly form, ponies that cut off their tongues so they could speak to her and ponies that destroyed their eardrums so they could hear her. The Grandeur was a bloodbath, a self-induced bloodbath.” Calamity had to turn away whimpering softly.

“That wasn't the worst part.” Velvet added. “I was there with him, those cultists, when they did those things to themselves they... they were so happy. They were jubilant. The buck that gouged his eyes started leaping for joy like some kind of lunatic, he didn't survive to the next morning but it really felt like those last few hours were the best moments of his life.”

“But how did things get so, so bad?” Artemis asked in shock.

Calamity turned back around. “They started evangelizing. Ponies like me and Velvet, our age group knew better but even then some of our numbers did buy into The Cult's dogma. When they found that not as many adults would turn as they'd hoped they turned to the children. Before long The Cult was speaking in schools, playgrounds, daycares you name it. The foals, the foals were much more susceptible and they took The Cult's dogma as fact.”

“And time made it worse...” Verity injected.

Calamity nodded. “Yes. About twenty years after that those foals grew up and became adults that believed The Cult wholeheartedly. Soon their preachers were common and accepted in the public eye.” Calamity sighed. “The Cult of Littlepip, was born.”

“What was thought to be a benign faction ended up spreading across Equestria faster than Red Eye's army. Me, Velvet and the others that traveled with Lil' Pip knew we had to do something.”

“But, Calamity. How did The Cult become so, so powerful? I mean faithwise.” Aroma asked sheepishly from her chair.

Velvet answered the young pony. “A perfect storm of articulation. And you have to remember The Cult believes what they're preaching, enough to gut themselves too. They preached with a fiery fervor and their Dogma of Light accounted for how the world changed from being a wasteland their parents and grandparents lived in.”

“That's when they started reaping the Heretical Scripture.” Calamity but in. “After so long The Cult began being granted special rights, they were above the law to rout heresy.” Calamity stopped for just a second. “I know what you're thinking but imagine, The Cult had a lot of money from their followers so lobbying the Council wasn't too hard but I digress.” He started back on the reaping. “Over a series of nights cultist stormed homes and businesses all throughout the NCR. They were taking the real Tale of Littlepip. With those books out of the way their future would be absolute and their dogma unquestioned.”

“But luckily we and the others, Xenith Celestia rest her soul, Homage, Regina humored us but Gawdyna was too busy grooming her to do much. We were able to save some books and store them in Oubliette” Velvet was soon interrupted by her husband again.

“And another thing, Djpon3. I bet you heard of him out in the San Palomino. Bet he talks about avoiding radiation and normal survival crap huh? Bet he never mentions anything about the Legion does he.” Calamity smirked grimly. He knew about the Legion?!

Artemis thought back. Djpon3 was more of a rarity in the San Palomino, you were lucky to catch his signal. He really didn't talk about the Legion! If Djpon3 was our voice out in the waste... land then why would he have turned a blind eye to the Legion's wrongdoings? She had to go deeper though. In a revelation of disturbing dismay Artemis remembered that not only were Djpon3's broadcast the same ambiguous garbage but they were literally looped messages! Those times she heard of Djpon3 was not live, pre-recorded.

“Goddesses.... you're right.” Artemis said paralyzed in shock.

Calamity nodded solemnly. “The Cult pulled the plug on Djpon3 and replaced it with Cerberus Radio. Cerberus Radio is how they really control the masses. CR is made of three DJ's, get it? Cerberus?” Calamity continued. “You have Dj Politico who has all the updates on the political bullshit in Manehattan. Dj Salvation who reports on all the doings that The Cult wants you to hear. And last but not least is Dj With It, he reports on all government and Cult approved stories.”

Hans shifted in his chair and put out a cigarette. “From Littlepip's book I couldn't imagine Homage being the type of pony that would've taken that lying down.”

Calamity snorted. “And she wasn't but in the end she was forced to.... retire. It's been years since either of us have spoken to Homage, and I imagine she's still upset at me.” Calamity looked to his unicorn wife with a hopeless gaze.

“You guys and Homage have a falling out?” Hans asked raising a brow in surprise.

Velvet looked at her husband with sorrowful eyes. Calamity lowered his head. “Yes, she didn't understand... she refused to believe we'd been defeated by backdoor politics and under-the-table money exchanges.”

“Is that what led you guys to the Grandeur de Littlepip?” Artemis asked but in her heart she knew the terrible answer. Littlepip's friends were defeated by politicians and lobbyists.

Calamity sighed. “I... I don't want to talk about that right now. Besides, you're a smart griffoness I have no doubt you can piece together what happened.” He stood up and pulled his beret off in defeat. “I'm going to retire to my room. I'll get your information tomorrow and bring you up to speed on the Fillydelphia Situation.” The rust colored pegasus walked off to his room but Velvet lingered.

“I'm sorry Artemis but my husband gets very upset when the... incident at the Grandeur surfaces. I would tell you but it's rather late and I suggest we all go to our rooms and get some rest.” The charcoal mare stopped at the entrance of the door to the hallway. She turned her head back to Artemis and the others, her mane hiding her eyes. “Just know, that the Grandeur de Littlepip was what landed me and Calamity behind desk jobs for the last twenty years.” The door closed behind her

Alone now, Rusty had left wordlessly earlier. The dinner car rumbled under her feet. There it was, the ugly half truth. The ending after the ending to Littlepip's book. Littlepip's friends lie broken and dismayed with each other while The Cult perverts her tale into what they see fit. Calamity and Velvet Remedy seem to have made the best out of their situation but the legacy of Djpon3 was shattered by Cerberus Radio, Homage the freedom fighter was retired, it seemed Xenith had passed away and Regina Grimfeathers was the President of the NCR.

This was not a happy ending.

“Jeez, I guess I'm really out of it.” Pembroke said rubbing the back of her head in befuddlement.

“Don't worry too much honey, I'll try my best to get you up to speed tonight.” Hans promised. Soon everyone started to leave the dinner car when Artemis halted everyone.

“Wait.” She paused, this had to be done now or never. “I. I need to confess something to you guys.” Verity smiled in approval.

Artemis told them the truth, about Gestalt and Mosaic and how they've been tormenting her for the past month. She gave them the truth and she didn't feign being unsure about the twins' existence, there was no doubt in her confession.

“Can you forgive me for lying to you guys?” Artemis asked demurely.

Aroma trotted up to her and gave her a warm huggle. “I can, Artemis. You forgave me so now I'll forgive you.”

“I knew it.” Hans spat. “You tried to hide it but I knew you were being troubled, I personally thought it was Verity and I was preparing to beat his ass for the past few days. Glad to see I can cancel that plan.” He smoldered cooly.

“But can you forgive me?” Artemis inquired again.

Hans narrowed his eyes then they relax and so did she. “You bet baby girl... but tell me when you see these twins so I can kick their asses.” He stabbed out his forehooves in a boxing motion.

“You ponies really are strange.” Pembroke added sardonically.

Artemis opened the door to her room and stepped inside. The window now showed a night kissed landscape with the faint light from her room. She turned when there was a knock at the door. She opened the door and saw Verity standing with his usual indifferent look about him.

“I really proud of you, Artemis.” He said giving a faint smile.

Artemis blinked and tried not to sound foolish. “It was there or I don't think I could have done it anywhere else but I suppose I could have if-!” Verity interrupted her with kiss. Their beaks met and she nearly lost her footing.

Verity pulled away after the kiss ended. “Goodnight, Artemis.” He said and started walking down the hall to his room.

Artemis poked her head out into the hallway. “Would you want stay, with me again?” She asked.

Verity stopped. “Didn't we stay over last night?”

Artemis twisted her talons nervously. “Well, it's just we hardly have to time just for the both of us with all this craziness going on.”

Verity turned back! He tilted his head pondering. “I bet Hans would steal the towels from my bathroom if he knew I was gone but I think I can manage.”

In bed

The room was nearly pitch black save for the small traces of moonlight entering through the window. She was curled up next to Verity's warm body and he had his arms around her, maybe a wing too but she couldn't see that much. It felt good to have someone to hold you, a calm in the storm of the enigmatic number station, Gestalt and Mosaics' phantasmal apparitions, The Cult's siege on the truth of Littlepip, Legion vs. NCR but even with all of that she still felt as if all those things had faded away.

“Verity.” She asked in the darkness.

“Mhmm?” He moaned.

“Do you think we'll always be able to have this? Us. The way things seem to be going we might all end up dead.”

Verity was silent except for his breathing. “This isn't easy road, Artemis nor a safe one and I can't promise you'll be safe from harm but just know that I love you...”

Her heart melted. “I love you too, Verity.”

She felt his talon ruffle her head playfully. “Now try to get some sleep Artemis, trust me.”

She squeed. “Goodnight Verity.

Chapter 23 - The Fillydelphia Situation

Chapter 23: The Fillydelphia Situation

Artemis sat in a mahogany pew it's dark polished wood almost looked jet black. The place was big and spacious but she could not say where she was, a cathedral perhaps. Everything was darkened and dimmed- the stain glass windows were dark with the lack of sunlight further blanketing the hall in shadows. Nearly all of her surroundings were dark except for the altar near the priest's podium. The altar was liberally bathed in light coming from the ceiling as if the light was coming from heaven itself.

She noticed the heads of four ponies a couple pews in front of her but their features were unattainable. They were little more than silhouettes. A minute later a wine purple mare walked into the column of light which was actually shining down into a small depression in the floor, like a baptismal pool only empty. The mare looked at the four ponies in the front pews but seemed to pay no mind to Artemis. She saw the mare's lips move and it was reasonable enough to think that she was talking with one of the silhouette ponies. A bad feeling began to curl inside Artemis's gut.

After the quite conversation had concluded the purple mare walked back into the empty baptismal pool and stood forlorn by a marble slab. Artemis noticed the familiar chanting of the cultist hum to life from the shadows.

The mare in the pool gulped as if she was hesitating. She picked up a pair of sharp scissors trembling. Her eyes darted to the four ponies like she regretted her decision for a split second. Just as Artemis realized what she was observing something changed, her perspective, literally. She was in the back of the cathedral but now she could see the mare up close as if she was in the pool watching. It was like she was out of her own body, Artemis tried to yell to stop the mare from mutilating herself but she was mute and couldn't turn away.

The mare pulled her lower lip outward in place as she pressed the scissors to her mouth. She hesitated for a split second again. She slowly closed the scissors down until a wretched slice cut through the air. The mare quickly dropped the scissors and they fell on the pearl white floor of the pool with a metallic clang and a few tiny droplets of blood fell from her cut lip. She scrambled to pick up the scissors as if she was going to fail this wicked test of will. She had been pressing her hoof up to her lip but shakily let go to again pull her lower lip out again. More blood trickled down to the floor when she pulled her lip outward stretching the flesh. She flinched nearly dropping the scissors again but this time she did not falter. The blades sliced through her lips three times until she couldn't take the pain any longer. She hit the scissors against the marble slab where tongs, pliers, a sickle, and assortments of torturous cutlery rested. The mare held her head to the side so her observers couldn't see her falterings. Blood droplets fell to the white floor more freely than when she first made the incision. Breathing heavily the cultist initiate rose back to the table, her lip was dangling on her mouth now bleeding down her chin. She picked up the scissors again and held them to the broken skin that kept her lip attached to face. With a clench of her eyes and a hard press of the scissors her bottom lip fell off her face and into the empty pool with a small splat of blood. The mare finally paused trying to catch her breath. More blood trickled from her botched lip that revealed her pink gums and white teeth.

But the mare did not stop there. She repeated the process by cutting off her upper lip with those damnable scissors. It seemed the more pain she caused herself the easier it became. The cultist mare stuck two metal rods in her nose, both were large enough to close each nostril. Next she cleared off the marble table with one fell sweep throwing the instruments to the blood stained floor. She took slow shuddering breaths through her bleeding mouth as she put her forehooves on the table. She stared at the marble and after she completed her mental preparation. Once the mare was ready she slammed her face head-first into the marble table with so much force that even the silhouette ponies in the pew cringed. The awful crunch told that she had broken her nose beyond repair. Blood stains decorated the empty pool in a show of horrible self mutilation. The bloody metal rods hit the floor and rolled away from the spectacle. She picked up the pliers to wrench what was left of her nose off. The cold metal teeth grabbed onto the fleshy remnants but before the terrible pulling and snapping of gore, sinew and gushing of blood-

-Artemis woke up.

Artemis shouted scrambling out of her bed. In a frenzy she grabbed the small lamp by the nightstand and prepared to attack the foes that... that were not here. No ones was here, not even Verity. The only thing she could hear was the rumble rumble of the train moving and the racing landscape outside the window. It was just a dream... about the mare back in New Appaloosa. Artemis sighed and put the lamp back on the nightstand right side up. She rubbed the sleepies out of her eyes.

