Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds

Chapters

Chapter 2: Preparing for the journey [reworked: 23/7/13]
Chapter 3: Mercy comes cheap [reworked: 3/2/14]
Chapter 4: The taste of blood
Chapter 5: Lessons to learn
Chapter 6: Roads we walk alone
Chapter 7: The road to the damned pt. 1
Chapter 8: The road to the damned pt. 2
Chapter 9: Anguish and heartache
Chapter 10: Convalescence
Chapter 11: Hardship
Chapter 12: Plans for the future
Chapter 13: Disharmony
Chapter 14: Building trust
Chapter 16: Healing wounds
Chapter 17: Another bad mistake
Chapter 18: There will be blood
Chapter 19: Caged
Chapter 20: Making friends
Chapter 21: Responsibility
Chapter 22: Shards of light
Chapter 23: Of mares and stories
Chapter 25: Judge
Chapter 27: Jury
Chapter 28: The other side
Chapter 29: Home away from home
Chapter 30: The silence of shadows
Chapter 31: Guardian
Chapter 32: Stratagem, Ambition, Resolution: Part I: Prelude
Prologue [reworked 28/2/13]
Chapter 1: Fear [reworked: 8/3/13]
Chapter 15: A city that never sleeps
Chapter 24: The Feathered phantom
Chapter 26: Improving odds

Chapter 2: Preparing for the journey [reworked: 23/7/13]

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds
By Kippershy

Chapter two: Preparing for the journey
“Spectacular achievement is always preceded by unspectacular preparation.”

Staring at the fine mare before me as she pulled her head back, I couldn’t help but appreciate what she had just offered to do. Not only would this help secure Four Ridges’ fate with her capable aim and fire-power, but it also seemed like I’d get a chance for some more... intimate fun.
Only time could tell for sure, but I had a feeling that there was something different about this mare. There was something beyond looks about her, that was for sure.

Oh, and now there was no doubt there was something different about her. Usually when a mare had said that to me, alarm bells rang and I’d have to quickly talk my way out of the situation, tell them I wasn’t ready for anything in particular and I was thankful enough for the night spent with them. Now with Cherry I didn’t get the same urgency or dread. I... I actually felt a little joyous about it, even.

Leaning in closer to her I pressed my cheek out to hers and began to nuzzle her softly, encouraging her to wrap a hoof around my neck and slowly but tightly hold me close. With every passing moment it felt nicer and nicer before the contact broke and a sure smile sat upon her face.

Giving Cherry a small nod, I began to decide what to do next. While we were here in Tank, the closest place to go would have probably been... Gummy. Plotting out the best course given the current wind conditions in my head as I mumbled to myself. “Perhaps if I take the route going through Rolling Hill-AUGH!”

I didn’t know what had just happened well and truly, but suddenly I found myself laying upon the ground and feeling winded. My side felt as if it had just been kicked by a brahmin as I tried to regain my bearings and orientate myself after whatever had just happened to me.
Down at my side sat Cherry Sundae, smiling at me as if nothing was wrong.

Looking back at her I began to shake my head in disbelief and pain, a pout across my own face in return for her smile.
Looking at Cherry, I began to whine. “Hey! You’re meant to be protecting me, not pushing me onto the floor when I’m trying to figure out how I’m going to get to Gummy. That hurt you know!”

With a carefree demeanour, Cherry let out a small shrug. “I thought you could handle me playing rough. You certainly didn’t whine about it last night. I was only having fun, I didn’t mean to knock you over or hurt you, just climb atop of you.”

With that, I shot her a confused look as I coughed in pain. “Climb... atop of me?”

“Yeah!” She immediately replied with a whisper of a smile on her lips.

Finding myself speechless for a moment, I silently babbled nonsense from my lips as I tried to understand the situation. Gradually I regained my composure and looked at her in those deep, beautiful and penetrating eyes. “So... let me get this straight. You were trying to climb atop of me? As in, get on my back?”

Cherry began to pout and cross her front hooves, looking sad at me. I couldn’t tell if this was practised or if she was genuinely upset and begging now, but either way it was working before she had even tried a thing. Her bottom lip quivered as she began to express herself, swiftly cutting through my defences. “Please don’t be mad. I really didn’t mean to hurt you, honest.”

A tear began to fill the corner of her eye as she looked up at me and I couldn’t take it any more. There was no way I could look at this mare and not want to hold her in my hooves, she was downright adorable and she seemed entirely genuine with her emotions, it was too sweet to be mad at.
Without a moments hesitation I lowered my head down to the ground and then levelled out my rear, allowing for her to easily climb atop.

As she looked at me she began to sniffle, the surprise in her voice obvious. “Wait, you’re not mad with me for knocking you over and hurting you?”

“Of course I’m not mad. If I was mad with you, would I be giving you a chance to get on without knocking me over? Besides, you only knocked the wind out of me, you didn’t break a bone or anything.”

The squeal of joy that came from her lips was like a filly playing with her new favourite toy for the first time. Less than a second passed before she picked herself back up and climbed onto my back, taking liberty to slide up and hold me as close as she could.
With a happy little sigh, I began to explain. “I just figure there’s something special about you, and besides, you did let me have some fun last night didn’t you?”

With that she let out a joyous giggle that made me feel all warm and fuzzy. “Yeah, I did. Don’t think that I didn’t have my fun from that too though.”

“And then you went ahead and volunteered first for the effort to protect myself and the caravans when we leave Four Ridges without knowing the full details.” I refuted, reminding her that she wasn’t acting selfish. “Hey, I don’t even know the full details myself yet you still stepped forward.”

“That’s my job, silly.”

“Yeah, well, it’s good enough for me to let you have another ride. Hold on tight now, okay?”

It seemed as if she hadn’t needed that advice because even as I began to say it, I could feel the press of her neck against mine and her legs wrap around my chest and sides.
Spreading out my wings, I decided that going directly to Gummy perhaps wasn’t the only choice I had... there was some lovely scenic views across the way.
Giving her one last chance before we set off, I turned my face around just enough to see her content smile. “Anything you need to either grab or drop off at your place?”

For a moment she placed a hoof to her mouth and looked at the rifle on her back, thinking about the options. “We’ll be staying within the vicinity of Four Ridges, correct?”

“Yup.”

“Any plans to go close to the walls again?”

“Not after last time, no. You considering dropping off your rifle for the time being then?”

She gave a small nod and another smile at that, looking relieved even. “Yeah... take me back to my place so I can put my stuff down.”

Spreading my wings, I took off into the sky with Cherry holding on tight. Her home wasn’t far away from here, it would be an easy flight.
The way the wind carried me and the extra weight was simply beautiful, my wings skipping through the air as if there was nothing there.
Cherry seemed surprised that I found it so easy, which I only noticed when I saw her gasp from the corner of my eye. Still, when your special talent was flight you made sure to practice it a lot and become adept at as many different ways to fly as you could.
I was no exception.

Within moments we were at her place and already I felt the temptation to try my hoof at getting lucky again, but no. This time I had to be a gentlecolt and withhold my desires and restrict my temptations.
Cherry didn’t take long in sorting herself out, as quickly as she had made her way into her home she had seemingly came back out.

“All set now?” I asked with a smirk at the mare who now had nothing covering her sweet flanks. I managed to get a good look before she stopped blushing and pushed me over playfully.

“Now now, Mister. Yes I am all set, are you ready to take us to our destination?”
With a nod, I confirmed I was ready. She took no time in climbing onto my back at this point, snuggling back into my mane.
“You really have soft hair, don’t you?”

“Stable life, could say it makes softies of us all. Not that I really agree with that, but I know a strong mare like you would have something to argue that we are, no doubt.”

“Are.. you are calling me fat?” Cherry let out with a huff and pout across her face.

Shaking my head, I leaned forwards and gave her a small, soft kiss upon her cherry flavoured lips. It was still astounding that she actually tasted like her namesake, prompting me to go for another in which she returned the gesture and began to hold me in an embrace as she did.
It was a little surprising the way she held onto me as she kissed, but it made it feel more intense for me and so I wasn’t going to stop it.
She just blushed and looked away after it ended, a smile from ear to ear showing her gratitude.

“If I wanted to call you fat, I would’ve said that I couldn’t carry you while flying. No, what I am doing is calling you physically strong enough to show me whose boss. Ain’t no shame in it because plenty of ponies are stronger than me, that doesn’t matter though. Thing is, how many of them have wings? I’ve got my perks.”

“Mhm. Like being a sweet talker who goes around stealing the heart of any mare he wants to?”

I had to chuckle at that, causing her to giggle in kind. She had a point, I did take and break too many hearts, but she was wrong about one thing, I never tried to.
Shaking my head I motioned to my back once more. “Come on then, hop on. We’ll head for Gummy. If you’d like to, we could take a quick stop around the lakes as well, if you’d like.”

Cherry quickly mounted me once more before leaning into my ear. “The lakes? Ooooh, they’re supposed to be beautiful this time of year. Though aren’t you supposed to be going to Gummy, Opal and then Angel? You think you’re going to have enough time in one day for all of those?”

“Probably not,” I chuckled, breaking my speech. “but I don’t see how I’m going to be able to fly the whole journey in a single day anyway. If I wasn’t carrying you around I could possibly do it, but it’d still be a lot of work and I’d rather rest for a while than be flat out flying everywhere non stop. Besides, like you say, the lakes look just like you do on a day like today and I’m thinking I could maybe make the weather suit us just right.”

Cherry gave no response to that, not a verbal one at least. Instead I felt the press of her cheek against my neck and could tell she was blushing from the extreme heat coming from her touch. Letting out another smile, I knew I’d done well.

Flying along the Rolling Hills was an utterly serene experience with Cherry upon my back. I had always enjoyed the scenery in the area, from both on the ground and up in the sky; but the sounds of a truly bewondered mare who would have never seen the view from this perspective really made it something else.
The way she seemed absolutely in awe by the way the lakes shimmered from such a height really felt moving. I was giving the chance to show another pony the world I saw on a regular basis and it felt almost like an important moment, somehow.

“Crimson! Crimson! Take me down to the lakes, please!” Cherry begged, holding on tighter than before.

Nodding my head in agreement, I instinctively began to dive towards the ground, looking to pull off a manoeuvre to impress the stunning mare.
Before I could think about the risk of it all, I felt the weight on my back come loose and suddenly drop away, a flash of red and pink flying past my eyes.

With a scream, Cherry cried out my name before shrieking in terror at her sudden descent. “Crimson! Help!”

Pausing for a moment, my mind failed to process what had just happened as it all happened so fast. Before I could consciously react however, my body had already begun a full dive to save her. My wings pulled back to take up the smallest and fastest shape as I sped after the quickly falling mare, trying to reach her before she hit the ground.

Adrenaline flushed through my system and tense seconds passed as if they were minutes while Cherry fell further and further, speeding up as she did. A part of me in the back of my mind questioned what the hell I had just done and doubted my ability to save her, but I knew I had to push that aside.
My talent was flight! There was no way I could let her die and have it be my fault! I couldn’t let it happen!

Pushing harder and harder against the force of the air below me I could feel the resistance getting thicker as she tumbled down ever closer to the ground, mere seconds before she would hit.
Looking into her widened eyes as I reached her, I could see she had given up hope but not her fear.
Grasping her in my hooves I managed to pull up and save her from crashing into the ground, coming just short of landing as the grass moved as if a tornado had made it’s way through.

Slowing myself down as quickly as I could, I gently lowered Cherry down to the ground before letting out a heavy sigh of relief and breath of exhaustion.
My muscles ached from the sudden exertion, though the fact Cherry hadn’t died because of my stupidity more than made up for it.

Looking at the quietly sobbing mare as she shook in fright I tenderly put my hoof on her shoulder as I began to utter my apologies. “Cherry, I-”
As quickly as I started the sentence I found myself doubled over in pain as hit me in the stomach and threw me down to the ground, pressing a hoof to my throat.

“What the fuck were you thinking? Were you trying to get me killed?!”

I wanted to respond, I wanted to tell her that I was sorry and I hadn’t meant to do it; that I hadn’t thought about my actions and hadn’t considered the fact I wasn’t flying solo.
Instead, I found I couldn’t say a word even as she eased off from my neck. The pain was simply too much to fight through the sudden exhaustion.

She stared down at me, her eyes filled with anger. “Well?!”

Breathing heavily, a tear ran down my cheek as I shook my head slowly. “I...” I began coughing, finding it hard to control myself before finally being able to splutter out a word again. “Sorry.”

Cherry glared down at me before releasing her own tears and simply fell onto me, wrapping her hooves around my neck in a much more forgiving manner than they had previously been.

Taking in a few more deep breaths as the mare laid upon my chest, I finally managed to speak normally again as my body recovered. “I’m sorry Cherry, I really don’t know what I was thinking. I’m not used to flying with somepony on my back, not like this. I’ve had ponies on my back when I’m just going around the Stable but-”

At that moment there, she pressed her hoof against my lips and I took it as a sign to just be quiet. She seemed pleased by my compliance and rested her head next to mine, letting out a deep sigh along with one last sniffle.

“Crimson, you almost killed me. I don’t know what you were trying to do or what you were thinking and I don’t expect some rationalisation or answer to that. By doing what you would normally, you almost killed me.” At this point she took a pause, almost prompting me to apologise yet again. Just before I opened my mouth to speak however, she continued. “And then you saved me. Without hesitation, without consideration for your own safety, you did what you could to save me; and succeeded. Normally I would say that you owe me for the fact you put me in such danger in the first place... but then you saved me and you don’t even seem mad that I just cracked you in the stomach and threw you to the ground. Can... can you forgive me?”

Letting out a long sigh of my own, I wrapped my hooves around her and held her tight before leaning close and whispering in her ear. “You don’t need to ask anything. Will you forgive me instead?”

At that moment, she turned and looked at me before pressing her lips against mine in one long, slow kiss. “I do.”

“Cherry?” I finally muttered after a few minutes of simply laying where we were.

“Yeah?” She asked in return, her voice a little happier and a lot calmer now. The strain and worry of what had happened not long ago finally wearing off. Looking at her eyes, they no longer tensed and had wrinkles or worry in her face. She simply looked beautiful now.

“Wanna head over to the lake itself? There’s a few trees we can go sit over by and rest our hooves in the water, if you’d like.”

The look Cherry gave me as I said those words, the way she pouted and pushed her bottom lip out at me as she spoke was pure evil. “Do... do you think you could carry me there? And no flying above head height this time. I don’t want to be at any height where I’d be hurt if I fell off. Not again.”

Rolling my eyes, I couldn’t do anything but give in. She was just too cute and there was no way to deny a face like hers when she smiled the way she did.

“Sure, climb on. I’ll make sure I don’t go any higher than skimming the ground, okay?”

With that, Cherry looked away shyly. “Well, you could maybe...”

Raising an eyebrow at her, I interrupted her mid sentence. “Go a little higher?”

Without bothering to respond, she began sliding her hips over my back and settling herself in for the ride. She was a strange mare, a strange mare indeed. Had to love that about her though, that was for sure.

Reaching the lake hadn’t taken much effort, and now we were here it felt good to just relax at the edge of the water and rest our hooves in the tip of it all.
Cherry laid her head upon my chest and looked up to the sky, sighing as she had.

“You know, I can only imagine how beautiful it could be here if there wasn’t all those clouds all the time. It’s a shame to imagine that there’s something beyond those that I’ll never get to experience. I’ve seen the pictures in books and posters when I’ve been out of Four Ridges and way back in my school days, but of course the wasteland can’t give such a pleasure to us.”

Smirking as I looked at her, I let out a small cough before talking. “Well, uh... do you mind for a sec?”

“Do I mind what?” She asked in confusion.

“Moving your head off my chest so I can move.” I replied plainly.

At first she just looked at me with disgruntlement but after a few seconds of huffing and puffing, she gave in and allowed me to get up. Stretching my wings, I knew I had my work cut out for me but I also had a special little feeling in my wings and looking up at the clouds... it seemed right. I could do this, I told myself.

Jumping up in the air and beginning to take flight, Cherry let out a small whine but I ignored it. I had to have my head in the game if i was going to pull it off, and I didn’t want to mess up and make myself look like a fool.
Spinning around as I gained height, I looked at my target; the cloud layer. I knew that they wouldn’t be gone for long even if I pulled it off, but perhaps even a few seconds would be something worthwhile for her.

The beating of my wings grew heavy as I reached my target, but the way the clouds felt... yeah, they were ripe. Throwing my back legs out, the first one puffed into thin air and the cover thinned out ever so slightly. Almost immediately the clouds around it began to pour into the break, but spinning around the outsides began to clear what was forming and then some.
It was hard work fighting against the current, but flying faster and faster I could see the effort of my work thinning out and even breaking through the cloud cover entirely.

Looking up, the sun bore down on me, almost blindingly bright as I looked into its beauty. My job was almost complete, but I had to make the hole bigger.
Pressing my wings harder and kicking every cloud I could reach, the sky suddenly tore open in a torrent of power as I used my wings to fan away the remaining clouds for the small area that I had managed to affect.
I’d done it. I’d broken the cloud cover and the sun poured through down to where Cherry sat, making the water below glisten in all its glory.

Floating down back to the ground effortlessly, I could see the look of utter amazement on Cherry’s face. It hadn’t been much of a difference, but I gave her the sun.
Nosediving down towards her, I quickly came close to her before sliding effortlessly into the water and began to swim under the surface instead of landing on the ground.
Swimming back up to look at her, I playfully splashed her with my wing.

With a smile, I spoke to her. “There you a-AHHH!”
Suddenly I felt myself fall back down into the water and her face was less than an inch from my own, her smile across her whole face as she pulled me back onto dry land and slid her tongue alongside mine as I gasped for air.

“Crimson...” She whispered, an overwhelmed look in her eyes as she uttered my name. “I... I can’t believe you.”

Drawing my breath, I shrugged as I spoke. “What? I thought you’d appreciate it, I guess-”

“I do!” She shouted at me before nuzzling into my neck. “I can’t believe you’d just go and do that for me! The sun! The sun, as in, the real sun! I never thought I’d ever have a chance at really seeing the sun! I mean, sure we get what comes through the cloud layer... but.. Oh Celestia it’s so beautiful!”

“Just like you are.” I responded, to which she looked away with a furious blush.

Taking the chance, I pressed my hoof softly to her cheek to swing her gaze back to me before leaning in close and returning the kiss she had given me only moments before. Seconds passed feeling like minutes as we stayed locked in the embrace of intimacy, our tongues swirling around each other locked in a dance of passion.

The heat of the moment was tantalising and my body knew what we both wanted to happen. Breaking the kiss and opening my eyes to look into hers, I began to breathe heavily onto her neck purposefully in an attempt to tease her.

“Cherry” I muttered as I planted small kisses down towards her shoulder, making her moan softly in the most alluring of ways. “I want you...”

For a moment she bit her lip and looked at me with nothing but desire, but as soon as the moment had come it was seemingly gone as she looked over me and out into the distance, her smile slowly dissolving from passion to content. “Well, looks like you’ll have to wait a little longer. We’ve got company, two of them children.”

Turning around to see what she was on about, I saw them too. A group of ponies who had made their way over from the other side of the area had come over towards us, all staring up at the skies as the clouds slowly began to patch together once more, bleeding the last of the fresh sun away from us yet again.
With a little sigh, I leaned down towards Cherry and began to whisper into her ear with a playful tone. “Me, you, tonight. We’ll make up for this, if you’re still up for it.”

“Sounds like a plan to me!” She quickly replied followed by a light giggle. The smile on her face brightening my heart such as I had just done to the skies.
Something about this mare made me smile more than any other had managed before and I loved every second around her for it.

Letting go of that previous idea, the water suddenly began to look all the more tempting to dive into. Looking into the lake, the temptation was growing by the second. Slowly getting up, I stretched my legs and wings before yawning casually. Cherry peeked her head up at me as I stood on two legs and began to wrap my forehooves around her.

“What are you doing Crimson?” She asked with a sweet, curious voice.

With a grin, I knew what I had to do. Lifting her up slowly, I looked down on the now ever so slightly worried Cherry Sundae.

“W-what are you doing Crimson?” She muttered as I lifted her up higher off the ground, my evil smile betraying my intentions as she looked back down. “You better not drop me again. I swear to Celestia, if you drop me... please don’t drop me.”

“Drop you?” I asked inquisitively, trying my best to seem innocent. “Cherry my dear! I would never consider such a thing...”

“Liar.”

Pouting upon the sudden accusation, I let out a huff before giving her a kiss on the nose. “I promise I won’t drop you. As for dunking you however?”
Before she could react, I swooped down into the water, pulling us both under the clear blue body. For a second she seemed shocked as bubbles of air rushed from her mouth, but quickly natural reflexes took over and she loosened her grip of me and swam to the surface while I continued to stay submerged, gently tugging at her legs playfully before surfacing for air myself.

Looking at the soaked wet mare in front of me, I smiled as she scowled. “Crimson.”

Doing my best to give a smile only a small colt could actually pull off as I looked at her without a care, I nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah?”

“You are in so much trouble, Crimson!”

Cheekily I laughed, unable to control myself as I tried to speak. “No I’m not.”

“Yes you are!” Cherry quickly responded.

With a wink and a large smile, I teased her. “You’ll have you catch me first.”
Without a moments notice, I dived again, quickly using my natural advantage of wings to help push me through the water and make tiny little nips at the frustrated mare’s hooves as she tried to catch up with me.
Dashing around under the water, spontaneously coming up for air as I needed it, Cherry’s annoyance quickly became excitement as she realised we were playing a game of predator and prey.

“I’m so going to get you Crimson!” Cherry called out with glee, finally getting into the spirit of things.

“Oh?” I announced, dipping in and out of the water as I looked at her. “Think you can catch me then, do you? Go ahead, try your best.”

Ducking out of the way of her immediate attempt to grab me, I began to realise she wasn’t slow in the water. She wasn’t slow on land either, but I hadn’t expected her to be as agile as she was. Swiftly my wings swept through the water, giving me the extra push needed to evade her attempts at grabbing me.
Feeling the air in my lungs quickly run scarce however, I found myself with no option but to go up, gasping for air as I breached the water line.

Looking around as I tried to regain my breath, I noticed all the ponies had begun waving towards me and one of the children pointed with a smile as I floated on the surface. Letting out a smile of my own in return, I waved back at them and forgot all about the danger that lurked below... until she grabbed me and pulled me under, wrapping her hooves around my stomach and cuddling into me as we rose up to break the waterline once more.

Almost instantly an audible ‘awww’ came from the ponies around us as Cherry nuzzled into my neck, holding tight.
Brushing my hoof through her wet mane, I gave her a small kiss on the forehead as I pulled her to my chest and began floating on my back with the added stability of my outspread wings.
“Wanna go back to the shore and spend a little longer cuddling, relaxing and talking?” I whispered with a warm tone.

Cherry pulled her face away before looking at me with those beautiful rose coloured eyes, gently nodding. before going back to her embrace. “Yeah... sounds perfect.”

What felt like an eternity of bliss was spent laying in the hooves of Cherry Sundae, my hooves gently wrapped around her shoulders and down her chest where she held them tightly. Being with the beautiful mare like this brought back so many memories, bringing a smile to my face as I reminisced.

“What’s got you all perky?” Cherry cheerily asked, surprising me as I hadn’t expected her to notice, at least not so quickly.

“Oh... nothing really. Just memories is all.”

“Memories? Of what?”

Rolling my eyes with a smile, I took a gentle breath and began to explain to the tender, attentive mare. “Years ago back in the days of my father being alive, he’d take me and my mother here when we had the free time to really spend a day doing not a great deal.
He loved these lakes, he always had. Said that despite all the different places he’d been in all his time as both an Enclave soldier and then as a travelling merchant guard, that my mother was the most beautiful thing he had ever set his eyes on and that the lakes were the only thing that could come close.”

With a little pout, Cherry looked up with the sweetest, most adorable eyes that begged me to give her the answer she wanted to hear. “I... I know that you’ve only known me for a day... but...”

With her stammering I immediately pre-empted her question by leaning in close and sliding my lips to hers, her eyelids quickly fluttering closed after a moment of shock as she began to appreciate the gesture. For the longest moment our tongues touched and gently curved around one another before breaking off from the kiss.

As she looked into my eyes, I gazed back and gave a small, slow nod in return. “You aren’t just as beautiful as these lakes Cherry, you’re more beautiful. I have never seen a mare quite as stunning as you in my life and I don’t know how I’ve never seen you before. You put the lakes to shame, even with how much I adore everything about them, there’s just no way to deny beauty like yours.”

In response, Cherry nuzzled herself deeper into my neck. Her gentle breathing tickling the short hairs of my coat as she lay there, serenely enjoying the moment.
A peaceful, happy feeling began to overwhelm all my senses, eradicating all of my thoughts and worries about the present and sending me back into the past.

“Back when I was a child,” I slowly began to murmur, softly stroking Cherry’s mane as I did. “we would come out here when the days were nice. We’d occasionally get shipments of special foods from the Society, over in Hoofington. Things like oranges and if we were really lucky, assorted berries and cherries too.”

With that, Cherry Sundae let out a small giggle, interrupting the flow. “Oh, you so didn’t just mention cherries just because of me.”

“I mean it.” I muttered back, a grin on my face. “We did.”

“I know.” She whispered back. “I was named after the recipe that my mother used to woo my father.”

I giggled at that, in the nicest of ways though. “Yeah, us guys and our stomach’s. My father would always make me the happiest colt around by letting me have an orange or two. Sometimes he’d have mum slice them up with her magic before putting them in his mouth and playing around with them like they were his lips. I could never get enough of how silly he looked.”

“Yeah, bringing you breakfast in bed seemed to work a charm.” Cherry softly announced with a giggle.

“What can I say? I like to be taken care of, it’s the way I am.” Letting out a content sigh and a smile, I continued to mutter quietly to myself as I enjoyed the view. “Just the way I am.”
Looking out to the horizon in the direction of Gummy, I let out yet another sigh, this time in inefficacy as I thought about the task at hoof that still needed doing.
“Come on Cherry, we ought to go now. I’d love to stick around here all day and just relax, but we really should be heading off towards the next town. What’dya say?”

Slowly rolling off of me and stretching out her shoulders as she laid on her back, Cherry gave me a small smile. “Okay, you’re right. Thank you for this Crimson.”

“Thank you? What for?” I asked in curiosity, failing to understand. “I haven’t really done anything.”

“You haven’t done anything, huh? So showing me the sunshine, giving me a nice chance to relax while doing my job and giving me a chance to enjoy myself isn’t something worth thanking you for now?”

Shaking my head slowly, I answered without thinking. “Well, no. Not really. Once I’ve done something other than have some mutually enjoyed affection, then you can go ahead and thank me.”

“Well Crimson, I enjoyed it here. So thank you regardless.”

I just smiled and prepared for the journey ahead. Gummy wasn’t a far way to go now.

*** *** ***

“Crimson?” Cherry casually began to ask as she leant down closer to my ears, ensuring I could hear her properly through the sound of the wind blasting past us.

“Yeah?” I responded nonchalantly as I continued to focus on the flight.

“Have you heard anything from Gummy about these markings on the walls? Something about them has always looked strangely familiar to me though I could never figure out why. Nopony seems to be able to really place their hoof on what they might be but I heard that Gummy’s research teams took interest in them recently because they didn’t have a lot else going on. Did you ever hear anything about that?”

“A little.” Casually nodding my head, I thought about what I had been told. “I mean, last time I knew they hadn’t quite figured out what they were meant to be as of yet, though they’re definitely pre-war. They also resonate some ambient energy, thought to be solar powered, though given the fact that there’s such heavy cloud cover these days, it’s a little hard to be certain if that’s the case or if the equipment they’ve got is simply old and malfunctioning. I’ve actually been asked to help them out at some point with it, but hadn’t gotten around to it yet.”

“Any reason why?” I heard her ask in a curious voice.

“Bureaucracy reasons, mostly. I have a job to do in the Stable that takes up a fair amount of my time, usually. When I’m not doing paperwork and dealing relations issues, I’m probably in private lessons with my mother or tutor dealing with leadership. When I’m not busy with those I’ll either be doing my regular rainfall job for Angel or relaxing somewhere, perhaps having a flying session if the weather isn’t too brisk.”

Taking a moment to pause, I then continued. “Then there’s the fact I was always warned by my dad not to break cloud cover too much or too often. We’re not below any cloud cities over here, but there’s still a risk of upsetting a farmer or an Enclave patrol if I mess around with their clouds... or so he said, anyway. Never came across any other pegasai but he was adamant that I should be careful about doing it. While he was mostly laid back about things, he always had a lot of worry in his voice and eyes when it came to that issue, so I always took him seriously and still do.”

“So, breaking the cloud cover for me earlier...”

“Was something I won’t do again today or even tomorrow.” I quickly interjected. “It’s something I’ll do when the clouds seem right, when the circumstance behind it doesn’t put me or anypony else in harms way. As much as we’d all love the sun to be out all the time, my dad was always apologising as he said the world above wasn’t ready for it yet.”

“Okay.” Cherry said in a flat, downtrodden tone. It made me feel bad to deny her the right to see the sun on a daily basis like the Enclave ponies knew but I had no choice in the matter. I was only a single pegasus and no matter who I was, that wouldn’t be enough to stop some big angry group of pegasai if I kept messing with their clouds too much too often.

Regardless of how the conversation made me feel however, the sight of Gummy quickly perked me back up as we reached closer to the township. In the distance we could see the silhouettes of the surprisingly tall post-war constructed buildings.
I was always left in awe of how they had managed to gather the materials required to successfully build such structures, but the fact they were patchwork pieces put together in any way at all, built entirely for purpose and practical use rather than aesthetics told everything that could be said about them. These were homes and labs used by ponies just as eccentric as their designs.

As we came to the border of the town, I began to recognise some of the ponies walking around. With smiles on their faces they waved to me and greeted me a good morning, happy to see me on such a fine day.
Could I really blame them? Of course not! I was always doing what I could to keep them occupied with tasks they’d enjoy while not demanding results in some unrealistic time span. I really enjoyed the friendly relationship I held with the ponies of Gummy. They were nice.

With Cherry by my side, we casually strolled on through into the town. Now the majority of the ponies were walking around while carrying important looking papers and some even with their experiments, but they all smiled when they saw me even if they hadn’t been so quick to show pleasantries such as bowing as the others had. That didn’t bother me, I didn’t need everypony to treat me like I was the second coming of Celestia or some sort.
Overmare’s son or not, I was still just a pony at the end of the day. Just a pony like any of them.

Sneaking up behind one of the ponies I recognised the most, I went ahead and gently blew on the back of Subtle Solutions’ ear to grab her attention, a firm grin on my face as Cherry sulked at my playful greeting.

“Who the hell...” The turquoise coloured mare began to mutter before turning around and seeing me before jumping back in surprise and then wrapping her hooves around my neck instinctively. “Oh! Crimson! It’s you! I’ve not seen you in so long it seems.”

We both laughed at that moment, equally large smiles on our faces. Letting out a small chuckle I nodded as the embrace ended. “Yeah, it has felt like it, hasn’t it? How are you? Keeping busy?”

“Well duh, of course I am. I’m part of the team actively working on researching the turrets.” She replied with a small, professional looking smile.

“Say what now?” I immediately blurted out.

Cherry looked at Subtle, then myself and then back to Subtle. A twinkle in her eye and the curling of her lips into a smile was something I hadn’t expected. “Did... you just say turrets? As in, automated turrets?”

“Yes.” Subtle quickly reaffirmed with a polite nod. “Myself, Head Researcher Lavender Lakes and Mayor Blossom are actually just about to meet up and discuss recent events involving them. Would you like to come along with me to the meeting? I’m sure neither of the other two would have any objections to you being present and I have no qualms myself.”

“If he goes to your meeting, I’m coming too.” Cherry quickly blurted, a small trace of defensiveness in the way she spoke. Looking at her with curiosity and inability to understand why she felt she needed to act like she was, Cherry instead gave me a pair of begging eyes in return.

Letting out a small sigh with a shake of my head, I had to find the humour in it. Mares were so finicky at times. “Of course you can. I haven’t brought you this far to simply abandon you so I can hear about this, even with as important as it could be for all I know. I’m sure the Mayor will have no issues with it and besides, I have the authority to allow you access to almost anything should I see fit.”

With a gracious nod, Subtle Solutions pointed toward which building the meeting was in. “Come on then you two, it’s in the main research building, top floor. Mayors office, of course. Not that I’d really need to tell you where that is, Crimson.”

Walking through the doors of the main office, it was a surprisingly calm setting, a complete polar opposite of the hustle and bustle of the exterior. A single unicorn buck sat at a desk, smiling at us as we walked on by.

“Need any directions, Crimson?” He asked as we passed him, causing me to pause and apologise for not going through formalities. Shaking my head, Subtle Solutions quickly informed him that we were with her and knew where we were headed.
Making our way through a stairwell and up two flights, we reached the top floor.
As we made our way down the hallway, I took a moment to look at all the notes on the walls about the projects they were working on and how each team was doing. It was reassuring to see such organised reports, even if it was left in organised chaos at the end of it.

Knocking on the door to the office of the Mayor, a peachy response came from the other side. “Come on in!” Mayor Blossom happily called out to us.
Opening up the door, the blonde maned white pony stood there with absolute joy upon seeing me on the other side. Within a split second, she had gone from sitting down to having her hooves wrapped tightly around my neck and her muzzle pressed against my own.
Her bouncy blonde hair brushed against my shoulder and tickled me with the curls as she held on tight, making me giggle from the sensation.

Wrapping my hooves around her in return, I warmly began to speak to my old friend. “Missed me much?”

“Of course!” She announced as she pulled away, though the smile on her face remained. “It feels like the last time I saw you was when you were just a colt who needed foalsitting. Gosh, how the time flies by.”

Raising an eyebrow at her, my smile grew wider. “Well it was only what, two, maybe three months ago I last came here? It wasn’t that long, really.”

“Two or three months is a long time to not see your auntie Blossom, Crimson. I always do love it when you come to visit.”

“I’m sorry, I’ll try visit you more. I’m just always stumped down with bureaucratic work and when I’m not, it’s things like making it rain over Angel and when I’m not busy with tha-”

With a press of her hoof to my lips, I took note to just finish the sentence there as she nodded towards me. “I understand, Crimson. Things are much the same here, what with the constant projects we try to keep ourselves busy with. Speaking of which...” With that, Mayor Blossom looked toward Cherry and smiled. “I suppose you’re here to hear about the turrets along the walls? Well, find a seat and make yourself comfortable.”

Without hesitation, Cherry walked over to the closest two seater before giving me eyes that could have put a rope around my neck and pulled me on closer. Not a second passed before I made my way over to where she sat, quickly scuttling up next to her and sliding my wing around us as she leant into me.
Looking at her with a smile, it felt natural to have her pressed against me like this but I still couldn’t figure out why. I wasn’t used to this feeling, a feeling of something different, but I liked it.

“So,” Mayor Blossom began, a much more serious tone of voice taking place of her previously chirpy one despite the fact her smile remained just as large as before. “we’ve made some serious advancements in our research of the mysterious markings along the walls. As you would have guessed by now, we’ve found out they are turrets.”

Mayor Blossom looked at both myself and Cherry for a moment before nodding her head and continuing, seemingly having paused to let it sink in. “We found out that they were turrets on a strangely weak day on the clouds recently. More sunlight than is usual managed to break through the cloud barrier and this must have activated some solar panels we were not aware of because all of a sudden, there was a mechanical sound arising from below one of my researchers. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t think to move away from the location and his stallionhood took a hit.”

His stallionhood took a hit from a rising turret?I cringed at the thought, that really didn’t sound pretty. “Is he okay?” I quickly began to ask in concern,

Subtle Solutions nodded towards me as she began to respond. “He’s fine. There were some profanities at the time, but thankfully no serious damage was done. In effect, the damage was only superficial at best with some short term pain but no lasting effects. Likewise, the turret was left undamaged from the incident and from what we can gather, it’s actually functional still. We’ve not seen it in action per ce, but it does turn around as if searching the perimeter.”

“Any idea where the source for its instructions come from?” Cherry quickly asked, a mixture of joy and worry in her voice. “Every turret operated automatically has a terminal based system somewhere, after all. Finding out which system controls it could be crucial to our survival. If it were to be operated by the wrong hooves...”

“Not yet,” The Mayor retorted with a hint of worry in her voice. “though our best guesses would place such a terminal either within the Stable or at one of the security checkpoints in Tank.”