“What's wrong?!” Verity busted out of the bathroom with his toothbrush in his beak.

Artemis paused. That's where Verity was, the bathroom, oh. “I... had a bad dream.” She confessed somewhat embarrassed by her fit of terror.

Verity took his toothbrush out of his mouth. “Oh, I was just brushing my teeth one minute and the next I heard you screaming bloody murder. Do you have a lot of night terrors?”

“I, not normally.” Artemis remembered back to when she had that night terror when Verity first met them outside of Gryphondale and she thought he was leading them to a trap. “I guess I just have those when I'm worried about something.” She said as she went to the bathroom to brush her teeth too.

“What has you so worried? Except Fillydelphia.” Verity asked sitting outside the bathroom door having finished brushing his teeth.

Artemis spat into the sink. “Personally, it's The Cult. I know Hoofer Dam and the number station should be my main priority but, but.”

“But the dam and the number station take the back burner.” Verity finished.

“Yes, exactly. I can't imagine the number station or the battle of Hoofer Dam but I've seen those cultist, I know what they're capable of. They've cemented their presence in the NCR and they beat Littlepip's friends systematically. I don't know what I'm saying anymore.” Artemis sighed.

The blue griffon was quiet for a minute as though he was contemplating what to say next next. This time his silence remained.

Artemis supposed that her sentence didn't really warrant an answer anyway. She wondered if Gestalt and Mosaic were actually right about Oubliette and how it would only serve to harm her and her friends. If she had tossed Calamity's key into the sand when the twins last talked to her then Oubliette would have just been a hatch in the closet if they had even cared enough to discover it. But now that it was opened and it's horrible secret brought to the light Artemis didn't know what she was supposed to do with. Even if Calamity had a plan for Oubliette or how to get the truth out then how would she fit into it, would it even work, would they all end up dead? In truth Artemis didn't want to bring it up when they went to see Calamity for the debriefing, she just wanted to give him a heads-up about the Legion which he apparently already knew about beforehand.

Artemis finished brushing her teeth and fixing her feathers. She looked good when she saw herself in the mirror. “You ready to go?” She asked Verity.

“Yes, let's be off.” Verity answered in his low voice. They both left together and into the narrow hallway. No one else was in the hall so it was most likely they were early or they were late, either or.

They were late. Aroma, Alpha, Pembroke and Hans were all at their respective single tables. The room had been changed overnight. Instead of all the tables being arranged like a restaurant there were now only enough tables to fit Artemis and her friends along with a long table in the back of the train car that sat in front of a large gray screen and a projector in front of the table.

“Artery I thought you guys were gonna be late.” Aroma chirped from her table.

“Artery?” Verity muttered in slight befuddlement.

“It's our couple name Aroma made up for us. It's really cute.” Artemis explained to her partner.

“Oh.” Verity hummed. “Cute indeed.” He sat down at his table with the card marked “Verity Preensdale” on it.

After Artemis sat down- almost as if they were waiting until they were all seated. Calamity, Velvet Remedy and several “train employees” including Rusty entered the car and took their seats at the long table. The staff had retired the employee disguises and now just wore their Ranger armor no longer entertaining the ruse. Calamity sat in the middle of the table but moved his chair to the side so he could Artemis and the projector screen. The rust colored pegasus wore his decorated olive drab uniform and his hat with the golden two-headed bear on it flanked by four gold stars. Velvet looked beautiful as ever though she did seem anxious. She imagined Velvet was anxious a lot with The Cult constantly watching their every move. Artemis hoped this wasn't a particular move The Cult was watching.

Rusty tinkered with the projector and eventually turned it on. A white square shown on the screen behind Calamity. “Show them screen one, Ranger Rusty.” Calamity told his daughter.

Rusty fished in a narrow box and pulled out a transparent screen that she laid on the projector. It's imagine was then magnified behind Calamity. “I got the lights.” Velvet commented and with a glow of her horn the blinds on the windows of the car closed blanketing the room in darkness save for the light and humming of the projector.

Slide one showed a picture of Fillydelphia, still devastated. It looked pretty much what Artemis imagined the hellish city like. “Fillydelphia?” Artemis wondered aloud.

Calamity nodded. “Eeyup, if you've read Littlepip's book then you pretty much got the low-down on what the city's like.”

“The book said Red Eye's army splintered into warring factions at the end of the book.” Aroma noted.

Calamity nodded in agreement and looked to his unicorn daughter. “Slide two.” He turned back to Aroma. “Eventually those factions died off due to their incessant warfare, using deductive reasoning who do you think was left after those factions were gone.”

There was a pause. Artemis wasn't sure if the general was wanting an answer. “Uhh... the slaves?” Pembroke guessed with a shrug of her huge hand/paws whatever you wanted to call them.

Calamity fluttered his wings. “Exactly.” Slide two was put on the projector. It showed a pony, a white earth pony stallion. He was cut up and had a black eye, he wore an orange jumpsuit and a mischievous grin too. But this was a mugshot, he held a sign in his hooves that read NCRCF 91101.

“Who's that hunk?” Hans asked.

Calamity seemed to scowl at the picture. “We don't know his name, he refused to tell us. He only calls himself: The King of Trash. He's an agitator.

“So he's a rabble-rouser.” Verity purred. Calamity didn't know if Verity was approving of the King of Trash.

“Is that why you arrested him? Political prisoner. ” Pembroke asked seeming to sympathize with the beaten pony.

Calamity shook his head. “No. We arrested him down by the wharves when he and some of his lackeys attacked and group of NCR citizens. He's not a political prisoner he's a terrorist.” The word terrorist cut the air like a fine blade.

“Well, why'd he attack NCR citizens and you sound as if he's not a citizen?” Artemis questioned but tried to not sound prying but then again why was he telling them all this? Forewarning? Questions were only natural.

Velvet Remedy began to answer when Rusty interrupted. “The King of Trash has the hearts and minds of the residents of Fillydelphia. He agitates old wounds and lies through his Celestia damned teeth. He musters the people of Fillydelphia under the banner of ex-slaves that will never be slaves again.” Rusty spat.

“Isn't that a good thing?” Artemis interjected.

“Statement: User Artemis it is chronologically impossible for the King of Trash to have been a slave. Perhaps if he was over the age of fifty then perhaps.”

Rusty smiled sardonically at Alpha. “Your little sex-bot is right. The King of Trash was never a slave or his followers but yet they lay claim that any attempt to get them to join the NCR or abide by normal laws is subjugation and you'll shit yourself when you see how fast the ponies of Fillydelphia will jump to his cause.”

“Why do you let him push you around? Why not storm Fillydelphia and make a pelt out of him?” Verity interlocked his talons suavely.

“Lemme guess, he has something you want. It's a political standoff.” Pembroke guessed grimly.

Calamity put down his drink. “You bet. Him and his followers i.e. everypony in Fillydelphia have taken control of our steel mills in the city. He keeps them under an iron fist and refuses to trade with us unless we take back our troops further and further. He also wants us give him and his people drugs, food & water, alcohol, medicine, weapons and... other sex devices- just so he'll consider trading with us! And in the end NCR High Command always caves into his demands and the King of Trash spits in our face everyday.”

Rusty flicked a hoof. “And he isn't one for bartering. Anytime we try to get him to negotiate or at least act like a decent fucking pony he goes and cries foul to the people of Fillydelphia saying that we want them to be slaves to us and they believe him like the words coming from Celestia herself.”

“But I still don't get it, he's just way too young to have been a slave?” Artemis asked again.

Calamity gave a grim chuckle. “That's the hypocrisy of it all isn't it. The King of Trash has never worn shackles a day in his damn life- except when he was arrested for assaulting NCR citizens. Now he goes around calling himself 91101 whenever he wants to get the peoples pity.” The general paused. “But now this crisis is at a fever pitch, he blatantly refuses to give us our steel mills and he just takes the foreign aid High Command sends him. As much as I like Mr. Preensdale's pelt suggestion all out warfare in the city wouldn't work since I have no doubt the King of Trash is ready to demolish the mills the minute we fire a shot.”

“They live in a constant state of hedonism and debauchery, they won't even let the Followers into the city.” Velvet added sadly. Her blues eyes lowered which made her seem all the more precious. “The fillies and colt suffer the most, illiteracy, violence are just some of the few things that lead to their demise... And their parents, if they even keep them, don't teach them to be self reliant they just teach them by example to live recklessly and that the government owes them everything.”

“That's where you guys come in.” Calamity added with the slightest look of hope. “You guys aren't from here, you can sneak into Fillydelphia and kill the bastard. I assure you'll be compensated, I can see to it that High Command accidentally loses 500,000 dollars. Some of the senators might not be able to eat lobsters and Brahmin Wellington every night but I think they'll survive.” Calamity promised with a coy smile of I couldn't care less about those damned politicians.

Velvet looked surprised and disapproving but it was Rusty that spoke first. “Wait dad remember the Nephilim?” Calamity rolled his eyes in frustration.

“Fuck, the Nephilim I forgot. Put slide three up Rusty.” Calamity rubbed his eyes in annoyance.

Rusty took the slide of the King of Trash's mugshot off the projector and put a picture of... of something on the light. It was hard to describe as the picture was quite blurry but Artemis made out a pony-unicorn stallion- but the size had to be off. Besides the irregular size it looked as if this Nephilim character was wearing a diving helmet with a drill where a unicorn's horn would be.

“What on Celestia's green earth is that?” Hans asked eying the picture like Artemis was.

Calamity snorted. “I'd tell you if I knew, it seems Fillydelphia has a knack for spitting up the strangest monsters. We don't know his real name but the soldiers have taken to calling it Nephilim on account of it's massive size.”

“What is it exactly?” Aroma asked.

Rusty answered. “It's hard to explain, he's a pony encased in that armor and no conventional weapons seem to hurt him. He doesn't talk either, personally I don't think he can.” On the picture Rusty pointed to an older mare in the background that seemed to be yelling at him. “That's his mother or at least that's what she calls herself. She tells Nephilim what to do and what to smash. The damn thing's wiped out seventeen of our patrols in the last week.”

“And I take it Nephilim works for the King of Trash?” Aroma theorized.

Rusty smiled. “Very astute Aroma.” She licked her lips. “But you're half-right. Our intel suggests that Nephilim isn't like the King of Trash's normal followers, we think the King controls Nephilim somehow.” She took slide three and replace it with slide four. Slide four showed a picture of the King of Trash as if the photographer was in a crowd and his highness was on a stage of sorts.

“See what he's holding?” Rusty asked.

Artemis looked at his forehooves and in his right hoof he held a short golden scepter that ended with a top but the top of the scepter was wrapped in black leather.

“One of our spies took this photo two weeks before Nephilim started targeting NCR personnel. And since then Nephilim has only target NCR peoples.”

“So you think the King of Trash is somehow using that rod to control Nephilim. And you want us to take it?” Artemis asked not liking where this was heading. They were just here to find the MoM hub and the MWT building so they could help Alpha. They weren't going to take sides in a war.

“Yes. You steal the Rod of Nephilim, kill the King of Trash and then we'll roll in from Macintosh Air Base. Do try to kill the King in secret please we-.”

“General Calamity with all due respect we're not assassins. We were just coming to Fillydelphia to find the MoM and MWT buildings.” Artemis interrupted.

Calamity nodded to Rusty. “But Artemis you're the only ones that have a chance of getting into Fillydelphia. Besides you're going to meet the King of Trash one way or another so why not get paid half a million dollars to do it?

Rusty walked up to Artemis's table and opened a briefcase, she waived a hoof around the case as if she were a game show mare revealing a prize. Inside were rows of stacks 100 NCR dollar bills. “I'll pay you 100K up front and I'll pay the other 500,000 after the job is done.” Calamity promised. “We'll have it sent to your drivers back in New Appaloosa immediately.”

“You forget general, I'm not a mercenary.” Verity grumbled looking disdainfully at the money.

“But I am.” Artemis told her lover. “And besides, Hayseed and Lady could use that money back home.”

Pembroke hummed disapprovingly. “Hmm I'm with Verity on this one. I'm an ambassador not an assassin, maybe we could try something more... diplomatic.” Artemis internally faceplam'd. It wasn't everyday you saw a hellhound suggests diplomacy. Only in their group though...

“I'm down Arty.” Hans voted and kicked back in his seat.

“Suggestion: We should take the job in case we do dispatch the King of Trash during our escapades in Fillydelphia.”

Aroma glanced at the opponents to accept the money and the proponents. “Umm I say we take it.” She voted demurely.

“Then take the money Artemis, but I'll have no part in it.” Verity said coldly. She always wanted to be in the business of killing, a lot of griffons did, they were the best at it.

“I'll take it.” She told Rusty and now Artemis is a soldier of fortune.

Rusty closed the case. “Good decision.” Calamity added from his table.