Cherry put her hoof up to her chin in contemplation and began to let out a little ‘hmm’ as she considered what had just been said. “With my experience with turrets, they can be a very powerful friend or foe. Usually their command terminals have been placed as far back within any given area to reduce the risk of an intruder sneaking in and turning the targeting systems from friendly to hostile towards the occupants. However, there has been times when poor planning has put the controls near the entrance to the facility, meaning what was just mentioned can happen with ease. It’s an obvious security risk though at the same time it also means you could activate the turrets as soon as you see a threat coming. A trade off, speed in activation for risk of it being turned upon you.”

Looking in awe, I began to mouth the words ‘how do you?’

“My personal assessment of the security systems would thus be that although having the command systems within the Stable would be the most secure, that the Stable would also have its own, individual security systems that while quite possibly tied in with the primary defence network, would be able to work independently from those in such an event.” Cherry continued, a small whisper of a smile on her face. “Given the other security measures of the great wall being in place and the checkpoint over at Tank, the natural environmental formations of Four Ridges and how there’s only one way to enter by land without either some heavy fire-power breaking down a part of the wall prior to an invasion or other such means, allowing somepony to activate security measures while in said checkpoint without having to go all the way to the Stable to activate them, would be a smart move. Four Ridges is practically impenetrable to land forces if a properly armed and organised force is defending. Our only weakness is the lack of specialised air defence which would have made dragon attacks devastating but anything short of that and the air corps would have had it handled... back before the war came to an end, that is.”

With a triumphant smile, Cherry took a moment to catch her breath, looking proud of herself as the Mayor and Subtle Solutions nodded their heads in agreement.

“Sounds like that could and might very well would be the case to me, wouldn’t you agree Miss Solutions?” Mayor Blossom said with a smile.

Subtle Solutions simply agreed with elegance. “Quite.”

Meanwhile, I was left shocked, jaw hanging as I continued to stare at Cherry. I hadn’t expected her to come out with all that! How did she have the experience to know these things? I didn’t question her answer since it all made perfect sense and seemed quite reasonable, likely even, but it had really caught me off my hooves!

“Well, that concludes the meeting pretty much.” The Mayor stated. “We don’t know much more about the turrets, but we theorise that every marking like the one we saw rise into a turret... is another turret, obviously. We’re assuming that they’re solar powered given that it rose on a uniquely bright day for us when the clouds were thinner than usual and now thanks to this young mare...” Mayor Blossom paused for a moment, indicating over to my accomplice.

“Cherry, Mayor Blossom. Cherry Sundae.” She stated happily.

“Thanks to you, Cherry Sundae, we now have a theory on the control systems. We’re happy to accept such thoughts from an obviously experienced source on the matter, so unless proven otherwise, we will happily accept them and list you as an honorary researcher on the project. Thank you.”

With that, Cherry let out a small squeal of delight and shyness in some combined, overly cute display. I couldn’t help but giggle at how adorable it was as Subtle Solutions began to leave the room and the Mayor waved her out. Both of them were seemingly impressed with her knowledge, I knew I was.

“Oh, and by the way.” Mayor Blossom began to say as she turned back towards us before giving a wink. “You two make a cute couple.”

Cherry lost it right there. All of her cool, all of her composure, she lost it all.
Immediately she began to stutter and blush, looking at Blossom and then myself.
Before my very eyes however, she suddenly disappeared in a gentle wave of pink.

Falling off the chair in shock and horror, I began to stutter myself. “W-where did she just go? What just happened to Cherry?” My breathing became quick paced and light, my legs trembling in fright. She was there one minute and go-
Suddenly a calming sensation of a hoof pressed against my cheek overwhelmed my outburst of fear and a split second later, a pair of lips reached mine. Closing my eyes, I didn’t know what was happening but the way it reminded me of Cherry soothed me instantly.

“It’s okay, I’m right here.” She whispered into my ear softly. “I’m still here.”

Blossom looked utterly astounded, but seemed to handle it a lot better than I had. Taking a moment to think, she quietly pieced it together in her head and spoke to me. “Damn unicorns. She’s using magic, Crimson. If you look carefully, you can see a little shimmer in the air. If I’m not mistaken... she’s using an invisibility spell, but there was only one pony who ever learnt how to go fully invisible in the records and her breakthrough is what led to the creation of stealthbucks. Can’t say I understand how she’s doing this being a earth pony myself, of course.”

As I opened my eyes, Cherry’s face slowly began to reappear above mine, an invisible wall flickering away as she revealed herself. Her cheeks still bore the blushing she wore moments ago but her smile was a caring one now as she planted another kiss upon my lips.
Without thought, I threw my hooves around her and pulled her close to me, not wanting to let go.

“Don’t scare me like that again, please. You have no idea how scary it is to have a pony simply disappear from next to you with no explanation. I didn’t know what to think, what to say, what to do! I-”

Again, I found myself interrupted with a kiss and I let the moment flow through me, melting away all the worry and fright of what I’d just experienced. I suppose this would be a good way of repaying me for the near heart attack.

“Like I said,” Blossom announced. “cute couple. Now, there’s got to be some other reason you’re here, right? I highly doubt you came here simply on the off chance you could come to a meeting that you hadn’t even known about and with your job, I’m going to guess that something serious is happening.”

Looking at Mayor Blossom with respect that just couldn’t end, I gave her a small nod as I began to inform her of the situation we were now in. “Unfortunately so, and worse, it’s something very serious.”

Returning the glance with a now worried expression, Mayor Blossom let out a small whinny of apprehension of what I was about to say. “So, what is it? It’s either something to do with your mother or the Stable, otherwise there would no doubt have been some other method of communication. Your mother knows we love to use our communication technology whenever we have the chance, but I know she likes to keep serious matters kept personal.”

“You’re right,” I agreed. “it’s about the Stable.”

Piecing what little information she had together in her head, Blossom’s eyes shot from corner to corner as she hummed to herself in thought over the situation. “Something to do with the Stable? You need mechanics then, mechanical engineers? What could have gone wrong? Especially something important. Well, it couldn’t be to do with the door, otherwise you wouldn’t have been able to get out in the first place, but it has to be something serious because you have somepony from Tank with you and I know you’re not the type to simply take bodyguards for no reason.”

Gingerly putting my hoof forward, I touched her shoulder and broke her chain of thought so I could interrupt with the answer. When she turned to look at me with those big, blue eyes, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. “The water talisman is fractured. We’re unsure of how long it’s going to last before it utterly breaks. Melony Love is doing her best to run tests on it as we speak and trying to figure out how long we have left before it becomes completely dysfunctional. After that, it’s only what remaining reserves we have left before the region begins to die of dehydration.”

Mayor Blossom’s jaw dropped in shock, her eyes widening as she took it all in, leaving me to continue. “I personally would like you to set aside a team to work on a water collector for the town. I haven’t spoken to my mother about that, but I don’t doubt that even for a second she would think that it’s a bad idea for you to build up reserves with what you can. Maybe you can collect the moisture in the air or something, that’s all clouds are, right? Moisture in the air? Thus, I don’t put it past you and your teams to be able to figure out a way to get some use out of the idea. As well as this, we need two other things from you.”

At this point, I gave pause, allowing her to collect herself. “And they would be?” She asked moments later, her composure quickly restoring itself.

“Well, we’re organising caravans to leave Four Ridges, go out into the wastes and try to find any and all technology to help us survive. Our main goal being to try find a new water talisman over all else, of course.”

“I see,” The Mayor replied, gently rubbing a hoof against her chin. “and what do you need Gummy ponies for in that, may I ask?”

Giving a small nod in appreciation to her protective nature over the ponies under her, I begun to explain what I had in mind. “Well most of all, Gummy’s residents know technology better than anypony else, generally. They would be able to look at old technology and have some clue as to if it has any worth at all, and how much worth it might be. Chances are that we’d all recognise a water talisman, but not everypony would recognise a pre-war machine for what it really and truly is, be whatever it may.”
Taking a moment to breathe and let the Mayor think about it, I swiftly continued. “As well as that, we may very well find that there’s a settlement who need something fixed, to which they might offer us reward of some kind. Having the technical minds of a Gummy resident with one per caravan group would grant us that.”

With little more than a moment of thought, Mayor Blossom looked to me and smiled before wrapping her forelegs around my neck and holding me tight. “Okay, you’ve got a good head on your shoulders and your plan is reasonable. I’ll speak to your mother tonight about specifics, but I’m okay with this. I’ll start heading to the Stable right now, make what I can of the day with her after official business and letting her know we’re in agreement to your plan. Stay safe, Crimson.”

Wrapping myself further in her embrace, I couldn’t help but smile whenever I was around Blossom. She was just too lovely and my memories too fond not to do so. “Yeah, stay safe yourself, Auntie Blossy.”

*** *** ***

It wasn’t long after that we had made our way out of the office and back to our journey to prepare the region for the upcoming task ahead of it. We still had to go to the very last town, Opal, and inform them of what was happening.
Opal would be essential to the effort, their traders constantly practising their skills on one another and anypony that visited from other villages and even the outside.
I spent a lot of time over in Opal, checking that things were still going smoothly and making sure contracts with outside sources were always being upheld to the best of our ability.

Our ability to trade with the world around us was part of what kept our reputation so strong. What kept us in the graces of powers like Red Eye whom ran Fillydelphia. It may have been Angel who farmed the crops for trade with the previously mentioned group and Tank who supplied some caravan guards for the trips, but it was Opal’s traders who would set up the deals and negotiate the trade on individual levels.
Of course it was my mother who had initially instigated the offer with Red Eye and oversaw the deal at every stage with myself watching and learning how it was all done, but it was still the opal traders who would eventually make that last step and collect the reward for us in the end.

I liked going to Opal for that very reason. They were good with their tongues and it always gave me something to appreciate when I could find others just like myself who could put me to the test in my own skills.

“So...” Cherry began to blurt out, gently stroking my mane mindlessly. “Opal, huh?”

“Yes, Opal.” I began to reply, uncertainty filling my voice. “Why do you ask?”

“You got any plans for what you’re going to do here? Mind if I go off for a little while to catch up with some ponies that I know of around here?”

Turning my head to look at her as I gently glided across the landscape, I gave her a confused look. “Of... course? Cherry, I’m not going to stop you from doing your own thing just because we’ve reached our destination and I’m not going to simply fly away because you aren’t by my side, either.”

“Promise?” She asked with a small squeak, her hooves holding me gently now.

“Of course, I promise. When I say that I wouldn’t do that, I mean it. Besides, I’m going to want to do some shopping while we’re here anyway, so that’ll give you some time to do whatever you’d like while I’m speaking to the Mayor and checking out the stands. Meet back up in the centre once we’re both done?”

“Okay!” She let out with a burst of happiness, a smile back on her face. ...Mares.

As we began to approach Opal, it’s radiant shine made me feel a little more confident in the world we lived in yet again, knowing such beauty could exist.
The magnificent white marble structure that stood in the centre surrounded by the clean stone pavement was something that caught the eye of any visitor as they made their way into the town, even my own.

Smaller, just as clean buildings stood around it, but none quite stood to the majesty of the town hall where Mayor Glitter Mist lived and worked.
Pristine glass reflected what light managed to break through the clouds, generating a warm glow onto the town below while merchants filled the streets with their stands, all eager to sell their wares to the days buyers.
If it wasn’t for the fact that I was son of the Overmare and had such a comfortable place within the Stable, my life would have definitely been here in Opal.

Upon noticing that there was out of town traders on the outskirts of town, I decided that flying on in probably wasn’t the best of options. Ponies who weren’t from Four Ridges, or at least familiar with me seemed to be very wary and sometimes even hostile about seeing a pegasus simply flying around like there was nothing different in the world about it.
To me, it was the truth. There was nothing different about being a pegasus and flying around as I pleased, though now I was the only remaining pegasus in the whole settlement, I could only guess what it must be like outside of it.

Settling down onto the ground, Cherry began to audibly whine. “Awh! Why are we stopping here, I thought you were going to fly us through Opal. It must look so beautiful from above.”

“It is, as beautiful as you are even.” I quickly replied, a sincere smile on my face. “But even from here I can see there’s a Tank escort down in the town, which means-”

Before I could finish my sentence, Cherry interrupted me by letting out a sigh and finishing it for me. “Which means that there’s some traders who aren’t local to town or even Four Ridges. Yeah, I remember. They came yesterday, before you arrived. I know one of the bucks put on duty to escort them. I still don’t get why that means you won’t fly me over.”

Giving a small shrug as I landed, expecting her to climb off, I answered her rhetorical question. “Because as much as I love to show off, doing so has caused some trouble in the past with visitors who either weren’t so educated or were simply prejudiced against me. Some would simply say the wings made it seem like I was trying to be better than them while others would call me a traitor for not opening up the skies... as if I’m supposed to be able to do that, single hoovedly. Because yes, one pegasus can clear all the skies in ten seconds flat, right?”

“Fine... but I’m not getting off!” Cherry insisted.

Kinking my head to look at her, I gave her a huge grin and raised my eyebrow. “Oh, aren’t you now?”

“Nope.” She immediately replied, crossing her hooves.

Nodding my head at her before rolling my eyes, I agreed. “Okay, okay. You won’t be getting off... got you. Suppose tonight will be all about me then.”

“I... hey! I never... I... I didn’t mean it that way!” Cherry profusely announced, trying her hardest not to stutter. “You... you turned my words around!”

“Well you’re the one who said you weren’t getting off.” I quickly quipped before continuing. “And if our last experience was anything to go by, I seem to be good enough for you to do just that. So I don’t know what your plans are, but I’m going to enjoy myself either way.” I cheekily suggested with a grin, knowing I had won this round.

“I... fine, I’m not getting off... of you. Better?” The rosy coloured mare declared.
Now I was laughing. Was there nothing she could say that I wouldn’t be able to twist around to my own benefit? It didn’t seem like it right now.
“What’s so funny?” She demanded as I continued to snigger to myself.

“Oh, well, you see Cherry...” I began, trying to hold back my laughter even still. “If you don’t want to get off of me, I won’t stop you. You can ride me all night long if you so please.”
It took her a few moments to think about what I had just implied, and the second that she realised a loud squeak erupted from her lips, her muzzle quickly burying itself in my mane.

Slowly as she grew confidence, I began to felt a slight tingling sensation on my inner thigh. A brushing feeling began to encroach closer to my personal region, the fuzzy feeling of magic as it encapsulated my inner thigh and began to lightly stroke teasingly, sending my thoughts wild with lust as my walking became awkward.
Cherry just giggled with glee and a sense of control as I gasped, embarrassed that this was happening out in the open while glad that nopony else was around to see.
Another part of me just wanted to throw her off and fuck her senseless right now, but I knew better.

“Why?” I asked, letting out a small groan and a grunt alongside my question. It was hard to think straight, but I needed to know.

“To tease you. To remind you that I’ve got the power to do that to you. To keep you in line and to stop you from teasing me. You can carry on walking to town now, but don’t worry, you can have some revenge later tonight.”

Beginning to move forwards, I suddenly felt an even faster sensation threatening to make me gasp in pleasure before it stopped completely. Turning my head back to her, I scowled at the devil in disguise. “You are evil, fucking evil. You know that?”

With a giggle, she nodded. “And you’ll punish me later, I was just making sure of it.”

Damn right I would.

Walking into town wouldn’t have been an issue, nopony would have paid attention to us. Hell, even flying into town with Cherry upon my back would have been much less of a spectacle, despite it all.
Instead, Cherry continued to sit and ride me into the town as I casually walked in, her back straight upright contorted into some weird posture as if trying to reach her head as high up as she could in a bid to show the world her gigantic grin.
Ponies turned their heads and gawked at the pair of us as we made our way through to the centre, where all of the really interesting stuff always went on.

“What is she doing?” One mare whispered to another in a hushed voice, seemingly trying to hide the fact she was talking about us.

“Do you see that mare simply riding the Overmares son? I would have never imagined..” I heard another pair trail off in conversation as I did my best to ignore them, continuing our path all the same despite the gossip.

Finally, a pair of fillies came dashing up to us both and the pair of them hugged one of my forehooves each, smiles on their faces. “Wow, a pega-uh... pega... pegasus! Are you letting ponies have a ride for caps? Can we have a ride, can we? Please?”

Letting out a sigh and rolling my eyes, I snuggled their heads with a wing each before letting them down. “Sorry fillies, I’ve got places to be and things to buy. Maybe next time I’m around, hey?” With that came their collective whining, but right now I had to stand my ground. I didn’t have time for playing around... until their eyes bulged and tears welled up in the corners. “Oh okay, give my lovely Cherry a moment to climb off and you can get on. Free of charge, but only this once. ”

The small cheers that erupted from them were simply adorable as Cherry climbed off and helped the pair onto my back, smiling at the sight. “You’re good with foals, huh?”

“I try to be.” I simply stated, spreading my wings before gaining just a slight bit of altitude. I wasn’t that much off of the ground, barely even a few inches, but it was enough to excite the pair on my back.

“Yay!” “Go faster, hehe!” They giggled in unison, impressed by the experience.

Quickly somepony I didn’t recognise trotted over to us, a bemused look on their face as he looked at me with a furrowed brow. “Who in Equestria do you think you are? Where are you taking my daughters?!”

Stopping in my tracks, the two ponies quickly jumped off and grabbed onto who I now knew to be the fathers forelegs as he waved them at me with upset. “Daddy no! He’s friendly!”

With an extremely angry tone, the trader buck now began to almost shout at me while talking to the fillies. “Friendly? Not in the wasteland. He’s a pegasus! If it wasn’t for all of these gua-” I wasn’t sure what he was about to do, but judging from the attitude he was taking, I didn’t think I was going to like it.

Midway through his sentence, both Cherry and a rather large buck stepped in his way, both giving intimidating looks to the now worried trader as he stepped back and gulped in fear.

In a deep, imposing voice, the stallion spoke. “You utter a single threat against the Overmares son and we will be escorting you out of Four Ridges by force. If you dare pose a threat to his life or resist our efforts to eject you from our region, well... Cherry?”

With that, Cherry nodded and finished his sentence in a very stern, dominating voice that I hadn’t heard from her before. “We don’t take kindly to threats towards Four Ridges. Anypony or anything we deem a threat will be dealt with using necessary force. The pony you just spoke to, as mentioned, is the Overmares son. Your daughters asked to ride on his back, he gave in and said yes to make them happy. Considering he doesn’t tend to let ponies ride him like that, I’d say it was a gracious act of kindness. Apologise and if he can forgive you, so will we.“

As the pair stepped aside for the trader pony, I noticed he looked a little pale now. His shaking obvious to me, the realisation of what a serious mistake he’d just made dawning on him. Slowly he began to speak with a crackling in his voice, proving how earnest his sudden fear was. “I-I-I.. I’m so-sorry.”

Putting a hoof on his shoulder, I gave a small nod of acceptance as he began to stiffen up. “I forgive you. Just be a little more patient when you’re in Four Ridges, okay? I can tell you’re from the outside now, nopony is going to hurt your children.”
Looking at him with a smile, he began to loosen up as he gave a nod in return, the mood lightening. “Besides, you wouldn’t have known any better. Fact is you know who I am now, but that rule still applies for our citizens too. We take our safety very seriously and while we welcome outsiders, we make sure to give every trading party an escort for a reason. The last thing we want is somepony sneaking in and trying to cause havoc from within... not that our guards wouldn’t crack down on that quicker than you could know, but still.”

“Y-yes, of course.” The merchant quickly spluttered, lowering his eyes in what I assumed to be shame. “I’m just worried about them, my daughters. Everywhere we go we have to be careful, young fillies are worth a lot to the wrong ponies.”

“I understand. Now try to have a good day and spend some caps while you’re here. You’re in a safe place and nopony is going to hurt you unless you antagonise us, so relax. Lastly, try not to blame just any and every pegasai you see for the clouds, those of us who live down here really can’t do anything about it and it’ll only piss us off.”

With that said I began trotting off, Cherry quickly making her way to my side, rubbing flanks as we walked.
Waiting until everypony else was out of earshot, I turned my head to Cherry and licked her ear to grab her attention, startling her in the process.

“Who-what?!” She immediately blurted, her cheeks flushing as she turned to me. “What was that for?”

“I wanted your attention.” I mentioned with a little chuckle. “What was that back there, with you and that buck? You two know each other, don’t you?”

With a dismissive nod, she casually answered my question. “Yeah, we’re in the same group together. I don’t just mean being part of the Tank Mercenary Group, but we’re in the same squad. He was allocated to escort duty for that trader.”

For a moment there was a wrinkle around her eye as she smiled at me, making me question just how honest she was being. It was obvious that she knew him and I didn’t doubt that they were part of the same squad, but something just didn’t quite seem right. Nevertheless, I let it go. It was probably just me thinking about the silly things too much as I prepared myself to barter with the merchants, anyway.

With a small release of held breath, Cherry reignited my suspicion for a moment before she kissed my cheek and make me forget about it yet again. “I’m going to go head off, speak to a couple of ponies I know around here, okay? How long do you think you’ll take, or when do you want to meet back up?”

“You want an hour to have some time with whoever it is?” I suggested, nothing too much on my mind as I did.

“An hour should be fine. Plenty of time, even. See you in an hour then, Wingsy.”

Wingsy... I liked that, It was a cute name.

Trotting around the merchant stands, most of them hadn’t anything too special in stock. Plenty of them had food from Angel, some even having exotic pieces from the likes of the Society over in Hoofington, but food wasn’t something of an issue for me right now.
What I really needed was a small gift for Mayor Glitter Mist, and if I could find anything, perhaps even a small something for Cherry Sundae.

It was beyond me why I acted and felt so differently around her compared to all the other mares I’d been with before. Of course there was the lust of it all, she’s just so beautiful and I wanted her body badly. But then there was something about her that just made me relax yet worried at the same time, I felt nervous on the inside but acted confident on the outside. She was something different, and now I had to find something to give her to hopefully keep her around.

Browsing through the stands, I finally found one that had some kind of relevance to what I was after, for myself anyway. There wasn’t anything that I could really use as a gift, but I did spy a few very nice holsters for the pistol I had acquired not long ago.
Picking one up in my hooves and feeling its weight, it definitely felt natural to the touch.

While I studied how it felt when wrapping it around my hoof to be sure, the market pony greeted me. “Hey there, Crimson! Interested in one of my wares, are we? Didn’t take you to be the shooting type.”

Looking up at the smiling buck, I let out a modest smile. “Yeah, got myself a gun yesterday, looking for a holster so I can draw it out quickly, rather than having to use my saddlebags. Thinking I might need it in the future.”

“Planning to go somewhere outside of the Ridges?” He said as he cocked a smile and raised an eyebrow at me, knowing he was likely to get the sale.

“Yeah, something like that. Don’t mind if I pull out my pistol to check the compatibility, do you?”

The merchant let out a laugh and shook his head at me, a grand smile beaming outwards. “Of course not, Crimson. Maybe I’d be a little more wary if you were an outsider, but I can’t exactly say I’m scared of you robbing me at gunpoint what with who you are. Feel free.”

Slipping out my nine millimetre, I casually slotted it into the holster and pinned it over. Thankfully, it seemed to be a perfect fit first time, making me gleeful that I wouldn’t have to browse the whole set of wares to find the right one.
Pulling tight on the straps to ensure it would be suitable, I swung my hoof around just to be sure.

Not taking my eyes off from the holster, I began to ask the all important question. “Looks good to me, what’s the asking price?”

“Thirty five caps.”

“Thirty five? Seems a little steep for what’s essentially just some leather.” I countered, still not looking up at the buck as I played around with the item in question.

“Thirty five is the going rate, Crimson.”

Looking up at him, I gave him a very self assured smile. “I could get something like this for fifteen if I asked the right pony over in the Stable. What difference is there between yours and a custom made one for me?”

“Well as you can see,” The merchant gulped, trying not to stumble as we began to barter. “this piece is a genuine leather piece, one hundred percent tanned brahmin leather. With a brass buckle for extra strength, it’s the care taken into producing it that makes it cost so much, rather than the actual material costs.”

Giving a small nod, I was inclined to agree. “Okay, so you’re being honest with me. I appreciate that and I can appreciate you’ve spent your time in crafting this properly. The question still remains on price, though.”

“I can’t go any lower than thirty, it just takes so long to make.”

Again, he had a point. I wasn’t a fool and I knew that to get a custom made one would take at least two days even with all the materials readily at hand, perhaps a week without them. I didn’t much fancy having to wait that long either. Still, I knew there was a deal to be had here.

“So, what about...” I began to murmur, carefully eyeing the rest of his stock. “This piece here?”

“The back holster? Do you have a long gun to holster on your back?” He quickly replied, unsure of why I’d wanted it.

“Not yet, but it’ll be handy to have all the same. Might grab a longer gun from the Stable armoury or might buy one. Hell, might even find one on the road, you never know. I’d rather be prepared than simply left wanting. Better safe than sorry, right? Besides, looks like I’d be able to hang my helmet from one of the strands. So, how much?”

“Another thirty five. Sixty five total, if you’re going to be buying both.”

“Ten cap discount, hey? What about you push that down to fifty.” I responded quickly, pressing my assertive side to the offer.

The trader looked at me with a scrunched up face as he considered his option before quickly declining the offer. “Fifty? No. I won’t go that low. Sixty.”

“Fifty five.” I immediately responded, putting my hoof on his stall to provide emphasis.

For a moment the buck looked around, though after a few seconds he let out a sigh and nodded. “Fifty five caps it is. I should’ve known to raise the price a little higher to begin with.”

Letting out a laugh, I couldn’t have helped but agree. “You’re right, nopony is safe if bartering is involved. Damn I love a good deal.” Pulling out my caps, I placed them on the table and handed him a bag of fifty and then picked out five more. “Here you are, fifty five caps. Thanks for the pieces!”
Strapping both of the holsters on tight, I then proceeded to move on off towards the other stands, now looking for the gifts.

Finding a suitable gift for Mayor Glitter Mist wasn’t hard in the least. A single campanula with the extra of a small ribbon made out of another flowers petals provided to be a very fragile but fitting present and I could expect that it would look absolutely gorgeous either in a vase or tucked into her platinum mane, reminiscent of her beautiful lavender coat.
While buying the flower, an item from the stall next to the one I was at caught my eye.

Before me a necklace lay, a truly stunning piece that must have been from before the war, given it’s quality. Quickly paying for the former item and making my way over to the latter, I inspected its quality with much more depth as quickly as I could.
The chain consisted of real silver, delicately pieced together with absolute care when it was made. At the bottom of the loop a pendant sat, holding a perfectly polished jade stone centrepiece. The way it glistened was simply astounding and from that moment right there, I knew I had to have it.

“Interested in purchasing that piece are we? Something new, just in from one of the outsiders. Said he found it while scavenging in the nearby town of Coltshire. Quite the beauty, isn’t it?” A mare said to me, making me avert my eyes from the piece of jewellery.

“Absolutely. How much did you pay for it?”

“Fifty caps. Which means I won’t let it go for anything less than a minimum of sixty... and a favour.”

Arching my brow at the mare, I took a moment to take in the way her mane wrapped around her neck in a very stylish fashion. It hadn’t hit me before because I was so focused on the ornament that I had completely missed out on the fact that the Glitter Mist herself was attending the stand!
Her radiant coat looking pristine and her eyes had their usual make-up, a rare treat for many in the wasteland though something she often spent a fair sum of her own personal caps on, insisting that the mayor of a town centred around beauty and trade had to not only look the part, but also be the part itself.

“Sure, what is it?” I asked with a gigantic grin on my face, happy to see her.

“For one, I ask you to go to my home and put the kettle on for us both. I’d love to spend some time with you and catch up on all the things that have happened with you and your mother since we last had a chance to speak. The other thing?” At this point, she gave me a very sly grin and a little wink. “I want to hear about this mare who has caught your fancy. She must be impressive for you to be lauding over her enough to buy her such a gift as this.”

“Sixty caps and that?” I replied with a very happy tone.

“Sixty caps and that.” She confirmed with her soothing voice. I had no desire to try and bargain her down lower on such a purchase like this.
Quickly making the purchase and trying to avoid making any squeals of delight over it, the transaction was out of the way in seconds and I made my way over to her home quickly as I could to do as she had asked.

*** *** ***

Sitting down with Mayor Glitter Mist, one cup of tea in my hooves while she held hers in her magic, the beauty of her home was simply charming to the very core. Taking a sip, I thought about the present I had for her.

“I have something for you.” I proudly mentioned. “Although you probably saw me buy it.”

With a gasp, the Mayor covered her smile elegantly with a hoof. “Oh, you do? I wasn’t aware, no.”

Gently reaching into my bag with a wing-tip, I skilfully slid out the campanula and passed it over to her. She smiled with delight before tucking it into her mane as I had expected she might and kissed me on the cheek in return. “Always such a sweetheart, darling. As much as I love your mother, I must say I won’t regret the day you step up, take charge and become Overstallion. Such a pony as yourself has all the right qualities and you only prove it time and time again, thank you.”

Letting out a little blush, I didn’t really know what to say. “Awh shucks, thanks Mayor.”

Biting her bottom lip and playfully swinging her hoof towards me, Glitter mist giggled. “Please Crimson, I’m always telling you this. Call me Miss Mist.”

“Okay, Miss Mist. Anyway, I’m glad you like your present. I knew I couldn’t simply stop by without giving you something in return for your hospitality.” With that, I took a deep breath as I prepared to admit why I was here. “Especially with what I have to tell you, unfortunately.”

Miss Mist spoke with an alluring tone, punctuating her sentence with a wink. “Oh, you think you have to apologise because you’re no longer a single, fine young stallion for a beautiful older mare like myself to tease?”

At that, I had to let out a small chuckle before taking another sip of my drink. “Oh, it’s not that. Besides, I know you just like to tease and get attention. Can’t say I really blame you with how I act myself, I’m definitely no better.”

“Some would say you’re worse.” The sultry mare added with a cheeky grin.

“Oh, I am. I am and I know it.” I finished, laughing along with it. “But seriously, there’s important matters to talk about.”

“Indeed there is! This mare, the one who you carried here. Who is she? I’m interested. It’s not at all like you to act like that, Crimson. Stories always have you so distanced from mares emotionally, but you seem to be showing signs of this time being the opposite.”

Blushing a little and looking down at my hooves, I thought about how I felt for Cherry before responding. “She’s... something different, that’s for sure. Cherry Sundae is her name. We only met yesterday and of course we did all the usual.”

“Uh huh,” Miss Mist casually interrupted, nodding away. “All of the usual as in, you two relaxed the best way to do so in the wasteland.”

I had to hand it to her, she wasn’t stupid in the least. “Yeah, that. Anyway, she’s beautiful beyond words but it’s not just that. I keep thinking to myself about how she’s different, how I want to be around her for more reasons than I understand. There’s something about her in the way she walks, talks and seems to think. She’s playful but can be serious within a second if needed. She’s friendly and caring, even if she does seem to need a little caring for herself.”

“Crimson!” Mayor Mist blurted out in sudden shock at what I’d just said. “I hope you aren’t instigating that needing somepony to take care of you isn’t a bad thing. Everypony has their little things that we need somepony else to help us with. Even your mother had your father, and has all of us.”

“Of course not.” I quickly added. “I just meant it as in it’s one of her qualities.”

“And one you should cherish. So, it sounds like you fancy her. Tell me Crimson, have you ever truly felt for a mare this way? Not just sexual desire, but desire to be around them, be the stallion they want to have with them?”
Thinking about it, I hadn’t. Shaking my head, she simply acknowledged that before she spoke once more. “Well, watch out in how you act. If you truly do feel something for this mare, the last thing you’ll want to do is upset her and push her away. Just be aware of that, okay?”

Smiling at the Mayor as she smiled back at me, I felt glad she had approached the topic. With each time I talked about Cherry to others or even with myself, I felt a little more sure of myself and began to understand my feelings just that tiny bit better. It was different for me, and I liked it.

“Now, you probably had something else in mind, didn’t you? What is it you’d like to talk about?”

And just like that, the mood swung from high to low for me. Taking a gulp of air and letting out a long sigh, I prepared myself to explain what was happening.
Thankfully the Mayor sat in understanding silence as I began to tell her everything about the water talisman, how Angel was going to do their best to cope for the time being, and how each other village had agreed to do their part for the effort to re-stabilise the region.

“And so you’re saying that you’d like some of the traders from here in Opal to accompany these groups in an effort to achieve the best possible trading positions with any settlement they come into contact with?” The Mayor asked, stern faced but friendly all the same.

“Yes, I am. Any possible help would be appreciated because the quicker we manage to sort things out for ourselves, the better. On top of that, the benefit for Opal itself could be massive, building trading links with settlements you may not have had links with prior to the expedition.”

Rubbing a hoof to her chin, Mayor Glitter Mist considered what options we had swiftly. “I see your point here. What about the usual trading taxes? Do they come into effect on this?”

“No, they will all be nullified by my authority for the good of Four Ridges. I want everypony on board with this and that means there will be no taxes on any trades made by the groups out doing this mission. All other trading will still be under taxation, but any organised trades through the caravans will be entirely going to you and Opal.”

“And what of any ‘accidents’, robberies or murders?” She promptly questioned, her tone becoming warmer with each question.

“All shall be reimbursed depending on specific details. We’ll have to organise with my mother over the exact reimbursement values, but I expect caps and land may come into play given the severity of the importance of this happening. Rest assured, we won’t simply tell you that your loss is meaningless just because the trip is for the greater good. What is the greater good worth if you’ve not achieved it through fairness towards those who had made it so?”

“Okay,” Mayor Mist began. “I accept your proposal and the terms which come with it. I will contact your mother as soon as is possible to freely do so. And may I ask once more how many caravans will be going upon this journey and where to? Just to remind me.”

“So far the plan is looking like three caravans; one to go to Tenpony, one to go to the Society and a third to head towards Coltshire. I personally will be overseeing the caravan to Coltshire.”

“Thank you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to find my three best willing ponies to fill the roles you ask. Stay safe, Crimson. And again, thank you for your present, it’s simply beautiful.”

Sliding my hooves around the unaware mare and returning the kiss she had planted upon my cheek earlier, I held the Mayor tight. “See you again when I next do, Miss Mist. Thanks for the advice and for accepting the task ahead. I really appreciate it. Now it’s time to find Cherry and head back to the Stable.”

Walking around Opal while the sky began to glow its orange hue as the night began to close was a sight beyond stunning. The way the walls and even the floor reflected what broke through the cloud cover and glowed a gentle, clean looking warmth simply filled my soul with glee.
This is what I would be fighting for, this is what I would be doing it all to protect. It wasn’t just Opal, mind you. It wasn’t any of the four towns alone, but Opal just showed it in such a light that none of the others could with how aesthetically beautiful it really was.
I was going to be doing this journey for the ponies that lived here, for the civility and safety that we represented.

The wasteland? The wasteland is a big hungry monster, always looking to turn out whatever lights it could - and we were a shining beacon of dignity and sophistication without pretentiousness.
And I had to play my role in its survival, no matter the cost.

Now that most of the stalls were closed, it was a lot easier to see everypony walking around. It wasn’t long before Cherry noticed me and trotted on closer with a happy smile on her face.
“Well well well, you did wait for me after all. I was worried you’d simply grow bored and fly off.” She murmured as she climbed onto my back. “And what’s this? Got yourself a few toys?”

And just like that, she had reminded me. “Climb back off for a moment.” I ordered, much to her displeasure. Despite her whining, I still insisted. “No, really. Climb off for a moment and close your eyes. I promise I won’t fly away.”

With a filly like voice, she questioned me. “Double promise?”

“Triple promise, now, please would you?”

With a sigh she did as I asked, giving me enough time to root through my saddlebag pluck out her new necklace with a wing. Holding it out for her, I grinned from ear to ear in anticipation. “You can open your eyes now.” I suggested.

At first she went silent, her eyes widening on sight of the necklace. Her bottom lip trembled and she lightly shook her head in shock and disbelief, traces of tears in her eyes. “N-n-n-n...” She began to stutter, making me feel horrible inside like I’d done something wrong.

“I... it’s a gift, for you.” I said sadly, my hopes of her enjoying it being crushed with each passing moment.

“Y-y-y...I-I... Why? You..? I? I don’t deserve this.” She stammered as she stared at the gift I had bought for her.

Trying to hold back my disappointed frown, I didn’t know what to do. I lowered my head in shame, I thought she’d have enjoyed it! It was beautiful! What had I done wrong?

Slowly pulling my head away, I quickly found it stopped by her magic before she forced me to look at her, tears dropping down her cheeks. “You bought me this? Why?” She asked.