“Is there anything else we should know honey?” Hans asked cutely.

Calamity rubbed his chin. “Nothing you won't learn at Macintosh AB. When you get off the train make your way there, it's north through Downtown and South Central.”

Velvet Remedy nudged her husband's arm. “Oh yeah.” He sparked up. “This train will be coming back in a week so you have seven days to kill the King and do whatever else it is you're wanting.”

Seven days to kill a king! That's 168 hours and they have to leave Fillydelphia with this train because they didn't have any other means of transportation besides their feet. It was apparent they would have to kill the King of Trash just before they left otherwise they'd be fighting through an angry mob and she didn't even have an inkling on what to do about Nephilim.

Later back in their room car after their meeting came to an end...

“You're not mad at me are you Verity?” Artemis asked. Not that she would change her mind but his opinion was valuable to her given their intimacy.

Verity just looked out the window that was starting to become black and red. She sat down by him on the leather seat her paw leg touching his. He looked back at her. “I'm not mad, it's just seeing someone of such high blood do something as... as dissolute as soldiering for hire it's like prostitution.” He confessed dourly.

Artemis sat up. “Are you calling me a prostitute?” She asked sternly.

Verity sighed. “No... but it's like that. He's paying you under the table to do a service. I just didn't want to see someone of your status do something like that.”

Artemis tried to play it off. “You and me have very different ideas of prostitution. And what status? The Legion hates me, Valiance hates me and my father never wanted me. The only ties I have to the Legion are you and my mother.”

He looked at her with... with sadness in his eyes. Sadness? “Is that a bad thing?”

Damn that came out wrong. “Jeez Verity no.” She put an arm around him. “We're Artery and what I did was not prostitution- now what Hans used to do was prostitution.”

Verity gave a weak smile. “I'd rather not imagine Hans's prostitute days.”

“You and me both.” Artemis agreed.

Verity got up from the seat and went to the door. “I guess I still have some Legion etiquette to change. Goodbye Artemis, until next time.”

Artemis walked to the door but Verity was already gone. She wanted to tell him something about how she didn't want him to change or something romantic like that. Personally she couldn't imagine Verity being happy or charming; he was grim, stoic and cynical but she loved him because of that. Looks like she would be sleeping alone tonight and if what Calamity says was true they might not have time to sleep at Fillydelphia at all.

Oh sister Artemis has really opened Pandora's box now.

If only she heeded our warning then she wouldn't be caught up in the shadow war Calamity and the other old fools are fighting.

What do you make of her and Verity? Aren't they a little sweet?

Come now sister you can't really care about that. Artemis and all her friends are pawns on our chessboard and when they've served their role they will cast aside like any utility that has served it's purpose.

True, sister.

Chapter 24: The Fillydelphia Strain pt.1 It's Always Sunny In Fillydelphia

Chapter 24: The Fillydelphia Strain pt.1 It's Always Sunny In Fillydelphia

The reddish brown hell scape of Fillydelphia had remained ever present throughout the years. While the new Equestria had the sunlight again it did little to penetrate the smog and pollution of Fillydelphia. Pre-war buildings lorded over the city but their weakening structures seemed to tilt as if they were sad and longed for the sweet death of demolition. Smoke stacks stood dead like bony fingers on the hand of a dead griffon faced towards the sky cursing their fate. Artemis couldn't tell if the lack of smoke bellowing from them boded well or ill. They had arrived at train station barely outside the suburbs. There were no NCR soldiers, gates, nothing.

“Pretty as a painting isn't it?” Hans scoffed sardonically at the sight of the ruined city. He leaned up against a rusted railing overlooking the station.

“Isn't there a pony saying: a picture is worth a thousand words?” Pembroke added as she clumsily left the stairs.

“I'm pretty sure I could think of a thousand words for this place.” Aroma said with a grim disdain.

The others, Alpha and Verity exited the train but Artemis lingered. Part of her felt... afraid and she didn't know why. She was also waiting for Calamity because she had one last question and her word of warning about the Legion. Luckily she didn't have too wait long. Calamity approached the door. Rusty walked by levitating the suitcase with the money that would be immediately sent back to Hayseed and Lady in New Appaloosa. When Rusty had exited to another car Calamity stopped to speak.

“Remember Artemis, kill the King, get the rod and get the hell out of there. We'll be back at this station in a week so don't dilly dally. Get to Macintosh AB and they'll get you into the King's territory and if you see the Nephilim, run. It'll take a group of tanks to bring that monster down but if you have the rod maybe we won't have to put him down.”

Artemis nodded at Calamity's instructions but in truth she wasn't really paying attention she was waiting for her turn to speak. “Calamity before I go I need to warn you.”

“About?” He said.

“Down at the dam, I think the Legion might be planning an assault.”

Calamity looked at his daughter while he thought on Artemis's warning. “I know about the Legion but they don't seem like the kind of civilization that would need or want a dam. Why would they attack?”

“It's what they do, my guess is that they'll destroy the dam just to spite the NCR. Just be ready.”

“And Calamity.” Artemis added when she paused by the exit. “Is Littlepip still... alive? Her voice seemed to falter with the question. It was one of the few illusive questions that Calamity had either consciously or unconsciously evaded.

The old pegasus was quiet for a minute. “You read the book you know how it ended.” He dodged sounding disinterested like there was nothing more to the subject.

Artemis turned back to the general. “In the book Littlepip rigged the SPP to send out messages from Neighvarro. Why is she silent now?”

Calamity's tough exterior cracked and his eyes looked sorrowfully down at the floor. “Please Artemis I don't want to discuss this anymore. It brings up painful memories that were better left forgotten. Now please, go and make your way to Macintosh AB.”

Before Artemis could apologize Calamity had walked back into another car beyond her sight. She didn't mean to upset him but in the back of her mind she had the feeling that Calamity wasn't sad at all. Even though he was a pony Calamity was good at weaseling his way out of her questions. He refused to divulged anything about Littlepip, curious. But perhaps his dismissive attitude about the Lightbringer answered more questions than he would like. Artemis surmised that Littlepip had not simply passed away in her sleep like Xenith, no Littlepip was alive, of that she had no doubt. Granted Littlepip would have to an older pony by now but it was very probable that she still lived.

Seeing that there was nothing left for her on the train Artemis slung her rifle strap over her neck and under her right arm. She fluttered her wings to carry herself off the train instead of using the short pony steps. The others were huddled loosely about the station. The ground felt eerily cold and the red black sky overhead did little to lighten the mood. The station itself was in the shape of a hexagon missing two sides for incoming and outgoing trains. It was built entirely of weathered bricks and cracked concrete littered with old newspapers from before the war that were illegible now. The railings and benches were relatively intact but in dire disrepair. All the windows that dotted the station's walls were haphazardly boarded up. This is what Artemis thought she was living in for nearly all her life. The desolation, disrepair and utter despair. Fillydelphia seemed like a city stuck in the time of the post-apocalypse never to move on.

…..

If the train station was a reception area then the suburbs was a graveyard. It reminded Artemis of the quaint houses back in Clopton actually except somehow these homes seemed like tombstones to long dead families. There wasn't a home or general building over two stories left standing. Stained and broken picket fences were the prelude to a husk of a house that was falling in on itself or had given way years earlier. Artemis could almost shrug the eeriness off if it wasn't so quiet. The utter stillness she heard was the most perturbing, Fillydelphia was a toxic quagmire of violence and despair but yet there wasn't a soul in these parts. It had been abandoned by the NCR and the residents of Fillydelphia. Alpha had taken to the sky scanning the area for any signs of life but he returned with nothing besides mutated rats.

“I imagine this is where the Enclave forces were thickest during the war.” Aroma said. Something about the quietness made one fall to a whisper.

“Unlikely.” Verity said. “If anything these suburbs would have been where Red Eye's forces had been stationed and were subject to pegusai artillery and the Twilight Society's megaspell rays.”

“Plus that baby over there.” Hans added with a pointing hoof to a heap of wreckage down the street. The others went for a closer look. It was some kind of attack vehicle with a mounted gun. It's parts had most likely been cannibalized from other vehicles. Inside the caged driver's seat was the skeletal remains of a pony from Red Eye's army or one of the warlords from after his fall. Another skeletal pony was slung over the mounted gun.

“Goddesses what is that?” Aroma cried. The others looked up at a light post where a pony dangled by a rope. He had a bag over his head and the word “hoarder” was carved into him.

“Hmph, he's a fresh kill compared to the skeletons back there. Lynching huh, very Legion~like.” Verity sounded almost intrigued by the executed hoarder like he was a connoisseur. At first Artemis had trouble believing violence still subsisted in Fillydelphia after the Enclave War but here was the sign of murder all too alive in Fillydelphia. As they made their way onto a highway that led up to the bridge over the sludge river Artemis saw just how brutal mob justice could be. More ponies dangled from the lights some had their crimes written on them others were just victims.

Below the great but eroded bridge was the sludge river that churned sluggishly and smelled of filth. The Gardens of Equestria had purged the land of Taint and radiation but Artemis wasn't confident enough to try a quick swim. On the bridge were masses of devastated wagons and chariots from before the war, many held skeletal remnants of the ponies that owned them, their vehicle was now their tomb and their license plates the epitaph. Many of the wagons had been defaced with profanities but there was a recurring mantra “Fuck NCR!” was painted on many of the wagons strewn about like a messy hatchling's playroom.

“These Fillydelphia folk sure like displaying their kills...” Artemis whispered as she noticed the many bodies hanging from the bridge's support beams. Some even had NCR uniforms.

“And some hanging fetish.” Hans added with a glance upward.

“Looks like it must be a tradition. Look at some of the higher ones.” Verity added. Artemis looked and the bodies at the top of the bridge were skeletons both half and whole.

“These ponies sure do know how to hold a grudge.” Pembroke grimaced as she walked past several impaled heads.

But what came next surpassed all the other gory deterrents. This was the residents of Fillydelphia taking their revenge into an art form, a gory art. Before the bridge's end was a billboard. What it advertised was irrelevant because there was a tarp covering it anyway. Several flood lights were pointed to the billboard to specifically draw your attention, to see their “masterpiece”. It was all sorts of arrangements of body parts but majority were.... scalps. The scalps of ponies and griffons alike, Artemis felt herself gulp. But there was a reason this display was more important than the others. The billboard read “Former Oppressors” and Former was sharply underlined.

“Look Artemis...” Aroma said and pointed her hoof to the very top. There, nailed under the title was a shriveled scalp with two dull feathers protruding from it. “Stern” it read. And next to it was the pièce de résistance, an old weather beaten cybernetic ocular implant that had been carelessly ripped out of it's former owner.

“How did they get that?” Artemis said barely able to believe it herself. The people of Fillydelphia had gotten their hooves on Red Eye's eye and used it as a bloody trophy.

“I'm impressed.” Verity said in a dark admiration.

“How can you condone this slaughter, Verity?” Artemis asked indignantly.

The blue griffon shrugged. “They wanted revenge, they got their revenge and took pride in it. I read what Red Eye and Stern did to the slaves, while I side with their slavery aspect Red Eye was slaughtering through his people too fast for his own deification.”

Artemis was undoubtedly ruffled. “Hey my mother is a slave and I don't much like that tone.” She shoved Verity but he stood steadfast. “You think it's okay for my mom to be a slave?!”

Verity was resigned but his silence was saying everything. That son of a bitch, her mother's enslavement in Gryphondale had caused all sorts of pain for her and Verity just so nonchalantly approved of it. It's a terrible thing knowing your aging mother is being held as a slave working scorching hot fields and living in squalid conditions under cruel overlords and you can't do anything about it!

“Don't fight you two! We need to protect each other, you guys can duke it out back in New Appaloosa.” Aroma said as she inserted herself between Artemis and Verity to break them up before a fight broke.

Artemis scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Fine.” She said coldly and turned away from him.

“And I don't want to hear this pro-slavery talk in Fillydelphia. I don't want t see your scalp up on that wall, Verity.” Aroma instructed to the griffon that was nearly double the size of the small pony.

It really rustled Artemis to hear Verity approve of slavery like that especially when her own mother was a slave and had risked life and limb to smuggle her hatchling daughter out of Gryphondale. Artemis sighed internally with resignation she remembered that was the culture Verity had lived his whole life with and he was only speaking his mind. She felt wrong but something stagnant in her told her not to give any ground, at least not in Fillydelphia.

…..

The hellish city seemed like the child of a labyrinth and utter despair. The ground was dirty and cracked beyond repair some parts of the street even caved into the sewers and Celestia knows what's down there. The once distant buildings were now massive giants lording over the city casting their shadows as far as the reddish sky would carry it. The alleys were riddled with smoking manhole covers and burning barrels used by desperate families that kept to themselves.

“Statement: User Artemis I believe I have located the MWT building.”