“I... thought you’d like it.” I sombrely muttered, left with a completely bruised and deflated ego. I’d never had such a painful rejection before in my life as this moment here.

“Like it?” She asked as she tried to hold back her own tears before stroking my cheek with a hoof. “Crimson!” She shouted. “I... I love it! I just don’t understand why you...”

Looking up at her, I couldn’t believe it. Had she just...

Before I could think, her lips pressed against mine and our eyes both closed as she pulled me in closer and closer to her own body, the kiss not failing to remain the entire time.
Finally the kiss parted just enough for her to mumble her words as she stroked behind my ears. “You... you bought this for me. How could I not love something like this? I... I’ve never had somepony other than my parents do something quite like this for me before. I mean, we’ve only known each other for a day! I’m just overwhelmed is all. I don’t know why you’d-”

“Because I wanted you to see how special you are, Cherry.” I interrupted. “I mean it, I don’t know what it is but it has been going through my mind over and over about how you’re different, how you’re special, how you make me feel things that I’ve not experienced before and I’d really love you to stick around, so I figured I’d buy you a present to represent that and maybe win your favour.”

Cherry began kissing me yet again, this time only briefly before speaking again. “It’s beautiful and I adore it. You’re... you’re wonderful. I can’t believe it. I really can’t. Thank you Crimson. Now take us to the Stable, Tank is too long of a way from here and we won’t get there before sundown. You’ve not got any issues with me staying in your place for the night, do you? Return the favour and all?”

“Only as long as you don’t mind the possibility of the Stables’ head of maintenance coming into the room halfway through and joining in. Wouldn’t be the first time if she does do it.” I laughed, imagining the surreality of the idea. She hadn’t actually done that before, but it made for a good joke all the same.

Leaning into my ear as she climbed on my back, Cherry began talking in a sultry tone. “As long as I get to feel you inside of me and as long as I’m the one who feels your hot liquid love, I wouldn't stop her.”

Not knowing what to say to what I had just been told, I blushed. Cherry was an utter minx when she decided she wanted to be!

*** *** ***

The flight to the Stable hadn’t been a harsh one. The winds were on my side and managed to take us pretty swiftly back home, though it still grew dark enough that Cherry was right about heading to Tank not being a wise option. Instead, my place within the Stable would be ample and in some respects, better.
There may not have been the light that would trickle through the windows like it had in the morning with her bedroom, but my bedroom had a larger, more comfortable bed and our options when it came to what to eat were a lot broader.

“Ever been inside the Stable?” I asked Cherry as we approached the main door, the great ‘58’ emblazoned on the front.

“A few times. Security detail duties, training programmes, once on one of the times where you had ‘open days’ when I was just a filly.” She replied cheerfully.
Looking around at her I could see the jade necklace hanging down and damn did it look good on her, the contrast of her red coat along such a strong green gem. Truly a magnificent sight.

Stepping down into the hallway, we made our way past the guards stationed at the entrance. While Cherry would have normally been screened and questioned, the mere presence of me being there coupled with the fact that she had been riding upon my back only moments before removed all doubt that she was allowed through. Some questioned the need for any security on the Stable, given the security from Tank Mercenary Group, but we still felt it prudent to keep our own security force trained and armed by our own source.

Making our way down the hallways, most of the ponies who would have been around during the day were now gone, returned to their own quarters as the day ended. They had their lives to live just like anypony else and sometimes even the Stable needed to sleep.
Of course we had shift rotations, but with possible maintenance crews from Gummy or simply waking critical staff from their sleep, it was only skeleton crews needed to keep the Stable running smoothly as night fell upon Equestria.
Before long, we’d made our way to my place to which I shared with mother.

Surprisingly she still sat upon the sofa, listening to the radio with a plate of apple snacks and grass sandwiches laid out on the table. “Well, he finally returns. How long has it been, Crimson? Does it really take a day and a half to-”
Upon turning her face to look at me, she laid eyes upon Cherry. “Oh.”

Cherry gave a small, squeamish hello, more of a squeak than actual words and I introduced the two. “Mum, this is Cherry Sundae. She’s from Tank and she’s been keeping me safe.” I paused, before turning to Cherry. “Cherry, this of course is my mother, Overmare Skies.”

“Charmed to meet you, Cherry. Please, call me either Grace or Graceful. I’m not one to worry about semantics of what the proper thing to do or say is, just as long as there’s respect behind it all.”

With a little smile, Cherry nodded. “Likewise. Say... you don’t mind if...”

Mother and I looked at her curiously as she backed up slightly, leading us to speak in unison. “Yes?”

“If I have something to eat? Do you?”

Without a word of warning, mother got up and nodded. “That plate was meant to be for Crimson. I hadn’t expected him to bring somepony home though, so I’ll have to get another for you.”

“But you can have it now,” I interrupted, despite my own grumbling stomach. “I’ll wait.”

“Are you sure?” Cherry asked in near shock, hungrily eyeing the plate of food before her. “I mean... I don’t want to impose.”

Letting out a small laugh, I stroked her mane softly. “Of course. Eat up, mother dearest will grab me some food because she loves me oh so very much,” And with that I turned to face my mum with the biggest beggars eyes I could muster before squeaking in a voice as if I was a colt again. “won’t you mother?”

Giving me a deadpan look, she held out for a few seconds before giving in. “Fine. Okay, back in a second.”

“Love you!” I quipped, a huge grin on my face as I made myself cosy next to Cherry as she ate. She was beginning to show a little more confidence now, which I really appreciated.
It was strange to see how she could go from being very confident and professional to a blubbering mess when I was around, but I found it cute. It made me feel powerful and as always, I liked that. I liked that a lot.

Moments later my mother came along with food and we all cuddled up on the sofa, talking about what had happened during the day. Mother explained that The Mayors had all contacted her one by one before we arrived, all the planning had already been finalised and ponies from Gummy and Opal were already on their way despite the time of day it would be by the time they arrived and Angel would be preparing the brahmin for travel in the morning.
Our estimated leaving time would be just at the start of mid-day, giving the ponies from Opal a chance to rest.

At that moment though, my mother looked at me with a raised eyebrow. “So Crimson, what’s this about you going too?”

This was it, the moment I had been dreading more than any other. Slowly I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, envisioning dad as I chose my words carefully. “I know you don’t like the idea of it. I know you’re likely afraid that I’ll be hurt or killed. I know you think that we’ve just organised these caravans with guards to do the job, but I’m not sitting out on this one.”

With crossed hooves, she continued to look at me expectantly, but still remained silent and allowed me to continue.

“When dad was around, he always said to me, ‘Crimson, the needs of the many’”

And with that, she interrupted me with a sigh. “Must always outweigh the needs of the few. Also that a greater cause built upon the backs of the ignorant, built upon the lies and deceit of those in power is not a greater cause at all, but a greater shame. I know. I just...”

“Worry about me?” I asked.

“Yes, I worry about you. All the time. You’re not the fighting build, you’re my Crimmy. You’re thin, you’re admittedly not the strongest, but you’re damn smart with words and you know how to play your charms. You’re not made for the darkness of the wasteland, you’re not a rugged explorer that’s experienced it all. You’re my child, my only child.”

“I know, I know. I love you and I understand where you’re coming from. I’m not a brawler, but I don’t need to be. Like you said, I’ve got the charm and the knowledge of what to say and how to say it. I’ll have Cherry and the other caravan guards to keep me safe. I’m not going out alone, I’ll be travelling with one of the groups.”

“I’ll still worry though.” My mother whined. “I don’t want you being hurt... but... you’re right.” And with that, she let out another sigh as wrapped my hooves around her and held her tight. “Look, do whatever you can to stay safe and whatever you feel necessary to get the water talisman, just, like I say, stay safe. Consider this your great journey, your test to prove your ability to be a leader. If you can manage this, you’ll have proven you can lead the community when your time comes despite whatever may come your way. Just... I love you.”

Wrapping her hooves around me just as tightly, Cherry let out an audible ‘aww’ as she watched us not break the embrace for over a minute. “I love you too, mum.” I whispered in her ear.

After some time, we all decided to retire to our quarters. I promised mum that I’d speak to her in the morning before I left, and Cherry came with me to my room. Upon opening up the door however, a sight I hadn’t really expected to see stared back at me.

“Melony! Augh! You’re wearing my armour again?” I cried out in frustration, knowing exactly what was about to happen.

“Yep!” Her booming voice called out, probably loud enough for everyone in the Stable to hear. “I heard you were back in the Stable and since you weren’t around yesterday for our scheduled fun and I really need that fun right now because my itch ain’t going t-!”

Slamming my hoof up against her muzzle as quickly as I could without hurting the damned mare, I shook my head before bringing my other hoof to cover my eyes as I spoke. “Helmet off. Right now.” I commanded.

Cherry stood there half afraid and half amused, not quite sure how to feel. “Ha.. ha... what the hell is going on here?” She muttered weakly.

“Melony is wearing my armour, to be precise, my goddesses damned Royal Canterlot Armour, to which the helmet has a special enchantment spell put on during the great war. Basically it makes the wearer’s voice extremely loud through some kind of megaphone type spell. It was handed out to the batponies of Luna's guard. My father found it while scavenging Canterlot back when he used to travel with merchants who wanted an extra guard. Melony Love here seems to think that wearing it is a sure-fire way of turning me on.”

With a cheeky grin, Cherry turned to Melony. “So, does it?”

“Oh yeah, it does alright!” Melony thoughtlessly blurted before remembering herself and taking it off. “Oops, sorry. Anyway, yeah. He loves ripping it off.”

“Because it was my dads armour! Not a toy!” I protested, but that seemed to go unnoticed by the pair.

“Well,” Cherry began. “Me and him have some unfinished business from earlier... I don’t know about you, but I’m going to be getting some tonight. You being here won’t stop me.”

Melony just stuck her tongue out at Cherry and grinned. “Oh, you think I’ve got an issue with mares? This tongue goes both ways, you know. Besides, he owes me a fuck, I’m collecting on it before he runs off on his journey.”

For a few seconds, I didn’t know what to say or do. The pair of them talking about me like that as if I wasn’t even there. Then suddenly, they both turned their heads to me and grinned. “Two on one?” Cherry suggested.

*** *** ***

[Song: Wake Up - Coheed And Cambria Full Instrumental Exam Piece]

Laying in bed, a particularly fitting song began to play on the radio in an attempt to wake me up as gracefully as possible. Opening up my eyes, my mother stood at the side of the bed, a cheeky grin on her face as she rolled her eyes at me. “Oh Crimson... just like your father. Wake up dear, you've got a big day ahead of you.”

Groaning in displeasure, I began to shake my head. “Nuuu, it’s too early to wake.”

“Crimson, Cherry has already woken up and even made us all some breakfast. I tried to tell her it wasn’t necessary, but she said it was her duty to do so despite the fact she’s the visitor out of all of us. Now, you gonna get up and show some respect to the mare who is about to walk in and see me talking to you by waking up or are you going to slump in bed still?”

Thinking about it, staying in bed wasn’t really an option. If Cherry had gone to the effort of making me breakfast despite the fact it should have been the other way around this time, I would have no option but to do as mother superior said and get out of bed.

Climbing out, my mother smiled at me. “Good colt, even if you aren’t making her breakfast you can still make her feel appreciated.”

Nodding my head, I let Melony remain in my bed. Tucking her in for that little bit extra comfort and kissing her cheek as she slept. She may have used me like a tool for her own pleasure the night before, but she was still adorable and it really wasn’t anything I was against anyway.

Trotting out to the living room, I looked at Cherry who had obviously already taken the time to shower and clean herself before doing anything else. The way her still damp amaranth pink hair hung down against her carmine coat, swaying as she moved. With each and every passing second I was reminded with just how beautiful she was, although that was something I could hardly forget.

“I uhh... haven’t showered yet and you have.” I mentioned regretfully.

Cherry rolled her eyes at me, shaking her head before smiling. “Get some food down you and then you can go do that. I’ve been given permission by your mother to give you some of the special snacks your mother had hidden away, her treat for you before you leave.”

Looking at the pair in surprise, Cherry levitated a... my eyes widened in shock when I saw it. An orange! “You’re... you’re letting me have an orange?” I asked, quickly becoming excited.

Mum just giggled, taking in my excitement as I became like a foal again, holding out my hooves as if begging for the delightful fruit. “Yes, you can have an orange. I know they’re usually only for really special occasions, but seeing as you’re doing this, I would say that this is one of those occasions where we can celebrate with oranges.”

Pulling the pair of mares in with my wings, I rubbed my cheeks against them both before quickly digging into the succulent orange, the first one I’d had in quite some time. Oranges were a rare delight even for me because of how they had to come from the Society and cost a fair amount each time, so we made them last.
Cherry and my mother too each had an orange, much to my appreciation as having one to myself but not the others would have felt wrong.
Sweet juices rolled down my throat and a little bit dripped down my cheek, but I didn’t care. It was simply amazing and I licked it up once my mouth was free.

Rubbing my stomach happily, that was a meal to remember.

Fully showered, armoured up and holsters attached I looked over to Cherry. “Think I’m set now. Anything you need from here while we’re at the Stable?”

After having asked her that, Cherry gave me an inquisitive look, unsure of what to say. Instead of saying anything, I just took it as a ‘no’ and trotted on over to the armoury to collect more ammo for my pistol. Mother had spoken to the chief of security and they were willing to give me more rounds, six grenades and even some of their medical supplies, much to my surprise. Looking through the goods, I managed to find six healing potions, four bandages, a syringe of hydra and my favourite, a syringe of med-x... from that point on, I knew this was going to be a fun trip.

Making our way out of the Stable, my mother stood waiting at the exit. She was obviously holding back tears as she looked at me, but we both knew that this was necessary.
“Remember to stay safe, okay? I love you and I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you, Hunny.”

Wrapping my hooves around her one last time for however long it could be, I took the chance to really show her what she meant to me. “I know. I love you too.” I whispered in return. “Make sure things stay fine and dandy here for me, okay? Don’t wanna return to find the whole region is in chaos and my efforts have been for nothing, ha.” I quipped, almost refusing to let go for a few seconds as I didn’t entirely want to leave her.

“Come back soon.” She whined.

“I will.”

*** *** ***

Now the stage was set. The day had come, the time was here. Travelling to Tank took us a little while longer while having to put up with the extra weight of my armour and waiting for Cherry to get everything sorted out with her home.
Slowly the groups arrived, one by one, as we stood by the great gate of Tank.
First the brahmin from Angel came, packed up with enough storage space for whatever any of the traders could want to load it with.
Soon after, the technicians from Gummy. Their work overalls covered in stains galore, they looked the part of a true wasteland mechanic team.
An hour later it was Opal’s traders who arrived, followed by carts of goods to be loaded onto the brahmin.
Finally, out of the blue in the final seconds of the merchants preparing their wares, the Tank Mercenary Group members came out of nowhere in perfect form and formation. Highly trained and disciplined soldiers trotting over to us, ready for whatever came.

Now, there was only one thing left to do before we left... my speech. Lifting on up into the air, I prepared for what was ahead of us. “Stallions, Mares, Brahmin. We’ve been called upon to provide a service to Four Ridges. A service unlike what many will ever be asked to do, a service that many would have never even considered that would be asked of you. I do not regret having to ask because I am proud that you all have volunteered to do this. What we stand here to do today is not for the sakes of ourselves nor even a few, but the many. This is far from some personal search for glory, this is an extremely important task that we have risen up and accepted out of honour and duty. Let it never be said that you have made no sacrifices, that you never did your parts. Today, we change the fate of this whole region and we either succeed and bring back prosperity to Four Ridges, or we fail and the whole world which we know burns around us. Let us not falter, let us not fail. We shall prevail!”

And with that, the gate opened... our journey began.

---o---o---o---

Footnote:
Level up!
Perk unlocked! Airline Pilot!
After much experience with carrying ponies on your back during flight, you’re even confident enough to do it while in full armour. Watch out though, stunts aren’t advised!

Footnote:
Cherry Sundae joined the party!
Tagged skills: Small Guns, Lockpick & Sneak.
S5 P8 E5 C4 I5 A6 L7

Footnote:
Cherry Sundae level up!
Perk unlocked! Active Camouflage!
While moving slowly, a magic spell you know can actively camouflage you to your surroundings! It can now also camouflage anyone touching your horn or face with perfect stillness!

Author's Note

So! It's taken me FOREVER but I've done it! Rewritten chapter two! Here it is. Half-way pre-read, but my pre-readers had to go do other stuff and I'm WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too impatient for that, as you all know.
So enjoy!
I hope I've not killed any of the characters in the rewrite.
pls, no. pls.

Much love goes out to Kkat for writing the original and I also have to thank Somber for inspiring me to write in the first place.
Without those two, this wouldn't be a thing at all.
Dunno what else to say right now. I'm shocked I could reach over 10k views and I love you all? Because I do.
Thank you.

Chapter 3: Mercy comes cheap [reworked: 3/2/14]

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds

By Kippershy

Chapter three: Mercy comes cheap

“Ponies like him? Ponies like him were only ever going to cause more trouble. Maybe there’s somepony out there who could forgive their sins, perhaps the Princesses, but not me. They had their chance for change with every day that they ever lived.”

With stepping through the large metal gate that protected Four Ridges from the outside world, we further strengthened our resolve in changing what would otherwise be the future for our friends, our families and our neighbours. Not only did Four Ridges depend on us all to do our best and come home with a new lifeline, but also did any other settlement that we traded food with for other commodities. Looking back as I continued down the softly winding path down the mountain, I could see members of the Tank Mercenary Group waving to us, wishing us all the best of luck as they continued to keep the region safe.

Down on the horizon I could already see the railway tracks where we would split up into our three different groups, A, B and C. Though we hadn’t decided where each group would go specifically, we knew the three destinations we were intent on heading towards.

Fillydelphia and Hoofington were the first two places, though Hoofington would likely take longer to reach than even Coltchester, which was the third location we had in mind.
Fillydelphia being a good place to ask due to ties with Red Eye, a pony with strong connections and capabilities himself. With news that such an important trade link having problems like we were, perhaps he would be generous enough to use some small stretch of his considerable resources to help - for a price, of course.

As for Hoofington, there was the Society. We never really had any firm connection nor trade links with them, though occasionally we would trade for all sorts of things. It was always a possibility that they would have some way of helping us. Maybe the news of another point of true civilisation needing help would be enough to move them, I hoped so.

Coltchester on the other hoof, was a complete mystery to me. Somepony from the Tank Mercenary Group mentioned it during the brief planning session we held while getting ready though I had no experience with it myself. Still, an option was always an option and since it was supposedly a city of many valuable items with lots of scavenging and trade chances, I wasn’t going to turn it down.

Just as I thought about who might go where, a gentle nudge threw me off course and made me shake my head as I perked back up to see the smiling face of Cherry Sundae who was now making a quick check of her SMG while she walked alongside me.

“Wakey wakey, sleepy head.” Cherry teased. “We’re out of Four Ridges now and even with the walls still within sight, this is no place to be dozing off or losing focus. If I’m going to be your bodyguard I’m not going to be having you trotting around unaware of your surroundings. Always treat your environment like there’s a potential hostile in the area.”

“I know, I know.” I responded with a smile in return. “I was just thinking of the three places we’re going to be going to, as a group anyway. I’m sure we can trust Red Eye to help us out in some way over at Fillydelphia, though what about the Society? What of Coltchester? Who’s going where?” I asked with a small amount of apprehension. I couldn’t quite say that I wasn’t nervous but I definitely wasn’t going to let it be the defining factor. Four Ridges needed me to be strong, needed me to be confident. I needed it for myself, even.

Sliding her gun into its holster, Cherry just continued to walk ahead of me without a worry. Goddesses did she look beautiful from just about any angle imaginable.
“Well, we can send whatever group is the least experienced in terms of combat to Fillydelphia. They’ll have Red Eye’s guards protecting them once they get close enough to the city anyway, so that will be easy for somepony like Pocket Change, since he’s one of the team leaders.

Upon hearing the comment, Pocket Change began to speak loud enough for us to hear as he approached. “You want me to go to Fillydelphia, huh young’un?” He asked in his Appleoosan accent. “Well, I’m fine with that. This old buck is used to that route and why I volunteered to do the leadership role for one of these caravans anyway. Spose I’ll be group A if I’m the first to be designated a location then?”

Nodding my head, I didn’t mind that idea. “Sure, you can be group A. You’ll head off to Fillydelphia to make contact with Red Eye. If he can help us, great, head back home with anything that you’ve got. If he can’t, Tenpony Tower should be the next stop. Whoever is going to the Society is going to be out of the way much further north so they’ll not be in any place to really go there. Fillydelphia and Tenpony aren’t that far apart however.”

“Makes sense.” Cherry added, to the silent approval of Pocket Change.

Looking around the group, I couldn’t quite remember who the other group leader was. Jumping into the air and scanning the others, I quickly picked him out of the small crowd however.
“Custard Tarts, right?” I called out to the blonde maned pony with a green band tied around his shoulder.

Almost instantly he looked up and nodded, an almost overly eager smile on his face. Still, there was nothing wrong with wanting to help out. “What’s up? You want me?”

Floating down to him for a more reasonably spoken conversation, I landed softly and began to walk beside the young stallion. “You’re the second group leader, right?”

“Damn right I am!” He announced with glee and a grin on his face. “I might be younger than some of the others out here, like old Pocket Change over there, but that doesn’t mean I lack experience. I’ve got more caravan leader notches under my hooves than most and my safety record is also damn high. I don’t risk my crew with stupid mistakes!”

Laughing a little, I shook my head. “Though you’re a little loud, aren’t ya bud?” I responded, not quite sure if he really was as safe as he thought he was or if that was just the excellent guards he always had accompany him.

“Just excited is all.” He countered. “I mean, I know the situation is dire and we’ve all got to do our best, but that’s the thing about it! We’ve all gotta do our best and prove that we’re the best! If my team manage to bring back a water talisman before anyone else, we’ll be recognised as the heroes we are! How can you not be excited over that concept?!”

Thinking about it, he did have a strong point there. Though a lot of it was duty for me, the sense of pride of helping my settlement, my region, my ponies through such a rough time was a very exciting prospect for me. This would be my test, my way to prove that I was a capable leader suited and fit for service to Four Ridges. The part about being a hero wasn’t quite what I was thinking about, but then I could definitely see why it would be an attraction for him.
At the end of the day, I was famous. I already had my recognition wherever I went within Four Ridges. For him, it was the chance for something new.

“Yeah, you’re right.” I simply agreed. “Just… don’t go too hard on your crew or yourself while trying to reach that goal, okay? Last thing we need is you pushing for glory and getting everypony killed in the process. Do what you can, do what you can handle, but don’t make unnecessary risks. Now, back to my original intent… Fillydelphia and Tenpony Tower are being covered by group A, which is run by Pocket Change. You’ll be leader of group B. Would you prefer to go to the Society up north in Hoofington or to Coltchester down south?”

Taking a moment to think about the question, Custard Tarts scrunched up his face before giving a reply. “Well, I’m going to go with the Society. I’ve been up that route a couple more times than Lemon Glaze, so chances are I’ll know the best ways around Hoofington. No disrespect to him, but Hoofington ain’t exactly a friendly location even at the best of times so an experienced leader is necessary. I know that Lemon Glaze hasn’t ever been further than Coltshire, but hey, that’s part of adventuring, right? Learning new stuff and stuff?”

Couldn’t argue with that. So it was. Group A would be led by Pocket Change and go to Fillydelphia before making a potential stop to Tenpony Tower if they were unsuccessful while group B would head straight to the Society in Hoofington and return no matter what the outcome. Group C would be heading off to Coltchester, which almost made sense and was definitely quite the coincidence.

With the end of that conversation, a voice called out to me. “Hey! You’re setting up the groups without me?!” Another stallion asked.

Nodding my head, I looked at Lemon Glaze. “Yeah, sorry, but you’ve lost out the chance on picking on where you’re heading to.” I confirmed without much emotion in my voice. “The old buck, Pocket Change, knows the routes around Fillydelphia and Tenpony Tower all too well. Custard Tarts here knows Hoofington better than you do apparently, so he’s leading the second group to the Society.”

“And me?” The pale yellow pony asked with a slightly disappointed look in his eyes. “Where am I going to go?”

“Coltchester, with us.” Cherry Sundae interrupted. “We’ll be heading off towards Coltchester through Coltshire. It’s not a location we’re very knowledgeable about but hey, there’s still a chance we’ll find what we need to out there. I know of an information and antiques dealer over in Coltshire so you’ll be travelling with us. Don’t know if that old buck will know anything that we can use but it’s still worth a shot.”

Looking at her inquisitively, I couldn’t believe she was ballsy enough to simply make such statements. First volunteer or not, that was quite the statement. Catching my look, she blushed as I opened my mouth to speak. “We, huh?”

“I-” She blurted

Laughing, I stopped her as she began to try to think what to say. “It’s fine, Cherry. Yeah, something about Coltchester does interest me. I mean, sure there’s the chance to go speak to Red Eye personally about the issue, but I doubt that’ll be necessary. And the danger of going around to the Hoof-”

“-Isn’t worth the risk.” Cherry added.

Again, I nodded. “Yeah. I know going into the darkness of the unknown is possibly just as dangerous, but then there’s also the chance that it’s the right place to go check. Besides, if I went to Tenpony Tower, mum would think I’m treating it like a personal holiday or something.”
Pausing for a second, I looked at the others and then back to Cherry. “So, you’ve never been to Coltchester either?” I asked.

“Nope. Heard of it plenty, heard the stories and I’ve protected trades with ponies who come from there though. It’s why I think we’ve got a chance.” Cherry looked out onto the horizon and then back to me, the whisper of a smile on her face. “Did you know that most of the PipBucks that we in the Tank Mercenary Group actually come from Coltchester? There’s an old army base out that way which was supposed to be pretty important back during the war. Lots of higher ranking officers with PipBucks that had internal broadcasters in. It’s even possible that yours is from there. I know we’ve got a lot of our weapons and a fair amount of ammo from traders who come from that direction too.”

Shaking my head, I gave a small smile back in return. “Sorry to burst your bubble, but my PipBuck was an original from the Stable. Perks of being the Overmare’s son and all. Though I wasn’t aware that so much of your stock comes from one place. Definitely interesting. You say you’ve protected traders from out that way?”

“As part of the Tank Mercenary Group, some of the tasks I’ve had to do are escort missions for trade caravans like these right now. Okay, so the importance of the trade wasn’t quite as much, but yeah. Whenever we’ve traded with anypony from Coltchester we’d meet in Coltshire and that’s where it would go down. The town has some light defences, a small wall surrounding it made of scrap and wood, though nothing that would actually stop a dedicated attack. More of a deterrent to prevent small time raiders really.”

Coughing in a fashion as to make himself in the spotlight again, Lemon Glaze spoke up once more while looking at Cherry. “So, if you can stop looking at him like a school-filly with a crush,” And with that, he turned his head to me. “and you can stop trying to act like the cool guy… does this mean that you’ll be accompanying me, you two?”

“Why, does it matter?” I asked, genuinely curious. “I mean, it’s not a problem if we do, is it? More hooves for searching at least.”

“No-no-no!” The now flustered pony blurted quickly. “I… I’m just hoping that…”

With a sigh, one of the other guards shook his head. Turning my attention to the dark navy blue pony I waited for whatever he had to say. Slowly he opened his mouth and spoke in a tone of voice that showed both experience and a touch of apathy. “Leave her alone, Glaze. You don’t need to worry about Cherry. I’ve been out on expeditions with her before and as soon as we’re done getting out of this little mountain path, she’ll show she’s worth two others.”

“If you’re sure?” Lemon Glaze asked, causing Cherry to look at him with a scrunched up face of disbelief.

Slowly the mysterious pony whose name I didn’t know turned to Cherry and nodded to himself. “Trust me, I am.”

Cherry smiled back at him and then moved up ahead, tugging me with her magic to walk alongside her as she took point for the convoy. It seemed a little strange that a mare with both a close range weapon and an extremely long range weapon would be taking point over somepony who had a rifle, but at the same time she did seem to be pretty confident in her abilities with the way she acted so who I was I to doubt her? She had managed to prove she could handle her rifle for even ranges below standard for its size, though if that was a lucky shot down to the fact she had the element of surprise on the raider or if it was just her ability I was yet to find out I supposed.

“You,” Cherry whispered into my ear. “are sticking with me. I’m protecting you so where I go, you go. Where you go, I go.”
With a little grin, she then turned to the rest of the others. “Everypony!” She called out. “We’re about done with the mountain pass now, though I have no doubt that you’re all familiar enough with the surroundings to know that. Still, that means it’s time to be a little more careful. These flatlands give us a pretty damn strong field of view but the woods are up ahead and we’ll be passing through them before we get to Curvetail Junction. Eyes and wits about you. Last thing we want is to have some kind of ambush be awaiting us the second we step through, be it wildlife or otherwise.”

“Wildlife?” I asked. “Never heard of any radigators hanging around the woods. What kind of wildlife could pose us a threat there?”

“Wolves.” Pocket Change nonchalantly answered. “They tend to stick away from groups as large as ours, though that’s because there’s not normally three brahmin travelling like this. Makes for quite the target I’d say. Maybe if they’re hungry… maybe.”

Cherry gave an appreciative look to the old stallion. “Exactly. Can never be too careful. With any luck the numbers will be enough to make them think twice but there’s always the chance that they’ve not been able to find enough prey in recent times and are getting desperate. Thankfully they’re only common wolves and not the timberwolves you might find up north and around New Oatleans. They’re even bigger and nastier, but they don’t like it this far south for some reason.”

Looking around at our surroundings, we were now officially out of Four Ridges’ safe zone. Technically anywhere not within the walls wasn’t classified as totally safe and even inside there was the occasional psycho who would manage to fool the entrance guards into thinking they weren’t going to cause trouble, but now the rocky mountainous environment had ended which meant that we were out of any potential cover. Looking at Cherry, she simply looked ahead with a serious composure and focus.

Looking to throw her off of her stride for fun, I casually floated on closer to Cherry until my muzzle practically touched her ear. “Cherry?” I whispered. “You’re beautiful.”

“Uh huh.” She simply responded with no tone in her voice, leaving me surprised. She was so responsive to my compliments before and now she didn’t seem to pay attention to me one bit!

Noticing I had fallen behind in my moment of confusion, I flew closer to her and spoke to her again. “Cherry, I really mean it. You’re stunningly beautiful. I just wanted you to know is all.”

Taking her eyes away from in front of us and over to me, she nodded. “I heard you and I appreciate it, I really do, but what happened between us was back in Four Ridges. Besides, we’re really not all that far from the woods now. It’ll be about fifteen minutes walking, sure, but that’s still not far away. We’ve got to be alert and ready for any threats.”

What what happened between us was back in Four Ridges? Seriously? Hearing her words hurt me in a way that I had never felt before, in a way I had never expected to ever feel.
Before me stood a mare who was more beautiful than any other I had ever seen, one who I had been with through the night only two days ago, and now she was turning me down?

Looking at me, she let out a small frown. Almost instantly she began to blurt out gibberish. “I- I don’t. I don’t mean…”

“It’s fine.” I muttered, lying to the both of us. It wasn’t fine for me, though who was I to say what was fine for her? “I… I just.”

“Look,” Cherry began. “I meant what I said about the woods. We’re really not far from entering it and things are a lot more dangerous when you can’t see potential threats around you. Simply using E.F.S isn’t effective because you can’t tell things like how high up any bars are, how deadly they are, exactly how far away they are and how likely they are to actually come and attack you rather than if they’re simply hostile or not. There’s plenty of wildlife which will attack if you come too close and that makes them show as a red bar, but there’s also wildlife which will stalk you before simply charging despite distance. I’d rather be focused is all.”

Still, that didn’t make me feel better. If anything, it made me want to press the matter more. Giving into my temptations, I did so. “What did you mean by ‘what happened between us was back in Four Ridges’ though? Does this mean you don’t want me around?”

Turning back to me, Cherry grasped my face in her magic and pulled it closer to hers. While looking straight into her eyes trying to figure out what was going through her mind, she leant in and kissed my cheek. “It means that what will be will be and back in Four Ridges, what was, was. I was horny, you were horny, I gave in and we had fun. But we’re not in Four Ridges now, we’re outside. Maybe things will be the same, maybe they won’t. But right now? Right now I’ve gotta look after you and that means I can’t let myself get distracted, okay?”

Looking at her straight eye to eye again, I really, really wanted to get her affection back. Giving her a small smile, I asked the all important question. “So there’s still a chance?”

“if you prove yourself.” She coolly stated before letting out a small content sigh and turning her head back to the woods ahead of us. “...Maybe.”

Swiftly approaching the woods, the sounds of critters began to become more and more obvious amongst the almost sickly looking trees. Seeing them up close like this made me wonder how they managed to survive and even thrive, if only in a small way. Although my radiation counter wasn’t ticking, I knew that there must have been some background trace for the flora given how they were so deeply connected into the ground, quite literally.

“We’ve got bars.” One pony said as he began to check his gun once more, preparing for a fight. “Can’t tell if they’re onto us or what, but they’re here. Be prepared.”

Without a word I heard the sound of Cherry’s straps being undone and her SMG pointed out ahead of her while her oversized rifle sat firmly on her back. This was no place for such a weapon and she obviously knew that. Not that I was in any place to tell her what was and wasn’t correct for her to do.
Turning to me, she looked me up and down before giving me a look between being disappointed and being worried with her scowl. “Your pistol? Might want to have it out right about now. We’re going to need everypony ready just in case, no exceptions. If you’ve got a weapon, be sure you’re ready to use it or give it to somepony who otherwise would.”

Nodding my head attently and quickly pulling it into my mouth, I made sure to keep the safety on however… for now. Turning my head to see all the others, they had done the same.

Treading carefully as we continued on our journey, we made our first steps into the woods. Around us was a lot of cover in the form of thick shrubbery and large rocks, with the sound of running water to further block out situational awareness. On both sides we could hear the inhabitants moving along with us, scurrying and stalking prey, none of which I hoped was us.

With her right hoof, Cherry gently tapped the ground twice and the other guards immediately stopped in their tracks, prompting the traders and myself to follow suit. In a whisper, she looked around as she spoke. “There’s definitely something following us, I’m sure of it. My E.F.S is telling me about ten signatures are keeping roughly in pace with us. Could just be some parasprites, sure, but they’d usually go in for the attack by now. I want three on the rear and two on each side to protect, the last one can stick with me up front. Crimson, you’re with me too.”

“And who do you think you are to give orders like that, huh?” One of the technicians asked in an abrasive manner. “You think just because you’re one of those trained over at Tank that you’re somehow better organised than somepony like myself who can run a whole machine shop by himself?”

Shooting the grey pony a look, Cherry glared at him with discontent. “Lack of cohesion is the biggest trouble for travelling groups like this. Just… just trust me okay? I don’t doubt that you’re organised bu-”

“But nothing! I’m hardly untrained in firearms. Been outside plenty while fixing up small towns’ essential machinery and managed to handle myself plenty fine against bandits who attacked at the same time. What makes you more qualified? Just because you’re a Merc’?”

Looking around, Cherry was starting to lose her confident edge. “Look, this isn’t the time. After we’re through we-”

“More excuses!” The grey pony barked, getting louder.

Now as Cherry looked flustered, infuriated and shamed, I was getting pissed. She had said before about not being all that with others and now I was starting to see what she meant, but I didn’t care if she couldn’t talk her way through every situation. There was something about her that made me want her more than almost anypony else, and now it was my time to step up.

Walking up to the insubordinate pony, I looked him straight in the eye and pressed a hoof firmly to his chest. “You want a reason to listen to her? Well, you’ve got one. As son of Overmare, I’m listening to her. I’m following her orders. If you don’t like it, I don’t know why you bothered signing up when you know the routine. Mercs’ get authority to control the security how they see fit and she’s doing a good job of it.” For a moment the pony began to babble, stepping back, trying to counter my point. Before he could however, I continued. “Don’t like it? Turn back now. Otherwise, deal with it. You can go on a different route to us two once we’re out of here if you like, but I won’t allow anypony to simply act like they’re bigger than the group effort. Even myself.”

The grey buck behind us simply stared down at the ground as I began walking to Cherry, which admittedly was only a few feet away and went back to looking forward as I continued taking point with the rosy maned mare.

“Y-you… you didn’t have to.” Cherry muttered with a small smile as she looked at me. “Why?”