Artemis turned around to the robopony. “How? We just got here?” No doubt Alpha had high tech mapping programs installed in him.

“Explanation: The sign.” He pointed with metal hoof down the street sure enough there was a decayed sign showing the Ministry of Wartime Technology.

“That's just a sign honey.” Hans correct.

“Exasperation: Ugh.”

“Explanation: It is most likely the address is printed somewhere on the billboard.”

There was a pause with Alpha's suggestion. It was a reasonable one but again it was just peculiar how he voiced his ideas as if he was coming to them of his own volition. Machines didn't have that kind of volition.

“Well what are we waiting for an invitation?” Pembroke said drawing her rivet gun as though expecting an attack.

“Did you hear something?” Artemis asked confronting her suspicion.

Pembroke looked around in the buildings and wordlessly dropped to one knee and focused her ears. “I hear something in the distance. Looks like we're not alone anymore.”

Quickly everyone scattered for cover wherever it could be found and considering all the debris littering the streets finding cover wasn't too hard. It was a tad more difficult for their hellhound companion. Artemis noticed Pembroke habitually tried to burrow underground but stopped when she met the sewers under the roads so instead she hunkered by Verity behind a destroyed wagon. Artemis switched her EFS on and it whirred to life. She wondered why she didn't leave it on more often. Yellow, dammit that wasn't good. Artemis had hoped to avoid a firefight until after they had assassinated the King of Trash. With a wave of her talon Artemis ordered Aroma, who hid next to her shotgun in her hooves, to stay still. Ever so gently Artemis peaked her feathered head just barely beyond their cover. Obviously she had been discovered because instantly super bright floodlights illuminated the street and a static voice bellow from beyond the lights.

“Come out with your hooves up, you are trespassing on the NCR district of Fillydelphia. I repeat come out at once.”

Artemis breathed a sigh of relief, it was the NCR. She handed her famas to Aroma and arose especially slow so as not to startle the soldiers. “It's okay officer we mean no harm.”

“What's a Talon doing this far into the city?” The pony on the speaker asked in reserved astonishment. Talons.. Gawd's Talons right? From the saloon in New Appaloosa.

“Uh I was actually on my way back to Talon Steel but I thought you were some of the King's goons. I actually need to get to Macintosh Air Base.” Artemis bantered trying to sound legitimate as possible.

The lights went off and now she could see again, thank goodness. The speaker hopped off the large vehicle. It was strange but the vehicle could be best described as a cross between a tank and a bulldozer. “Well get your friends and hop on.” He said delighted to help out.

He and his men were undoubted surprised at the sight of Artemis's group but they were really startled at Pembroke luckily none of them did anything stupid. Inside the... tankdozer was dark, cramped and had the impression of an overuse of steel and rivets in it's design. The windows were barred allowing for limited sight outside. Artemis sat next to a quiet Verity in the uncomfortable metal chairs. Across from them was a stallion and a mare, both looked more jolly than the normal pony would be if they were soldiering in Fillydelphia.

“Gawd's Talons huh.” The deep purple mare cooed.

“Are you two married?” The stallion asked.

Artemis laughed unamused but refrained from being rude. “I can't say we are.” Besides she wasn't in the best mood for Verity right now. Even now the blue griffon was completely quiet.

She and Verity sat in an uneasy science. Goddesses why did he have to say that why couldn't he have just kept his beak shut? Artemis hated hating him but she also hated his blatant approval of her mother's suffering. If those two swinger weren't sitting across from them Artemis had half a mind to-!

The sound of something heavy rumbled throughout the interior grabbing everyone’s attention. It rumbled again and again. dada doot doot doot dada deet deet deet doot Strange?

The next second the tankdozer had been flipped on it side and everyone spilled onto the floor. Artemis couldn't tell who or what was on top of her.

“Nrgh.. Hellooooo Verity, fancy being on top of you.” Hans said through his discomfort.

“Hans you're on me.” Artemis corrected.

“Oh. Then what do you think that was-!” He was interrupted when a loud whirring noise penetrated the hull. Suddenly the upright side of the car was ravaged by a huge drill, like some goddess forsaken can opener! Huge hooves reached up to pull back the wry scraps of metal and it was then when Artemis realized what was attacking them.

“It's the Nephilim!” She yelled and scrambled to her feet. Next the interior was bathed in a sickly yellow light as the giant pony held his head over them all. His helmet resembled that of an olden pony diving suit but due to his size the helmet looked malformed and altogether horrifying, not to mention the large rusty drill where his horn would have been if he was a unicorn. Quickly the yellow turned to red and Nephilim released a loud roar and began tearing away the frame of the tankdozer like a filly opening a Hearths Warming Eve present.

Everyone scrambled for the back exited. Only Alpha was the one with the gall to fire at him though. When everyone was outside the Nephilim tore the tankdozer in two no longer amused by it. He really earned that namesake of his. The stallion was a little taller than than the tankdozer he just shred to pieces, he wore a patchwork of metal scraps for armor and his head was completely encased in the Frankenpony diving helmet.

“Get em' Nephilim!” A raspy female voice cried out but Artemis couldn't see from where it originated.

Just as the giant pony ducked as if to jump Artemis unfroze from her shock and started firing at the monster. The bullets didn't even phase him and that's not the worse part! When Nephilim kicked to jump he easily jumped up to the roof of a three story building. The store did not weather him well though and he kicked and clawed his way to the roof leaving a gaping hole in the buildings second and third floor.

Artemis stopped firing and reloaded. The Nephilim charged on the roof and jumped directly at them throwing himself fully into the attack! Artemis and anyone with wings scrambled out of the way. Without a second though Artemis took to the sky. She turned back to fire again at the Nephilim when Aroma cried out. Just as the Nephilim was about to grind the mare to a bloody paste with a wagon it picked up in it's forehooves Artemis slipped into SATS.

She targeted on the back of his head as many times as she could and an instant later she fired. The rounds ding'd and dang'd off his metal helmet none of them puncturing but he did pause giving Aroma time to run. Nephilim's red lighted eyes turned to Artemis in the sky, again she slipped into SATS but it hadn't recharged yet. Like a reflex the Nephilim wrested a fire hydrant off the sidewalk sending putrid water shooting into the air and threw it at her. The hydrant hit Artemis directly in the stomach immediately knocking her out of the sky. What would have been a fall to her death was changed thankfully when Verity caught her in mid air.

“Verity?” She said and tasted the copper in her mouth.

“Yes.” Was all he said.

He landed by an alley where Pembroke and the others had scuttled to during the chaos. “C'mon let's get out of here!” The white hellhound said with no protests.

Verity put Artemis to her feet. “Can you run?”

Artemis huffed, puffed and spit up the occasional red. “Yeah, I'm, good.” She and Verity started running to catch up with the others.

The ground was slick with filth but that was the least of their concerns because not a moment after they ran into the alley did Nephilim barrel though in chase. His massive form charged unfettered by the tight spacings instead the walls crumbled and fell by his passing.

The sound of Alpha's gatling laser was ambient noise among the commotion but soon the robopony was flying over them and the buildings. “Statement: User Artemis I will part here and locate you via pipbuck once I find my memory card in the MWT building.”

“Wait Alpha! Shit!” Artemis said between breaths but he didn't listen and abandoned them! That robot bastard abandoned them!

WHIZZZZ! Artemis turned around and saw Nephilim charging them like a bull with his drill horn at the front. The monster pony barreled through everything in it's path!

Artemis ran for all she was worth and then some more. Her legs felt like they were burning from sprinting but if she didn't stay ahead then soon she wouldn't feel anything besides being impaled on Nephilim's horn. Down the alley the straight narrow pathway started breaking off into different turns and paths leading to new sections. Artemis would have taking back to the sky the minute she could but the alley was so narrow she'd be hard pressed to fly out not to mention the numerous catwalks, clothes lines and smoking pipes spanning the buildings.

Celestia, Luna or some griffon god must have decided to help them out because just as Nephilim was about to reach the gang his hoof must have hit a weak piece of concrete causing him to trip over himself as he nearly fell in the sewers. Nephilim had been momentarily stuck in the broken road but he freed himself seconds later but that gave Artemis and her friends the time they needed, by now they all knew fighting the Nephilim was pointless especially with any weapons they had on them at the moment so flight was the plan. A literal flight would have been applicable for her and Verity but Artemis had no intention of leaving the others as Alpha had.

“What're you doing Artemis we have to run!” Verity shouted in his deep voice. It sounded foreign to hear him yell in actual distress and the way his face showed more emotions than he usually displayed. It would have been cute if she wasn't still ticked with him oh and the giant monster pony chasing after them!

“Go with them Verity, I'll lead the Nephilim down another path and try to get in the sky.” Artemis said leaving no room for argument as the Nephilim charged again at them. Verity hesitated seeming to hop in place thinking whether or not to run. Luckily he didn't hesitate long and darted down the alley with the others.

“Alright you overgrown bastard come and get me.” Artemis said under her breath making sure Nephilim's sight was on her.

Just as the hulking metal clad monster burst into the opening Artemis dashed into another alley and Nephilim followed. Artemis took to her wings to carry herself over the garbage that littered the alley but of course Nephilim tore through the filth like nothing, all it did was make him smell even worse. Artemis kicked out with her hind legs and hovered, staring at the dead end in front of her.

“Only one place to go now but up!” She thought to herself. Of course there were iron catwalks but she didn't have a whole lot of choices!

WHIZZZZ! Nephilim's horn drill whined painfully as he charged her. Artemis shot up into the air as fast as she could and even then the size and momentum of the beast was enough to send her into a tailspin.

Artemis landed on a pile of ripped garbage bags, besides being a bit dizzy she was relatively okay.

WHIZZZZZZZZZ! KRRRRZZZZZ! Nephilim was halted- no he was stuck! His horn drill was stuck in the wall! Artemis saw him trying to wrest his head out of the brick wall and the drill was still trying to turn which made Nephilim wrench his head in the opposite way.

It was a stroke of luck but Artemis noticed how the wall was cracking and crumbling, it wouldn't hold out much longer. She quickly hovered into the air when she got an idea. A temporary solution. From the air Artemis loaded the single grenade launcher on her famas.

Thwoop! Kaboom! The small grenade detonated but she knew it didn't kill Nephilim nor did she plan for it to. The explosion was the final blow and the brick wall came down in a rocky avalanche of bricks and mortar. Dust erupted from the alley like volcanic plume.

This time there was no stirring under the bricks, Nephilim had been defeated for now. Artemis wiped her forehead with a sigh of relief. She knew Nephilim was far from dead and totally expected him to return in the future when it would be the most inconvenient, that's just how things always seemed to go. Verity was hovering above the buildings so Artemis could find her way back to the others.

“I can't believe it.” He said stunned.

“He's not dead, not by a long shot but at least we can escape.” Artemis corrected as she hovered past him. She heard Verity sniff faintly when she went past him. The garbage no doubt.

Artemis landed by the others outside the alley. She didn't need to ask them what had their attention, she saw upon landing. A bedraggled earth pony mare with a cigarette hanging loosely out of her mouth stared paralyzed in fear of the well armed persons in front of her. Artemis and her group was equally paralyzed by the mare. Maybe it was because this was the first Fillydelphian they had come across.

The mare flinched when her cigarette fell from her mouth. “Who-who... Wait a minute, those moans, that was the Nephilim's moans. But he only attacks...” She stopped in her stammering and quickly started to run away.

Before Artemis thought anything of it Verity made a winged dash at the mare and pounced on her. “Where are you going? Who is your leader?” He demanded in a low threatening voice. He knocked her head on the gray sidewalk.

The mare winced. “Fuck you buddy, when the King hears about you NCR slavers he'll have you strung up on the bridge.” She spat.

“This is the King's territory?” Verity asked and knocked her head on the sidewalk and this time it gave more of a nasty crack.

“You won't get anymore from me. I know I'm dead, you'll meet the King soon enough.”

There was a pause when and the mare bitterly resisted knowing she wouldn't survive.“Very well.” Verity said and cut her throat with one of his talons. He climbed off her as she crawled away for several seconds before collapsing completely.

“Damn Verity was that really necessary?” Pembroke asked as she examined the mare for any signs of life but sadly in vain.

“You heard her, Pembroke. That lady was gonna run back to her posse and then all hell would break loose. If Verity hadn't beat me to the punch I was gonna gun her down.” Hans said joining the hellhound ambassador in examining the mare except he was more interest in what she was carrying in her pockets.

“She looks like a scavenger.” Verity said as Hans emptied some of her bags full of miscellaneous junk.

“But did she really have to die?” Aroma asked. “Or at least that... painfully?”

Verity grumbled. “Remember the lesson we learned about taking prisoners?”

The memories of Obsidian Shine surfaced in Artemis's thoughts. Aroma was silenced and surprisingly she agreed with Verity. Normally Artemis would have argued to have interrogated the mare more to get any information they could but she never wanted to have another Obsidian Shine incident on her conscious.