Looking back at her with my own smile, I could see the appreciation on her face clear as day and it made me feel all too good. “Look, what I said? What you said? About cohesion and nopony being bigger than the effort? I mean it. None of us are bigger than what we’re trying to do here and that includes me. I’m not even anything more important than the rest of you if the mission can be done, despite my status.”

“Lies.” Cherry quickly responded. “You’re the son of the Overmare, of course you’re more important!”

“Not if we fail our mission I’m not.” I responded with a grim tone. “And in the end, that’s what matters most. So, if you give orders and they’re sound, I expect everypony else to follow them. I trust your abilities. Besides, you were the first to volunteer. Can’t have him disrespecting a mare as brave and wonderful as you.” With that last bit, I gave Cherry a wink and her face contorted into a little bit of a mixed smile and blush while trying to hide it all.

As Cherry went to say something, a sound in the undergrowth hidden by the bushes caught our attention and a large figure jumped out at me with no time to react!
“Wolves!” Somepony cried, though I hardly cared who right at this second as the vicious fucker snarled at me from above before smashing me into the ground.
Realising I still hadn’t been wearing my helmet because of the volume it produced when I spoke, I wasn’t sure if I was regretting it or if it would have just brought them closer sooner.

Still, the more pressing issue of a wolf atop of me dominated my thoughts as I kicked at it with my hind legs, causing the wolf to howl in anger as it tried to bite into my shoulder, thankfully protected by the rest of my armour.

Just as the wolf opened its large jaw and began to relocate its attack to my face, it cried out in agony as a series of thudding bullets swam through its body and pelted the floor to the side of us, followed by more gunfire from the group. A series of howls and snarls filled the air as the fighting began.

“Fuck! Fuck fuck fuck!” The grey pony from before screamed. “I can’t hit them, they’re moving too fast! I can’t even see them! They’re gonna get me!”

Getting picked up and my helmet quickly slid onto my head by Cherry’s magic, I smiled and nodded to her. Without a word, she nodded back, knowing what would happen if I spoke in her face with it on.
Turning to the closest enemy, I pulled my newly acquired pistol from its holster and aimed at the closest sign of movement, waiting for a clean line of fire.

“Come out, come out, little puppies!” I called, hoping that they’d oblige. I had no idea why they would actually listen to such a request, but hey, they attacked us first.

Once more I heard the sound of a disturbance in our surroundings, this time to my other side. Just as the sound stopped I jumped into the air, pressing off from the ground and hovering higher than the wolf could jump as he leapt for where I was previously standing, surprising the beast.

Aiming down at him, I fired another three shots but missed each time before Cherry corrected my mistake with her SMG, splattering blood from the wolf’s hind and making him squirrel away as quickly as his new limp would allow. Firing another two shots into the foliage he took cover in, I heard nothing to confirm any hit. Damn my aim was nothing like it was during standard target practice.

“Lead your target!” Somepony from the rear cried out as three wolves began to circle the rear, making the brahmin more nervous than normal. It was tempting to go back there and help them out, but then Cherry would be on her own up front and I couldn’t take that risk.

Just as Cherry looked to the side, another wolf ran straight at me from the front while I was momentarily distracted. “What is it with you fuckers and trying to get me!” I called out, annoyed of being a constant target. Before the wolf could go for the attack and try to rip my head apart, I did the smart thing and bit into his neck first.
With a yelp the wolf cried in surprise and tried to back off, but I had none of it. Biting harder, I tried to send the message that you don’t fuck with me - before rolling to the ground as another, larger wolf crashed into me.

“Get off of Crimson you fucking bastards!” Cherry cried out, pumping the rest of her bullets into the wolf I was biting into and scaring the shit out of me as I felt the shockwaves of each projectiles impact through the now quickly dying wolf that I continued to bite.

Hearing a spine piercing growl, I turned my head as Cherry’s face grew grim with worry, trying to work out how to go unarmed against an opponent whose fighting style was purely unarmed. Even worse, the beast was bigger than the others. Its coat darker, wounds covering it and bullet scars up its side. ‘Alpha male’ my head told me. This wasn’t going to go well for her. I had to do something.

Quickly she jumped out of the way as it lunged for her, leaving me feeling a sense of dread and as he missed, his head crashing into a tree and dazing him. At that moment, something inside of me clicked and the worry turned to a burning fire inside, a wave of instinct and adrenaline. Grabbing myself off of the floor and pistol to my mouth, I aimed at the beast as he turned to me. “Down. I commanded. Down the body fell, no more than a moment after I pulled the trigger and watched the top of its skull explode.

Whether I had gotten a lucky shot or if the pistol was truly that powerful every time, I wasn’t sure yet. Either way, it worked. Cherry looked astounded at me as I helped her off from the floor and threw myself into the air, taking my aim toward the other wolves that now paused, hesitant as they saw their pack leader now dead.

“It’s over,” Cherry called out. “the pack leader is dead, that usually makes them flee. Run! Run you foolish wolves! Run! Go!”

Turning to her, looking at that genuine expression of concern and compassion mixed with the look of a mare who wouldn’t accept defeat, I decided to double her orders.
“Turn back now, wolves. Run back to your home and don’t come back. Do not make another strike. Your leader is dead, don’t make us kill all of you!”

It made no sense to spare their lives, to me at least. These were wolves. Beasts. Creatures. Not even creatures that could be utilised like brahmin could. Still, the look in Cherry’s eyes and sincerity in her voice… while again, she wasn’t the most convincing pony that had ever lived, she had something that I wanted and if she wanted them to live, she’d no doubt have a reason.

For a moment, the wolves hesitated and stuck around a little longer, leaving me worried the fight would continue once more. However, as the seconds rolled by, they slowly began walking backward before turning and fleeing fully from their failed attack.
Looking around, it didn’t look as if any of us had been killed or even badly injured, though the grey pony who had mouthed off at Cherry earlier on was definitely shaken.
Going back down to the floor, I let out a sigh as the feeling of power washed away just as quickly as it had come along.

Pulling out the magazine from my pistol, I began to reload it with bullets as Cherry walked over to me slowly and took my helmet off and touching my shoulder. “You really didn’t have to do that you know?”

“Yeah, well, I wanted to make sure they got the message.” I muttered in response, more focused on making sure I didn’t drop a bullet; because damn would it be hard to find amongst this many dead leaves and twigs, despite the shiny nature.

“No, Crimson.” Cherry muttered meekly. “I… I mean. You could have shot them. Why didn’t you? You could have told the others to keep on shooting. You could have chased them. Yet you didn’t?”

Looking back into her eyes as she struggled to figure me out, I gave her my answer plain and simple. “You asked not to. Okay, you didn’t address it to me, but you implied it to the wolves. I know that leaving them around means a threat to future traders and I don’t quite understand your logic because of that, but I’m going to trust you on it. Still, now I mention it, mind explaining that logic?”

With a small kiss to my cheek and a quick hug, she smiled at me even more. Brownie points!
“Well, as weird as it sounds, the wolves are an essential part of the environment here. They keep the rest of the wildlife in check and actually do a small amount of protection for Four Ridges in their own right. Anypony who is genuinely intending to come to Four Ridges will travel with protection because of the threat of bandits, slavers and of course, wildlife. Anypony who just thinks they’ve heard of this place that they might be able to cause some trouble and get away with it though? Well, they’re more liable to be deterred from going through dangerous regions unless they’re with others. In which case, it’s a lot less likely that they’d be off the radar. Of course the wall protects us anyway, but it means we don’t get raiding parties that might score a lucky hit on an unsuspecting guard, or pony.”

“Such as with myself just two days ago, right?” I asked with a grin on my face.

“Mhm! Precisely the point. Anypony dedicated to reaching us will do. Besides, killing isn’t always the answer and if it can be stopped without causing more trouble, I’d prefer that.”

For a moment, we both went silent. I finished loading the magazine of my pistol and Cherry quickly did the same for her own weapon while the others tended to one another, congratulating everyone on the job well done in surviving the attack.
Looking at the body of the dead wolf, I was still surprised that my pistol had managed to do so much in just one hit. I had only expected the bullet to go into the head and hopefully shred the brain of the beast, not cause such a bloody mess.

Taking and distracting me from my moment of focus and thought, Cherry spoke with a firm tone of voice. “Your first kill, isn’t it? I can tell by the look in your eyes. I don’t know if you were ever prepared for this moment, but you aren’t acting squeamish about it. I didn’t expect that from you. It was almost like something inside of you took over, the way you walked up to it and shot it.”

“Yeah, it was.” I replied without thinking.

Tilting her head slightly to the side, I watched Cherry’s mane fall in front of her face before she used her magic to gently tuck it back behind her ear. “To the first, second or both points?” Her question provoking a moments thought from me as I considered the weight of it all and what I had just done.

“Both, I suppose. I mean, sure, it’s my first kill, but it’s not the first time I’ve ever dealt with death. This is, after all, Equestria. Can’t escape it.” For a moment I paused, but quickly continued. “Though you’re right. First kill by my own hoof. It’s a weird feeling.”

“And the way you felt when doing it?” Cherry asked with increasing curiosity.

“Felt like… I don’t know. It felt almost natural. All I really remember was that it was going for me and then it went for you. When I saw your face as you looked at it, something inside of me just…”

“Clicked?” Cherry interjected.

Giving a nod, I still found it weird. “Yeah. I just saw you and it clicked inside of me. I wasn’t going to let it hurt you. I wasn’t going to let it have a chance. I just knew what I had to do and I did it without thinking, without considering anything else. My sole intention was to save you at any cost and that was the way to do so.”

Cherry looked at me for a moment while giving me a small smile before turning her head to the body of the wolf that had just been killed. “You’re carrying this. You killed him, you’re carrying him out of the woods. Once we’re clear, we’ll make what we can of the corpse.”

Looking at her in disinterest, I wasn’t keen on that idea. “Uh, what? I have to drag that body around… why?”

“Because you killed it, it’s yours, thus you take the responsibility of it.” Cherry politely retorted. “Besides, wolf meat is quite tasty and it’ll put some fur on your chest to carry it.”

Looking down at the bloody mess, brains gradually slipping out of what remained of its skull, I picked it up and twisted it around to get as much blood and gore off the body. Hoisting it across my back I began to carry it while trying my best not to let any get onto my coat. That was the last thing I wanted to start the day with.

Once the guards had all organised themselves once more with reloading their guns and calming down the shaken technician, we continued to trek through the woods as if nothing had happened.
Cherry remained at the front and on point with her SMG, though she now had a much more relaxed posture, somehow. My best guess was that she viewed the wolves to be the only real threat we would face while travelling through this area, and given the now much fewer red bars on the E.F.S, I supposed she was right.

Casually another one of the guards strolled on closer, eyeing up my kill as he walked alongside me. “Hey there Crimson. Damn fine huntin’ you got there. Name’s Kingcakes. Don’t mind if I ask how you managed that one do ya?”

Looking at the Light blue pony as he shook his short yellow mane out of his eyes, I shrugged. “Sure, I guess. Nice to meet you Kingcakes. What got your interest about it?”

“Not trying to be rude, but you missed most of your other shots, yet you manage that? That’s no normal damage to be done. That was more of a trick shot if I do say so myself. You weren’t using S.A.T.S for it were you? Can’t imagine how you’d have missed all the others otherwise.”

Looking at him with a raised eyebrow, I was a little confused and made sure to convey my lack of understanding in my tone. “S.A.T.S? What the hell is that?”

For a moment, Kingcakes paused, jaw lowered before he smirked and caught up with me again. “S.A.T.S stands for Stable Assisted Targeting Spell, which is a combat spell worked into every PipBuck as a basic feature. It influences your ability to aim by working alongside your natural motor skills and perception. As an added bonus it also infuses your Eyes Forward Sparkle to your judgement so you have ability to tell who is friendly and who is hostile without having to stress out about checking your PipBuck manually in the middle of a firefight. Avoids friendly fire incidents.”

“How does that all work?” I asked. I already knew and understood Eyes Forward Sparkle, or E.F.S as it was usually referred to, but S.A.T.S sounded a lot more complex than simply being able to tell me if something or somepony was hostile to me.
Realising how stupid that almost sounded, I quickly added to my previous statement in a nonchalant way. “I mean, I get that it enhances my natural motions and coordination, but how do I trigger it? And end it?”

“It’s biometric,” Kingcakes simply answered. “Quite simply put, using unicorn magic and earth pony ingenuity, the designers found a way for any pony, unicorn or not, to cast the spell. Unicorns have a lot better time with learning the ropes with it, but even the rest of us learnt after the first time. The way I was taught was to think of it like this: you’ve gotta want to use it. Tell yourself in your head to ‘use S.A.T.S and target somepony’ and if you want to do it, something inside of you triggers it. The same goes for ending it, if the spell doesn’t run out first that is. Try it. ”

Taking focus on his words, I looked at Cherry keenly and thought about what it might be like to target her. Inside of my head something changed and suddenly I felt it. The feeling was somewhat similar to a sudden burst of adrenaline with my body making movements the very moment I wanted to make them and I could notice movements as they happened, able to react to them. Looking at Cherry, I could somehow tell she wouldn’t mean to do me any harm, just as Kingcakes mentioned. Looking at her ass, I had a good feeling that I could slap it from here but another part of me said that was a stupid idea.

Just as I had gone into it, I focused on wanting to end the spell and with that, it ended. The world resumed as it had before, no longer did I see how friendly Cherry was towards me even if it was otherwise obvious that she meant no harm to me. Nor did I have the feeling that slapping her ass would be so damn easy.

A few seconds later, Kingcakes nodded at me. “By now I suppose you’ve cancelled the spell. It’s good to know you can, isn’t it? To complete the spell, just go to shoot whatever you were going to and it’ll help you in the act.”

Looking at him before pointing with my eyes towards Cherry, I smirked. “So you’re saying it’s a good thing I didn’t listen to the impulses telling me to throw my hoof out?”

For a moment Kingcakes looked at me with wonder but then quickly sussed what I was hinting at. Bursting out into laughter, he agreed. “Yeah, I don’t think that would get you very far. Not a good idea at all.”

Turning her head to face us, Cherry looked at Kingcakes flatly. “Oh hah hah. Very funny. And you mister,” Cherry announced, pointing her head to me. “don’t think I didn’t hear that.” For a moment she paused, and then began to mutter under her breath. “I wouldn’t react badly. Hmph.”

“We heard that!” I said with a grin. much to her dismay. Instead of giving us further material to work with however, she simply went quiet. She definitely seemed like she could do with some lessons in being more confident about herself socially, that was for sure.

Turning my attention back to the stallion beside me, I gave him a small nudge. “So uh, what group you travelling with?”

“Group C heading for Coltchester. Same place as you.” Kingcakes replied coolly. “Is that a problem?”

“Problem?” I asked. “Of course not! You and me, Kingcakes. You and me look like we’re going to get along just fine. I’m glad there’s somepony else I can trust besides Cherry in the group.”

Kingcakes just smiled at me without a word, happy to hear my compliment. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Cherry grinning and looking a little flushed as always. Ah yes, this was going to be a damn good adventure.

Continuing through the woods, we came within eyesight of the end not too long after the incident with the wolves. Around us we could see the brush growing sparse as the trees opened outwards. Shards of light crackled through the leaves above, illuminating small spots with what little managed to break through the two blockades.

As with before, Cherry remained on point and was the first to break through the cover, with me barely hooves behind her as I continued to carry the large beast upon my back. It wasn’t an easy task, especially when the branches tugged at my ‘prize’, but I didn’t let go of it regardless.
Looking out into the wasteland ahead of us, there wasn’t a great deal to really focus on anyway. In the distance was a huge pony head, though. That was something that always caught my attention but I never had gone near it before.

“What’s caught your eye, Crimson?” Cherry asked keenly, a smile on her face. Looking into my eyes and then back to the landscape she perked up. “Oh! You’re interested in the Zardoz Industrial, huh?”

Looking at Cherry with a blank, confused expression on my face I spoke. “Zardoz Industrial? What the hell is that?”

“You’ll see when we go there,” She mentioned before letting out a small giggle. “if we’re allowed in, that is. Sometimes the ponies there are a little weird. We’ll see.”

As we progressed down the dirt path Cherry’s ears began to flicker, trying to pinpoint a sound. Focusing on her, I spoke quietly as to not completely disturb her. “What’s up? You hear something?”

“Somepony, I think.” She quickly replied in return before looking down and checking her E.F.S. “Looks like four signatures, all green bars. Still, can never be too careful. Friends can become enemies without much warning, if any, sometimes.”

Checking my own PipBuck, she was right. Four green bars that moved around slightly were ahead of us, just past the rock formation. How close they were I couldn’t tell for sure though. Though with Cherry picking up on hearing voices, I assumed close and in which case I guessed would mean that they weren’t moving. Worries about the potential of being bandits crossed my mind - friendly until refusal to pay a toll being a potential explanation for their indicated intentions, but nopony would be stupid enough to set up shop near something as large as Four Ridges… right?

Turning my head to Cherry, I began to voice my worry. “What if they’re bandits?”

Without hesitance, Cherry looked me straight in the eyes and spoke calmly. “Bandits can be reasoned with, raiders? Not so much. If they are bandits, they’ll know that the odds in fighting us are stupidly low unless they have some kind of heavy weaponry that turns the tide. Even then it’d mean having a minigun or something.”

“And how would we go about convincing them aside from a show of force?” I asked, cocking an eyebrow. As much as I thought she was beautiful and quirkily charming, she wasn’t charming enough to convince even that insubordinate engineer earlier on that following her lead was a good idea, let alone a bandit. I really didn’t know how she thought she’d talk her way through that.

Smiling at me, Cherry just poked my chest with a hoof. “You. You’re good with words, I know that well now. Besides, isn’t this what you’ve been training these last few years for? To be a leader, to be able to deal with situations like these? Negotiations and the like?”

For a heartbeat my mind worried about what if I couldn’t pull it off, but then confidence quickly washed over me and those thoughts went out the Stable door. Of course I could pull it off! I was Crimson Wings, son of Graceful Skies, and Cherry was right. I had been through countless hours of lessons to learn how to do exactly this and if I couldn’t do it now, I’d never be able to be the leader of Four RIdges. Sure, I had no experience with negotiations in the wastelands themselves, but I wouldn’t let that hamper me. There was a first time for everything, after all.

Nodding in my restored confidence, I agreed with the beautiful mares sentiment. “Gotya.”

Before either of us could continue, Kingcakes nudged my shoulder, breaking my focus. “So, Crimson. You had a look of worry in your face for a moment there. Worried you won’t be up to the task or something?”

“For a moment? Yeah. I know that since I’m a leader in the making I shouldn’t admit to weakness, but… I was just wondering what if its not like talking back at home. I mean, sure, I act as a mediator and negotiator a lot as it is, but I’ve never had to talk someone out of taking a life. Different stakes, ya know? Don’t worry though, it was only momentary.”

With a little, restrained laugh, Kingcakes shook his head. “Crimson, don’t worry about it. Even leaders need to accept that they’re only ponies at the end of the day. A little bit of humility and accepting when you need help is what makes a leader. It’s not weakness, its nature. Just don’t be worried about relying on others when you can’t do something yourself. Hell, it’s why we’re all out here, together, right?”

Thinking about his words of wisdom, he was right. My attitude wasn’t the right one to have, his was. Smiling back at him, I nodded as I responded. “Right.”

Walking around the rock formation as a group, we were immediately welcomed by the sight of several metal clad figures, though thankfully they weren’t turned to us at first. Cherry and the other guards immediately tensed up a little, though they didn’t raise their weapons just yet. Taking in a deep breath, I looked to Cherry. “Should I announce ourselves?”

“If you’re going to, best to do it now. They’re still showing as friendly but who knows. Still, we have long range support from the support crews if we absolutely need it. I’d recommend keeping the brahmin back behind the rock formation however, just in case we need to retreat quickly. Steel Rangers can be fickle about who they let pass and who they ‘stop’.”

Looking around behind us, one of the merchants just nodded and signalled for the others to turn around and find cover. Thankfully the rocks were large and meant that even the brahmin had full cover, but it wouldn’t protect them for long if the Steel Rangers weren’t feeling neighbourly.

Seeing as how far we were away from them, I decided it would be more prudent to wear my helmet and speak from afar rather than risk getting up close and personal. Cherry’s sniper would be more effective with the increased range and would certainly have a better chance at doing damage than her SMG if it came to the worst.

Unbuckling and sliding on my helmet from its holster, I prepared myself for whatever was about to follow. With that, I called out to the strangers. “Hello! Excuse me?!”

Immediately they turned around and took combat stances, though their bars didn’t change from green to red… all good so far.

Left with silence, I spoke again. “Hey there! Just wanted to make sure that we didn’t seem like we were trying to sneak up on you is all!”

With a moments pause, we heard one of them shout back in return. “State your business, wasters! Why are you wandering around here?! Give us an explanation or we’ll assume you’re just here to cause trouble!”

“Does passing by count as a good reason?” I asked in return. “We’re just travelling along with our caravans and spotted you off ahead, we wanted to be sure that you wouldn’t fire upon us!”

“Say that again?!” Another one of them called out, this one with a deeper voice than the other. “Actually, screw that. Come closer so we can talk properly. Pull any weapons and we’ll assume you’re aggressive!”

Turning my head to the other guards, I raised a hoof to see what they thought. One by one they each agreed that it would be in our best interests by this point and continued to keep their guard up but kept their weapons holstered.
Focusing back to the Steel Rangers, we began to walk towards them. As we came closer, we could begin to hear them better and stopped once we were within a reasonable talking distance.

“Where’s your caravans? You said you were travelling with caravans, which means you’re merchants, right?”

For a moment I hesitated, unsure if it was wise to remove my helmet. Shouting at them probably wasn’t a good idea, but then neither was being unprotected.
Deciding that my protection was more important than being quite so polite for the first few seconds, I spoke anyway. “Our caravans are behind the rocks over there. I told them to stay put in case you turn out to be hostile.”

Immediately one of the rangers began to tap his earpiece, visually put off by the volume of my voice. “Holy hell, fuck me sideways. Do you need to shout at us from that far, kid?”

Before I could respond, Kingcakes rectified the situation for us. “Its his helmet. Makes him speak like that whenever he’s wearing it. Can’t tell if its ego or enchantment, mind you.” And with that, the maya coloured stallion joked.

“Ahhh. I remember hearing about those things actually. Legend has it that some of the suits of armour worn by the old Luna Guard were meant to be enchanted to do just that. Never seen one first-hoof, mind you… but wait. If they were for the Luna Guard, doesn’t that mean…”
Without hesitation, that one Steel Ranger adopted a combat pose and readied himself for a fight. “Drop your weapons, Enclave soldier! You’ve only got this one chance!”

Spreading my wings and preparing to jump out of the way, I suddenly felt very Twitchy as my heart began to race and I readied myself to go into S.A.T.S if he dared to make one wrong move. Though I didn’t know if I could get my pistol out and aim it in time to be effective, it would be better than nothing. Before I resorted to violence however, I still wanted a much less bloody conclusion. “I am no member of the Enclave! I don’t know how you figure I am, but I can assure you I’m not. Regardless, it would be a fools decision to open fire as I can assure you, it would not be one any of us survive from.”

Immediately the third Steel Ranger jumped out ahead of the first, facing toward him. “You fucking idiot! Do you really think that looks like fucking Power Armour to you?! He’s no fucking Enclave soldier, learn some control. He’s probably just got it through scavenging or trade if he really is with a caravan. Besides, perhaps he can help us.”
As the first stepped back and kept his head down upon being scolded, the first let out a sigh before continuing. “If you don’t mind taking the helmet off, we’d greatly appreciate it. I can tell you’re not Enclave, otherwise why would you be travelling with this lot anyway? But besides that, I, we, have a favour to ask. I know it might seem odd and even unreasonable, but please hear us out.”

Now my whole body relaxed as I looked at them straight back in their visors. Taking a chance, I slid my helmet off, keeping it in my grip just in case. “Okay, there. Helmet off. I’m giving you a chance to prove that you can be reasonable. Now, what is it that you want.”

“First of all, I’d love to know how you’re a pegasus. Especially a pegasus with such… exotic... wings, shall I say. Second thing would be about how strong of a flier you are.”

“I’m a pegasus through my father being a pegasus and he’s a pegasus through being ex-Enclave himself. Before you ask, he left by sneaking down after seeing the truth during a war with the griffins. Wanted to do more and help out those who really needed it, not just a bunch of power hungry few in high standing. As for my flight? I’m an extremely capable flier. Why? Oh, and the wings? Medical condition. Doctors never quite understood where it came from since there was no record of it being in my mothers side of the family and my father didn’t have any strange pigment conditions, but they’ve told us that it isn’t something dangerous to my health, just aesthetic. I like ‘em.”

With that question, the pony in front of me chuckled at my last comment before he moved over and pointed to the previously overly aggressive ranger, who now looked as if they would’ve been flushed beyond hell and back if I could see their face. Their pose definitely spoke of embarrassment and their voice cemented that once they spoke. “Well… our friend…”

“Tell him…” The third commanded sternly, to the further visual embarrassment of the first.

“I accidentally knocked her down this hillside. Trouble is it’s a lot steeper than any of us had realised and even despite only being a scribe and thus not having heavy armour like ours on, its still too much for her to climb up from. We’ve been trying to figure out a way to get her out of there but so far the only option we’ve been able to decide upon is that we’d have to travel about three miles back where we came from earlier and we were already walking since before sunrise, so we’re not keen on spending yet more time out here than we have to.”

“And you want me to fly down there, pick her up and bring her back, I suppose?”

With a pitiful little sigh and a slow nod, the ranger responded. “Y-yes please.” I could tell they weren’t enjoying having to be polite, but now they were looking at the reality that they could either be in my debt or add half a day of effort into getting their friend back.

“Pounder isn’t used to saying please and thank you to non-rangers.” The second announced. “What he forgets is that we’re no longer Steel Rangers, but Applejack’s Rangers. We help out others now and we’ve actually just come back from Coltshire Town after letting them know about that, in fact. So yes, please. If you could go down there and get her back up here, we would greatly appreciate it and we’d owe you a huge favour.”

Cracking my joints, I simply nodded at them before looking down the hill with glee. Putting down the body of the wolf which I carried, I readied myself. “Watch out below!” Without any more warning, I slid down, enjoying the ride as I burst out into laughter during my increasingly quick descent. “Weeeeeeeee!”

While sliding down through the dirt, I suddenly realised just how far down the drop really was. For me it would have been no issue at all to jump out of, given my wings. For any other pony, it was no laughing matter. The steep incline of the ridge was another factor that completely threw away any chance of climbing out.

Reaching the bottom a second or two later, I began to look around but couldn’t see anypony. “Excuse me?” I asked aloud, hoping to catch the mares attention. “I’ve been sent down here to help you…”

Silence.

Dusting myself off and having another look around, I realised I would’ve seen her if she had simply walked off in either direction, the valley led straight, parallel to the road above. Looking closer at the environment as the dust from my descent began to settle, I noticed a large patch of rocks, large enough for somepony to hide behind. Guessing that’s where she must have gone, I walked on closer to it. “Hello? Miss Ranger? You here?”

Moving closer to it, I heard her. The poor mare sounded young and scared as she muttered to herself. Turning around the corner, I suddenly felt a pair of hooves hit my chest firmly, though my armour absorbed most of the force and simply had me step back in recoil.
Immediately I shouted at her, frustrated from the sudden and unexpected aggression. “Whoa there! Watch your fucking hooves!”

With a scared squeak, the pony in front of me curled into a ball and began to whinny. “P-please don’t hurt me! I have nothing of value!”

Looking down at her, I hadn’t realised just how young she was by her voice, but now I saw. She was barely even a mare, perhaps not even that. Reaching out with a hoof, I gestured to help her get off the floor. “I’m not here to hurt you.” I softly comforted her. “I’m here to get you out of here. I came across your friends and they asked me to do them a favour, so here I am. Come on, get up.”

“Y-you, what?” The shaken filly asked, wide eyed and almost in disbelief if her face was anything to go by. “Why?”

Unfurling my wings slowly and majestically, I gave her a small nod. “Because I’m a pegasus and getting you out of here will be a cinch. So, you want out of here the easy way or would you prefer to be walking a whole lot more?”

“I… suppose you’re right. You’re just going to fly me up to the top… to my friends?”

Shaking my head and letting out a sigh with a smile on my face, I then nodded at her. “Yes, that’s what they asked of me. Why would I do anything else? If I wanted to hurt you, I could do it anyway. I don’t want to however. I’ve got no reason, even with you having hit me.”

“I’m sorry.” The purple and white scribe apologetically started to say, quickly interrupted by me.

“Pfft, it’s fine. I understand you’re scared and for all I know, you’ve been down here a while. Some random pony comes down and of course you’re not going to know who they are, what they want or what they’re going to do to you. You just got lucky that you’ve got me is all, hey? Come on, climb up onto my back. And what’s your name, by the way? If I’m getting you out of here, it’d be nice just to know your name, right?”

“I’m scribe Sacrifice. May I ask your name?”

“Crimson Wings. So, scribe Sacrifice, huh? How’d you get a name like that?” I was really curious now. A nameless pony was one kind of mystery, but a name like Sacrifice?

“It’s a virtue name. My parents gave it to me hoping that one day, it might guide me
into understanding what life and duty is really about. Or, well, that’s what my mother tells me. I have a feeling its actually a reminder for herself, since she had to give up her chances for a promotion and even active service in the Steel Rangers once she was pregnant with me. A healthy foal is always protected within our own ranks.”

“Ahh, got’ya.” I simply replied, now nearing the top of the ridge. “Well, looks like we’re about there. I suppose you and your friends will be continuing your way home, right?”

With her meek sounding voice, scribe Sacrifice spoke to me, now sounding a little more confident than she had just moments before. “Yeah… say, Crimson?”

“Yeah?”

Taking a deep breath, the scribe prepared herself. “I… I owe you for this. We all do. It would have taken hours to get out of this. We wouldn’t have been able to return home in time and that would have worried my parents and the leadership back home… so… thank you. I don’t know if we’ll ever meet again, but if we do, I’ll remember this. I promise you.”

Looking her friends straight into the visors as we got over the edge, one nodded at us both and waited patiently while scribe Sacrifice clambered off from my back. Once she was off, he reached out a hoof and grabbed mine before shaking it in a friendly manner. “Thank you again, pegasus.”

“Crimson. His name is Crimson.” Scribe Sacrifice corrected.

Momentarily nodding at the filly, the Ranger turned his attention back to me. “Okay, Crimson. Thank you all the same. We all appreciate that you didn’t have to help and we weren’t the friendliest to begin with, but your security team filled us in on details. We don’t have any water talismans spare right now, though if we happen to find any, we’ll send a messenger over to Four Ridges, okay? Don’t think it’ll be free, but we’re Applejacks Rangers now, and that means we do what we can to help - especially those who have helped us. Stay safe, Crimson, and good luck on your travels. Now if you don’t mind excusing us, we’ve got the rest of our own journey to finish.”

Before I could respond, the Rangers turned around and began to escort scribe Sacrifice away. As she walked alongside the heavily armoured ponies who flanked her, she turned her head back to me and smiled. I simply waved as I watched them walk away.

“So, who was that, Crimson?” Cherry asked, her tone almost sounding as if she was judging me for some reason.

“Her name was scribe Sacrifice. I asked her about her name since it didn’t seem the most polite thing to just be thinking of her as ‘that filly who I was rescuing’, ya know? Why do you ask?”

Looking at me for a moment, Cherry was obviously trying to figure out if I was lying to her or not. A second later, she let go of her inquisitive stare and smiled at me before nudging me on the shoulder with a hoof. “No reason.”

No reason? No reason my ass. Looking at her straight in the eyes, I bit my lip and smiled at the beautiful red mare. “You’re not hiding something from me, are you, Cherry?” I asked with a grin. “I mean, that’s what you were essentially just asking me, isn’t it?”

“No!” Cherry immediately blurted, betraying any chance she had of me believing her. “I meant what I said. There’s no reason. I just didn’t think that... you would... so quickly throw yourself down the ridge for some pony who you didn’t know and had no idea if it was genuine or not. I mean, sure, they asked you, but you hardly put even a moments thought into it.”

“Uh huh. Because I’m totally not the type of stallion who would take a chance to flaunt his wings, right?” With that, I proved a point by spreading my wings out and gently caressing Cherry’s mane, making her blush as I did.

“Fine. Point taken. You like to show off.”

“Damn right I do!” I laughed, quickly followed by one of the other guards. Although I knew that bragging wasn’t something I should do, I couldn’t help but feel some silly pride over the fact that I was different to everyone else in that way. My wings were stunning to look at and I really didn’t want to hide that fact.

“Okay, okay. Well we’ve got to get back to the others, yeah? They might only be behind that rock, but we’ve still got to make our way to Curvetail Junction. That’s roughly a good day travel from here when going with brahmin. If it was just us, it wouldn’t be more than half a day’s march. So, unless you want to skip the wonders of Zardoz Industrial, I highly recommend we get moving ASAP.”

Scratching the back of my head, she was right. We had a task at hoof and wasting time like this would get us nowhere. “Yeah, you’re right. Let’s go then.” Waving over to the others as they watched from afar, I beckoned them closer. The caravan had to get a move on once more.

*** *** ***

Looking ahead of us as we continued to walk down the road, we finally came close to the illusive Zardoz Industrial building that Cherry had been talking about earlier. I hadn’t realised just how far away it was beforehand, but now I appreciated the sheer size of what stood in front of us.
In the middle of a courtyard stood this tall stone head, surrounded by a small warehouse building that acted as a protective barrier of sorts.

From the windows, we saw figures of ponies moving around, though they were simply shadows in the distance with how far we still were from them. Thankfully, all of the E.F.S bars showed up as friendly, or neutral at the very least. I still felt a little wary about trusting something like E.F.S now I was outside of Four Ridges, but there really wasn’t any better alternative.

“Crimson, how much do you trust me?” Cherry asked out of the blue, causing me to look at her in confusion.

“What do you mean?” I asked politely, trying to make sense of why she would feel the need to ask something like that. What was she planning?

“Do you trust me? How much? Would you do as I asked if I told you to do something that seems dangerous? If I tell you its the only way, and that you’ll be fine? Will you do it?” Cherry Sundae asked.

Looking at her skeptically, I didn’t know what the hell Cherry was suddenly on about. Looking towards the building though, I began to think I could guess what it might’ve been. Quietly nodding at her, I awaited her next response.

“You’ve got to approach the building alone, Crimson.” Cherry stated. “I have already been there, so I am not allowed to go again. These are the rules of Zardoz. The ponies inside are tribals, but they will not harm you as long as you do not seek to harm them. They can practically sense if you are friendly or hostile and know who has been seen. Just mean them no harm and you will find reward.” For a moment Cherry just smiled at me, though as if remembering something she quickly added more to her sentence. “Oh! And don’t forget to bow and thank him!”

With worry, I let out a small sigh and accepted that this was the ultimate test of trust. Should I? I asked myself. Is this really a good idea?
Regardless of if it was a good idea or not, none of the others protested her encouragement for me to go towards the building alone, and so I trotted up to the front door.

Looking out from the window a pony wearing colourful garbs that were weaved together in strange ways stared down at me, rifle at the ready. “You!” He shouted at me before going quiet for a tense moment before stowing his gun away. “Come!”
With that, the door opened and led straight through to another open door. Not wanting to disobey his command for whatever repercussions it might bring upon me, I entered the dimly lit room.

The corridor off to the left inside the building was completely blocked off with old furniture and a pile of rubble, blocking off that route through the building. To my right, more tribal looking ponies stood, spears in hoof, though they didn’t posture as if to threaten me with them. Instead, they simply stood there, silently blocking the other route through the building and funnelling me through a hole in the wall, leading to the courtyard we had seen earlier - where the gigantic stone head stood.

All around the statue was tribals with spears and assault rifles, chanting about ‘Zardoz’ and ‘the gun’.
I had to admit, it was a rather unsettling sight that left me wondering what the hell was going on around me and making me worried as the thoughts of them turning hostile and taking aim at me came to mind. If this was a trap, I didn’t think there would be any chance of getting out. My life was now in the hooves of these tribals, tribals who seemed to revere this gigantic stone head of an extremely angry looking pony.

With a great loudness that disrupted my thoughts, a voice suddenly boomed from the head. “Zardoz speaks to you, his chosen ones! You have been raised up from brutality, to kill the brutals who multiply and are legion! To this end, Zardoz, your god, gives you the gift of the gun! The gun is good!”

As one the tribals cheered and chanted, danced and lunged their spears into the sky as if doing a ritual. ‘The gun! The gun!’ they cried, leaving me utterly bewildered.
Before I could react to just how strange, immense and just how quickly it had all happened, something even weirder happened even still. Just as the stone head who I now accepted to be Zardoz finished speaking, a gun came flying from its mouth and landed into a reasonably sized bag along with it.
Looking at the gun, I quickly recognised it to be a shotgun and opening up the bag, I saw a plethora of shotgun shells to go along with it.

Stepping towards me as I looked at both the gun and the ammo with astonishment, a large, deeply voiced tribal spoke to me. “For you. The gun. The gun is good!”

Picking up the gun and finding a good place to hold it between my saddlebag straps and armour, I quickly moved to taking the ammunition from the bag and slid it into my own.
Looking at the tribal pony, I gave him a smile and bowed my head before turning to Zardoz, remembering Cherry’s words of advice. “Thank you, Zardoz. The gun is good.”

For a moment I waited, wondering what in Equestria had just happened as I tried to take it all in. As I turned around, Zardoz spoke once more. “Go forth and kill!”

Stifling a laugh, I turned my head and looked at the statue one last time. “Thank you again. Don’t worry, I’ll do you proud should the necessity arise.”

Carefully making my way out as respectfully as I could as I passed the tribal ponies, they all continued to cheer and dance. ‘The gun! The gun! The gun is good!’.
As I walked out of the building, I saw the surprised looks on the faces of most the guards. Cherry and Kingcakes were the only two who hadn’t looked at me strangely, obviously either impressed or understanding of what had just occurred.

As I approached, Cherry smiled. “Zardoz shouts quite loudly. Seems you were accepted. I wondered if you might be. Didn’t have to charm them or something did you?”

“Cherry,” I began, looking at her blankly as I still desperately tried to make sense of the situation that had just gone down. “I don’t even know what I just did. All I know is I got a free gun.”

“Zardoz only does it for a select few, ya know.” Kingcakes added, smiling at me. “Though nopony knows for sure who he chooses or why. Only that he does. Some ponies just have something that clicks with Zardoz.”

“He’s right, Crimson. Me and Kingcakes are the only two of us in this caravan who had been accepted by Zardoz before you. Very few of the entirety of the Tank Mercenary Group have been accepted, actually. There’s something special about you.” Cherry stated before winking at me. “...Not that I didn’t know that already, of course.”

Walking down the dirt trail that took us to our ultimate destination, time seemed to be meaningless as the day went on. A few times I had a casual conversation with Cherry Sundae about life out in the wasteland, but between the carcass on my back and her being so busy looking out for dangers that might lie ahead, there was little other than the usual flirting and talk of what we might encounter.

*** *** ***

As the hours rolled on by, everything felt like it had begun to mix together, much like the days when nothing interesting happened while doing my normal job. Letting out a sigh, it really was boring. Sure, the encounters with the wolves, the rangers and the tribals of Zardoz had made the start of the day all extremely weird and wonderful in a weird way, but travelling like this just felt as if it went on forever.
I was a stallion of speed and relaxation, not one of mundaneness!

Suddenly as if to answer my prayers in the worst of ways, one of the mares gasped and froze in her tracks. “N-no… no… th- this…” She uttered.

As one we turned to face her, curious as to what had happened. “What’s wrong? Washer? What’s up?”

‘Washer’, for lack of a better name since I didn’t know her myself, simply looked up at us with tears slowly beginning to fall to the ground. “My… my brothers. They’re…”

“They’re… what? They’re over in Friendship City aren’t they? I recall Mayor Blossom sending them over there as part of a specialist repair job a week ago, didn’t she? What’s the issue? They were being escorted by a pair of Mercs so they’re safe, right? They should be coming back any day now.”

With a shake of her head, ‘Washer’ cried even more and hid her head in her hooves as she collapsed to the floor. “No.” She whined, leaving the rest of us unsure of what she was on about. “They’re dead!”

“What!? How would you know?” One of the guards said in a shocked tone, looking worried. “There’s no way that they’d have been ambushed, we’re all trained in avoiding those and besides, Red Eye keeps our travel routes as safe as possible!”

Without a word, the pale green pony simply pulled her earbud connector out from the PipBuck and let the sound carry clear across us all. In a serious, sombre voice, a very sad sounding mare spoke. “-kced with no confirmed survivors. Once again, I repeat. News has gotten to me that Friendship City has been attacked with no confirmed survivors as of yet. Eyewitnesses who passed on this news claimed that great hulking metal structures came from above the clouds and floated upon a bed of clouds themselves - soon to attack both themselves and the city below. Some Steel Rangers claimed this was the work of the Enclave, though we have yet to receive confirmation. Tenpony Tower has offered help for any who can be confirmed to have survived from the city through their local radio host, DJ-Pon3. Further details as we have them.”

All of us stood still, gawking at what we had just heard. Friendship City? Destroyed?
I couldn’t believe it, a part of me didn’t want to believe it, yet there was the report for all of us to hear. For some reason the Enclave had supposedly come down and attacked a settlement that proved to be no threat to anypony. Then it hit me - it could have just as easily been Four Ridges.
One of the other technician ponies picked her up and carried her on his back before solemnly continuing the journey, a grim reminder that no matter what happened, life and death was a matter that the wasteland never treated fairly and even as others around us died, we had to always move on for those who lived.

Looking at Cherry as she seemed horrified, I dropped my head to the floor and walked onwards, quickly followed by everypony else. I had a role to fulfill and that meant staying strong for the others, continuing despite the shock.

For hours longer, there was no conversation. The news that had been given to us so abruptly completely destroyed what good moods and high hopes we had amongst us. Instead, we now felt burdened by the weight of a settlement once more.
One of the others had begun asking about ‘what if’ but they were quickly told to stop worrying about things we couldn’t make a difference about and focus on what we could do instead by Cherry, though she still didn’t seem glad to be saying it herself.

That was all it took though. That was all it took for me to be worried for the rest of the night. What if they came to Four Ridges? Sure, we had a larger fighting force than Friendship City, but they were hardly without defences themselves. I had personally seen the large cannons they owned, guessed at what a fight they might have put up. Still, they paid a price for which they could have never been in debt to.
And what of any survivors? Traders? Refugees from the surrounding area? Would they come to Four Ridges? Normally such a thing would be of no concern to us to open our gates and allow such victims safety for as long as they were willing to work - but now we ourselves were in no position to help.

An unexpected softness stroked my cheek, and looking to the source I saw an exquisite lock of pink mane. Cherry Sundae must have noticed my concerns as she nuzzled into me, looking at me with a pair of caring eyes. “It’ll be okay, Crimson. I know it seems hard to say that, and even more so to believe it, but you’ve got to have faith. If you lose your faith that others can do better and that things will get better, you lose what’s worth living for.”

Surprised, but also humbled by her wisdom, I let out a sigh and nodded gently. “I suppose. I’m just worried.”

“We all are. I know.” She cooed softly. “But hey, we’re almost to Curvetail Junction. When we’re there I’ll make you something to take your mind off of it, okay?”

Smiling at her, she really was something else. Kissing her cheek softly, Cherry just smiled back at me and began to hide behind her beautiful mane.

As we began to approach Curvetail Junction, the skies began to grow darker and the wind blew across the wasteland sending a chill down my spine. Looking at the ruins of an old railway station ahead of us, it wasn’t too large, but it would provide ample protection from the elements for the night and looking at the others, it definitely seemed like that was the general agenda.

Looking towards Cherry, I pointed over to the building. “So, I take it this is where we’ll be staying for the night, right? Is it safe?”

“In the past it has been, but times change.” Cherry murmured, acknowledging my concern. “I mean, it’s always a stop off point for any of our caravans that use brahmin because its ideal to sleep there during the night and the bell tower on top makes for a good spotter lookout position, even if it is a little obvious.” For a moment Cherry paused, then continued as I opened my mouth. “Though that’s not to say it’s always going to be empty. Could be something relatively harmless like a radroach, could be travellers or scavengers even. Once we found bandits who had moved into it, though they saw sense and ran when confronted.”

“Bandits lived here for a while? What’s the difference between a bandit and a raider anyway?” I almost felt like a colt again having to ask that, but I hadn’t ever had first hoof experience with bandits. At least I understood raiders. “I mean, I know you said that you can make a bandit change their mind a lot easier, but still.”

With that, one of the other guards whose name I still hadn’t picked up on pushed himself into the conversation and answered for Cherry. “Bandits often won’t shoot first and ask questions later.”

“Actually, Price Point,” Cherry began. ”bandits don’t shoot first and ask questions later at all, that’s the whole thing about them.”

Price Point simply nickered at the suggestion, turning his head to the side. “Whatever, they’re all the same.”

“No, they’re not.” Cherry tried to insist, though Price Point didn’t seem to care in the slightest. “Bandits charge tolls, bandits hold up travellers and unguarded merchants, bandits will steal from you in the night - but they’ll only take what they need or something of extreme value. They don’t rape, they don’t enslave and given the chance, they’ll avoid killing.”

“Doesn’t make them any better!” Price Point argued, seeming angry about the discussion. “You’ve fucking fought them! You know they’ll kill like any other fucker out there! You think just because they won’t kill you straight away that they’re some fucking messiahs or something?!”

With those accusations, Cherry looked at Price Point with a look that mixed between distaste and upset. “No, of course not!” For a moment I thought she was about to cry, but quickly her look became stern and determined. “I just know that they’re not mindless, sadistic killers who do horrible things for no reason. Perspective is everything, Price Point. Just because they feel that’s their only reliable method to continue living it doesn’t mean they never do good. You remember the slaver gang that used to hang around this area?”

“No, I don’t.” Price Point growled, now looking at Cherry with a stare that could almost be mistaken for hostility. Now I was getting worried and quickly moved between the two as Cherry glared back at him.

“Break it up you two.” I quickly commanded. “Before I break it up myself.”

Cherry immediately walked off over to the station building that was just ahead of us while using her magic to begin to disappear. Letting out a sigh, I wanted to follow her but without being able to see her, I had no idea what she was doing even if the E.F.S could still pick her out.
Turning my focus to Price Point, I stopped him as he began to walk to the back of the caravan. “Hey, Price Point.”

“What is it?” He asked grumpily, though he didn’t seem anywhere quite as aggressive as he had been before.

“Don’t need any more of that crap, got it? I don’t know what’s the matter between you and Cherry Sundae, but it’s the last thing we need going on when we’re all meant to be working together. I’m not asking you to be best friends, but come on, no need for aggro. Besides, you did get yourself involved in our conversation, not the other way around.”

Letting out a sigh, Price Point dropped his head before giving a little nod. “Okay, I got it.”

Putting a hoof to his shoulder, I gave him a reassuring smile as he looked back up at me. “I’m not saying that you aren’t to have your say in things, that’s not it at all. You’ve obviously got a different viewpoint to Cherry and I respect that opinions differ, but when it causes shit like that, it’s not worth it. Okay?”

Solemnly, Price Point relaxed and his tone of voice completely changed to one of submission. “Okay.”

“Glad to hear.” I chirped back. “Now I’ll go say the same to Cherry. Cohesion is what makes us strong, just like on our flag.”

With that, we both walked in our opposite directions, though I knew that this time Price Point’s mood was a lot different to how it was before and hopefully there’d be no more bad feelings brewing below the surface.

Just as I reached the front of the station, Cherry called out from the bell tower atop of it all. “All’s clear in here. We’ll be safe to stay here for the night.”

Looking up at her, I couldn’t be more thankful for that fact. Now there was only the issues of trying to find a good place to put down the now weighty corpse of the wolf I had killed hours earlier. Most of all I was glad to know I wouldn’t have to have it on my back for much longer because how the smell had begun to set in, the horrible smell of dead anything.

Finding a good place, I put down my ‘present’ and made my way up to the tower where Cherry presumably continued to reside. It wasn’t hard to find the way up, because immediately as I entered a set of stairs led me to the second floor where another set spiralled up to her vantage point.

In Cherry’s eyes I could see how she felt worn down and tired, though also proud and strong. Sitting down next to her, I reached out slowly. “Cherry.”

“Crimson?” She replied. “What do you want?”

“I want to hear what you had to say.”

“Why though? You heard where that gets us and you just told both of us that-”

“I told both of you to cool it.” I abruptly stated, making Cherry look off to the side as if she had just been told off. “That doesn’t mean that I don’t want to hear what you have to say. It was just that Price Point was getting aggressive and you weren’t looking the other way like you seem to prefer.”

“I’m… I outrank him, Crimson. I outrank him and because of that I’ve got to show that I won’t be weak. Besides, he’s upset because of his past. He was given to us by bandits who had no means to keep him after they wiped out a slaver gang. He now thinks that because they wouldn’t keep him that they did wrong just because those slavers happened to be his parents. He was only young and death is never something we should cherish, but the bandits did the right thing.”

“I see. And what of bandits? You were saying that they were more reasonable?”

“Look, I know they’re bandits and that still means they’re potential killers, but bandits aren’t like the others. I’ve spoken to bandits in civility more than once and in every case, they weren’t the monsters that the tales play them out to be. They’re ponies like you or me who just never had the chances we’ve had when growing up or even as adults. They often don’t have homes or when they do, their homes aren’t surrounded by massively fertile land like Angel. Scavenging only goes so far before the buildings and containers are picked clean, remember?”

I had to admit, she had a point. Stroking her foreleg with a tender touch, she saw that I understood.

“I’ve met bandits that run tolls and mean no harm, they simply need the caps to survive. Hell, I wouldn’t even call them bandits sometimes, but that’s what they’re called anyway. Like I say, there’s also been instances where bandits have actually made an improvement to areas and wiped out local raider camps and fought away slavers. Why? Because bandits aren’t slavers and slavers will take anyone who isn’t one of their own. Because raiders are brutals who seem to do nothing but what they please with no consideration of others. At least the bandits only take what they need to survive and will let others live. It’s not the best option, believe me, I’d rather they not be bandits at all, but I’d rather that they do what they’re doing than kill mercilessly.”

“Yeah, I get ya. Come on, let’s go downstairs. We’ve got that wolf to do whatever you want to do with it before it gets too stinky, remember?”

Turning around and trotting down the stairs, Cherry letting out a small murmur just loud enough for me to hear. “Cri-crimson?”
Focusing myself back on her, she spoke further. “Thank you. Thank you for letting me say all that. I really… I really feel like you’re trying to make the effort to get to know me and… well… I appreciate it. Thank you.”
With a quick whiff, her gentle smile turned to a silly face before she grinned. “And oh, yeah. You definitely are right about that wolf. It’s beginning to lend its stink to you.” With that, she gave me a wink as I rolled my eyes and continued down.

Going back to the wolf, I noticed how its eyes were now completely glassed over. Its soul was far gone from Equestria, left to wander the afterlife. All that laid in front of us was meat, fur and bones.
WIth a nonchalant attitude, Cherry wandered on up to the body and took a small knife from her back before beginning to skin the beast.

For a while I watched, simply entranced by the speed and finesse that Cherry had in gutting the corpse. Soon enough however, Cherry politely asked me to leave as she had to do something she didn’t want me seeing just yet. Whatever it was she was about to do I had no clue, but I respected her wishes.
Walking out of the room and over to the others, I began speaking to one of the idle guards.

“So,” I began, a mix of curiosity and professionalism with a touch of excitement in my voice, “what’s happening about tonight? I take it there’s some kind of sleeping schedule to avoid getting ambushed during the night?”

“That’s right.” The dark blue guard responded. “We take shifts in guard duty. Since there’s three caravans, that makes it convenient. Three hours each. Typically its split between two groups and each has roughly four hours, but we’ll be fine doing with three.”

“And who goes in what order?” I asked. I was feeling quite drained from the day despite it having been rather quiet in the later half and the prospect of going first really wasn’t something I was keen on.

“Group B first shift, group C second shift and group A for third and final shift?” One young mare suggested. “I mean, seeing as I’m part of group B and I have no issue with staying up for a few hours. Mildew doesn’t seem like she minds either.”

“Excuse me?” Another green mare called out, no doubt upon hearing her name. “Fine. But only because that means we get eight hours solid sleep.”

“I wouldn’t mind getting some solid sleep either.” Pocket Change commented. “An old stallion like me needs his sleep after all.” As if to emphasise his point, Pocket Change yawned and rubbed himself up against a wall before lowering himself down to the floor in an act of tiredness. “See? Can barely even stand up. I reckon I’ll be out for the count after my portion of hay.”

“Okay, guess that’s it then!” Another buck commented. “Group A ponies, we can sleep easy. Groups B and C will be looking after us tonight and we’ll be looking after them ready for the dawn. Everypony up for that? Because I sure as hell am!”

Taking in the sight of everyone being able to work together and agree on something as important as this so quickly, I felt a touch of confidence in the group return. Smiling at everyone, I began to congratulate them. “Well, it’s settled then I guess. Glad that’s out of the way. Thank you everyone for being able to sort yourselves out so efficiently. Feel free to unpack, set yourselves up and eat as you please. After we’re all set, groups A and C can go to sleep and B is set to keep lookout.”

The atmosphere between everypony was a lot better now than it had been ten minutes ago, though now we were able to sit down and relax it was a lot more comfortable.
Though there was no rain, we still couldn’t manage to get a fire going due to the lack of fireplace inside and the wind ravaging the landscape outside, but that wasn’t the end of the world. What was more important was that we were in the relative warmth and safety now and we’d gotten through our first day without any major issues.

“Crimson!” Cherry called out, disrupting my thoughts. “You can come back in here now!”

Trotting on back into the room, much to the curious looks of others as they must have wondered why I would have been barred from any specific room, I went to find out what the end result was myself.
In my head I had images of Cherry wearing the wolf like an all over coat or something, though that was completely absurd. Still, the thought amused me.

Instead I found her sitting down next to the body which was now deskinned and completely torn apart. Piles of meat sat in bags, sealed up for whatever reason while the fur did indeed remain mostly intact, though it hung upon the wall rather than over Cherry’s curves.
As I moved on over to her, Cherry used her magic and levitated something over my head before putting it around my neck. Looking down, I realised it was a necklace… made of the wolf I had earlier killed.
My eyes grew wide as I tried to figure out what the hell was happening but Cherry gently placed her hoof to my muzzle and kissed my cheek.

“Shhh.” She cooed quietly. “Let me explain. I made this for you as a reminder.” Sitting there quietly, I let her continue, to which she smiled. “It’s a reminder of your first kill. It’s a reminder of what life and death really means. It’s also a reminder of how you saved me. Crimson, you took down that wolf and so I made this necklace from its biggest tooth and the sinew of its tendons. I want you to always keep this and have it serve a reminder of the price of killing. Oh, and don’t whine about what it’s made from. I had to chew it all apart to get it to be stringy enough to make a necklace out of it and that means that most of the messy bits went into my mouth, prettybuck. No reason to complain about that now.”

Looking at the necklace, it was simply beautiful and it gave me a sense of appreciation for Cherry even greater than before. Looking at her with absolute adoration, I leaned in and began to kiss her suddenly.
At first she hesitated, but quickly melted into the kiss and gazed back at me as our moment came to an end.

“I…” Cherry murmured for a moment before closing her eyes and shaking her head, her voice going back to normal. “Time for food. Come on, lets go eat. Don’t worry about filling me in on the sleep schedule, I overheard you all. I want to get as much sleep as possible.”

After our humble packed lunches of hay and apples, Cherry yawned and stretched as she spoke to me. “Are you ready to go to sleep yet, Crimson? I’m tired.”

“Yeah, I could do with some sleep too.” I lazily replied, looking around the floor for somewhere comfortable looking.

Before I had found somewhere I could feel the pull of magic tugging at my wings, directing me to go upstairs. “Come on then. Upstairs is nicer, it’s a little more secure since you don’t have to worry about roaches simply walking on in. Besides, the bottom floor and tower are where the watchouts are going to be posted and we won’t want to be in their way.”

Without a choice, I followed her up the stairs and into one of the offices where a old, beaten up sofa remained. That’ll do.
Looking at Cherry, she simply gestured for me to go lay down on it, though I gestured that she could have it instead, she still insisted. Not being one to argue if she was absolutely sure, I went over to it and carefully sat upon it before laying out, realising just how comfortable it truly was.

Miss Sundae must have known about this sofa, because without a word she trotted on over and climbed on top of me, nuzzling into my neck as she made herself comfortable and let out a content little sigh. “No funny business,” She whispered. “just… just some cuddles. It’s much more comfortable anyway.”

Just some cuddles? I closed my eyes and relaxed. I was up for that.

*** *** ***

Through dreary dreams I heard a voice, something that didn’t feel like it was coming from my own mind. “Wake up, Crimson. It’s your groups turn to take watch. Come on you pampered git, get up.”
Opening my eyes, I saw the green mare who I had noticed earlier, only now instead of being slightly annoyed at being picked to stay up on duty first, she now had a great big albeit tired smile as her purple friend stood next to her. “Time for you to wake up and do your part. Me and Lavender want to get some rest.”

Feeling like I could do with a few more hours yet, I rubbed my eyes clear in an attempt to wake up. “Where’s Cherry?”

“She’s just over there getting her gear ready. See?”

Rolling off the sofa and onto my hooves, I let the green and purple pair climb onto the sofa together and cuddle up as myself and Cherry had not long before. Sneaking up on her, I gave her a hug from behind, much to her surprise.

“Who the hell?!” Cherry burst out before quickly remembering the time and becoming a lot quieter. Turning her focus onto me, she relaxed. “Oh.. sorry Crimson. I’m just not used to that is all.”

Giving a little chuckle, I didn’t really have much to say.

“So, I’m going to be on the tower of course. If you want to be near me-” For a moment, Cherry paused before quickly thinking up a new way to say what she meant with a blush on her face. “I mean, if you want to help me out, you can be my spotter.”

With a confident nod of my head and a smile on my face, I agreed to it. “Sounds good.”

“No funny business though.” Cherry quickly added. “This is serious. You’re here to help me scan the horizon and to make sure that I’m not asleep or taken out silently somehow. I mean, I highly doubt we will be, but you know, there’s always the potential for something to happen. The wasteland can be a cruel place at times.”

“I know, I know.” I quickly responded. “This is serious and distracting either one of us from our jobs could be deadly.”

“Exactly.” Cherry’s tone of voice seemed confident, but something about her seemed off. There was a look in her eye that said it all, she wished it wasn’t so.

*** *** ***

The night had been going quietly for us. Occasionally Cherry had asked me to go downstairs and check on the others, make sure there was nothing we had missed.
The hours rolled on by and nothing exciting came along, though all of us were thankful seeing as excitement would have meant danger during the night duty.

Just as the time came in closer for rotation, Cherry’s ears began to perk and flick around nervously. Looking at her, I spoke quietly. “What’s wrong?”

“I hear something. It sounds… it sounds like a group. I’m not certain, but I’m sure I hear a group in the distance.” Looking down at her E.F.S, her eyes narrowed and looked worried. Looking down at mine, I couldn’t see why, but on hers I noticed it. Several bars began to appear as they came within range of her PipBuck. Why mine wasn’t picking it up yet hers was I didn’t understand, but I guessed it might have had something to do with her having noticed them.

“What do we do?” I asked nervously.

“For the moment?” She murmured, pausing for a moment. “Wait. If they come close, if they turn hostile… well, we’ll have a fight on our hooves and that will mean waking everypony up. Night guard duty doesn’t mean we fight alone, it simply means we keep lookout for threats. I want you to go put on your helmet and see how this turns out.”

“Okay.” I replied quietly before quickly making my way downstairs and over to my gear. Pulling out my helmet from my storage and yet again checking my weapons were loaded and ready for use, I went back up to Cherry and sat low as to avoid being more of a giveaway than necessary.

For what felt like an hour we were locked in a tense moment of stagnation, though really it had just been minutes if even that. If the signatures were friendly traders, we would be fine. If they were bandits, we would likely be able to talk to them and make them leave peacefully, if Cherry was right.
But no, these weren’t my worries. If they were raiders however, well, I didn’t want to find out if they were.

Hearing wailing screams of what sounded like agony in the distance as they came closer, I wasn’t sure what to think. Cherry’s face didn’t let on with what she thought and I didn’t want to take my helmet off to ask. Perhaps it was just my imagination… perhaps it wasn’t my imagination, but rather a group who had been in a fight and one of them was wounded?
That was the more comforting possibility of any. Wounded ponies could be healed given the proper medical treatment, besides, who would be travelling around during the night with a wounded comrade and be looking for more trouble?

Then the bullets whizzed past us, sloppily aimed though it proved plenty of warning for myself and Cherry to hit the floor in reaction.

“We’re under attack!” Cherry cried out. “Battle formations! Crimson! Wake everyone up!”

It was all so fast, I paused, hesitant. Then a bullet slammed into the building still missing us by a mile, but that was all it took for my brain to respond properly.
“We’re under attack! We are under attack! Everypony wake up and prepare yourselves! Battle formations!”

Cherry gave me the closest thing to an appreciative look that she could muster and quickly scanned the horizon for signs of our attackers. To the south-east we saw them, from the direction we ourselves were due to go.
The sound of the others below us waking up and rapidly setting themselves up bolstered my confidence, though the sound of the wailing pony grew louder and served as a demoraliser in itself. Now we knew for sure that no rational group would open fire on a building while their friend, if it was a friend, needed medical attention.

“Shit! Dusk has been hit!” A voice called below.

“I’m fine! I’m fine!” A stallion called out in response, to which I recognised the voice to the navy blue pony of before. “Just a passing blow, I’m not out of this yet!” Damn was I glad to hear that.

With no warning whatsoever, a loud crack filled my ears and made them ring for a second. Looking at Cherry, she grimaced as there was now one less signature than before.

Looking at my pistol and shotgun, I was no good at this range. My weapons were both suited for close range engagement and only the ponies like Cherry or Kingcakes who had any type of rifle stood a chance in actually hitting their targets.
Looking up into the dark skies above, there was nothing but black and I came up with a plan.

Taking off my helmet for a moment, I spoke to Cherry with a determination to help in this fight rather than waiting and hoping for the best. “I’m going to go into the skies above.”

“You what!?” She stammered. “No, stay here, you’re safer here!”

“Yeah, but I’ve got to do my part.” I responded. “It doesn’t matter if I’m safer here or there, the fact I can do nothing isn’t something I can deal with. This isn’t a game of ‘escort the leaders son to sunshine and rainbows’, it’s a fight and everypony is required to do their part. I’m going to do mine in a way they won’t expect.”

Opening up my bags, I picked out and showed Cherry my grenades. “How effective do you think an aerial bombardment might be? Princesses know they won’t be looking into the sky above them for such a thing - and besides, I’m hard to see as it is. Let me make a difference.”

For a moment Cherry stunted, unable to say a word, but then another volley of bullets came too close for comfort as it slammed into the base of the tower. With that, her eyes hardened. “Fine. You make a point. Just be careful and don’t get cocky. Also? Helmet on. Got it?”

Putting my helmet back on, I didn’t need to say anything more. Galloping down the stairs and out of the back end of the building, I took to the skies and quickly soared to a height where I could see it all.
Below was the station building, now lit up with muzzle flash and lanterns. Ahead was the group of what I could only presume to be raiders, ten of them.

If they had PipBucks, they might have taken a second thought to attacking us, but obviously they were unaware of the superior firepower and tactical advantage we possessed. With another loud crack from below, another one fell and tracers forced the others to hide behind what cover they could find in the rocky landscape.

Swooping over them, I watched momentarily as they scuttled around. None of them were any the wiser to the danger that lurk above. Taking note, I saw the pony who was in physical distress, his hind legs seemingly missing. I felt sorry for him, to be missing his limbs like that must have been absolutely awful and simply agonising.
Taking care not to leave the wounded pony in the danger zone, I unleashed the first two grenades from above.

Flying higher and away from the drop sight, I watched from a small distance away. Three seconds passed and then the explosions came, two successive bangs. One raider was blown apart by the blasts but not outright killed, a new wailer as the target began to bleed out.
Another pony hit by the blast seemed to get lucky, shrapnel only seeming to hit their barding and bags, though they were still knocked over from the initial explosion.

“Grenades! Be careful!” One buck called out in his hoarse voice, time having taken its toll on what I imagined once must have been a typical colt’s. He didn’t seem to be all that old from how he looked and stood yet his body had aged regardless.

As the firefight raged on, a screaming came from the station building and my heart dropped. Somepony from my team must have been hit, which of course was bad news even if they weren’t dead. I could only hope that the screaming wasn’t out of panic of seeing a companion die.

Looking at my foes, throwing another grenade would have been too ineffective at this point. The surprise was lost and now they were scattered so such an attack would only affect one and not more. Wasting a grenade on a single pony was pointless, and so I halted in mid air, thinking of a new plan of attack.

From my vantage point in the sky I could see some of my group attempting to break out from behind the station building and sneak around outside, though the raiders below quickly noticed the manoeuvre and opened fire on the flank, thankfully missing their targets but still pinning them to one location with barely any cover.
Seeing two raiders going for their flank with their own sneak attack, I couldn’t let that happen.

Once again grenades would be too ineffective, this time the targets moving too erratically to properly judge where to drop my explosives. Instead, I readied my shotgun and began to hope that it would be enough.
Just as the raiders climbed atop of the rock formation, I began my dive.

Slicing down through the air I moved faster and faster, waiting to get in close. Coming up behind them, I could see them clearly now with as much precision as I needed.
Hitting into S.A.T.S like I had been taught to do, I realised just how much better this was going to be. Instead of making wild shots, I could feel something inside of me being helped by my PipBuck as I flew closer and finally took the shot.
Without thought I climbed back into the sky before I became a sitting duck, a new target close to the enemy. Still, with those two raiders gone, there was now a chance for the others to focus on returning fire upon the main body of the raider force.

“Where did that come from!” One cried out, horrified to have seen his ‘friends’ die in front of him.

Another one answered, completely oblivious to the true reason. “The shadows! It was a fucking shadow! They’re using some sick magic on us!”

For a moment I felt good. I had been able to take out several raiders and change the flow of the battle using the element of surprise and flight. That feeling wasn’t long lived however, when another one cried out misinformation that made my heart skip a beat. “It was that fucking sniper in the tower! Get them! Focus fire!”

No! They couldn’t be allowed to get Cherry Sundae!
Breaking what disguise I had, I spoke to them to draw their attention. I didn’t really know what to say, but looking at my shotgun, I simply felt compelled. “By command of Zardoz, you are all to die! Kill the brutals!”

Now their attention was on me, which I much preferred since I could still hide in the darkness. Shots whizzed by me and flew wildly through the air in all directions as the raiders shouted unintelligible nonsense, though thankfully none of them seemed to have caught glimpse of where I was.
Throwing another grenade out in their general vicinity, I quickly followed up by sweeping down, around and out of their line of sight before the explosion blew the leg off of another.

With a great push, six of the Tank Mercenaries rushed out from the station building and into cover closer to the raider force for a better shot, I paused for a moment.
With that moment of pause, a bullet punched into my stomach and my chest began to burn from the force of the blow. Falling from the sky, I could hardly control my descent as I struggled to even keep my shotgun in my mouth. I couldn’t feel any piercing pain nor the wetness of blood, but my chest felt as if I had just been hit damn hard.

Crashing into the ground, I was thankful to land behind the enemies as I noticed them charging to meet the others at the station. With any luck, I would be left behind, unnoticed until I could either get back up or the others had taken the advantage of the raiders foolhardy advance.

Struggling to regain my strength, I laid for a moment, hearing the wails of the crippled pony nearby. I could hear him clearly now, crying in agony, begging for mercy, begging for something to soothe the pain he was dealing with. Looking over to him, I realised he wasn’t far from me, and nor was two other raiders.

Sliding into S.A.T.S yet again, I could tell that my shotgun was going to be no good to me at this range. Swapping to my pistol would indeed increase my chances of scoring a hit, but the pain was still staggering and definitely had a lasting effect on my aim.
Still, any benefit was better than nothing and I took aim at one of the raiders. Lining him up for the shot, I fired five bullets.

The first caught him off guard, knocking him back and making him a bigger target. The second third and fourth peppered his armour, making him drop his weapon as he gasped, yelped and cried out in pain. The fifth pierced through and sent him to the floor, twitching before going silent.
His E.F.S marker disappeared, quickly followed by three others who had charged ahead into the firing line of the awaiting guards.

Now there was only one left, but he stood in front of me. With a grin, he looked at me before turning to the wounded wailer who was missing his legs. “So, Prye. Looks like your duty as my toy has come to an end. I won’t be needing you any more if I have this pegasus.”
He had seen me? Shit!
Still, I knew that it wouldn’t have taken him long, especially after gunning down his friend.

“No! Please no!” ‘Prye’ cried and begged between his screams. “Please don’t! Please! I don’t want t-”

That was all he managed to say. That was all he could get out before the hatchet dug itself into his skull and ended the life of the pony in front of me. My world froze for a moment as the blood splattered onto the raider who grinned away, grunting as he dislodged the axe with considerable force. My breathing became rapid and shallow, my heart felt like I had just done a marathon as it beat faster and faster, my eyes growing wider in horror.

There was no mercy.

Turning his focus back to me, the raider spoke. “So, you’re the one who’s going to replace him, aren’t you, pegasus?” For a moment he went quiet, but then he made his way closer to me. “I’m going to enjoy chopping your wings off and hacking away your hooves. It’ll make such a lovely change, don’t you agree?”

As he came closer, the world around me felt colder and colder, the thoughts of those things happening filling the front of my mind. I didn’t want to ever find out what being wingless was like! I… I didn’t want to die! ...but nor did I want to live like that.

As he came closer, S.A.T.S refused to activate as it continued to recharge, though how I knew that it was recharging didn’t quite make sense. I didn’t look down at my PipBuck for confirmation, I couldn’t. I was fixated on the bastard in front of me as I picked myself up off the floor warily, falling backwards as he swung at me with the full force that he could muster.

“Come now, little birdie! This is going to be a fun… game!”

And then my mind clicked. My world changed and suddenly I felt just as I had when the wolf was about to get Cherry. I entered S.A.T.S with a strange calmness and focused on his axe. Though I fired three shots, the first two missed as he swung again, though the third knocked it out of his mouth and away from easy reach.
My body still cried out in pain, but now I understood the reason why I felt this way. This was my duty.

Realising their weapon was gone, the raider stared at me in shock before charging me. “W-what the fuck?! You little punk! I’m going to fucking rip you apart with my bare hooves then! You’d be surprised what we earth ponies can do to you fuckers!”

Dropping to the ground and rolling to the side in one swift motion, I dodged his attack by mere inches, though that was plenty. Swapping out to my shotgun as he skidded to a halt and turned around, I didn’t even need S.A.T.S this time. There was no way I’d miss.
It was only once he ran at me that he realised he was fucked, the fear in his eyes now apparent. With one shot, I blew apart his front left leg. With a second, his front right.

The raider skidded to the ground in front of me, screaming in his own agony as I fought the pain in my chest. I simply looked at him, his limbs missing, his eyes wide, his voice screaming. “I don’t want to die!” He called.

“You don’t want to die? Just as the one you killed hadn’t wanted to die?”

“Please have mercy! Please! This is fucking agony as it is! Let me be!”

I… I couldn’t believe it. Only a moment ago this fucker… I stared at him in shock, though that didn’t last long. My gaze dropped to the floor, then to the body of… that cunt’s last victim. Anger filled me and my heavy breathing turned from pain to fury. Turning back to the screaming raider in front of me, I growled. “You dare fucking speak of mercy?! You fucking dare plead for mercy after what you have done?! There was another who begged for your mercy only moments ago and now you feel you have some given right to ask for what you yourself could not give to another?!”

Closing my eyes, I turned my head to the side and felt the rage within boil up. One word came to mind, filled it, controlled it. Justice.

Opening my eyes back up, I stowed my shotgun and pulled out my pistol. “You seek mercy? You deserve nothing less than to be dragged across Equestria from end to end until you die. Still, I shall grant you your last request. Mercy comes cheap when you seek the executioner.”

Pressing my pistol to the head of the raider, I took one last moment to take in his look of fear, his golden mane clashing against his blood stained brown coat. I saw him draw his last breath. I pulled the trigger.

---o---o---o---

Footnote:

Level up!

Perk unlocked! Stallion of the night!

During the hours of darkness you gain a slight passive boost to your stealth.

Quest perk unlocked! Executioner!

In some combat situations you’re able to take advantage of an enemy’s weakness and downright execute them. Though this will typically play on your luck, it also opens up certain choices others might not consider.