“On the bright side now we can enter the King's territory without fear of alarm.” Artemis injected. Pembroke however seemed confused by everyone's indifference to the killing.

The white hellhound sighed. “I suppose you guys are all seasoned killers so I surmise this is nothing new to you?”

Everyone glanced at each other nonchalantly. “Not really.” Everyone, save for Aroma, answered casually.

“Do you not kill people, Pembroke?” Aroma asked sheepishly prodding at the broken concrete with her hoof.

She rubbed the back of her head nervously. “Well... no. I've never killed anyone before. My rivet gun is meant to deter not kill.”

Hans laughed cynically. “Haha the one hellhound in the world that doesn't kill ponies is the one traveling with us.”

“Don't piss her off Hans I still bet she could make a fillet out of you if she wanted to to.” Artemis joked.

“Or a barber.” Aroma said and held some of Hans's yellow mane. “A little off the top?” She said in a slightly gruffer voice and then pretended to cut his throat. “Whoops sorry, I didn't know you just wanted your mane gone.”

Pembroke held her huge hands at her thighs. “Ha-ha-ha very funny. I'm an ambassador. I talk my way out of situations.”

“We're just pulling your leg honey.” Hans said after he finished his nervous laughing.

Everyone was snapped back to the danger they were in when they heard a loud moan echo across the red hellish sky.

“Looks like Nephilim woke up from his little dirt nap.” Hans said becoming serious.

“Let's not tarry.” Verity said to the group.

They hid the mare's corpse in one of the abandoned homes and since Nephilim was now awake the path back had become too treacherous to use so the only out was through. Artemis and the others walked down the small string of derelict neighborhoods further into the King's territory.

Chapter 1 - The Beginning

Chapter 1: The Beginning

The decrepit road stretched on forever into the horizon. You could seldom hear anything besides the clanging of the brahmin's bell and the average wasteland noise, odd gunfire could always be heard in the distance. Someone was in a fight to stay alive but then again, everyone was. This was a war without end.

Artemis hovered a couple inches off the ground too lazy to walk. This client was not very talkative. She didn't mind the silence but she also didn't like the quiet, it was weird. Maybe she just liked to talk. She was escorting a caravan to Palomino, a small town in the middle of scenic nowhere. The client lead the pack, the dark gray colored stallion with a black mane. He was an older buck but he could afford more hired guns having run the trail for many years.

The Equestria that once was is now a poisoned corpse of itself after a conflict between the zebra nation that ended up annihilating both sides. To add insult to injury the weapons of war corrupted many forms of life, changed them. Turned them into hellish perversions of their pre-war ancestors. In some places the dead still stirred, restless and hungry. Artemis had seen plenty of ghouls, worked with a few actually. But feral ghouls that would hunt you down and eat the flesh from your bones, that terrified her.

Artemis drew her famas and stared down the sight....at nothing. Personally she was just making sure she hadn't been killed while she wasn't looking and this was some awful purgatory.

"What is it?" Grey asked pulling out his revolver from the holster.

"No no. It's nothing, I was just keeping alert." She said calmingly lowering her rifle.

"Oh. Well okay." He said holstering his gun.

"Yeah, I don't see anything." Interjected a dull green coated unicorn mare casually as she lowered her binoculars.

They continued on the lonely road.....

It felt lonely being the only griffon on this caravan. But then again it was work, it wasn't supposed to be fun. This put food on the table but damn if it wasn't boring. One time she was escorting a caravan and one of the ponies had a pipbuck, a little handheld computer/personal organizer but it could tune into radio frequencies and they got to listen to Djpon3. Djpon3 was an enigma to the ponies, they believe her to be some pre-war ghoul, super hero or bighoof kind of myth. Ponies are really gullible. In reality Djpon3 was a mare behind a microphone sitting in some hellhole bunker somewhere but she did play music so she wasn't all bad. No bighoof but a good pony and she did talk about the wasteland, giving news updates on what was happening. But Artemis was so often on the road she seldom heard her broadcast.

A couple hours on.....

Artemis had given up. The ponies were not talking, they all had somber expressions their faces. Luckily it was over. Their convoy reached Palomino as the sky became a fiery orange on the sunset. The story about the clouds was an epoch in and of itself but that was a story for another time. That didn't matter to Artemis, that was pony business really. Her business lay in her hand. A bag of caps, yes bottle caps. Damn ponies were strange. You'd think society would default to an item-barter system but no, it's bottle caps. Economics, even in a post-apocalypse world are still ridiculous.

"Thank you for choosing Artemis Arrow & Associates for your protection needs and remember us for future services." She chanted. It was her company's motto. Her business was humble, it just needed time to take off. But the Dreadsaw Legion dominated the economy in these parts.

The Legion is the dominant faction in the region. They're a brutal warrior culture. Their violent mannerisms make raiders think twice about picking fights with them. Raiders they set out to exterminate are often found brutally massacred. They were crippling Triple A's chances of becoming big. Artemis snapped herself out of her train of thought. She tended to ramble in her mind when she was tired. She pocketed the caps and left.

Chapter 6 - Brutality and Civility

Chapter 6: Brutality and Civility

Gryphondale, the single largest city that isn't a ruin this side of Equestria. You had to hand it to them it was a bustling city full of ponies. The residents lived safe if brutal lives. The men were trained as legionaries from childhood and the women were property even if they were free ponies they had little to no standing in Legion society. Artemis and Aroma walked down a road approaching the city. Many slaves toiled in the farmlands outside harvesting the crop while their masters watched.

"How are they doing that?" Aroma asked? "Farming, I mean."

"Well, I'm no agriculture expert but I heard they blasted away the topsoil and were able to reliably grow new crops." Artemis answered.

"New crops?"

"Y'know like mutfruit, maize, a-rad flowers. Meat is still in their diet to."

"What's a a-rad flower?" Aroma was confused.

"I couldn't tell you exactly but it's like a post-war plant that naturally reduces radiation in your body. Mixed with other herbs they grow it can make a healing potion, it's not as effective as radaway or pre-war medicine though."

"Then why don't they use pre war medicine?" Aroma asked bemused.

"Think about it. It's the one thing about the Legion I respect, they're self reliant. They are building a new civilization with the resources they have and they're doing well. They might brutal killers but these are brutal times." Artemis said begrudgingly.

Aroma nodded taking what Artemis had said into consideration then something caught her eye and a disturbed look crossed her face.

As the road neared Gryphondale pikes with the impaled heads of ponies decorated the street in a twisted manner. Ponies hung from nooses while flies swarmed the corpses and then Aroma saw the Legion specialty. Crucifixion.

"Celestia above....." Aroma eeked.

The blue stallion on the cross looked severely beaten before being tied up. "Raider" was written on a wooden plank that was nailed to his chest. By the looks of his eyes and mouth he had been up there for days before dying. The stallion stirred weakly.

"Luna! He's still alive." Aroma exclaimed. She lifted a bottle of water and tried to give it to him but Artemis quickly grabbed her hoof.

"Don't." Artemis hissed.

"We have to help him!" Aroma cried.

"If we help him, they'll slap us to cross to!"

"But, but how can we help him then?" Aroma asked.

We can't. Besides, after being up that long. Taking him down would kill him."

She could tell Aroma was not completely satisfied with that at all. Artemis began walking to the city gate Aroma took one last glance at the raider then sped off to Artemis.

"Why does the Legion do that?" She asked disgusted.

"It instils fear." Artemis answered. More impaled heads and crosses began to appear the closer they got to the city wall.

"Stop right there!" A gate guard ordered in a commanding voice. He had the typical legionnaire repertoire, a iron cuirass with a red undershirt on.

"State your business!" He barked and legionaries on the wall watched.

"We're just passing through to buy some supplies and be on our way." Artemis told him. Aroma was to intimidated to speak.

"Relinquish your weapons and proceed in gate." He ordered.

The other legionnaires with him walked over and searched Artemis and Aroma. Relieving them of their weapons the gate opened and they walked in.

"You will receive your armaments upon your leaving." Then the doors closed abruptly.

Gryphondale was bustling inside the gate. Ponies and griffons went about their business. Mothers herded their foals, soldiers were walking through the crowds, slaves struggled to carry absurd amounts of baggage. There, at the center of the city was Citadel Spire a tall tower from before the war that had been repurposed as the Legion's base of operations. You could see were they built on to the tower adding barracks, stairs, other buildings and even a dock for griffon legionnaires. She had to admit the frankenstein tower looked odd with all the additions that had been built on to it but it also made a symbol of the Legion's terrifying presence.

"What do we do now?" Aroma asked, the city was breathtaking to her.

Artemis began to think of a plan while. She didn't want to stay here to long. The longer they stayed the higher their chance of getting in trouble with the Legion became. The best plan was to find a caravan and get back on the road and she also wanted to see someone. Aroma felt her stomach rumble.

"How about we get some food first before we do anything." She suggested.

Artemis nodded in aggreance. The duo set out to find some food. Gryphondale didn't have restaurants or diners like she was used to. The Legion had a long house with bedraggled mares preparing food and serving it to anyone who paid.

"I'd like a squirrel with a sparkle cola please."' Aroma asked nicely. The mares looked to each other worried.

"W, we don't have sparkle cola. We have water." She replied expecting retribution.

"Oh, that's okay." Aroma answered nonchalantly and accepted the water.

They proceeded down the line until they came to a black stallion that wore Legion armor and dark goggles.

"22 dinar." He said.

"Huh?" Aroma replied.

"Hold on Aroma I got this." Artemis handed the stallion two gold coins and two brown coins."

"Thank you, move along."

~As they ate.~

"Say. What was that dinar thing." Aroma asked with food in her mouth.

Artemis put down her food and pulled out two bottle caps and one brown denarius. "It's Legion economics, they mint their own money. One brown denarius is worth two caps." Artemis explained.

"But, why and how do they mint money?" She asked. Artemis sat back and held the caps and denarius in between her talons.

"They mint it with forges they built. They'll melt down scrap metal or mine for ore and smelt it. They did this because it gives the Legion more fiscal power, traders in this area would prefer dinar to caps because they're worth more therefore merchants become embedded with the Legion. A brown denarius is worth two caps, a silver denarius is worth 5 caps and a gold denarius is worth 10. Hence why I gave him two gold dinar and two brown. Or I could have gave him 44 caps. Thus dinar are more convenient." Artemis explained then took a breath.

"Anymore questions?" She added.

"No, I think you got it." Aroma chuckled.

Artemis and Aroma finished their meals and disposed of their refuse. You couldn't wantonly abandon your garbage, not here. This place was strict. You ran the risk of getting twenty lashes tied to a post if you littered. There were no empty sparkle cola bottles laying about. The brutality of this civilization was hard to bare but it was safe and stable but damn.

"Aroma I want you to wait in this area. Try not to stand still or the guards will become suspicious and give you a reason to move. Just stay in this vicinity, I need to go see someone." Artemis instructed her and gave her some silver dinar.

"Do some shopping, everypony likes to shop right?" Artemis added.

Aroma smiled and trotted off. Leaving Artemis to her business. She hovered into the city as she passed a slave collapsed from exhaustion and was viciously beaten by legionnaires. She had to ignore it, everyone had to. She hovered around the city watching the ponies, little colts in child-sized armor training as they sparred with one another as their instructors taught. Artemis hovered towards the cropping land, fields of crops behind the city wall that gave Gryphondale the, majority of their food. Rain barrels and drainage ducts sat on the end of the farmland. Flooding was a deadly combatant Gryphondale faced every time it rained being a walled city and all. Drainage tunnels funneled rainwater out of the city and unicorns stood ready to cast a shield over the crops. One crop failure and the entire structure could collapse. She walked to the animal pens and found the elderly griffon feeding the brahmin.

"Mom...."

The elderly griffon turned. Her expression was happy but life had not been kind to her. "Artemis..." She uttered and wrapped her in a hug. "Artie how have you been?" She asked sweetly.

The hug concluded and her mother returned to work she still wanted hold a conversation but feared reprisal from the legionnaires. Artemis's mother was a slave. and had been since she was a little girl. She was enslaved with the Legion's rise to power on the east coast. She spent the next six years being married off from officer to officer. Each officer disowning her after she failed to bare children. Until one officer got her pregnant. She laid an egg but when it hatched and out came a girl, Artemis. Her husband didn't want a daughter he wanted a son, a warrior. He threatened to murder baby Artemis by throwing her off a cliff but in the dead of night she set Artemis in a basket and set her out on the drainage duct to leave the city and have a chance at life. Years later Artemis would return to Gryphondale and find her mother. No one seemed to recognize her but some older legionnaires did take second glances, Artemis would find out she resembled her father in many ways. Most prominently the jet black fur of her body, snow white head, and her fiery temper.