Author's Note

So, first of all I apologise for the length of time this has taken me to write! It's been a long journey in trying to rewrite this damn chapter. It began before Christmas and ended here in February, but hey, we got there in the end, right?!
I've got to thank everyone who reads, everyone who comments, everyone who likes and everyone who follows. I've got to especially thank all those special people who consistently give me the feedback and support I need to keep myself going, because sometimes I simply fall apart without you all.
Is it good that I do? Hell no, but that's a part of who I am.

I want to apologise for how long its taken and how many issues people might take with it. I'm changing things, adding things, removing things and probably ruining things knowing me. I'm constantly worried I'm going to have ruined Cherry especially with this, but here's to hoping I hadn't.

Much love goes out to you all, it really does.
Also love goes out to Kkat for inspiring everyone with her magnificent piece of literature of the original. It's not flawless, but I never expected something to be.
Then there's all the artists who have ever done anything for me! And to my friend Doc who I unfortunately never speak to any more because I'm fucking awful socially. (Doc being the guy who performed the musical cue.)

I'll fix up the next chapter when I can. As for now? Apologies for any inconsistencies. Still, I hope this is a better produced piece than before.

Chapter 4: The taste of blood

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds
By Kippershy

Chapter four: The taste of blood

"That doesn't look like a table..."
"We were making a table?"

[Song: Call of Juarez The Cartel - Pawl Blaszczak - Final Explanations]

Standing strong as I looked at the corpse below, I simply had no words to say. The vileness of the pony below me had been ended.
And yet even after the act, I felt that it hadn't been enough, that he hadn't truly earned his rest amongst the dead.
None the less, he would no longer be terrorising anyone.

Darkness still laid across the night sky, the fight had only lasted a minute or two in reality, but had felt like hours between the tension and the drama. I could still feel the magic of the healing potion seep within my leg, pulling the skin back together. I got lucky that it was only a small calibre gun, only a grazing shot that missed any arteries or veins.
Taking what could be valuable from the bodies of the raiders, I stripped anything ranging from ammo to chems.
No point in letting it go to waste now, was there?

Cherry slowly approached me, a sad look upon her face.
"You... You shot him while he was..." I gave her a stern look, she backed down.
It was a dark night, both literally and figuratively. I wouldn't let this besmirch our closeness though, so I quickly flew on over to her and nuzzled into her side.
She stopped dead in her tracks and looked at me.

"You murdered him in cold blood, Crimson."
"I didn't murder him. I executed him."
"What difference is it really?" She asked. "Murder? Execution? At the end of the night, his body will still lay there in the pool of maroon below where he fell."

I knew Cherry wasn't approving, but she had no idea of the circumstances, no clue to what he had admitted to me. I had to change this, as much as it might hurt her to hear, to imagine.

"Cherry? Do you want to know the difference?"
"Of course I do Crimson. What is the so called difference between the two huh?"
"Murder, like you say, is in cold blood. Execution is a measure of justice, reprisal and revenge."
Before I could continue, Cherry spoke up again. "So. Because he dared to continue towards our camp, he deserved execution?!"
I simply touched her lips with a wing, and looked at her, before continuing what I was about to say.
"Look at the pony on the floor over there, the one with the missing hind legs. Look at him. Look at the agony on his face, or what's left of it. Look at the trail where he's been dragged along this whole time. That raider was going to do the same to me if I hadn't stopped him. That raider would've done it to somepony else if he hadn't been stopped now. He would have defiled anypony he could given the chance."

Her eyes repeated how mine had become upon hearing it from his very own mouth. Looking at me in disbelief, I simply nodded, that stern look still in my eyes told her I wasn't joking. I was serious about every last word.
I knew Cherry would take it harder then I had, but I hadn't expected her to react as she did. She broke down into tears of anger and pain, and began staring in horror without any words to say at the corpse.
Cracks and thuds filled the air as she began beating it around, throwing it in the air with her hooves and bucking it across the rocky landscape.

Picking up the corpse and throwing it against the largest rock hill nearby, that was the point when I walked up to her and slowly covered her eyes with my feathers so she'd calm down. She burst into tears and assaulted me with a tackle to the ground, pinning me down with her weight.
Then she just held me there and cried into my neck as she nuzzled, her eyes closed but still pouring like oceans flooding a stretch of beach.
I simply laid there and kissed her head, wrapping my wings around her.

"Shhhhhh, its okay. Shhhhh."
She whimpered and continued to sob uncontrollably.
"Shhhh, I'm here for you. I'm not going anywhere. It's okay."
We spent a good twenty minutes like that before she could pull herself together
By this time, Dusk and Fallen had gathered up the rest of what could be salvaged from the fallen raiders, allowing me and Cherry to simply trot on over to camp.

Though Cherry decided to lay across my back, I didn't mind, whatever calmed her down and made her feel secure made me feel happy.
As we walked into the trailer, Cherry slid off my back but held onto my neck as she sat down on the makeshift bedding.

"Lay down Crimson, on your back."
I looked at her, shocked that she would make such a strange demand, but obliging her request without any hassle.
She simply clambered on top of me, sat upon my chest before sliding down as if she were about to ride me, then pressed her body against mine and laid her neck along my chest, with her muzzle buried into my neck. She kissed me before whispering goodnight, and I simply wrapped my wings around her once more.

We'd only have a few hours sleep, but it would be much needed, appreciated, and with her on me like this? Much loved sleep.
I still avoided touching her with my hooves, because of the blood soaked on them, but she wasn't shy about stroking my ears with hers.
My eyes grew heavy, and before I even knew it, I was sleeping aside Cherry yet again. I could get used to this.

The night time passed, but we awoke by our own accord. That was a true surprise for us. Well, I say we woke on our own accord, the reality was that I woke up when the sounds of jokes and laughter filled the air and assaulted my dreams.
Cherry awoke with my stirring, but with a little encouragement for her to go back to sleep, she did so.
Still, it had been a many good few hours and looking at my pipbuck told me it was now 8:43am. We'd only meant to be asleep until 8am, but the others must have decided we'd earned our rest.

As soon as I walked out of the trailer, everyone went quiet though. Even the brahmin looked at me attentively as if he was about to ask something of me.
Looking around, their faces told the story clearly. They all wanted to know about the final kill. The executioner of scum was on trial for his crimes, and I would give them all a story to chill their bones.

"Crimson." Fallen had just looked at me sternly as he said my name. "We need to know what happened to that raider, not because you've committed some crime against us and not because we feel you have done wrong, but we need to know why."
"Well" I started. "Part of the damage to his corpse isn't mine, when I made the killing shot his legs had indeed been broken, his skull potentially fractured and his genitalia... destroyed. However, if you're referring to the fact it was kicked around and beaten further, with Cherry screaming... she was screaming in frustration after learning of his actions."
The camp went silent, everyone unknowing in what to do or what to say. Even myself I felt the tenseness and found myself dumbstruck by the moment.
Then, out of everyone, the brahmin began to speak.

"So, Crimson. What did he do that was worth the execution."
I looked at him with a smile, before beginning to sit down on my rump. I knew I'd need to now, now that the adrenaline wasn't flowing through me.
I'd find it a lot harder to accept and process, no doubt.

"I hope none of you have eaten yet. This is a hard story to believe, and even harder to process it."
...I wasn't wrong. Dusk was the only one to stay silent the whole time, seemingly untouched by the actions of the raider.
I knew it was just a facade, I'd played my share of poker and had been in enough tight situations to know when someone was bluffing, perhaps even themselves.

After twenty minutes, things began to go back to normal, and Cherry poked her head out of the trailer to check we were all still here before heading back inside and, I assume, going back to sleep. I smiled to myself, as long as she could get some rest, I wouldn't worry.

The sky grew lighter and the clouds thinner. It was a rare occurrence in the wasteland to see that, but my father had told me that was the pegasus farmers toiling the clouds, harvesting the crop and thinning them out so the nutrition may be brought back to them.
Strange, strange cloud magic. Apparently I had the capability that no-one else had, of manipulating the clouds like dad once had, but I'd never gotten the chance while he was around and only pulled a small chunk of it down before. It made me wonder how much I could do with the clouds, however.

We had all eaten breakfast by this point, with Cherry making an absolute mess of herself.
She got blood all over her mush from the wolf steak, not that any of the others had noticed it. I of course did when I went to kiss her and found the strange, copper taste about her lips.
She just giggled and apologised, before wiping her mouth down with a hoof and kissing me back.
Cherry Sundae really was a strange one.

"So, Cherry, what does wolf meat even taste like?"
I'd never eaten meat before, never needed to. In the Stable we had our own food recyclers, out at Angel there was crops grown, Opal traders often brought in exotic foods. Tank was the only village where it was common to eat meat.
"It's lovely, a lot better then bloastsprite, not sure if I prefer this or radhog meat though. Oh, nothing beats brahmin steak however."

The pack brahmin simply looked her way in horror and disgust, and I let out a little giggle as she sorely apologised to him.
It was strange to me how she could so easily compare them all though, but with second thoughts I suppose it was no different to me comparing sugar apple bombs, oranges and fancy buck carrot cakes.

"Anyway, you should try some!" Cherry had bounced on back to me again with a grin across her face as she said it.
"I'm really not sure."
"Come on, Crimson! For me?"
She tried to give her best convincing smile, but it really wasn't working. Then she tried pouting, to which I just shook my head.
"Awh. Please, Crimson?"
I just stood there with an amused look upon my face as I stared at the meat.
"For me?" she begged, and begged. I wasn't having it though.

That was my mistake, however. At this point she decided the best course of action would be to tackle me down to the ground and pin me down like she had once before.
She leant down and whispered in my ear.
"Crimson." She said, before nibbling the tip. "You're going to eat some meat, because if you don't... well, tonight I'll tease you, but I won't let you get what you want."
With that, she climbed off me and wiggled her flank in a delectable way. My mouth watered at the thought, to which she magically held some of the wolf meat to my mouth.

Taking a bite... I wasn't sure what to think at first. It was a lot chewier then anything I'd ever eaten before, perhaps not as sticky as the pre-war toffee apples, but chewier.
Then the taste really hit me, my pupils went wide as the juices slid down my throat. Now I understood why she was so happily eating this stuff! It was downright amazing!
I gingerly grabbed another piece off Cherry's plate, hoping she wouldn't notice as I started to chow down.

"Ah ah ah! Naughty Crimson!" Her grin said it all. "You should've asked."
"Sorry Cherry." I handed the meat back to her plate and she shook her head with a giggle.
"No, you carry on eating it, I'm just going to sit on your lap and make this as awkward as I can in retaliation."
I didn't know what she meant by that at first, until she straddled me and teased.
I tried to continue eating, but just found myself unable. She simply giggled her head off and climbed off a minute later, allowing me to get back to the delicious meat.

"You owe me something big for not being able to do that. Though I'll collect on that later"
With that she winked at me and I simply looked at her as I gulped down the last of the meat.
What had I gotten myself into?

*** *** ***

We'd been walking for some time longer now, We'd put the mess of our makeshift camp site behind us, for the best I reckon.
Along our travels we'd seen the odd bloatsprite, sometimes by itself, sometimes they'd fly around in packs of threes.
Pocket Change was quick to raise his .44, but Dusk was quick to simply shake his head, grab his baseball bat off the side of the brahmin and calmly walk up to it, smashing it as if it was nothing.
Cherry just giggled and I felt a little envious.

"Hey, Dusk." Cherry had said in a velvet soft tone. He didn't utter a word but he had turned to look at her.
"How about you teach Crimson here some of that subtle awesomeness?"
She then looked at me, my face went red and she burst into giggles. I really, really wasn't happy now.
"Oh buck you, Cherry. Buck you hard."
Within an instant she grinned. "I'm sure you will, later"
With a kiss onto my cheek she carried on walking, I felt like sulking but I knew it was just a joke.

Further ahead we could see a... you know, I didn't even know what it was.
"Shit guys, shit. Manticore ahead." Kingcakes said in a low tone.
Ah, so it was a manticore.
"Wait. What's a manticore? Well, I can see its some kind of lion with a stinger, but... what?"
I really was utterly confused at this point.
Dusk just gave me his usual blank slate look, I couldn't tell if he was disappointed or didn't care.
Cherry's eyes grew wide though, I could always tell what was up through her. She'd be no good at poker.

"So, what's the dig? Are they intelligent? Aggressive? Hunt in packs? Territorial?" I asked, I had to ask.
"Aggressive, usually in packs but this one seems to be alone, and yeah, quite intelligent. Not ones to talk though."
I was about to fly over when Fallen Arrow stopped me by grabbing onto my tail with his magic.
"Crimson. It has wings. Don't."
Wings? "You're kidding me right?"
He simply shook his head.

If this thing had wings, a stinger, a mouth the size of that and was intelligent and aggressive, it looked like it'd put up a good fight.
He was right, we'd have to avoid it or attack it as a group.
I looked at the rest of the group, but Dusk just shook his head. "Don't wanna do that, Crimson."
Sighing, I continued walking. I wasn't exactly keen on the idea of fighting it, but I'd prefer to have the advantage of a surprise attack rather then fighting it in a even match.

We continued around it, and found a small settlement sitting on the horizon, not far from Coltchester.
"So, Pockets, you've been to Coltchester many a time, right?"
"That ah have youngun, whats it to ya?"
I simply pointed to the village adjacent to another town close to the towers of Coltchester.
"What's that place over there? Not the tall towers, but the small village with that single tower and what looks to be a walled up town nearby it?
"That right there? That's Coltshire Commons, Lad. Not ah nice place to be, if ya ask me."
"Raiders?"
"Ahnope. Just the fact it's the poorest of the poor. Can't afford ah nicer place to live, ya see? Just ah bunch of slums really."

I looked at the settlement ahead. I couldn't tell how it looked much from over here apart from it was a mess of different colours unlike the city, or even the town on the inside.
So, poorest of the poor. Probably no good looking for a water talisman there... but still, something about it drew me in, even from this distance.

"Pockets. You reckon they'll let you in the town?"
"Coltshire Town? Well buck, sure thay will! Thay'll love to have us, always do."
"You reckon it'd be better for yourself to search there, rather then Commons?"
"Sure as ma old bones can be."

I simply looked at Cherry. She looked back at me confused. "Wanna visit Coltshire Commons?"
She just looked at me as if I had asked if she was even female. "Is there a reason we should?"
"Who knows, maybe one of them will know something. It's always good to make more friends, right?"
Pockets inserted himself into the conversation once more.
"Ah think y'all crazy for wanting ta, but if you do, we'll be aheadin' ta Coltshire town."
I gave him a quick nod, and he nodded back.

Cherry just rolled her eyes at me before muttering something to herself, sounded like 'I dunno'.
"Well, it looks like your mind is made up, doesn't it Crimson?"
She stroked my cheek with her hoof before smiling at me, she was up for it as long as I wanted to go there it seemed.

And so, that was it. While Pocket Change, Fallen Arrow and Dusk would go with the brahmin to Coltshire town, me and Cherry would make our way over to the Commons.
We split up, only being a half mile from Commons meant that it would be quicker for us to head there ourselves, and allow the caravan to make their way to town. Pockets agreed that they'd be fine, especially with his three guards.

Rocks, mountains of rocks and dirt paths were all that was around the commons. No wonder no-one had wanted to live here, even as we came close it was obvious that there was no real source of income. No great water sources bar a collection tower. No obvious factories to salvage or repair and reuse. Nothing. They didn't even have a perimeter around the place. There was simply old run down houses that had been boarded up at the windows and doors replaced to make new living spaces.
Pockets was right, it really was a slum.

As me and Cherry trotted into town, we saw the dirty, dusty faces of children as they happily played with pre-war toys. If nothing else, it was a comforting sight to see that at the very least, the children had something to enjoy.
Cherry walked up to the colt, with a sure smile she began to speak.

"Hey little guy.. uh.. you don't know who I could talk to do you?"
He just stared at her blankly and ignored her.
I just stared at her blankly myself. She looked at me displeased at the result.
"Hey. Don't look at me like that! I never was good with colts."
Rolling my eyes, I walked up to the very same colt and sat down next to him.

"Hey big guy. What's your name?"
He looked at me with judging eyes, speaking slowly and cautiously.
"My name?"
"Mhm. My names Crimson, Crimson Wings. What's yours?"
"Well, mister Crimson, my names Dust Bucket. What you after?"

Smiling, I knew I was making progress. I looked over to Cherry to see the shock upon her face turn into a scowl as I smirked at my success.
"Well, Dust Buckets. How are you today?"

The colt looked at me with further suspicion, but continued to talk. "Uuh. I'm not supposed to speak to strangers."
"I know, I'm sorry. Can I ask where your parents or any of the adults are around here?"
I gave him a soft, happy smile and he began to smile back at me, if only a little.
"Well, you don't seem like you want to hurt me or anyone, so... yeah. Mummy is over in the hospital over there. She's the head doctor."

With that he pointed over to a rather large building which seemed rather intact, made sense. I walked over and knocked on the door.
"Hey, anyone around who I can speak to?"
A viewing port opened in the door and a set of eyes gauged me. Slowly the door opened and I was greeted by an armed pony and another security door, though this one looked even stronger.

"Who are you? What do you want? How did you know where to look for us? I've never seen you before, explain yourself." The mare demanded so many things at once I didn't even know where to start, so I simply drew a breath and took the sight of her in.
She'd been bloodied, a scar across her right eye told me she was no stranger to violence, her brown coat and mane looked dirty and dismal, I couldn't even be sure if that was her original colour of if the filth from the area around us had dyed it so.

"The kid over there told me." I pointed over to Dust Buckets, and he happily continued to play with his toy cart.
"DUST BUCKETS. I TOLD YOU TO STAY INDOORS WHILE I'M AT WORK. GET BACK IN." She cried out, which hurt my ears to say the least.
Hurriedly, the colt ran indoors leaving a dust cloud behind him. Now I understood why he might be called that with how big his eyes became and how the dust didn't settle.

"Colts. Never listen to what we say, even when it's for their own good. Now, you. Who are you? Both of you."
"My name is Crimson Wings, This is my..." I looked at Cherry, what was she? my travelling companion? Bodyguard?
"I'm his marefriend." She said "Cherry Sundae's the name."
I simply stuttered my words for a moment after, and brought myself together. I needed to win this protective mare over.
"Anyway. Yes, We're Crimson and Cherry."
"Not a travelling sales pony duo are you? We don't have anything to trade. Or steal, for that matter."

I looked sheepishly at Cherry. That was a lot closer to the truth then I'd like to admit, thinking about it.

"Well, kind've, sort've, no. Is the answer."
"Kind've, sort've, no? Explain yourself."
"Well the truth is we are on a quest to trade and gain an item of irreplaceable value. We come from Four Ridges and-"
"Four Ridges you say? You mean that big, hoity toity walled off zone off to the north-west?"
Cherry began to speak, once more. "We're not hoity toity! True, you have to prove your good intentions and have something to trade, but we're nothing like Tenpony Tower!"
The dirt covered mare just gave Cherry a shooty look. "I have even less patience for them. Now, before I chuck you out on your flanks, why are you here?"
Cherry went to speak again, but I placed a hoof in-front of her to stop her, and took over once more.
"We're here to help. We need a water talisman, and I understand that although you might not have one, making friends is a sure way of improving our chances of finding one."

The mystery mare simply pondered this for a moment, before beginning to speak again.
"My name is Doc Dirthooves. Come on in then, and we'll talk."

With that, she knocked on the door in a special pattern and the door was unlocked from the inside. Cherry closed the front door behind us as we walked through into a wide open area; now I understood why we were talking to anypony called Doc Dirthooves. Under the lights that shone above us, I could see her mane and coat were indeed naturally brown, and that we had been directed to the local hospital building.

"These wounds are all fresh, some of them only from... last night, perhaps yesterday?" Cherry pointed out.
"Why yes, they are. Tell me, do you have medical training then?" Cherry simply shook her head at this response.
"No, but I can tell from how the wounds are healing up, see here? The blood has dried up, caked the slicing wound and the skin is doing its best to heal up. Though these are naturally healing, aren't they?"
Doc Dirty just stood in shock, amazed at Cherry's natural ability to tell despite no prior medical training.
"How... can you tell?" She asked, her mouth agape.
"I notice things." was all she got in response.

"Okay. So, you wanted to trade? We haven't got anything right now, but occasionally we manage to get a little deeper into the old factory below, manage to get some more ammo out of the machines. Problem is, the automated security is too strong and we can't hack it either, none of us have the skill."
"So, the automated security did this to you?"
"No. Maisy did."

In unison, both Cherry and myself looked at Doc Dirty and asked, "Maisy?"
If only we hadn't asked...

*** *** ***

It turned out that Maisy was the manticore that we had seen earlier, and she was the reason for all the recent wounded.
Maisy had been a pet of one of the villagers, but when the villager was killed in a recent raid, she went wild, tearing apart both raider and villagers alike.
Apparently the only reason any of them survived is because the zonkey bandit who had led the raid turned tail and fled after seeing the enraged animal, and Maisy had chased after them.

Doctor Dirthooves had given us permission to... dispatch of the problem, preferably through a non violent means, but we all highly doubted the effectiveness of speech.
To our luck however, we were informed that one of Maisy's wings were severely injured, running on the border of being destroyed, and that was how the bandits managed to get away. While this wasn't a good thing for Maisy, it meant if it came to the worst, it would play to our advantage.

We'd brought what extra ammo we could from the doctor in exchange for two healing potions. From what I could make out, she was going to pour it into a pot and water it down so they could have IV drips of weak healing potion.

She had some weird contraption which was effectively a cauldron with a mess of tubes coming out of it, which upon closer inspection, fed the contents through the tubes by method of pressure.
This pulled the liquid into an IV bag which had been pierced to be fed by the tube using an old needle from pre-war medical facilities, or so I hoped anyway.

I could see the advantage of doing it this way - it meant that the body wouldn't be put under the same stress as it is under a pure healing potion and it also allowed for more then just one pony to benefit.
By no means would it be as effective though.
Even still, it meant that the eight wounded ponies would be able to get some advanced healing into them and hopefully up and about a lot sooner then they would've otherwise, but it was still a lot slower process then just drinking a potion.

However, when you haven't got the potions to spare, you make do with what you can, I suppose.

"Cherry. I know you're going to think me a lunatic. I know you're going to call me a madpony. you're going to call me absolutely insane. liken me to the tales of Screw Loose, but... I think we should talk to the manticore."
She took a deep breath in, and looked at me blankly, before slowly exhaling and closing her eyes.
Again, she breathed deep and slowly, before looking at me once more.
Cherry irritably stated her opinion. "You're going to get yourself killed."
"Only if my plan doesn't work." I handed back, a cheeky smile on my face.
Sarcastically she asked me, "Oh really? What plan is this?"

I pointed out the huge mountain range ahead of us, that was where Maisy had run to while chasing the bandits.
None of the villagers knew where she was, but we had seen her on our way in, which was perfect - it saved us a lot of hassle tracking her down.
The area was covered in a mess of dead trees so thick that they didn't even need leaves to provide concealment, the sheer thickness of their timber limbs meant that it was an extremely hidden place to be as it was from atop of the mountain..

"I'm going to fly you atop that mountain, where you'll be waiting, sniper ready, in case Maisy doesn't take too kindly to my approach."
Cherry facehooved as I continued. "If things go wrong, I'm going to fly up through the branches and out into the open, with any luck she'll either climb a tree or try to follow me. If this happens, you'll be waiting with your magic concealing you, shoot. If you surprise her and you get a clean shot, you should be able to blow her head clean off if you use the hollow point ammo."

Cherry simply looked stunned. "Hollow point ammo? Where? When?"
"Back when we were over at Opal, You know that box of ammo I brought for you? You never opened it I see - it's HP rounds,"
She looked through her saddlebag and opened up the box, realising I was right she smiled as she pulled out a secondary magazine for her rifle and started sliding the bullets into it in preparation, before switching out the current magazine for the new.

"Hopefully, you won't need to shoot her, but if worst comes to worst, be ready. With all luck, I'll be walking out of area, not flying nor running. Walking."
She simply nodded.
"That's when I'll come collect you and we'll be back on our way to the Commons. Okay?"

Again, Cherry nodded. I could tell she didn't like this plan, somehow I knew she'd rather be down there with me.
Much like back with the wolves, in case anything happened. but I knew better, and I knew I could very likely require support from afar if things went wrong.
Besides. she wasn't exactly the best speaker, judging from her interactions with the colt earlier.

With the plan all set, I flew Cherry up to her designated point. We could see Maisy below, and she hadn't seen us flying overhead. Everything was going smoothly so far.
Drifting back down to the ground as quietly as I could, I rest myself at the mouth of the dead forest.

"Well... Time to do this." I didn't know who I was speaking to, but I still said it aloud.
A quick glance upwards and I could see Cherry as she began to conceal herself with her magic, until I couldn't see anything at all. I knew she was still up there though.
Carefully I made my way into the woods.
Twigs cracked under my hoof and I had to snap a few more branches then I'd have liked, but I knew that if I had to make a quick escape, it would be best to have a safe way out, rather then taking time to avoid running into the more flimsy of obstacles.

It wasn't a long walk in theory, it was only about 350 feet from the mouth to the mountain, where Maisy had been sitting inside a cave, but with myself being so cautious it made it all feel like it had taken me an hour, still, my chronometer of my pipbuck told me it was only ten minutes all the same.
As I came through the last of the broken and dead trees, I saw her, and through the corner of her eye, she saw me.

Slowly, I saw her powerful frame pull itself up, but then she staggered for a moment. I could tell she was in pain.
"Maisy." Her eyes grew wide and she looked at me, her full attention completely on me.
"Maisy, I'm here to help you. Please. I know right now you're scared because you just lost your friend, and I've heard about how the bandits hurt you. Please though, I'm not here to hurt you."
Slowly she pulled herself off the ground, growling at me. Instinct told me to back off, to start running, to fly away and let Cherry shoot her. No.
I stood my ground and looked straight into Maisy's eyes.

Maisy just glared at me as I met eye to eye... then, all of a sudden, she let her guard down.
Carefully I walked over to her and spoke again.

"It's okay girl. I promise. Here, I've got a healing potion and some hydra I took from some bandits I killed yesterday. I too don't like bandits, so that's something we have in common, huh?"
She just fell back to the ground, her wing now on show so I could see the damage done to it. Looked like they'd ripped it to shreds with either buckshot or something heavier. Perhaps even a minigun. What a truly, horrifyingly frightening thought that was.
I gently reached out a hoof as she lay there, and stroked her mane. She just looked up at me with an empathetic smile.

"I'm going to talk to you for a little first, okay? I promise, if you don't show me any aggression, I'll inject the hydra into you to regrow your wing and let you drink the healing potion, but first I need to trust you, and to trust you I'll need to be a little bit friendlier with you."
Maisy smiled and nodded, before pulling her paws away. She obviously understood me, and obviously she'd been trained well.

"So, you're old friend, I was told his name was Pudding Top, that right?"
Maisy began to cry gently, and I felt absolutely terrible.
"Shhhhhh, Maisy, Maisy. It's okay"
The towering size of the beast was frightening, but even more so was the sheer thought of how much pain had been inflicted upon her.
Her whole world torn from her in a single night. A single band of raiders.
I gently kissed the top of her head and continued to stroke her mane.
"It's okay Maisy."

We spent another five minutes like that. She laid her head on my lap as I sat up against the rocks and she cried her heart out,
Once the tears had stopped rolling down so heavily, I gently brushed her ear and hugged her.
I understood how it felt losing someone you loved, and that she needed affection rather then hate.

"You know, I lost my dad too, a long time ago,"
Maisy looked up at me with the most soppy, kitten cute eyes I'd ever seen and made a sound so soft, I knew what she meant even if we didn't speak the same tongue.
"Yeah, years ago. He was out with my mother as they came back from a trip from Tenpony Tower. A band of raiders came along and ambushed the caravan they were travelling with. My dad told the griffin mercenary to get my mum back home at any costs, and he died while trying to buy them some time."

Maisy just made a pained sound, whimpering softly before making a tiny roar.
"I know. We got them back though. We dragged our howitzers out of the ridge onto the mountain plateau... bombed the fuck out of their base, killed most of them, and had our mercenaries go in and sweep up, killing the last of those fuckers..."
I could feel my eyes water, I was about to cry, against my every last wish. "...before bringing my daddies body back."

The damn broke, bursting into tears I just couldn't hold it. The memories were still too painful now.
I remembered how mum had come back on her own, her eyes red and sore looking, dry heaving because she had no more tears.
When I asked what had happened, the griffin had told me and my mother held me for the whole day after that.
I watched as they bombarded the bandit base, hoping that with each shell, they'd all die a horrible, painful death.
Just like daddy had.

It took me another five minutes of crying before I could pull myself together. Now I found myself wrapped up in Maisy's powerful arms, not out of anger or aggression, but out of understanding and mutual need.
What a sight we must've been.
Then the broadcaster beeped at me, before Cherry began to speak.
"Crimson. Crimson. Are you down there still? Alive? Wounded?"

Maisy took one look at my foreleg in confusion, and I pulled my pipbuck up to speak.
"Yeah, I'm still around Cherry. Unharmed." With that, I heard her sigh over the other end.
"Want me to come collect you, bring you down here?"
"Yes please, it's quite boring sitting up here doing nothing."

I gave Maisy a look as she said it.
"Is it okay Maisy?" She just nodded.
So with that, I flew up to Cherry. It was a lot faster then getting through the woods originally because I could just fly up through the uncovered zone and go collect her, rather then having to be careful of a beast that could tear me in two if I had approached it poorly.

"Crimson. You've been... crying?"
"Emotional story. I'll tell you some other time when I have more tears and emotional strength to give. Okay?"
Cherry obviously wanted to know right now, but with the look on my face, she didn't try drag it out of me.
"Okay. Just... whenever you're ready, okay?"
"Yeah. I promise."

We floated back down to Maisy, who was happy to see me again. I simply snuggled myself back up against her chest and rubbed her ear gently. She smiled and nuzzled against my cheek while Cherry just stood in astonishment at how gentle Maisy was with me.
"Okay Crimson, hand you your due, you're charismatic. But this?"
Maisy huffed at Cherry, obviously annoyed by the remark. I just blinked.
"Of course, Maisy is intelligent and emotional just like you or me. She's hurt both physically and emotionally. She just needs a little love is all."

We spent another fifteen minutes just building trust with discussion of who we were, what we were doing, and general affection with, and from, Maisy.
Once we all felt truly comfortable, I offered her the healing medication, to which Maisy cooed,

"Maisy, this initial injection may hurt, its the hydra, and it's going to rebuild your wing for you. I'm sorry if it does hurt, and I'll give you the healing potion to reduce the pain and provide extra healing right after, okay?"
She winced at the thought, but didn't flinch nor cry as I slid the needle into her side and injected her with the serum, as I pulled out the needle Cherry very carefully popped the cap off a healing potion and let her drink.

Before our eyes, we watched as her wing regrew to its original form and all the smaller wounds vanished before our eyes.
Maisy was back to full strength, and rather then rampaging or hurting us, she simply got up and licked my face.
I kissed her cheek back, much to Cherry's displeasure at not getting a kiss herself, and we spoke about going back to Coltshire Commons.

As I mentioned it, Maisy's face grew sad again, and she drew a pony into the dirt below.
"You want to go retrieve the corpse, don't you girl?"
She simply nodded and with an expression of anger, clenched her paw into a ball and hit the ground.
"You know where it is? Where they took it if so?"
She nodded once more.
"You mind if Cherry rides on your back? She's an excellent sniper but she doesn't have wings like you or me. If we get into any fights, she'd do better on your back then she would mine."
One last time, she nodded.
...It was time to go retrieve a corpse.

As we flew through the air, I could see that same old face of excitement on Cherry's face. The same expression she'd had the very first time she'd rode on my back.
"Beautiful feeling, isn't it, Cherry?"
She just squealed. She was so happy. Maisy was just happy to be back flying, and getting the corpse of her best friend / father back.

We saw it, laid out along with all the rest of them as a small band of ponies, five of them, stripped each and every corpse of anything valuable.
I slipped my helmet on to give them one chance.

"BACK AWAY FROM THE CORPSES NOW. THIS MANTICORE WILL ACCEPT NONE OF YOU DEFILING THE CORPSE OF HER OLD FRIEND. IF YOU'RE SIMPLE SCAVENGERS, RETREAT NOW AND FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE TO SCAVENGE."

They shot at us. They had the audacity to shoot at us.
Why would no-one ever make anything easy for me?

"FINE. BE THAT WAY. WE WON'T EVEN GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO RUN."

Maisy swooped down first, with her claws she slashed a pony in half without even trying it seemed, before landing and charging another. Cherry began burst firing into the third with her SMG while I pulled out my 10mm and sliced the air with my wings almost folded, sliding into S.A.T.S the other two fell as my bullets penetrated the head of the first one, and cleanly placed three bullets into the chest of the next.

Like that, the fight was already over. I slipped my pistol back into its holster and pulled my helmet off, sighing as I fell to the ground.
More mindless killing. I wasn't sure if they were raiders or scavengers, for all I had known they could've been decent ponies just looking for something to trade.
Cherry walked over and gave me a hug.
"Crimson. It's okay. They shot us first, You gave them a warning. This isn't like the execution."

I sighed again. "Exactly." I started. "With the execution I knew what I was doing. He told me his background and make a mockery of forgiveness and mercy. These ponies? I have no clue."
Before I could utter another word, Maisy gently lifted my face with a finger, and pointed to the corpse of Pudding Top, and then the people we'd just killed.
With an angry look, she growled at them.
Cherry stood and thought about it for a moment.

"You mean... These were the raiders who killed your friend?"
Maisy nodded. It made me feel a lot better about myself, that at least they hadn't been innocent bystanders... this time.
Though like Cherry said, they had shot first. They had forfeited their right to safety by showing us aggression.
Even if they were bystanders, even if we were bullies. We weren't going to do anything more then take the one corpse if so.

We stripped all of the corpses. We got another eight healing potions. The rest of the stuff we gathered for the town. I knew that they wouldn't part with a water talisman even if they had found one if we didn't give them a reasonable gesture first, so we grabbed as much as we could carry in as many saddlebags as possible.
There was a lot of junk that was absolutely worthless though. Guns that looked so broken and rusted up that they'd backfire if you tried to use them, packets of food half eaten, even ammo casing that had been bent out of shape.

Finally, we were just about to leave when a sniper shot cracked through the air. Cherry screamed in agony before hitting the floor. My eyes expanded as I saw... a zonkey? He lowered his gun with a smirk across his face, my blood boiled.
Maisy looked at the bandit and roared, she was about to go chase the bandit but I knew we had to act fast if we were going to save Cherry's life.

Cherry had been shot through the chest towards the side but from the front.
The bullet hadn't managed to have enough power to piece through both sides of her barding, but with the amount of blood she was coughing up I knew she wouldn't survive without medical attention.

I stood there in shock for a moment as I watched what felt like gallons of blood pouring out of her chest and mouth, balls of it being coughed up. She'd obviously had a pierced lung from the shattering of the bullet inside her. FUCK.
I poured a healing potion straight onto the wound, but it barely did a lot. It healed up the skin, but I knew Cherry would need an operation, and there was no way in all of Equestria that I had the skill, know how or tools to do it myself, let alone here.
We needed to get back to the doctor, right now!

Maisy stormed off in the direction of the bandit, I couldn't let that happen, she was my only hope now, so I cried out to her. "MAISY. I KNOW YOU WANT TO CHASE THAT BASTARD, BUT PLEASE, I NEED YOU RIGHT NOW."
Maisy turned around and ran back to me. She picked up the corpse of her old friend and all our luggage, while I slipped a very heavy, hardly breathing Cherry onto my back.

We had to be fast.
My wings began to beat against the dry midday air, the dust picking up around me. Cherry moaned, only half concious as we began to scream through the air like a bullet.

Maisy gave a worried cry as Cherry fell limp on my back. We had to be going at 120% if we were to do this.

*** *** ***

When we arrived at the village, everypony who was around and out of the hospital (which wasn't many), were shocked to see Maisy back. One of them drew their gun and aimed, but I began to shout at them that if they dared to delay either of us, their whole town would burn in revenge.
Maybe it wasn't the smartest of threats to make, but by the heavens, it worked.

Immediately as we landed, Doc Dirthooves opened up the door to see what the commotion was about and I stormed in as quick as lightning. Sliding Cherry off my back and onto a table, I yelled at the doctor.