"How has it been mom?" Artemis said softly. She knew being a Legion slave wasn't pretty but it always came out in conversations.

"It's tough, really bad." She told her daughter. "But seeing you become so strong and free makes it all okay."

Artemis held her emotions down. "I..I can get you out of here. We can leave together."

Her mother stop her toiling and shrugged hopelessly. "I can't Artemis. I'm sorry. I couldn't survive out there, I've been here to long. It's all I know." She said stoically.

Artemis felt her sadness turn to anger. But it was a silent anger, one she couldn't express. Not here, not now.

"I....I.." Artemis's sentence died.

Her mother gave a smile that almost masked her sadness and put a hand on her shoulder. It felt good, that special feeling of a mother's touch. So gentle and caring but Artemis still felt angry.

"Please dear, don't worry about me. You are my freedom." She smiled so gently Artemis wanted to cry..... or brutally murder the first legionnaire she came across.

"You're going to do something amazing, I can see it now." Her mother said.

Artemis's beak quivered and rose into a small smile. She opened her mouth to say something but suddenly a voice yelled from a watchtower.

"Hey! Stay away from the slaves, unless you're looking for a permanent occupation." He threatened. Artemis turned to unleash her rage but her mother stopped her.

"Just go sweetie. I love you." She said gently.

Her anger subsided at the sight of her mother. Artemis flapped her wings and hovered away.

Artemis left the fields she felt awful leaving her mother. Just like she had so many times before. Even though her mother always told her she loved her Artemis couldn't help but feel like she was a reminder of a bad part of her life. She so closely resembled her father that it was probably like seeing her dead husband. She discovered that her father was a cruel griffon that reveled in the pain he caused others, evil to the core. He abandoned her mother after she was bor-! Artemis fell, she bumped into someone.

"Watch it lady." Bellowed a large griffon with cornflower blue feathers and a white head with his feathers spiked back.

"Why not you?" Artemis retorted.

The griffon scowled and arched his wings. "A woman.... is talking back to me? You'd best beat it before I cut your tongue out."

Artemis's face reddened with fury, she barred her teeth and clenched her talons. She could take him right now. A slash to the throat and he wouldn't survive. But neither would she, she'd be crucified by the morning. Artemis released a loud roar and flew away in a fit of anger. It's surprising she didn't burst into flames. She was so angry at the Legion, for her mother, the injustice, inequality the overkill and violence.

Finally Artemis landed and now her white hot fury had cooled to a deep cold sadness. She sat on the ground, her dead rage turned into tears. She sobbed in the dark of night on a derelict street and a thunderstorm rumbled in the distance. A trio of tears ran down her beak and dripped off. Then she felt someone at her side, she lowered hands and saw Aroma looking up to her.

"Why are you crying?" She asked with a worried expression.

Artemis wiped her tears away and took a breath.

"Just...this place, all it's evils, and we can't do anything to stop it." Artemis confessed.

Aroma looked and gave her a hug.

"Are you sure you don't want to tell me? I'm your friend now and if you're hurting I want to be able to be by you, to cry with you." Aroma told her, she seemed like she didn't find the words she wanted but Artemis got the message, she got it and smiled sadly.

"It's my mom, she's been a slave here for most of her life. She gave me freedom and my mother will die a slave. I can't free her, I can't stand up for what's right, this oppression. It, it isn't right." Artemis admitted and hung her head, tears rising in her eyes.

Aroma lowered her head as well feeling Artemis's pain.

"I'm, I'm sorry Artemis. That's not right. But if this experiment is teaching me anything, it's that no matter what this world throws at you....you can always go to your friends." Aroma said calmingly.

Artemis smiled with a tear in her eye.

"But what do you do when there doesn't seem to be a way out?" Artemis asked masking a sob. Aroma looked to her and smiled.

"That's when I start praying you'll drag me out of the fire." She said hopefully.

Artemis wiped the final tears from her face and gave a small grin that echoed her revived spirits.

"Thanks.....pal." Artemis wrapped Aroma in a big hug.

Chapter 19 - And You Shall Know The Truth...

Chapter 19: And You Shall Know The Truth...

“Ah! Aiiee! Argh!!!” Hans cried in agony from behind the boulders where he did his business. Artemis was quick to jump to her friend's aid. Wasting no time Artemis flapped her wings but just as she landed over the boulders Hans trotted wearily out of the crevasse.

“Oh, hey Arty girl what're you doing here?” Hans inquired as he took deep breaths and gave a fake smile.

“You were screaming, I heard it.” Artemis declared not falling for Hans's facade.

“What screams? Oh! Err no I was just giving myself a quickie and it was a real climax I guess. Didn't mean to worry you. What say you we go ahead and get back to the others eh?” Hans explained nervously hoping that Artemis would believe him or at least leave it under the carpet. He would be sorely disappointed.

“Hans..” Artemis pried like a parent trying to get their child to confess to stealing a cookie. “Are you sure your not having trouble.. down there?”

“What!? Why would you even think that? I may get around Artemis but I make sure my men are clean first!” Hans denied defensively.

Artemis narrowed her eyes at her unicorn friend. She had put him on the defensive, she would need a different approach was in order get him to confess. With his hedonistic lifestyle it wasn't terribly uncommon to contract a disease or two hell, Artemis had helped him recover from a few back in the day but Hans was a prideful pony and we would often ignore the symptoms until he was in peril.

“Hans.” Artemis said softly. “You know you can tell me besides I can tell when you're sick, I just want to make sure you're okay.”

Hans lowered his head a little. He brushed his mane and sighed. “Uhh maybe there was some blood in my urine. Just a little! But can we not talk about this right now? Maybe some other time, please?” Hans admitted with a hangdog face.

Artemis had got him to half confess but she would honor her friend's request. They would discuss it later though, cause' blood in your urine was never a good sign. Maybe he contracted this from his years with Red Rope.

“Sure thing Hans, til' later.” Artemis agreed to him. He sighed with relief.

“Thanks baby girl, and could we keep this from the others as well?” He amended.

“Of course, although maybe we could find some Followers to help or maybe Alpha could give you a diagnosis.” Artemis suggested casually even though she expected Hans to reject it but it was good to have it on the table.

“No, maybe but let's just wait for now.” Hans followed suit with her guessed response.

Artemis nodded and gave a smile. Together they walked back to the wagon. The sun shone brightly down on the sand dunes cooking the sand to a golden dust. Artemis's black coat absorbed much of the heat making it to be put quite simply “hotter than hell”. The outskirts of the NCR still matched the geography of the San Palomino deserts, sandy dunes with red rock mountains rising out of them like the dorsal fin of a great red shark. However there was a difference between the wasteland and the desert: the wasteland retained many of the common features of any war torn post-apocalypse realm while the desert was simply great sand dunes spanning as far as the eye could see. The dunes were sparsely traveled by only the bravest and craziest wastelanders, many never returned. Artemis had only traveled the outskirts of the dunes a handful of times to be honest. Back in the day with Hans they would sometimes plan a safari into the desert in the hopes of finding the untouched treasures that lay out there half buried in sand, but in the end those plans never came to fruition. Maybe it was for the best.

The wagon was stopped on a mountainside road. Hans had requested that they stop so he could tinkle but could only use the bathroom off the road down in the dunes obscured by several boulders. Verity commented that Hans was being frivolous for causing such a bother by needing to go off road to do his business. But Hans had known he would scream and didn't want the others to hear.

“Artemis..” A ghostly voice whispered in her ears and her ears alone. Her blood became ice, her neck hair stood on end. Hans didn't seem to hear anything as he trotted off towards the cliff to the road casual as ever.

“Hans!” Artemis yelled to him. But he didn't respond, in fact it seemed as if he was still moving his lips like he was speaking to her.

“Hans can you hear me!” Artemis yelled even louder for good measure, but sadly in vain. Her heart began to race. What was wrong, was it a creature or something worse!?

“Miss us, Artemis?” A female voice asked and right then Artemis knew who exactly that voice belonged to, and it was worse than any creature.

“Hehe, I've been really busy of late. I actually began to question if you guys were just figments of my imagination.” Artemis remarked snidely trying to sound confident as she turned to meet them.

To no big surprise Artemis was right in her suspicion. There on top of the boulders stood the green mares, they wore the same businesspony attire as last time and levitated petite parasols over their heads. Artemis double checked herself to make sure they were really there. That feeling of misplacement crept up over her. Those ghost, phantasms or demon that those twins were not of this plane.

“I think Artemis doesn't think we're real.”

“Oh, but we are very real Artemis. You should be thanking us.”

Artemis narrowed her eyes distrusting what the twins were suggesting. “Why? You never appeared after White Tail?”

The twins gave each others a sly glance. “Oh but do you remember the little gas station/secret laboratory you took false haven in?” The left mare inquired with a sophisticated but poisonous tone.

Artemis was quiet for a minute. She just realized that this was the first time the twins had really spoke “to” Artemis and not “at” her. Now Artemis began to recount the fright night at the gas station/- wait? Laboratory?! So there was more to the little roadside store than met the eyes...

Artemis recounted her night there but found no presence of the twins. “No, I can't say I do remember you two being there.” She answered in a puzzled tone.

The twins look at each other again before turning back to Artemis. “You see, when your little friend Aromatherapy shot that ghoul in the vents, the vent collapsed. You see, in this universe Aroma was supposed to die there but we intervened just like how Valiance was supposed to kill Verity in White Tail Park, but thanks to us they are very much alive.” The right mare explained.

“What!?” Artemis exclaimed in fear and confusion.

“Yes Artemis there are an infinite amount of dimensions, universes and outcomes. This universe is one in an infinite sea.” Left said awestruck but with a hint of pride.

“Yes Artemis, there's a universe for every possibility.” Right backed up Left's declaration.

“There's a dimension where you are a boy.”

“There's a dimension where you have a heart attack right now.”

“There's one where you are all humans.”

“Sister I don't think she knows what a human is besides I don't even think she's listening.” Right told her sister gingerly and stopped their reciprocating sentences.

She would have been buckled by the ideas they were hypothesizing but Artemis was frozen in shock, fear and disbelief but the pieces fell into place. She remembered in White Tail Park, Valiance had cut Verity up the side of his chest and it was looking grave for him but the twins had gave her a mass regeneration potion not thirty minutes before. Because of them, Verity was alive today and if what these twins said was true then they saved Aroma's life as well. Not that Artemis wasn't grateful, but why? Why did they save them?

“I.. I ..” Artemis shuddered.

“We gave your orange friend a hyper mint-al to boost her mind enough to get her out of the basement.”

“We even gave her a nice card.” The left mare said continuing her twin's sentence. She threw a card with a deft wave of her hoof. Artemis yelped as it delivered a small paper cut the size of a hair directly under her left eye. She pressed her hand to her eye and picked up the card with the small red stain.

“Dear Aromatherapy,

Love,

G & M

P. S. Hurry.” Artemis read the card in disbelief.

“So where's that thank you now?” Left asked expectantly.

“.....But why? Why did you save them?” Artemis asked dismayed.

The twins looked at each other again, their movements seemed to mirror one another. “Because, we knew you would need them and had already made ties to them. Helping you furthers our goal.”

Artemis released a breath and breathed nervously. “What.. is your goal?” She asked almost afraid of the answer.

“....” The twins were silent.

“That is irrelevant, but all you need to know is that our goals lead to the number station and it's destruction.” They said together in unison, foreboding a malevolent cause to their actions.

Artemis was stuck between a rock and a hard place. She knew better than to see these phantasms as allies and they were far from benevolent. But they seemed to know everything, and could materialize anything with the flick of a wrist. Artemis knew she was being used, a pawn for these twins but they were the only ones with a path to the number station and she needed to destroy the station before the Legion could use it for evil. But will the ends justify the means? Will Artemis remove the threat of the Legion only to be replaced by these god-like twins and whatever twisted plans they had? It's like disarming a bomb strapped to your chest only to realize you have an extremely deadly poison killing you in seconds. It felt all for naught.

“Oh sister look at how she gets lost in her thoughts.”

“I find it endearing, Artemis thinks and this is not a war where you can just shoot like Littlepip and call it a day, there will be no sunshine and rainbows ending to this tale.”

“Ooo yes you are right sister. This will not be a gallant crusade against evil, this will be an invisible war fought behind the noise of nations and mere mortals. We-”

“Hey.” Artemis said and stopped the twins conversation. “If you two are so powerful, then why can't you just use your power to just teleport me to the number station or something?” She asked shakily.

Left snickered. “All in due time Artemis, all in due time. But for now you must get to New Appaloosa.”

“And a little tid-bit from G and M. You don't want what Calamity's selling, he's using you and his friend's are using you to further their own agendas. If you're smart then you'll forget about that closet.”

“Ta ta Artemis!”

Before she could speak they were gone in an instant. Almost like they were never there, the card in her hand was gone as well or maybe it to was never there. That couldn't have been a hallucination! Couldn't it? Artemis's thoughts began to spiral, she felt like she was going insane, losing touch with reality, what was real and what was not. The world began to spin into a mass of colors as they blended into one ugly brown.

Then Artemis fell back into the void... she screamed as her wings froze and she fell helplessly into the vortex, but no one could hear her.

“Artemis.... Artemis... Artemis.. Artemis! Get up baby girl!” Hans's voice faded in from oblivion.

Artemis opened her eyes. Her vision was fuzzy. She made out the pink form of Hans and Verity's white feathered head. She noticed Hans was waving a small green stick no bigger than a cigarette by her nose. Artemis felt Verity's hand holding her head off the ground. They were both huddled over her and Aroma's voice could be heard in the distance. She was confused and groggy, at some point she had passed out and fell down. But what about the vortex, or the twins?

“Errrr...” Artemis groaned unable to form any words.

“Aroma, she's alive!” Hans yelled to Aroma then turned his attention back to Artemis. “Baby are you okay? You took quite a spill.” He asked concerned.

Artemis heard him and tried to answer but she was in a heavy fatigue. She had to muster her strength to answer Hans. She took several deep breaths in succession which elicited looks of worry from Hans and Verity, although the griffon masked it well.

“What, happened?” Artemis asked weakly. Verity and Hans exchanged glances before the unicorn spoke.

“Well baby girl I was walking back to Hayseed's van when I noticed you weren't responding. I turned and saw you back here staring at that boulder with a thousand yard stare and when I touched you to get your attention you started screaming your head off, the others heard you from the wagon and rushed over here.” Hans recounted in a worried but thankful tone.

Artemis raised her head when she heard the soft pitter-patter of hooves on sand. Aroma walked up to them and slung her shotgun over shoulder. She was beginning to develop that wasteland look with her dirty Stable G jumpsuit, olive saddlebag, her weapon of choice and her bandoleer with a few spare shotgun shells. “I didn't see anything and I didn't find any hoofprints...”

Artemis sat up slowly, her brain pulsated violently. Just as Artemis wished for her painkillers Aroma pulled out her bottle of pills. “Lady said you might need these.” Aroma commented as she tossed Artemis her bottle.

As Artemis swallowed three or four pills she wondered if her need was that obvious that Lady could've reliably guessed she would need them. But then again Lady could have been under the impression that she had been attacked and was injured, which would green light the usage of her painkillers. Once the pills dissolved into her system Artemis rolled over and stood to her feet. She didn't feel weak or exhausted, she just felt dazed. Like how one feels after they wake up from a deep sleep. Verity and Hans both helped her stand.

“What happened Artemis?” Hans asked.

Artemis ran her fingers through her hair. “I, don't really know..” She lied. The expressions of the others begged to disagree with her statement.

“Now Arty I saw you, you just looked at that rock even though no one was there. Now you're either lying or you've been hiding a secret game where you scream bloody murder at rocks.” Hans scrutinized . He wouldn't buy the “nothing” idea. Funny though, the tables had turned so quickly.

“What's going on Artemis? We need to know what's happening.” Verity joined in with Hans's interrogation.

Artemis felt sick again. She hated lying to her friends but they wouldn't understand the twins and hell, neither did Artemis. But if she told them they might think she's crazy and call the quest off and then the Legion would take the number station and maybe the entire continent. If sticking to a little white lie prevented that then that was the future Artemis was ready to endure.

“It's nothing you don’t' have to worry yourselves about it. It's... woman stuff, you know how it is.” Artemis blamed menstruation for the incident. She couldn't tell if it woul work but that kind of thing did have a way of shutting men up.

“Oh, that makes sense. Shoot, you had me worried Artemis. I'll go tell the others you're okay.” Aroma said gingerly as she trotted off to tell the others back at the wagon. Little innocent Aroma was the easiest to fool, now would the others buy it?

Hans, not having any knowledge about women could only believe her story however reluctantly. He looked a little more relieved than Verity. The griffon centurion seemed less than convinced but he could swallow the “period” tale better. Besides it was better than the “nothing” story. After an hour long minute Verity slightly nodded.

“Very well.” He muttered in his steely voice. It didn't seem like he bought it...

“I'd talk to Lady about that then, sorry Arty.” Hans apologized he seemed a little embarrassed. With that he eased his way out of the conversation and made his way back to Hayseed and Lady. That just left Artemis and Verity. Just as she was flapping her wings to fly off Verity began to speak.

“I guess you ain't given to relying on others for support huh Artemis.” Verity said stoically, he didn't make eye contact. Artemis cringed inside, he hadn't bought the story. Crap.

Artemis delayed her takeoff. “I told you, it's a bad time for me..” She reiterated. Staying true to her story.

“I don't appreciate being lied to Artemis. Am I not worthy of your trust?” He rumbled, she could feel him using his charismatic tone now.

If she wanted to drive this lie home then she'd have to act serious. Artemis stopped her wings and looked Verity almost in the eye. Almost though...

“I've been under an incredible amount of stress these past few weeks, all this stuff's happening what with the dam, the Legion and NCR dust up, and this damned number station. So if I just need to scream out here then I should be able to.” Artemis persisted her lie.

Verity seemed to back down. He scanned her expression, whether he still saw through her lie or not could not be decided but Artemis wore a serious face to accompany her story. Goddesses she hated this. Lying to her friends was bad, but having to persist with it was worse than any wound one could endure. They trusted her, and now she was lying to them. She wished she could tell Verity the truth, the whole truth, but the risk was too great and just couldn't be done. Fear won this battle.

Verity released a breath but just as he began to speak Artemis flew off to the wagon. It took ever fiber of her being but she had to. This felt like her lowest point, she had blatantly lied to her friends and defended her lie to make matters worse. It was all those twins fault!....And hers as well. She was not without blame. All she could do was hope Verity forgave her and would understand, but could Artemis forgive herself? Should she? The daughter of of Time is Truth, eventually everything would come to light.

After flying up the red rock wall Artemis landed by a parked wagon. The blacktop was warm under fiery sky’s light but it was a little past noon so the heat would subside before long and bring the cold of the desert nights. Alpha lorded over the others from his position on top of the wagon, constantly scanning for hostiles. Hayseed watched his foals emulate gunfights with sticks, one would fall back dead or they would argue about who killed who. It was endearing if a bit sad.

“Announcement: User Artemis has returned!” Lady and Hayseed perked up as they noticed her landing. Verity followed not long after, before long everyone was assembled.

“Are you okay Artemis? That scream had us so worried.” Lady said worriedly.

Artemis deflected her compassion so as not to get tangled in another incident and have to lie again. “I'm fine, it was.. girl stuff.” She admitted and nothing else.

Hayseed awkwardly averted his eyes but Lady looked relieved. “Oh, good. I hope everything's alright do you need-” Lady was interrupted.

“I'm fine Lady, thank you but I would really just like to leave this place.” Artemis cut to the point bluntly.

“Well, I, uh. Alright. Hayseed let's get back on the road.” Lady told her husband after stammering off the last conversation.

Hayseed stood up and stretched and arched his back. It popped and cracked in several places. “Mmmm it feels like all we do is travel, it'll be nice to get to New Appaloosa and sleep in a real bed for once.” He commented with a few more back pops.

He was right, Artemis had put them through a lot, pretty much commandeered their wagon and turned them into work mules. “I know we've been through a lot but if can get to Appaloosa we can all take a much needed break.” Artemis reassured them trying to inspire them or at least sound apologetic.

“Who knows, maybe we might do well in NCR markets. We do have foreign goods that aren't readily available here.” Lady proposed to her husband trying to find the positives of their precidament.

Hayseed herded his foals into the vehicle and him and Lady got in their seats up front. Lady was riding shotgun. Alpha flew over-! Flew! Alpha could fly?! Sure enough their metallic companion sprung into the air as he flapped his holographic wings. He landed with a metal clang of his hooves and folded his wings just like any Pegasus would. He paid no mind to the others and entered as if everyone knew he could fly.

“Whoa... I didn't think he could fly.” Aroma said amazed. She took the words out of Artemis's mouth.

“It would only make sense. Alpha's an HK after all.” Verity grumbled.

Aroma looked at the cornflower blue griffon. “HK as in Hunter-Killer like a UAV right?”

Verity was silent. It appeared Aroma had surpassed his vocabulary for machines. “Yes, something like that.” He murmured.

~Later back on the road~

A pleasant song played on Artemis’s pipbuck but the song only masked her glum inner feels. Inside she felt messed up, she lied to her friends and each second she let her friends entertain that lie the worse it felt. Was she being over emotional about this? But regardless she felt stained because of this lie. She wanted to come clean but her mind made one thousand and one different excuses for why this was a bad time to do so.

The hatch to the drivers seat opened up and Hayseed spoke with an alerted tone. “Uhh you guys are gonna wanna see this..”

Artemis would have ignored him for her self loathing but she felt the van's wheels churn to a stop. Guess it was time to see what... the.. big deal was...whoa.

Everyone was stunned by the landscape. Lush green hills, healthy brown dirt and steadfast trees. The concrete road had turned to a dirt road once they had ventured so far into the NCR. It was beautiful, like White Tail, nature was alive and well in the NCR. Birds chirped and flew about the trees. The twilight sky painted the land as mysterious as it was majestic. Sure the Legion had plant life and the such but not like a scale of this magnitude.

“Sweet Luna, it's beautiful.” Aroma commented almost in tears.

Artemis touched a tree and felt it's thick bark. This was no wasteland, far from it. “This place, it's like a lush green heaven.” Artemis said and continued to examine the other plants.

Everyone was enamored by the botanical wonder of the New Canterlot Republic. Even Verity seemed to be in a reserved awe. Why wasn't all of Equestria like this? It made no sense.

Artemis put her talons in a small puddle off the side of the road. She lifted a small pool of water in her hands and gently put her lips to it. She drank the clean water and to her amazement her pipbuck did not click and her Geiger counter remained still. Clean and radiation free! Hot damn! If a dirty puddle on the side of a country road was clean of poison then this boded well for the cities of NCR.

One thing did obtain Artemis's attention. Her reflection. Once the ripples in the water cleared Artemis gazed into the small puddle and saw her face. She looked tired, like she had been fighting an internal war inside for a long time and she was. There right under the red eyeliner of her left eye was a small line, a scar from the paper cut. It had left a scar, something she'll see for the rest of her life. But this also told Artemis, if she ever doubted the twin's existence then this scar was evidence. She ran two fingers over it. Part of her wanted to cry but she was too tired to cry, self-loathing was making her haggard.

“It's time they know, I can't lie anymore. The truth will set me free.” Artemis thought to herself. New Appaloosa is where she decide she would come clean.

After her reflection ended and the others had their fill of the landscape they returned back the path to Appaloosa. However everyone was still amazed by it all, sure there was plant life in the San Palomino but again not on a scale like this. This seemed like how pre-war Equestria would have looked.

“This place is perfect.” Aroma was in awe. She sniffed several flowers before biting their heads off. “It's just like the Equestria from my books back home.” Aroma seemed to hesitate when she remembered Stable G.

“But this doesn’t add up! Everyone in Stable G believed that the outside was a barren toxic wasteland. This place is nothing like I expected.” Aroma sighed befuddled.

“That doesn't mean this place is any less dangerous or the populace is any more friendly.” Verity told her in his deep voice.

“I guess but, Alpha, why isn't all of Equestria like this again and what happened to do this?” Aroma asked. Alpha thought upon the question before he gave an answer.

“Conclusion: I cannot determine the cause of of this phenomena perhaps, a mass terraforming spell. As for why the San Palomino was not changed, it is most likely because the San Palomino was a desert even before the war therefore it would not change biomes due to a terraform spell.”

“This is well and good but we'd better keep traveling if we hope to reach your city Artemis.” Verity interrupted.

~Later that night~

A heavy harmonica song that had a dreary but oddly upbeat tone played on Artemis's pipbuck. It passed the time, everyone onboard was beginning to tire Hans had even decided to curl up into a ball and shut his eyes. Aroma's fatigue was prevalent but still she persisted to stay awake. Alpha just sat in a still position, but he did have the decency to turn down the brightness of his eyes.

“Hey Artemis.” Verity whispered casually. Artemis looked at him as he sat down by her.

He handed Artemis a small blue flower with a crisp green stem. The petals felt lively and soft. “Here, I thought you'd might like it.” He said in his steely voice. His voice just dripped with emotion, but Verity always sounded somber with his tone so Artemis knew this was his way of being a sweetheart and she found it endearing.

Wait a minute. What if this was some way of him implying that he still didn't believe her story and that he was going to push and pry for the truth right now?! Dammit Artemis, quit over thinking this and just accept your boyfriend's gift with a smile.

“Oh thank you Verity it's lovely.” Artemis smiled and took the flower.