"SHE NEEDS MEDICAL ASSISTANCE, NOW!"
"WHAT'S GOING ON CRIMSON? WHY ARE YOU SHOUTING AT ME? WHY IS MAISY BACK? WHAT'S HAPPENED?" Doc shouted back, obviously confused.
"MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FIRST, QUESTIONS NEXT."
She gave me a stern look but ran right over.

"What's the damage?" Doc asked. Her tempo finally pulling into full swing as she magically grabbed all the tools she'd need.
"Bullet through the lung, I'm sure of it." I quickly replied, there was no time to waste but the doctor needed to know what was wrong.
She looked at me hesitantly for a moment, before continuing to grab all her emergency equipment.
"What have you done so far about it?"
She picked up a IV tube and began to insert it into Cherry's foreleg, to which I poured healing potion into the emergency IV drip. It had a port for that reason, and I wasn't prepared to give Cherry sub standard treatment.

Turning back to face me, she was shocked. "You have more potions?"
"Some more. I'll explain in a minute, first, we need to stabilise her."
With a serious tone and a no nonsense face, she simply nodded at me.
"Agreed."

We worked together, her giving me instructions, me giving her further information on the wound and how it happened.
Once we were sure that Cherry would pull through, I talked to Doc D about it all. She insisted I call her that, as the name "Dirtyhooves" didn't match her profession too well... I was inclined to agree.
Cherry began to stabilise and her breathing become deeper, we'd done it. She was going to live.

Explaining how the whole ordeal with Maisy went was quite interesting, Doc D had really appreciated that I'd found another way, as she really hadn't much liked the idea of killing Maisy in the first place, but thought it was the only thing that could be done.

We also sorted out a bargain - I would help fortify the town, give up two more healing potions, give them all the guns and a high percentage of ammo that we scraped up from the bodies of the raiders, travellers and village members alike, and if the town ever did come across a water talisman - they would immediately send it straight to Four Ridges - in return we would send what excess water we could to them to give them clean drinking water.

In the short term it might've seemed like a one sided deal, with Coltshire Commons gaining more then we would. However, the needs of the many... and such, I was more then happy to make this deal.
It would mean another town fortified and trading with us, another source of information, and perhaps, just perhaps, another bastion of hope out in a wild, desolate wasteland in the long term. Nothing could be worth more then the chance to bring safety and happiness to another community.

Now that Cherry Sundae was fast asleep and slowly healing, with the bullet fragments removed, we walked out into town to go see the mayor and explain the bargain.
Just as we walked out, I saw somepony kicking Maisy as hard as they could through the corner of my eye.
I flew straight over to the attacker, who was obviously drunk by the way she stumbled around. This was not going to be pretty.

As I flew towards Maisy, the mare one bucked her right to the face.
She just tried not to do anything but not get hurt, but I wouldn't do the same, if Maisy wasn't going to defend herself, I would.

My heart-rate jumped skywards as I immediately brought myself to bear the full force of my kick to the side of the mares face, she went flying across town and smacked straight into a building.
She started to bleed, I didn't give a fuck, she deserved it.

The other one who had been attacking her, a buck that had been kicking her side, turned his attention to me as Maisy whimpered softly.
I dodged his first few kicks, landing a few of my own against his face and chest, but he was a bigger buck then I.
He eventually hit me good and floored me, and I just laid there dazed.

Storming over to me, he went to crush my head but I managed to roll out of the way.
The Doctor called for it to cease as she rushed to the pony I'd just belted, going to check and make sure she was still alive and fine, if not a little hurt.
Trying to wiggle out of the way, my attacker hit my ribs and I cried out in pain.
Despite wearing my armour the force of his kick still damn hurt, I found myself winded and unable to move any more.
This was it. He was going to end me right here, and there was nothing I could do.

Maisy cried out in anger, a roar which spread across the land and the pony in front of me stood still.
He pissed himself right there in front of me as he suddenly went as tense as a statue.

I quickly moved out of the way as not to be laying in any of the piss which was quickly spreading across the floor.
As I pulled myself up off the floor I noticed the assailant had a single claw laid across his neck, as he stood there perfectly still almost, too frightened to move a muscle.

"Maisy. Good girl, I think he's learned his lesson, come on, I'll give you another healing potion for that black eye."
Maisy just whined but complied, pulling her paw away from the terrified pony.
As I walked past him, I bucked him as hard as I could across down to the floor, and he shit himself, still too frightened to move.

"Nopony! Nopony messes with my Maisy. You fucking got that?"

*** *** ***

We'd spent the rest of the day in the hospital mostly, watching over Cherry.
Maisy had returned to her home to rest up and feel safe while Doc D had brought everypony to the middle of town to discuss the proper treatment of myself and Maisy.
Although a lot of the villagers were justifiably worried around Maisy, the children soon got back to petting her and treating her like nothing nothing happened while she sat on her porch like the guard dog she had been trained to be.
Maisy smiled and took them for rides around the village, the children giggled their little heads off and everything was happy and peaceful again.

During that time, me and the doctor had sorted out the spoils of war, and also informed the town of the agreement.
Nopony argued about this though, they were all happy to be getting their guns back, extra guns, and the idea of a wall around the village wasn't exactly ignored either.
Looked like I had a lot of work to do, but a lot of ponies offered their hooves and horns if it meant that the town would have some reasonable level of fortification and security.

After all that was settled, I walked back into the hospital. I poured another healing potion into the communal IV drip mixing pot for the other healing ponies, and slowly but surely, their wounds began to heal even faster then before. The doctor smiled at my generosity, I'd already given them four healing potions, but this act meant that they would still have those. It just felt right. The needs of the many always outweigh the needs of the few.

I walked over to Cherry, who was still asleep on her bed, her IV drip was running low so I pulled out yet another healing potion and topped it up. I wanted to make sure she'd have the best possible care, and if that meant giving her healing potions via IV drip, then I'd damn well do it.
The Doctor smiled at me as I kissed Cherry's forehead.

"You really like her, huh?" She said with a soft, subtle tone.
I sighed as I closed my eyes, nuzzling into Cherry.
"Yeah. I only met her a few days ago, but she makes my stomach queasy and my heart flutter, faster then my wings could ever possibly flap."
With a dainty giggle she had an honest smile across her face.
"I think you're in love. Aren't you?"
I just looked at her. Was this love? It wasn't the same as how I felt for mother superior, it wasn't anything cheaper though, either.
Taking a moment to reflect on what she'd just said, I looked back up to Doc D once more.
"Yeah... I think I am."

The doc had given me an old, slightly torn and very much yellowing book she used to rely on when she was training to be a doctor, "The Canterlot Journal of Medicine".
Reading through it, it was mostly about general procedures, how to handle a pony in shock, how to temporarily mend a broken bone or repair it properly with a healing potion, even the smaller things like how to tell if a pony is in medical distress.
I thanked her for it, and decided to read it while sitting next to Cherry. It had proved to be surprisingly interesting to me.
Hell, one of us had to know this stuff, right?

Looking out of the window, It was still such a pleasant sight outside despite the night skies drawing ever closer.
The sun was shining extra strong because of the thinned out clouds and it brought a gentle orange glow upon the mountains around us.
With a whisper, I heard my name. I looked down to my side to see Cherry's eyes flickering open and closed, as she spoke again.

"Crim- Crimson?" She uttered ever so softly.
I simply leant down and kissed her with a gentle but passionate touch.
"Yeah, It's me Cherry. I'm here"
I saw her smile as her eyes closed again. "You... you saved me."
"I'm sorry, it was my fault you got hurt in the first place."
Brushing her mane, I felt a tenderness so strong I could simply melt into this moment and never leave.
That was when she uttered it.
"I... I love you, Crimson."
I began to choke up and tears rushed to my eyes as I nuzzled against her.
"I love you too, Cherry."

I didn't leave her side. Neither of us said another word. Nopony approached. We just stayed like that as I held her in my embrace.

We spent the night together like that, I even fell asleep, my head nuzzled against hers. It's how I woke up the next morning.
The nurses I hadn't seen the day before were around now, and some of them were still d'awwing at the sight of us, my cheeks flushed at the thought as the smile across my face grew ever larger.
I hadn't just found my somepony, I had found my special somepony.

I wished I could've spent more time just embracing Cherry, but I knew I'd have to find out what Maisy liked to eat and how to prepare it, if need be. I also had to start plans to fortify the commons.

I walked out of the hospital, and asked around about Maisy. In fact, I hadn't even seen her about.

"Hey, Anypony know where I can find Maisy?"
No answer from most of the ponies about, they either shrugged or ignored me completely.
Then, the child who I'd spoken to the day before came up to me.
"Uhm, hello again mister, Maisy is over in her old home."
I smiled at the young colt. "Thanks, can you tell me where abouts the village that is? I've forgotten. ya'know? being new here and all."
"Over that way." He simply pointed out the house, and suddenly it became obvious. Of course it was. That the house with the biggest door.

"Maisy! Mai-sy!" Calling out her name worked, and she sleepily walked out of her home and yawned, before smiling at me.
"Hey girl. How are you today?" I stroked her mane and tickled her ear just the way she'd shown me she liked it, and she smiled big and gave me a lick.
"Have you had breakfast yet?" She simply nodded and showed me the bones of her meal. They looked a little bigger then a radbit but not as big as a wolf.
I'd have to figure that one out later.

"Say, you wanna help out in planning the fortification of this town?"
She nodded and smiled, then looked at me as if to ask where to start.
"Well, first we need to figure out where abouts to build the wall from, and I'd need the mayor or someone to do that. I don't even know who that is though."
Before I could get another word off, she smiled and trotted off. I had nothing I could do but trust her to play nice as I flew up into the air and assessed the surroundings around me.

"Well, if I plan to build it... no no, that'd be too short. I could... no, that wouldn't work. What if? Nah, too much resources, I don't even know where we're going to get any of it yet."
My concentration was broken as I looked on as a ponies face slowly rose up in front of me, and I hovered there stunned by the fact it was an earth pony looking directly at me. How could she?
I looked down, and there was Maisy, happily allowing her to ride on her back.
I petted Maisy and began to talk.

"You're the mayor, I presume?"
"That I am indeed. I take it you're Crimson Wings?"
"Indeed."
"Well I'm Mayor Gut-Rot, yes. What are you planning for these defences then?"

I looked at mayor Gut-Rot and explained to her that I wasn't quite sure what we could use to make the defences from, but that Cherry had a better idea having been part of the Tank Mercenary Group prior to this expedition and thus she would possibly know of building resources we could use.
Aside from that we discussed the general outline of the defences. We agreed we'd around the town using some of the more isolated buildings as watch towers, allowing for a little breathing room and meaning that there would already be some pre-determined fortification about it that could be converted.

Mayor Gut-Rot returned to her duties and I had Maisy carving out a line in the ground with her claws as a visual blueprint, from building to building she dragged her claws through the ground, upturning the dirt below and making it clear where we would build this wall.

In the mean time, I made my way to Cherry to check on her. Amazingly she was feeling a lot better, and her IV drip was empty once more. As I went to refill it she stopped me with her magic.
"Crimson, it's okay now, I promise."
I gave her a worried smile, but gave a reassuring one back. "I promise, I won't be running or doing any heavy exercise for a few days, but I can walk about again now."

That was good to hear.

"Cherry... I hate to ask, but do you know of any building resources in the area?"
She thought about it for a moment and looked out the window.
"Mountains." she said softly.
"...Uh, what?"
"The mountains." She just pointed out the window, and my gaze followed.
"We can use the mountains. Get rock from them, The stone from the mountains is sturdy and would do the job wonderfully."

"How do you even plan to use the stone from the mountains then, Miss Sundae?" Gut-Rot asked. I turned around not realising she was even there beforehoof.
"Got any explosives?" Cherry asked as if it was an everyday question.
"TNT, lots of TNT. Why?"
"For your own interest, can we use it?"
"Know what you'll be doing with it?"
"That I do."
"Then I don't see why not. We'll go get it out of storage for you."

Watching, absolutely confused by their conversation, I sat in awe.
Cherry wasn't charismatic, yet she'd just convinced the mayor to hand over their TNT... just like that.
I was absolutely dumbstruck as she grinned.

*** *** ***

Cherry rode on Maisy's back and marked the mountain with some chalk we managed to find at the bottom of it. Luckily she'd remembered seeing the chalk around when we were taking care of Maisy, and had taken note for whatever reason.
Damn perceptive ponies like her made my head hurt sometimes.

Slowly and deliberately she looked across the whole of the rock face, drawing circles on it and Maisy used her claws to dig holes big enough for me to place the TNT in later. I watched as she went across the whole of the mountain, making decisions and then retracting them once she had Maisy fly out farther away.

While she was doing this, two ponies carrying a cart came along with three big, heavy boxes inside. more weight then I could lift alone. They simply shrugged and lifted them one by one between them with relative ease. Damn earth ponies will all their strength.
They opened them up once they were all off, and I saw why they were all so heavy. The first two cases were filled to the brim with TNT, and the third had a detonator and an reassuring amount of cable to make the connection.
They simply trotted off with their cart once this had been done, and I didn't blame them.

After nearly an hour of doing it, she'd made many pock holes in the mountain, and finally made her mind up.
She was finally happy that she'd done it just right.
Now it was about to be my job, but first... I just had to go and ask her.

"Cherry, Are you absolutely sure this is a good idea? I mean explosives? We're trying to build defences, and you're playing around with explosives!?" I truly was worried. What in Princesses names could she be thinking?
"Don't worry Crimson. It's fine, honest! I know what I'm doing!"

I shot her a worried look, and she simply gave me her trademark grin. She was a mad-mare, a true mad-mare.
Flying over to the rock face, I planted the explosives in the positions she'd marked with the chalk. I wasn't sure what she had planned or how she'd see it working out, but this was her idea and I had to trust her.

I knew she had said that the mountain would make a good resource for making the wall, but I really hadn't expected to be handling TNT when I agreed to make a fortification for the town.
But, once more, she was the perceptive pony who apparently knew her stuff about explosives and I was the pony with the wings, so I did as I was told and planted the TNT in the holes.

While I was toiling away up at the mountain, occasionally having to make the hopes a little deeper with a metal rod, Cherry was down on the ground preparing the detonator charge and all its connection cables, keeping it all unplugged for now but having it laid out ready for my return.
The more I thought about this the more it scared me, but there was no turning back now. I'd made a promise and Cherry had her plan, I wasn't going to go back on that now.

Having planted the last of the TNT in the rocks I flew back to cherry.
"Are... you... absolutely... certain?" I was out of breath, the work with the rod had been hard and handling it with my mouth made it hard to breathe with all the dust that came out.
She just giggled and patted my head.
"Of course I am. Now, take these wires here and attach them to each of the pieces of TNT. I'll let you attach the other end to the detonator so you feel safe, I promise."

With that I smiled. At least I knew there wasn't going to be a misfire and I wouldn't end up in a thousand pieces.

So I flew, once more, off to the mountain side. This time the job was a lot easier, simply attaching the cables to the wires coming off the TNT was hardly an exhausting job and allowed me to catch my breath once more.
Within a matter of minutes, it was done. All the connections were made and I landed back down onto the ground, attached the last cable to the detonator and smiled at Cherry.

She happily trotted over to me. One last time, I asked.
"Are you sure this will work?"
She just looked at me with eyes wider then I had ever seen, grinning from ear to ear... shit, why was she looking at me like that?
"I HAVE NO IDEA"
My heart sunk as she pressed the detonation trigger.

The mountain exploded. I watched in slow motion as one by one, each and every piece of TNT were set off in a chain reaction, I thought this was going to be the end and that pieces were going to fly out at us and crush us, or even worse, the town.
They didn't. Of course they didn't!
Cherry was rolling around on the floor laughing at my expression as I watched the mountain fall apart in an orderly form.

Chunks of mountain, squares and rectangles, neat triangular shapes. The mountain had been generous to us, and it hit me, Cherry had planned for it all. All that time she took with marking it up was in an effort to make it work to her benefit, and she got it right.
The mountain collapsed in front of us, the last of the charges set off and showed something spectacular.
she'd even designed it to have a path to the top.
A path to the top of the mountain, which with some work would be fully traversable.

"Still think I'm a mad-mare?" Cherry whispered with soft allure as she nibbled on my ear. I felt aroused and paralysed by her teasing nature.
"You're a naughty naughty buck, Mister Wings. You should always trust your marefriend. What good is a relationship without trust?" She asked teasingly.
I looked at her, stammering my words. "You... we're... we..." I shook my head and pulled myself together.
"We haven't made anything official though?"
She looked at me with a grin. "Well, I'm telling you. It's official now."
I grinned back just as much, this felt too good to be true.

Tell you what wasn't too good to be true though, the effort in trying to get these villagers to give the aid they'd promised. When they saw the size of the chunks that Cherry had made, a lot of them tried to back out, until Mayor Gut-Rot shouted at them to get the pieces onto the wagons.
The mayor and three other ponies all pulled and the wagon moved without any signs of trouble, I stood in awe at the sheer determination of earth ponies. Never giving up, never giving in, never saying no to a challenge.

Maisy managed to pull a cart by herself, I was so proud of her and she could see it on my face. She hadn't found it as easy going as the four ponies, but she still managed it. I offered my help and she happily let me lead, it didn't make a lot of difference, but I'm sure she appreciated the thought of it none the less.

It had taken us the best part of the day to do it in the end, but we got it done, We'd transferred all the pieces over to the town and set them in place, between building to building while a group of unicorns chipped away at the stone with chisels and hammers to adjust the fit to be just right.

By the end of the night, the wall was built, the desolate, isolated buildings which were to act as guard towers had been converted while we moved the stone, hollowed out on the inside and re-purposed so that guards could make one clean walk across the entire wall.
The downstairs of the houses were hollowed out large enough so a pack brahmin might walk through, and the earth ponies devised an ingenious pulley system that meant heavy stone doors akin to a Stable door would block the approach from the inside.

Another group of unicorns worked throughout the night to give the wall a purposeful walkway, complete will a low wall for some protection.
It truly was a masterpiece, and none of us could have been any the more proud of our achievement.
It had taken a day of non stop hard labour, we were all exhausted, but it had happened.
We had turned Coltshire Commons from a group of houses and the odd tower apartment which had no defence against raiders, into a fully fledged down capable of denying access to all but the most determined of attackers.

*** *** ***

I escorted Maisy back to her home, and she pulled out another corpse from the storage room. I then realised it was radhogs she'd been eating, which had explained why I hadn't recognised the skeletal structure of the one from her breakfast.
She happily snacked on her dinner and I kissed her on the head and said goodnight. She stopped chewing and smiled at that moment.

"You know. I... I really like having you around Maisy. I wish... I wish you'd stick with us now that we have the town defended. I mean, you're obviously welcome to stay and I won't hate you or be hurt, but... I could really use your company. Would you?"
She looked at me for a moment and pushed her meal to a side.
Then she jumped on top of me with all her power, she could've ripped out my throat in a moments notice if she had so decided to.

Instead, she licked my neck and cheek over and over before nuzzling into me.
"I take it as a yes?" with a gentle laughter I smiled, and she nodded before once again licking me all over.
Brushing my hoof through her mane I kissed her on the nose.
"Goodnight Maisy"
She smiled and went back to her meal as I left.

Mayor Gut-Rot just smiled at me as we looked down at it from one of the apartments that sat inside the new perimeter.

"Thank you, Crimson.This means a lot to us all. You have no idea how much safer we will be able to sleep at night."
I smiled back. "You're welcome. Just please remember your end of the bargain."
She let out a tired laugh and hugged me. "Of course. You have our undying gratitude. Well, as a town. Some of those ponies may not show it, may say otherwise, but they're just tired after a long day. You should get some rest, I know that's what I'm about to do."

I nodded in agreement and trotted over to the room we had been allowed to stay in, now that Cherry was out of the hospital and there was a perimeter, I felt a lot safer sleeping in the apartment then I would've the night before.
Cherry was already seemingly asleep as I slipped down next to her, closing my eyes without a care.

I heard a murmur coming from her beautiful lips. "Crimson?"
"Yeah Cherry?" I smiled as I felt myself drift off into a sleep. Cherry placed her hoof on my mouth.
"I love you."
I went to say it back and felt her hoof press further on my lips.
I just kissed it in return and slipped into a deep sleep, replaying those last words over and over.

---o---o---o---

Footnote:
Level up!
Perk unlocked! Civilised Education!
Due to your civilised upbringing and education, you gain +3 skill points every time you level up.

Footnote:
Cherry Sundae level up!
Perk unlocked! Civilised Education!
Due to your civilised upbringing and education, you gain +3 skill points every time you level up.

Footnote:
Maisy has joined the party!
Tagged skills: Unarmed
S8 P7 E8 C2 I3 A7 L5

75 Unarmed attained.

Special mention to Katarn for suggesting the music! I love having another sense of depth to this, and hacking a track list helps in my mind. So thank you for suggesting such an amazing piece. Much appreciated!

Extra special mention goes out to Tea - he went through the whole chapter with me, discussing it as he read. We had a lot of bouncing back and forth on things, and he pointed out a few grammar errors, typo's, inconsistencies and general parts where the story didn't explain itself enough - They've all been fixed now though, thanks to him letting me know where I needed to improve.
So thank you, Tea.

As promised, I'm going to keep advertising the fact that the head picture came from WavemasterRyx, who can be found:http://ask-the-waves.tumblr.com/ !

My best friend Mel gets love for being amazing, supportive and keeping me going. <3 Seriously, I love you Melly, so damn much. She's the best friend anyone could ever ask for and she means so damn much to me I could never really express it.
If it wasn't for her support, I doubt I'd have had the confidence to do this.

Special thanks goes to my friend Tom for massively defining this chapter not just once, but twice, with a simple comment which he had no clue would end up doing what it did - and then for answering a yes/no question with no information attached.

Thanks for reassuring me that Maisy is a workable idea without being Mary Sue [trust me - she's not] go to Random Blank, NoakWolf, No-one,Nyerguds, Wayofthepen and AlwaysTheCurious

Thank you both Kkat and Somber for both writing amazing stories that have inspired me to write. Without you two, there would be a massive hole in my world, and I don't know how I would've filled it otherwise. Thank you.

Lastly: Thank you to all of my readers. You keep me going with your compliments, your views, and the sheer interest this is getting.
If It hadn't gotten any interest at all, I wouldn't be realising this chapter now. Thank you so much, I love you all.

Chapter 5: Lessons to learn

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds
By Kippershy

Chapter five: Lessons to learn

"What could could be so important that it couldn't wait until after class?"

The skies were clear from clouds, just like those above the ocean, it truly was the most wonderful of sights.
The turquoise skies blended with not even a hint of harshness with the lilac and mango clouds ahead, the subtle mauve gently contrasting against the burgundy that hung upon the sky.
I watched as the sun slowly drifted across the sky, everything was warm and peaceful, happy beyond words.
I was flying, normally that didn't seem special at all, but right now with the wind rustling my feathers and the sun gazing overhead, it felt wonderful. I was carefree and there was nothing to do.

The hills were covered in lush, green grass, the trees all had leaves and the mountains felt homely.
There wasn't anything more wonderful in the entire world.
I could live like this forever.

Then a rumbling noise came from below, as I looked down I saw the earth shatter and crack open.
A purple mist came pouring out of the earth, a rainbow coloured gunk protruding behind, slowly but surely making its way up.
Large circular bays opened from the corner of my eye, and as I turned to them, I saw missiles begin to launch, their streaking trails going off into the distance as they flew away.

A large explosion followed, and I looked behind me to see the cause.
Manehattan fell into a blast of destructive force, the sky turning green and yellow as the missile fell on the outskirts.
I recoiled in horror as the flames expanded in all directions.

I began screaming in terror, my voice not my own. Looking down I could see the rampant wasteland as it turned to grey, dark, dismal destruction. Nothing lived, but somehow, we survived.
The sky grew dark as clouds come pouring over the skies as if the sun itself wished to see no more.
The world would now learn the true horrors of war.

Forgive us, for we have sinned. The world now prepares to be rid of us,

~ ~ ~

I slowly opened my eyes to find that my vision was completely blurred, but then I began to notice.. her?
Alone stood a midnight blue... I couldn't believe what I was seeing, a midnight blue alicorn?
She looked at me with a nod, and softly spoke.
"Yes."

That was all she said, before slowly disappearing, beginning with her hoof and slowly moving upwards to her horn.
She didn't create a sparkle like Cherry with her magic... was.... was she even real? Was I still dreaming?
Gently I felt her muzzle brush against my ear and my heartbeat stopped for a moment, as she began to whisper.
"I am real. Indeed. Now back to sleep with you, You shall come to no harm."

I felt her hoof softly yet assertively push me back down onto the bed, and I had no choice but to comply. I laid there in disbelief and shock, for as her hoof pulled away, a gentle kiss was pressed against my head.
I had to be dreaming still. I just had to be.
But as I looked around me, everything was normal again. It was still night time, but I could tell the skies hadn't changed, the world around me was still rubble and stone as I had always known it to be on the outside, and Cherry still lay in bed next to me.
Which begged the question, what had just happened?

Slowly I felt a drowsiness overcome me, and I fell back asleep.

The night passed without another incident, without any further vivid dreams, without anything else strange.
When I had asked Cherry if she had any strange dreams or experiences during the night, she simply shrugged and told me I was having a weird dream, and asked if us Stable ponies could even have dreams, being kooked up in a metal box all our lives.
I huffed at that remark, I got out plenty and had lots of fun! She just giggled at how easily she could tease me at times.

Cherry laid in bed and wiggled her rump as she called out to me.
"Crimsoooooon. I'm hungry, oh, I'm more then hungry, I'm starrrrrrrrrving."
There was a teasing in her voice and when I looked at her, the smirk across her face was huge.
"Get me something to swallow?"
She winked at me as she said those words and I felt a shiver of joy down my spine... no, I couldn't, she wasn't well enough yet, I had to put that behind me.
I sighed and grabbed a few apples out my saddlebags, chucking them over to her and she looked at me.
"Apples huh?"
I just looked back in response. "Yes, apples."

We ate together and enjoyed making a mess of ourselves all over the bed. If we couldn't have messy fun in other ways, damn it, we were going to have messy fun somehow!
I kissed her cheek and got up, stretching my wings out. "So. Time to train the newbies in proper gun handling I suppose."
"Oh, you so aren't doing that without me." Cherry retorted. "What do you know about guns anyway, hmm?"

I looked at her and began to mock her, to perfect success. "My gun loads a 12.9x99mm round, firing at a speed of roughly 880 meters a second, the impact from this can tear a limb clean off, or made the torso explode if the conditions are just right."
She simply looked back at me in utter astonishment, barely able to speak.
"Where.... where the hell did you learn that?"
I gave a proud laugh. "What, you honestly think I didn't go through rigorous firearms training? Tank isn't the only place with guns in Four Ridges. Hell, where do you even reckon they came from in the first place?"
She sat there, mindlessly staring at me.
"The Stable has its own supply of guns, ammo, firearm training range... and besides all that, I've also been on the specialist training course that is run by the Tank Merc Group."

I smiled, and slowly it seeped into her. I was far from tame, naive or stupid. I was a trained force of destruction, and I'd already shown the willingness to prove it.
"Oh, and my gun?" I continued on, to further confound her.
"Fires a .40 Spike&Whooves 10x22mm cartridge. Capable of killing a pony through hydrostatic shock faster then blood loss..."
I just gave her a 'do I need continue' smile and she shook her head. I had won.

She refused to speak another word to me all morning after that, which I probably deserved to be honest. Guns were what made Cherry feel special to herself, I understood that, but I also couldn't just sit there and let her believe that I had no formal training, when I had standard, adept and specialist training under my hooves.

I casually trotted out up to the roof and took a look around. Realising what a perfect guard post this could be, I realised just how much hard work we'd done over the last day.
We'd turned this slum into a village with the physical capacity to defend itself and now I was going to give them the gift of training. Maybe if they'd just had proper gun handling training and practice, they could become a self sustainable town worth recognition, rather then "that place over there" as Pockets had made it seem.

Truly, the longer I sat upon the roof, the more I came to realise just how sturdy that wall would be.
Flying opponents would find it no challenge, admittedly, but then no wall would prevent me, or Maisy, from simply flying over unless it had defences designed for such an occurrence or a roof to stop us.

Off in the distance there was a swarm of creatures scattering about.
They looked absolutely disgusting even from this far away... they had ten legs and what looked like a whole bunch of eyes all bunched together. Eugh. Worse? They were headed this way.
Still... this would possibly provide adequate firearms training, and make good use of the wall around us.

I jumped off the building and began to fall, plunging down to the ground, I closed my eyes.
I heard the screams of a bystander who had just made their way out of their house... and opened my eyes and pulled up in the nick of time.
Swooping, soaring, rising through the sky, I had such speed that I felt like lightning, and not wearing my armour for once only made it feel all the faster.

"WAKEY WAKEY COLTSHIRE COMMONS, TIME FOR GUNS TRAINING 101!"

That got their attention. At first it was just dribbles of them walking out of their houses, but quickly it became bunches, and within a matter of minutes the entire town was rallied outside to find out why I'd given them all an early morning wake-up call.
The residents were mostly grumpy about having been woken up, but by my pipbuck the time was now 7:50 so they could just go buck a duck and get over it for all I cared. This was going to be done my way, if they liked it or not.

I felt a weird sense of nostalgia as I landed in front of the crowd on the top of a building and spoke to them all, it was just like being back at Tank.
"Citizens of Coltshire Commons. It is time for you, my little ponies, to get proper, informational and practical firearms training. Each and every citizen who is not required to tend to the severely injured - or not involved in some other ultra essential task must come with me for training.

Three ponies began to sneak away, but I cut them off and stood in front of them before they knew it.
"So, What's your excuse for not wishing to be attending my firearms courses?" I asked, knowing it'd most likely be some lazy response.
The brown buck simply looked both ways before hanging his head down to the ground. "I... uh... I don't have an excuse."
Sighing, I began to explain myself.

"Every adult buck and mare must get this training, because with it you can defend yourselves, without it you are helpless and weak." The brown buck went to interrupt me, but I continued with confidence. "No matter who you are, your being capable of hitting a target at 20 feet matters. Do YOU want to be the only pony left capable of shooting back, being responsible for fighting the last raider left when you remember 'oh wait, I don't know how to use a gun' and get yourself, and everypony else killed? Thought not. Now, listen to what to what I have to say."
He whined, but stepped back to the crowd. The other two followed suit.
"Good." I muttered to myself as I flew back top the building to address the crowd once more.

After giving everypony proper firearms handling training, making sure they knew about safeties and proper ammunition handling, I made sure they knew proper maintenance of their weapons.
It was shocking how little these ponies knew, it explained why eight of them had been so badly injured during the last raid, with however many others dead.

It was tough, but over the course of the morning everypony managed to get to grips with it, and Maisy had come out of her house and made sure none slacked.
Once they all seemed confident in themselves, and I felt confident in them myself, I walked up to Maisy.

"Maisy, there's a whole herd of... creepy crawly things headed this way from the east. Do you mind going out there to see what they are? If they're not too dangerous, tease them over this way, if they're here, let me know somehow. If they're very dangerous, don't get yourself hurt. Please, don't get hurt."
She smiled and picked me up before rubbing her cheek to mine. I giggled and hugged her.

She jumped into the air and took off. I turned to the crowd.
"Now it's time for some real training. I'm going to make two groups. Group A is short range firearm users, you'll be with me. This goes to anyone who uses a pistol, shotgun or assault rifle. Group B is intermediate to long range guns, which means hunting rifles and sniper rifles, you'll be with Cherry Sundae. Group A on my left, group B to my right."

Thankfully it wasn't hard for them to sort themselves out into neat, orderly groups with a 70/30 split between A and B. I liked that, because it meant they'd not only learned proper discipline while under my 'authority' but also that the town had a perfectly reasonable ratio of short and long range users.

I led group A over to the wall and had them all line up along the defences, to which they came to realise just what a wonderful piece of work they had done.
I smiled. Group B then followed me to the roof of the apartment, and waited atop of the building while I went back inside to grab Cherry.

"Cherry baby?" She looked at me with a distasteful look, I'd really upset her.
"I'm sorry, I know guns are your thing and I apologise. I really am sorry, and if you feel ready, I'll make it up to you tonight."
I saw her eyes light up for a moment before she shook her head and pulled a sour face.
"No, Crimson. You're not winning my forgiveness over that easily."
I smugly looked at her as I walked over and licked along the edge of her ear. Her face became even more scrunched up before giving in with a tiny moan as I began to nibble on the tip.
"Crimsoooooon! Nooooo! Hmph! Fine. You win... tonight."

The idea had me excited, but I had to focus. Back to what I came in here for...
"Cherry, I have something else that will cheer you up!" I smiled huge at her and headbuttered her side until she got out of the bed and hit me playfully.
"What could that be then? Hmmm?"
"You have a group of long range gun users to instruct waiting up on the roof for you."

Her jaw dropped and her eyes grew wide, she was happy once more.
"REALLY? REALLY REALLY REALLY?" Her voice bouncing around the room as she jumped.
I grimaced at the thought of her doing so much so soon, but she then calmed down.
With a kiss onto my cheek, she whispered into my ear. "Thank you. Now, lets get to work."

Cherry made her way onto the roof and began to giggle as she looked into the distance. Confused, I took a look myself.
Then I saw what had made Cherry fall onto the floor laughing.
Maisy had found a partner to... mate with.
I just looked at Cherry and shrugged.
"Well, it's not like she's exactly got no need for that I suppose" I quipped, and Cherry just looked at me with a grin.

Slowly making my way off the side of the building, and allowing myself to simply fall sideways, I laughed as I heard somepony gasp at my actions. Obviously they'd forgotten pegasus ponies can only fall to their death if they can't work their wings. Far from the case with me.
Slicing through the sky like a bullet through fabric, I brought myself over to the wall.

The disgusting creatures were a lot closer now, and just as I reached them the creatures had come into view from the wall, coming over the rolling hills. I could see clearly now, they definitely had ten legs and a whole bunch of eyes, black fur. Euck.
"RAAAAAAD SPIDDERS!" One of the mares screamed.
I asked. Why did I ask? "Rad...spiders?"
"Dangerous, poisonous, tough buggers. We need to kill them all, or they'll infest the area."
I smiled. what was the problem with that? they had a wall now!
"Oh. And they can climb... vertically, even hang off ceilings. To make it worse? They have no problems eating ponies if they catch you.
...Great.

The volley began with Cherry taking the first shot, and the rad-spiders skull exploded. Hollow point bullets? She had loaded them up in preparation for Maisy if things went bad with her, now I thought about it.
A few seconds later, the ground began to explode as poorly aimed bullets hit it, and not the intended targets.
It took them a good half minute, but after a few tries they started to hit their targets, with varying degrees of efficiency.

Pop... Pop... Pop. CRACK.
You could always tell when Cherry had decided to take aim because the biggest of them all would explode with stunning accuracy each and every time, the sheer sound of her gun alone completely outclassed anything that the others were using.
Though I was worried. There was still another twenty spiders and they were getting awfully close.
I raised one hoof into the air.

"Volley round one. Ready. Aim. Fire at will with the tempo to my feet." I began marching on the spot, and the clattering of assault rifles filled their air.
Split second bursts cracked the spiders limbs apart, but they continued coming. The sound of my hooves clanking on the stone wall gave the militia something to focus on, and everyone kept calm to the best of their abilities.

"Volley round two. Ready. Aim. Fire when in range."
The sound of pistols took over from the sound of the rifles from atop the apartment building. They were far too close for the long range group and if they had missed, it could've easily been a pony that died, rather then a rad-spider.
Though the bullets from their 32. calibre and 9mm pistols seemed ineffective, the two ponies with a .44 revolver and .45APC automatic pistol tore the spiders a few more holes.

Six spiders left, but they were now at the wall.
"VOLLEY ROUND THREE. READY. AIM." I shouted at the top of my lungs and pulled out my own shotgun. I looked around at the four other shotgun wielders as the people will assault rifles pulled out whatever melee weapons they had or simply made their way to safety.
The first one to climb up saw my barrel pointed right at its eyes as it stared over the wall... I saw it blink in the last second of its life as buckshot scattered through its brains and the purple goo covered the floor below.

One by one, the loud clangs of shotguns going off devastated the remaining spiders.
Coltshire Commons was safe once more. The last two spiders began to flee, and I ordered my group to cease fire.
I flew up to Cherry, and simply winked at her.
"You take left, I'll take right. Deal?"
She was smiling like it was her birthday. I took off once more and flew up to the rad-spiders, casually landing in front of them.