Verity nodded. “I am glad you like it.” He said holding a silent cue for Artemis to come clean with him. But she had to ignore it and pretend she hadn't caught it.

But, Artemis remembered earlier today when she made Hans come clean about the blood in his urine. Hans didn't want to tell the truth, he just wanted it to be ignored but still Artemis pried and he confessed. Hans didn't lie when asked at least not to her. Now the tables were turned and Artemis was on the pry-ee end of the inquisition. Would she lie to Verity? Could she tell herself that now wasn't the time and to wait for a better opportunity? Dammit, looks like the game was over... they're going to send her to an asylum after this weren't they?

Artemis sighed heavily. “Verity, if I tell you promise me you won't think I'm crazy okay?” She asked nervously. Was she actually going to do this?

Verity nodded. “Okay.” Was all he said in his steely tone. Artemis would have preferred a more reinforcing affirmation but that was probably the best she'd get out of Verity wouldn't she?

Artemis paused. “Verity, I've been seeing ghosts.”

“Ghosts?” Verity said raising an eyebrow. He wasn't believing or disbelieving yet.

“Yes, ghosts. I've been seeing them ever since White Tail Park. I, I think they have something to do with the number station like they're somehow tied to it.” Artemis finally confessed. Even though her confession was far from over she looked to Verity to see if he would hear anymore or if he would completely disregard her.

There was a silence before he spoke. “...” But Verity didn't speak. He seemed as if he was looking for the right words to say.

“Tell me about these... ghosts. How many are there? Do they talk to you, tell you to do things?” He asked in small worried tone.

Artemis brushed her feathers and sighed. Thinking back now, she could only remember vague traits about the twins. Their clothes, their odd behavior, attachment with the number station, and how they saved Verity and Aroma. Artemis wondered if she should tell Verity that part. How would someone react if you told them that they were supposed to die at specific point in time but somehow changed it? Like changing Fate's painting of one's own demise.

“They, they tell me that we need to find the number station and that our goals are similar. But Verity, they're evil. Deep down in my gut I know they aren't benevolent, whatever we do to the number station in the end only serves their ultimate goals. I feel like we're all helpless to be their pawns.” Artemis despaired continuing her confession.

Verity slowly processed her words. “But Artemis, they're only ghosts. They can't do anything in the real world.” He countered.

“Well, when I say ghosts I mean that's the only way I can describe them. They have these god-like powers and they seem to know everything. If it wasn't for them you and Aroma would be dead.”

Verity blinked and looked away, disturbed by this information. “Do you mean that they saved my life?” He asked in coldly.

“I mean that, you were supposed die in White Tail but they gave me a potion minutes before and I used that potion to save you. Valiance's blow was supposed to kill you.” Artemis divulged and recounted the blow that was supposed to be Verity's end...

-- Verity met Valiance's charge with his own. He easily sidestepped Verity with lightning fast reflexes, kicked him and cut Verity down the side of his torso. He let out a pained cry but Valiance just pushed him aside –

Verity rubbed his eyes with his palms and sighed with the shock and awe of this revelation. “So... I cheated death, that was supposed to be my end after all.” Verity said. He turned back to Artemis and raised his wing to reveal a scar.

Running up nearly the entire right side of Verity's torso was a long scar that made hers look like a small scrape. A thin jagged trail of fur-less skin ran up his torso and ended just under his wing. That was the wound that was supposed to have been his doom. It appeared that the wound didn't cause him as much pain as it used to although it looked like it would never heal. It made Artemis feel ashamed for fretting about her scar the way she did.

“Goddesses...” Artemis whimpered at the sight of his scar.

Verity slid his folded wing back over his scar. “It's better now, although I'd still be wary of strenuous activity.” He said nonchalantly trying to deter sympathy from Artemis.

“Hehe like destroying a tank?” Artemis asked with a down chuckle. She wished Verity would have told her he had a big scar that may or not have been fully healed before taking on a tank!

“Mmm we didn't have a choice back in Clopton. Either we fought that tank or died so don't beat yourself up about it.” Verity told her

“Besides, there's something about griffons and scars right? What about that one under your eye?” He added raising a finger to the cut under her eye. Artemis flinched and retracted her head before he could touch it.

Artemis was quickly tempted to nonchalantly call it an odd scratch but she remained strong to revealing the truth instead. “Believe it or not it's a paper cut.... in a sense. When I was talking to those ghosts today down at the boulders one of them threw a card at me and it cut my face.” Artemis explained with a sincere smile and tried to deter sympathy from him.

“Well if it's any consolation I think it's cute.” Verity said endearingly as he sat back down.

“So today you were talking to the twins down at the boulders after all.” Verity proclaimed. That was it, everything was out in the open now wasn't it.

“Yeah, that was them. It wasn't a menstruation thing.” Artemis confessed ashamed.

“Can you ever forgive me?” She asked.

Verity cracked his knuckles indifferently before he answered. “If this was the Legion I would've snapped your neck for lying to me....” He said coldly no anger in his voice

Okay not the answer she was expecting however it did sound like one of the Legion's brutal laws. Artemis tried to see Verity's side of this; his partner had just admitted that she consciously lied to him but still that felt a little too harsh of a response. Artemis wouldn't cower down to any kind of hurt he might be feeling, she was just going to be nice about it and try to get him to forgive her.

“So I take it that's no then huh.” Artemis said in a down tone. Verity was quiet and stoned faced as he glared away from Artemis.

“Huhhh.” Verity sighed. “I will forgive you...” He whispered in his low voice. Artemis sensed there was a “but” following his next words. “Just, understand if I don't trust you wholeheartedly okay.”

That was it. He had forgave her but he would wary of trusting her in the future. This was the future she had created by lying and now it would have to be the present she lived in. But maybe she could earn it back, one day.

“I guess that's all I could ask for.” Artemis replied calmly.

"And you must confess to the others as well." He added. Artemis nodded agreeing.

Verity moved his vision to look at her. His eyes were tired and maybe even sad however he only looked for a few second and sat back up in his seat. “Tell me, what did that paper they gave you say or did you read it?” Verity asked in a weary rumble.

“Yes, that.” Artemis started to whisper so Aroma wouldn't hear if she was still awake. “It was about how Aroma was supposed to die.” Artemis said in a hushed voice. She knew Aroma had some mettle about her but doubted she would able to overhear something like this?

“Apparently Aroma was supposed to die back at the fueling station. After she killed a ghoul and blew out her eardrums the vents collapsed and Aroma wasn't supposed to make it out but they gave her a card and a mint-al to give her the boost to get back to us.” Artemis explained in her whisper. Then she remembered something important! It had almost escaped her.

“The card! It had a name on it, G & M. Initials no doubt.” Artemis whispered ecstatically.

“G & M?” Verity wondered aloud. That meant those initials meant nothing of importance in the San Palomino, damn. Guess it was too much to hope they were renowned scientists, soldiers, or politicians .

“So do you see what I mean? This is why I've been so stressed out. These phantasmponies obviously need us for something that's why they saved you guys. But what I'm afraid of is what they plan to do once we destroy the station...” Artemis admitted ominously.

Verity rubbed his chin. “I think I'm more afraid of what they'll do when they no longer need us.” Verity responded. Artemis hadn't thought of it like that, what good was a tool that had served it's purpose? Artemis and her friends were of little utility to those twins.

“But let's focus on the now.” Verity suggested calmly seeing that Artemis was on the precipice of getting lost in her speculating thoughts.

“But Artemis why did you hide this?”

Artemis began to think why she had kept it a secret for so long. But now that she had confessed it seemed like telling the others was the only reasonable course of action. Going to her friends when she needed help, stubborn pride and illogical fear kept Artemis from going to the only people she could for help. She had been too vain to admit she needed help and to fearful that the others would doubt her mental integrity but after confessing to Verity she saw how ridiculous those thoughts were. G & M were very real and very dangerous but from now on she would go to her friends when things got rough, no more weathering trouble alone.

“I guess I thought you guys would think I'm crazy and that this quest has been to much strain on my psyche.” Artemis admitted sheepishly as she crossed her fingers anxiously.

Verity shifted. “That may not be too far from the truth. We're into some serious stuff, NCR and the Legion, the battle of Hoofer Dam, this number station and who knows what else. It is a lot to bear but...”

“But what?” Artemis asked in a small voice.

Verity sighed. “I don't want to sound cheesy but we don't have to bear this alone. Don't be afraid to turn to the others when you need help.” He said trying hold the steel in his voice.

Artemis had learned an important lesson: You never have to endure something alone when you have friends at your back, never be afraid to go to them in your time of need. She just wished she had learned the earlier then maybe things wouldn't be so abysmal now.

Their conversation slowly retired and soon all was quiet. The only sound one could hear was the rumble of the wheels barreling on the road and the noises of the night. Artemis bobbed her head as she began to doze off. The van turned slightly to the right and came to rest on the side of the road.

Hayseed opened the slot to the back where the others were sitting. “Guys, we have to stop here for the night. I just can't drive any longer. Lady and the foals are asleep so I'm gonna close my eyes as well.” Hayseed proclaimed with fatigue in voice.

Artemis was disappointed that they would not be reaching New Appaloosa tonight but she could see Hayseed's reasoning. They had been running him and his family like slaves, mushing them across the continent. The hour was late and they had been on the road all day besides it was very probable that New Appaloosa was closed to visitors until morning anyway.

Artemis nodded with a sigh. She to was falling asleep. “Okay, maybe we should call it a night.” She said with a yawn.

It was a good thing Artemis agreed to call it a night because whether or not to continue was a moot point. After Hayseed made his proclamation he had promptly closed the slot and went of to dreamworld. Artemis looked to Verity who was preparing to sleep as well.

“I stand with Hayseed. We rest. Goodnight Artemis” Verity said laying his head and closing his eyes.

Artemis laid back in her seat. One more day, one more day and things could really begin. Not even one more day, just a handful of hours and they could arrive at Calamity's apartment and finally get some real answers. Then again maybe there were no real answers but this mysterious closet gave them direction, an objective and that was more than they had in a long time. Then again, Skipper himself said to go to Fillydelphia and find the pink ones lair and so did the twins. Maybe there was more truth to their words than their malevolent dispositions let on about. Skipper said nothing about this closet. She wished Skipper was still alive, he seemed to know what he was doing with the number station and Grandpa as well, he always seemed happy and always looking for the best in everyone.

“Query: User Artemis, why do continue to lie awake?”

Artemis rolled to her stomach and stared at the two yellow eyes piercing the darkness of the wagon's interior. “Shit, you scared the... well, crap out of me.” Artemis complained in a hushed whisper as she rolled back over.

“Well, why are you awake?” Artemis asked defensively.

“Proud Answer: I have no need for sleep, I am solar powered.”

Artemis blinked and indulged the robopony. “Ah, so I imagine you couldn't be activated before the day of sunshine and rainbows then right?” Artemis asked and rubbed her eyes. If she couldn't fall asleep then why not talk to the robot?

“Reluctant Answer: I am afraid so. Even then I needed repairs to restore functionality.”

“Interjection: But that is beside the point of our exchange.”

“Confession: My receptors overheard you talking about ethereal apparitions.”

Artemis's ears perked up. She rolled onto her side to look at Alpha with a quizzical look. “What about them?” What was going through his little robopony mind?

“Request: I wish to be present with you so I may capture images of these apparitions.”

“Prideful Proclamation: I am equipped with sensors and photo recording technologies. I believe I may be able to capture images, sounds or even videos of them.”

Artemis's mind raced with delight. If she could capture images or any kind of evidence of the twins then that would be a big victory for her! Finally something that she could do of her own volition, no strings attached!

“How do you suppose we do it?” Artemis asked him.

“Suggestion: I say we try to recreate an environment in which you may experience this phenomenon. New Appaloosa will be unlikely due to its population, perhaps somewhere more isolated.”

Artemis's fervor was halted by the idea of recreating a scenario to trick the twins and being alone with Alpha. It's not that Artemis feared him but could he be trusted? Machines could lie couldn't they?

Artemis pondered the situation. “Tell you what, I imagine we'll be in Appaloosa for a little bit so when we get to the apartment and get settled in we'll look into that.” She declared with a yawn.

“Statement: Very well. Goodnight User Artemis.”

Artemis looked curiously at Alpha. “Yeah, goodnight to you to...” She trailed off before rolling over to go to sleep. Alpha seemed strange, it seemed at times he was a normal machine but other times he seemed like an actual person. What kind of robot would voice his own opinions without being asked? Then again, why was he even forming opinion? Machines weren't like that.

However it did feel good to finally be on the offense with the twins and telling the truth. She planned to tell the others once they got to Calamity's apartment. If she could get photos of the twins then maybe she could get an insight into who they are. Artemis drifted into her dreamworld and left Alpha all alone to stand guard.