"So uh, I heard you're about to die?"
I heard the two hiss at me as I slipped into S.A.T.S and pulled out my shotgun. The rad-spider flew back a few feet from the impact and the other exploded as it brought its front legs up to grab me.
I simply yawned at the sight, before checking they were definitely all dead.

Two remained alive, crippled, but alive. I gave them swift mercy from their pain with a knife I had borrowed from one of the mares,
They were no longer a threat, and Coltshire Commons had proven itself capable of handling an assault from 30 odd rad-spiders that would've massacred the village had it not been for our help and training.

While the corpses of the rad-spiders were collected, mayor Gut-Rot approached me.
"Crimson. What you did earlier? That was completely out of your authority. However, I cannot thank you enough. Not only are we properly armed, defended, and trained now, but we've experienced some combat and seen our own skills and capabilities. Thank you."
Nodding my head in a gesture of gratitude, I took a look at the honest smile on her face.
"You're welcome mayor. Just... remember Four Ridges if you even hear of any water talismans, okay?"
"Of course Crimson, We'll hold our end of the bargain up. Now... there's something I want to..." She paused for a moment, obviously trying to find the proper words. "I'm not entirely sure about this, but there's something I want to offer you the chance for."

Her eyes had a worried look, they weren't focused on me but nor were they focused on anything in particular.

"Crimson. There's a reason why I came out here with the doctor, to found this village. It wasn't just to have my own place though, it was actually something completely different."
I looked around and smiled before suggesting that if it's a long story, that she's more then welcome to come round to our temporary room in the apartment.
She nodded and smiled at the offer for some rest.

"So, As I was saying earlier. This village was never founded with the express intention to become a town. It was originally only a camp, which became an extended stay. You see, originally this was only an expedition into the hospital, because there's something... special, about that building."
The look on my face must've said it all, before I could even utter a word she continued telling me the story.
"There was, and still is, security inside the complex."

Cherry asked for me. "Security in the complex? In what form? Territorial? Hostile and actively scanning the whole building? Passive toward you?"
I had to admit, Cherry asked all the right questions and didn't try to rely on chances to try get an answer.

Mayor Gut-Rot just looked down and sighed before continuing. "Territorial, hostile but not actively seeking us out. It seems that the part of the complex we reside in is open to the public, or has it's security systems set to be passive unless under threat. We're not sure, We've never come across any security in the first section."

There was something that the mayor wasn't telling us, I knew it, but I didn't know what it was.
"What's in there that led you to make camp there, mayor." I looked at her with piercing eyes, trying to pry it out of her.
"Well... uh...."
"Mayor. For you to have set up an expedition, to make camp, to extend that into a village? There's got to be a reason. What did you find?"
She gave her secrets up to me without a fight.

"Medical equipment and supplies. Not just a little of it, and not civilian grade either. Pre-war military grade medical hardware and chems were here aplenty in this first section even. There's supposed to be more of it down below, but the only buck to ever make it down there died while fighting machines. His partner fled, came to Coltshire town, and I just happened to be sitting at the bar as he told us all."

"So, you're chasing down ghost stories." I quipped. Cherry let her trademark giggle out while the mayor simply rolled her eyes, I apologised. "I mean, you heard of it from a guy who had his partner ripped to shreds by robots? So there's a skeleton down there, lots of robots, and god knows what else?"
She nodded.
"It's off limits to most... but if you're able to get down there in one piece, you're welcome to see if there's any water talismans. If you manage to shut down or neutralise the security while you're down there, that would also be a big plus."

I looked cautiously at the mayor. "Why hasn't Maisy been sent down there?"
"Maisy?" She looked at me with shock.
"Yeah. Maisy looks like she could handle herself against a few robots. Why did you never just ask her old owner to go down there with her?"
The mayor just laughed. "She's afraid. Absolutely terrified of machines that shoot lasers. Not so much a sparkle cola machine, but sentries, turrets, anything like that. They're not natural and they turn her into a bigger wuss then my pet radbit."
That was good to know. Never expect Maisy to go up against any mechanical enemies. I sighed.

We'd spoke to the mayor for a while longer before she took her leave. We discussed everything from the general running of the village to the bandit problem they'd had as of late with the zonkey and his crew. Apparently they'd refused to pay settlers taxes to him and he'd tried to burn down their houses during the night.
They caught the arsonist as he began to burn down one of the houses and simply shot him right there and then. Ever since, the bandit had been out to kill them all for their "insolence".

Cherry wasn't keen on the idea of me going down the "hallway of doom" as she had so eloquently named it, but she knew it was better it being me then her with her current state. If the machines caught me, I could simply fight back, or even fly away, herself though? She was still unable to run, and even too much walking at this point in time would probably exhaust her while she was still recovering.

We had just finished discussing it and were simply enjoying some very gentle and calming cuddles when somepony ran up to our room and knocked on the door frantically.
"Come in." I hadn't been too keen on it, but I still kept my eyes closed and just enjoyed the relaxation.
I opened my left eye just in time to see the poor mare blush.
"I..." She was panting like crazy and I simply smiled at her.
"Breathe dear, breathe."
"I... I've been sent by... the mayor... the town is under attack..."
My other eye opened and I looked to Cherry.

"You, get on on that roof. I'm not allowing you to get up and close. Besides, your talent lays on your long range capabilities."
Cherry nodded at my commands and telekenetically grabbed her rifle from across the room.
"You, message mare. What gun do you use... wait... you were group B right?"
She simply nodded.
"Follow Cherry Sundae. Make sure nopony gets on the roof. Assist her in any way she asks."
"Yes sir."

I got myself out of bed and put on my armour double time. If someone wanted to attack the town, I would make good use of it as real combat training. Packing a new magazine into my 10mm and loading in three shots for the half spent shotgun, I prepared myself for the fight I was about to be engaged in.
I looked down at my grenades and thought about it for a moment... packed them onto my sides and had a brilliant idea.

The broadcaster switched on, the pipbuck screen giving me a range of options to choose from.
Scrolling down to "Tank Merc Group HQ" I clicked and began to speak.
"This is Crimson Wings of Stable 58, repeat, this is Crimson Wings. Do you copy?"
Nothing but silence and the crackling of static filled the room, Cherry looked at me in confusion.
"This is Crimson Wings, calling Tank Merc Group HQ. Do you copy?"
"We hear you, what's up Crimson?""Track my pipbuck location. I want support fire on a waypoint when I give the signal. Serial code H54-V"
"Got it."

I smirked at Cherry as the serial code processed into her mind, her eyes went wide with dread before looking out into the distance and smiling just as she had when she'd gotten the chance to take a chunk off the mountainside.
With a red flash before my eyes, I fell to the floor as she had me pinned and began to kiss me over and over.
"I LOVE EXPLOSIONS!"

I had floated down to the front-line from the apartment to speak to the mayor, who was in the middle of giving everypony a prep-talk.
Maisy sat behind the wall out of view of the enemies, hopefully they hadn't seen her.
I saw them on my E.F.S, the thirty or forty red ticks that filled up the entire northern facing part of my compass.
This was going to be a wild ride.

Just as the mayor was finishing up her speech, a lone pony with a ragged mane and bruised up and cut face with a burst lip and bruises all over her body slowly walked over to us.
The shame and pain in her walk was obvious even from this distance. One of the long range ponies raised their hoof, they all followed by raising their guns.
"HALT" The mayor shouted. They lowered their guns.

She took one look at the pony through binoculars and her face turned white.
"No... it can't be. That's... that's... oh my god. They.... It's Sugar Strand."
"Sugar Stand? You mean. MY Sugar Strand?" one of the bucks shouted from across the wall.
It was amazing to see his emerald green body just fly through the air so fast and before I knew it, he was already standing next to the wounded mare.

I looked to the mayor.
"Want me to go collect them. bring them here?"
The mayor simply looked back at me with a questioning look. "Can you collect them both at once?"
I knew the answer. "No."
"There's your answer then" She replied. "Unless you can get them both at once, I know him, and he won't leave without her, and he's too valuable to leave out there."
I sighed and looked down... to which I saw Maisy.

Should I? If I brought Maisy into view, it could agitate the attackers to attack early. The element of surprise would be lost. No. it wasn't worth it.
I looked at the mayor.
"Prepare the gates, this is going to be a speed essential mission. Get Doc D over to the hospital and ready for an extreme patient."
Mayor Gut-Rot nodded over to the grey buck by her side and he sped to the hospital. She nodded to the gate-keeper and he prepared himself.
I unfolded my wings.

If there was one thing I could never do without, it was speed. I loved the way it brought my mane through the air as it rippled like fire, and my hooves only felt too good at high speeds across the dusty, dry mud.
Within moments I was at the pair and simply grabbed Sugar Strand and threw her on my back.
"NOW, GATE. GO." I shouted at him. He was a fast pony on his hooves, but I had the advantage of wings.
Still, we reached the gate at the same time.

A shot smashed against the wooden gate as I went to go through, I hesitated for a split moment but then ran inside and the gate shut immediately after me.
We were safe, but hostilities had begun.

I turned the broadcaster back on and contacted TMG HQ once more.

"Crimson Wings here. Begin tracking now. Set my current location as endgame."
I had the sound of hooves tapping a keyboard. I didn't need a reply, that told me that they had began tracking.
"Location fixed. Target designation: endgame, confirmed. Moving howitzers within range as we speak."
I smiled. If we were to fail the defence of this town, we were going to make sure as hell they couldn't get a secure base of operations.

I looked back to the north as the emerald green pony took Sugar Strand off towards the hospital.
The red ticks were closer, filling up a broader area of my E.F.S. I had to act now.
"Mayor. Hold the fort, I'm going hunting."
She looked at me and began to speak as I hurled myself into the air, wings stretched and rocketed up into to sky.
I broke into the clouds and felt a static discharge. Damn that didn't feel good!
I lowered myself back down but none the less, I wasn't getting shot at so I supposed I that they'd lost track of me.
I hovered above the would-be second line.

Again, I spoke into my broadcaster.
"This is Crimson. Locate my current position and mark as secondary line of fire."
"Got it... and got it. Secondary line of fire confirmed."

I had two out of my three positions marked now. I just had to-
A bullet clipped my armour. They'd spotted me!
I broke into a dive and released all my remaining grenades at once into the mass.
Pulling up and barking into the broadcaster to mark my general location as primary firing line, I began to guesstimate the amount. It looked closer to fifty then anything.
More then I had expected....
Another shot pinged against my armour, and I felt my ribs ache from the force.

"Location confirmed. Howitzers are ready and waiting on serial code repeat."
"Twenty shells, primary target. Serial code H54-V."
"Target confirmed. Shells away."
I looked over in the distance, towards Four Ridges.
There was suddenly a flash that even in broad daylight could be seen from here.
I flew back to the village as fast as I could.

"DUCK AND COVER!"

Seemingly out of nowhere a high pitched whistling sound came as the shells came ever closer to the range.
Everypony looked at me as I frantically sped towards them, none of them taking my advice. I hadn't blamed them.
It had taken another ten seconds before the shells hit home, but the ground vibrated with a deadly force which shook the wall - thankfully it withheld the shock waves of the explosions with no sign of damage.

"Crimson. This is HQ. Launching second volley now."

Another five shells flew from the sky and crashed into the ground in front. Amongst the dust that had filled the air like a curtain, we saw raiders charging us and firing wildly in our direction.

"HQ, target third volley for secondary line. Send the fourth back to the primary line of fire. Prepare a fifth volley for endgame but do not, repeat, do not fire unless emergency authorisation codes are given."
"Affirmative. Next two volleys to be fired as planned, prepare a fifth for endgame but do not fire without emergency authorisation."
I knew I'd have to pay out my ass for this when I returned, but the professional nature of those guys was amazing and the ability to call fire support at a time like this was beyond any price.

The snipers began their rounds. Only one pony dropped but another two were definitely hit though, and slowed down. Still, it would've been nicer if they'd died, as morbid as that was.
Another five hits to the ground from the hooves of Luna's wrath, the dust was higher and closer. The marksponies were beginning to complain, but I ignored that.

My E.F.S told me that five raiders were getting close, and there was still the majority of their force untouched by the bombardment.
I readied my shotgun and stamped once onto the ground. Assault rifles and SMG's were raised to bare fire upon anyone who came out from the clouds of dust that had completely engulfed the entire battlefield, only leaving us twenty feet between the wall of dust and the wall of stone.

They all came at once, and in unison my shotgun, eight assault rifles and three SMG's ripped through them.
Blood stuck to the floating dust and for just a moment hung in mid air before slowly falling under its own weight.
I hadn't been in S.A.T.S but with how the blood sprayed, it sure felt all the same.

"Last volley, out. Endgame is being prepared now. Good hunting Crimson. We'll collect the fee from Stable authorities."
'Stable authorities'... my mother was going to be worried sick. My poor mother. I'd give her a call later in the day or something, just to explain it to her.
For now, the last of the bombardment was about to hit and the real fight was going to begin.

I jumped down and stroked Maisy's mane.
"Hey girl. You gonna be ready for when I call you?"
She nodded at me and unsheathed her claws.
The sheer size of them scared me, let alone how sharp they were.
I was so damn glad that Maisy had taken a liking to me already, I really didn't want to be on the wrong side of them.

The last of the shells hit just as I jumped back onto the wall and I watched as my E.F.S told me a good portion more enemies had dropped off the radar.
The shelling technique hadn't removed as many as I'd hoped however, and it seemed like it would still be a fierce battle.

The dust settled for good, and once more the marksponies began their volleys.
The gentle pops of 32 calibre hunting rifles and .302 snipers were suddenly outmatched by a roaring crack from behind.
The body of a heavily armoured raider exploded, sending metal shards into the crowd around him. I turned back and looked up to the roof of the apartment with a smile.
Thirty odd ponies left it seemed. Ten charged at once, eight of them making it through the long range group and four of them through the hail of assault rifle bullets.
I nodded to the other four shotgun users and we jumped down from the wall. This was our time to shine.

I slipped into S.A.T.S and raised my shotgun, bringing two shots crashing into the face of the raider opposite me.
He fell limply to the ground and I slipped out of S.A.T.S, charging forward gun in mouth and jumped onto the back of the next raider, who of all possible weapons, had a pool cue.
The poor fool had no chance to survive as I pressed the gun to his head and pulled the trigger.

One of us got sliced by a raider wearing armour with knives welded onto it all over, but the pony next to him fired both barrels at once and the raider was staggered. I rushed to the injured pony and picked him up in my hooves and slid the shotgun onto the hook on my armour.

"You, you're going to the hospital. You've done a good job but I'd rather keep you alive."
He just nodded with a disappointed look, but I just carried on once he was on the other side of the wall.
Flying back over the armoured raider had managed to push the other shotgun pony back as the two remaining defenders were handling others elsewhere who had made their charge.

I slipped on my helmet and called through to the skies.

"SHOTGUN USERS, RETREAT."

They all looked at me and made a break for the gate as I held off the armoured pony the best I could. His swipes were vicious, but clumsy and easy to dodge.
Upon hearing my call, another fifteen raiders had charged us. I flew up into the sky and saw the remaining forces begin to retreat. These were obviously the disposable troops, but possibly also drugged up to all hell.
It was time.

I took my helmet back off and whistled. Maisy jumped out from behind the wall, but none of the raiders took notice. They either knew death was unstoppable or they were too drugged up to care.
Maisy roared but they still ran towards her.
What followed was a bloodbath.

None of the attackers had managed to lay a hoof on Maisy, even though they all wore armour just as heavy as the knife user, her claws simply tore through it as if it was made of plywood.
Their screams of agony as she threw them into the air only to land on the ground, all their bones broken, was horrific.
I got flashbacks from when I had dropped Cherry.
Was that the sound she would've made? Would she have lived at all?
At that moment one of them sliced my face with a three bladed gauntlet and I cried out in agony myself.

My cheek was torn apart by the slice, but the attackers shrieking as Maisy ate him alive from behind put mine to shame.

The battle was won. We hadn't lost any ponies but four more were injured, not including Sugar Strand.
Though to have fought and won against such an amount was astonishing. We had done it. We had held the town against an aggressive force that would've previously had no trouble raping, killing and enslaving every pony in the vicinity.
We had won.

Now that the battle was over and it was safe, I looted as many corpses as I could.
I was still allowing a reasonable amount for the town but taking first pickings for myself, as was reasonable.
I hadn't managed to restock in any appropriate ammo, but we did find out that during the shelling that we had scored a critical hit to them, killing their medic.
Looting his corpse I found twenty-five healing potions, and I was quick to bag nine of those for Me, Cherry and Maisy.

In terms of food we didn't find a lot, but we did get enough to allow everyone a nice celebratory feast of sugar apple bombs, snack cakes and sparkle-colas all round.
That was a truly wonderful evening, the mood was calm and happy, joyous even. The village had overcome its biggest test of faith, and not only that, nopony died during its defence.

There was a real atmosphere in the air, that maybe after all the village had been through, that this was the beginning of a new era of safety and prosperity.
The celebration went through late into the night, and we all enjoyed the spoils.

*** *** ***

Cherry and I had spent the evening partying, despite a severe lack of energy which we both shared. She still wasn't up to full strength from her chest and lung wound and me from the new 'scratch'.
Cherry was quick to reassure me that even if it scarred she'd still find me handsome and that it'd just add character, but I personally was a bit worried. Still, there wasn't a lot more that I could do then use a healing bandage on it.
Anyway, if Cherry didn't mind it I suppose it didn't matter for now.

As we walked into our room in the apartment I noticed the mayor had taken the liberty of leaving us a note on the bed.

I picked it up with my wings and flicked it tort, Cherry just nudged my side and told me to go on and read it.
"Dear Crimson and Cherry." I began to read aloud.
"Due to the efforts you have put into this town, I have decided you deserve a repayment of sorts."
Cherry interrupted me. "Repayments? Really? What of?"
I just rolled my eyes as I continued to read.
"As such, I bestow upon you a gift. In the draw on the right hand side dresser, you will find a key. This key is to the stairwell that leads to the upper roof penthouse. The one with the glass roof."

I just looked at Cherry. She looked at me back.
Slowly her face changed from confused to shocked to overjoyed.
"YOU'VE SEEN INTO THAT, WHAT'S IT LIKE? IS IT NICE? OOOOH! I WONDERED WHAT WAS ON THAT UPPER ROOF!"

I turned my attention back to the letter.
"This is yours to keep. You are welcome to stop by whenever you wish. Your items will be safe as there is only one key - So don't lose it.
Yours sincerely, Mayor Gut-rot.

P.s. I've made sure to have clean bedding we found in the storage of the suite applied to the bedding in preparation for you. Enjoy yourselves..."

Cherry's eyes lit up and her mouth hung agape for a moment before smiling smugly, opening up the dresser with her magic and then... using her magic to place the key under her tongue?
What the hell?

"A little... taster of what's to come. You want the suite? Come get it Crimson!" ...Or I think that's what she said. She spoke a lot clearer then then me with a shotgun in my mouth either way.
She wiggled her flank at me and all of a sudden it was all to clear.
Tonight was going to be fun.

The wind blew against the windows and made a slight whistling sound, waking me up during the middle of the night.
I looked at my pipbuck to see it was only 3:33am. Why did I wake up at such a weird time? I just shrugged and decided I felt refreshed enough for a little walk, especially after the night of fun.

I put my armour on and grabbed all my gear. I hadn't spent a lot of time out in the wastes, but it was already starting to feel natural to wear it and the matter of fact was the more I was used to flying around in it, the better.
Opening the latch on the roof door, I walked through into the brisk cold of the early morning breeze.
As I stepped out the door shut behind me, and the latch fell back into place.

Seemed I wasn't getting back inside until later in the day, so with this behind me I decided that maybe now would be the ideal time to go check out the 'corridor of automated death' I had been so told about.
It was only a short flight over to the medical facility, especially with the ability to simply glide there from up this high.
Opening up the door and slipping through was easy enough now the town was safe, they didn't feel a need to lock it like they had previously.

I was just walking along by all the beds when I accidentally tripped over a kid. Looking behind me as I got up, I went to apologise before noticing it was Dust Buckets.

"Hey, Sorry there Dust Buckets. Didn't see you there. What're you doing in here at this time in the morning?" My voice filled with a softness that comforted the poor colt, after having been knocked over.
He just looked at me and rolled his eyes. "I'm spending the night with mum, she's the head doctor here and I didn't want to be home alone. It's scary being alone sometimes."

I just nodded. I remembered being a small colt myself, sleeping in my own room was frightening at first. At least I had the safety of the Stable and mum was never further then the next door over.

"Uhm, anyway, I'm just back on my way back to bed, just needed to use the potty."
D'awwww, he still referred to it as the potty. Cute kid. He scampered off and I resumed course for the door.

When I found it, I was a little annoyed by the size of it. The door wasn't just like a blast door, it was a blast door.
Designed to keep ponies outside perhaps? Or was it to keep the dangers inside? Either way, it was stiff and heavy, but I soon got it open with a little more noise then I'd hoped to make.
Thankfully none of the patients had woken up however, so I wasn't going to have to apologise to any tired and cranky ponies.

I placed my helmet on as I walked through the door, the last thing I needed when trying to be stealthy was the helmet clanking on its latch hook and giving my position away with every movement I made.
I knew that stealth was going to be my biggest ally down here, as even with my shotgun and pistol, I didn't much fancy a shoot-out in the middle of the night with a bunch of automated security turrets and Goddesses knew what else that I might find.

Step by step the sound of my hooves was minimised by my ability to hover, gently flapping only the edges of my wings to give me a lighter, quieter touch.

Green triangular symbols with an eye were imprinted on the walls, I had no clue what they were but they seemed to do absolutely nothing so I didn't give them a second thought.
What I did find interesting however, was a particular symbol on a doorway ahead. It was the symbol used on the old world military flags, the two princesses circling what looked like the sun and the moon rolled into one. Definitely a military base, though that was almost assured even before that finding.

I pressed my hoof against the door to open it when I heard a clicking sound from behind me.
I slipped into S.A.T.S to try help me think as I went to turn around, activating in time as my head came to view the spectacle.
Dust... Oh god. The turrets were lowering themselves ever so slowly but I could still see them go down ever so gently, the clock was ticking even now.
Dust Buckets was halfway down the corridor and looked as if he was about to say something, but the turrets were sure to spot him.

I slipped out of S.A.T.S.

"DUST! NO!"

He began to shout back to me "Crimson! Not in here! it's not-"
That was all he managed to say.

Before I could even spread my wings to speed towards him the turrets took aim and began peppering the air with their bullets.
I saw Dust's foreleg explode in a red mist as he was hit by a barrage of bullets from the turrets.
I smashed into him at full speed and took a few bullets to my back as I did, no doubt I had just saved him from being shot even further, though I yelped in sudden pain as they smashed into my back plating and one bullet pierced through into my side.

Suddenly as I lay there, a robotic sounding voice came out of the ceiling from somewhere I couldn't quite pinpoint.
"Error. Friendly fire detected. Processing information... officer wounded in friendly fire event. Commencing shut-down of turrets in sector A."

I shook my head and looked down. Dust Buckets was laying there unconscious but alive, barely. His breathing was shallow and slow, he needed medical attention right now.

"DOCTOR DIRTHOOVES. DOCTOR."

I cried out for her, it woke everyone up and someone began to moan about the sudden noise until they saw the blood all over myself and the colt, whom was now missing a leg.
I picked him up and flew off to the emergency table, pulled the latch on my helmet to be able to speak normally again and tried not to panic... as if it was something easy to do.

Wrapping the colts wound up in the nearest clean rag I could find, I proceeded to tie a tourniquet around the shoulder to try stem the bleeding.
I grabbed four of the towns healing potions from their stock cupboards and poured one straight onto the wound.

Doctor D ran up to my side once she'd realised where I was and her voice turned to that one of sheer horror "DUSTY. OH GOD. DUSTY! MY DUSTY! WHAT HAPPENED?!"
I simply threw two healing potions to her and nodded over to the IV drip, she was shaking but quickly realised what I had meant and did her best to pour them in without spilling a drop.
I slid the needle into Dust Bucket's remaining forelimb, just looking at the wound in horror.

I then sipped the fourth potion myself, and felt the pain ease and the blood stopped running down my side.

Shaking at every moment, the doctor turned to me. The shock was evident in her eyes. "Wha- wha- What happened to my Dusty? How did this happen?"
I looked down at the ground.
"I went to explore the turret defended corridor. I didn't close the blast door behind me in case I needed to get out fast. Dusty had just been awake to use the toilet and was supposedly going back to your side when I bumped into him as I walked in."
"That... that doesn't explain this though!"

She began to cry and I lowered my head further.

"He... He must have followed me. I made it all the way to the door without being noticed by the security, and I was just opening it when I heard the click of the turrets coming out. When I turned around I saw him half way through. He was trying to tell me the area isn't safe when the turrets opened fire on him. I tried to save him. I.... I tried. Goddesses. I tried."
I broke into tears myself as I continued.
"I tried. But by the time I'd manage to reach him, his leg was already blown off. I took a few bullets myself which would've hit him as I grabbed and flew with him out of the corridor. I'm so sorry. I tried."

Her bursts of choking as she tried to breathe subsided for a moment as she began to speak.

"Crimson. Look- Look at me."

I looked up. Her hoof connected squarely with my left eye with such power that I was thrown to the floor. I thought I'd felt my eye socket crack under the sheer force, but the healing potion I'd drunk would take care of it if it had.
I just laid there and accepted the blow. I wouldn't try defend myself or stop her unless she tried to take my life.
Instead, she just fell on top of me in bursts of agonising tears.

"I... I... I'm s- s- so so- sorr- sorry Crimson."
Her tears warm and salty dropped against my still tender slice wounds from earlier. Now I'd have a black eye on the left and three slice marks on my right. What a sight.
She began to speak again once she'd choked the tears away for a moment.
"I'm... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I know you did what you could."
I just laid there and didn't speak a word or make any sound. I had no right to.
"I know you couldn't close that door." She continued "And you couldn't have known he was there. It's not your fault."

I breathed deeply as she got off me and walked back to the table. Her son laying there, a leg missing.
I rose to my feet, shook my head and huffed with a very angry tone.
"Those... fucking... turrets."

The doctor just looked at me as I stormed up to the corridor. The turrets sat there still, just watching me.
"YOU FUCKING TURRETS" I cried out as I slipped into S.A.T.S and lined up three shots for each of the two turrets.
They only took two shots each, but it felt good shooting the connection joints that they hung from all the same.

I ran to the door and bucked it as hard as I could, it flew open to show a large circular room with a big screen on the far wall.
In a fit of rage I sped in, uncaring about any threats that were hidden to my sides. They could all come at me at once, I would take them all apart piece by piece.

I stepped through the door, the metal clangs of robotic hooves surrounded me as I saw they spotted me.
Four protectaponies flanked each side of me, one by one they approached.
Their metal hides so familiar yet so different, so twisted and wrong. How anyone could design a robot to imitate the look of a pony was beyond me.

"You mother fuckers. You want at me? Fucking come at me. After what you and your security system did to him?"

They just looked at me though. Instead of shooting me as I had just shot their turrets, they simply looked at me.
It was almost as if they were waiting for me to make a wrong move... one more step, that would be it.
I would take one more step and they would decide I was too far into their territory, too far away from the door to be able to get out before it closed.

Sealing me in and entombing me to a fast, or slow death. That was how they were going to end me, that was going to be the way they won this fight no matter what, I just knew it.
It didn't matter to them, they could wait forever, they'd already waited over 200 years for this moment.

I reloaded and aimed my shotgun at one of their heads, but it didn't react. Slowly, I holstered my gun.
A green light came on in the corner of the monitor in front of me, It's emerald glow shone from behind. I turned around as fast as I could to see what it was coming from, dodge the incoming attack,
The camera stopped with the green glow.

"Please turn around for full confirmation of status... Please turn around for full confirmation of status... Please turn around for full confirmation of status..."

Obliging the mechanical call I turned around just to see what it would do, and the green beams went up and down the zone around me once more.

"Welcome, Lieutenant Colonel. Would you care to sign in via DNA confirmation?"
The protectaponies that were previously standing around me waiting for action had just bowed their heads before getting back to their aimless wander. I was utterly and truly perplexed.

I didn't know what to do, but the monitor began showing me diagrams of a hoof going onto a circle on the computer. Looking down I saw it and placed my hoof onto the DNA scanner.
A pinprick jabbed me and took a bit of blood suddenly.

"Fucker. As if you haven't taken enough of my blood with that turret system." I muttered to myself.
The computer hummed furiously as it tried to process the blood, before coming back to me in its robotic voice.
"DNA unlisted. However, your uniform shows your rank as Lt.Colonel. Our databases show that Lt.Colonel Waters is now deceased. Accepting your application for entry to database. Please state your last, then first name."

I blinked in shock. Really? It was going to accept me as it's leader just like that? I grinned.
"Wings, Crimson."
My authoritative tone spoke power into the machine as it beeped in return.

"Welcome, Lt.Colonel Wings. Would you like your complimentary duster?"
I looked at the machine. Complimentary duster? Well... why not I suppose?
"Sure."
As soon as the word left my mouth, one of the metal pony things walked over to me with a package on its back.
I looked at it.
..They had honestly gift wrapped a box and put a bow on it for me.

I undone the bow and ribbon carefully with my wings, undone the wrapping paper and opened the lid with my mouth.
Inside sat a brand new real brahminhide reinforced leather duster coat, which when I slipped on, fit me perfectly in every way. How the hell they'd done that was beyond me, and I could've sworn a strange way that it had reminded me of Zardoz somehow. Strange, wild lands these wastes were.

"Look, command console. Who, or whatever you are, I need to come back later today. I've got stuff to check on, such as the child shot by your security."
"You mean the turrets you've rendered inactive, Sir?" The robotic voice asked in return.
"Yes."
"Understood, Lt.Colonel Wings. Would you like us to shut down all security systems to this zone?"
Without even a heartbeat between the end of that sentence and the start of mine, I answered back. "Yes."

*** *** ***

I'd walked out to check on Dust Buckets. Doctor D was still crying, but she gave me a hug and apologised further for hitting me. I simply motioned that I understood and carried on out of the building.
Flying over to the apartment I tapped on the glass door at the penthouse suite and woke Cherry up so she could let me back in.

We sat down and talked about what had just happened. Her face was filled with horror and dismay at the accident but also with confusion and wonder about the tales of being turned into a lieutenant colonel in the old equestrian armed forces. She had found a little humour in that.

I simply laid across the bed and looked at her as I began to cry again over Dust Buckets.

"Cherry. God. Cherry. It was awful. I didn't mean... I didn't know... I tried..."
She put her hoof on my mouth and turned the rest of my words into jumbled rubbish.
In the softest tone I'd heard from her in a while, she spoke to me. "Crimson. I understand."
I continued to cry, the pain from what had just happened still overwhelming me.

I looked up at her as she stroke my mane softly.
I began to beg through the tears. “Please... Please don’t leave me.” I needed her right now.
"Crimson. I'm not going anywhere. I love you."

Her words struck me speechless as she whispered them again before kissing my ear.
"I love you."

---o---o---o---

Footnote:
Level up!
Perk unlocked! Charming devil!
You gain +5 to both speech and barter with this perk! You charming devil you.

50 Small guns attained.

Footnote:
Cherry Sundae level up!
Perk unlocked! Trained instructor!
You have the ability to train other ponies thoroughly in your primary tag skills.

50 Lockpick attained.
55 Small guns attained.

As promised, I'm going to keep advertising the fact that the head picture came from WavemasterRyx, who can be found:http://ask-the-waves.tumblr.com/ !

My best friend Mel gets love for being amazing, supportive and keeping me going. <3
I know you don't want me to write anything soppy, but fuck, I love you and you are the air that I breathe, you are my guiding light in the darkness and you are my reason for staying strong amongst the weak. I love you.

Chapter 6: Roads we walk alone

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds
By Kippershy

Chapter six: Roads we walk alone

"For your mistakes you beg forgiveness. With your sorrow you pay the punishment"

Waking up in the morning to the sight of Cherry smiling at me was still strange, we hadn't been around one another for long yet we already felt so good. I raised my hoof and tenderly touched her cheek with a gentle brush in an effort to wake her up peacefully.
A loving kiss was placed on my forehead as she whispered for me to rest.
Rest? We had no time for rest, I thought as I fought back the urge to yawn and concede.

Slowly and almost painfully pulling myself out of the bed to the whines of Cherry, I slipped my armour back on.
There was only one more thing to do here now, we would have to speak to the mayor and offer Tank Mercenary Group services.
I highly doubted the capabilities of the villagers for another attack just yet and I wasn't going to let this hard work go to waste.

I looked to Cherry to ask if that'd be something they'd be able to do, but instead she'd already fallen back asleep.
Lazy mare.

The wind blew, as it always seemingly did up here, gently against the glass as I walked out of the room.
My stomach began to ache and I remembered I hadn't eaten anything last night... damn was I hungry.
I looked into the horizon and saw the village was as quiet as the rest of the wasteland, no shops to buy any fresh food from so it looked like we'd be delving into our Rad-spider portions, though that would have to wait for a moment while I checked on Maisy.

Fast asleep as I'd assumed, Maisy lay there snuggled up in what seemed to be her corner of the place. Whenever I'd seen Maisy in her old owners house she'd always laid in this corner in that same old way. Whistling a gentle tune slowly woke her up, and brought her paw crashing down into my side, knocking me clean over before she scraped me up into her arms and laid on me.

"Maisy." I coughed as I spoke, trying to not let her crush me was hard. "Maisy."
She whined but slowly opened one of her eyes back up to look at me before giving me a little more room to breathe.
"Maisy, it's time to get ready to go. We'll be leaving today. You're coming with us right?"
She just nodded and licked my face gently.
"Well then missy, I'll be cooking up some rad-spider bits in a minute, want some?"
With her tail she used the scorpion-like stinger to open one of her cupboards before peering inside to see practically nothing left before looking bad at me and nodding, puppy dog eyes on full.
Trying to speak through my giggles I began. "Well of course you can have some, come on. I'll go cook some up now."

Her smile made all the crushed ribs feeling fade away as she lifted herself off me and picked me up in her powerful jaw before opening up the door and flying out of the house.

Getting Cherry to wake up wasn't all that hard in the end, as soon as the scent of cooked rad-spider had hit her, she was falling over her own hooves all messed up in the bedding before she even had time to think.
I tried to stifle the laughter but eventually I broke out into full blown fits.
Her pout was just enough to bring me off guard before smacking me round the face with a hoof, bringing me to the floor.
Apparently I was supposed to 'know my place', which was strange because usually it was the other way around.

After having had breakfast I told her the plan. She didn't seem all that interested in leaving our suite but after a headbutt to the side she was a lot more inclined to leave the room... even if it was only to chase me so she could return the favour.

She yelled at me at the top of her lungs. "CRIMSON!"
I simply paused mid air as I slipped my duster on as she ran toward me.
"GET HERE AND RECEIVE YOUR PUNISHMENT MISTER"
Looking at her I lifted my head up in the air, turned to her and casually began my response. "Nope."
I flew as fast as my wings could take me from the reach of her magic.

That really set the mood for the rest of the morning, and I found it just as much fun as she found it annoying, constantly letting her feel my tail or hooves with her magic, but still unable to outright catch me.
I began to tease her, holding still for a little longer each and every time before shooting off again, each time making her more and more frustrated. It was the best exercise a lad could have.

Then it happened, she caught me. My life was over.

I'd expected her to pin me down, which she had. What I hadn't expected however, was the lack of blows to the head.
Instead, she sat there and pushed my head to the side so she could get a closer look at my new battle wounds.
Gently she brushed her magic against my sliced cheek, carefully caressing the scars., I let my guard down as she softly whispered my name with a sadness to her voice.

Sighing, I looked to her.
She just smiled at me... then hit me as hard as she could.
My head rang and spun as she climbed off and threw me through the air between her magic and a kick and got me on my feet.

"DON'T EVER, EVER DO THAT AGAIN CRIMSON. RECKLESSLY RISKING YOUR LIFE LIKE THAT. SO HELP ME LUNA, I WILL END YOUR LIFE MYSELF."

I simply stood there dazed as my head pounded and my vision slowly came back from the brown and grey blur of the floor and walls around us. Goddesses I felt sick.
Then I hit the floor and closed my eyes to rest for a moment.

*** *** ***

"Crimson. Crimson, are you okay?"
Ughhhh. Who? What?
"Crimson?"
I simply shook my head through the pain and felt a sudden rush of agony run down my spine.
It was completely unbearable, my head felt as if a radbit had dropped a tree on it or something.

"Crimson, don't move your head any more then you have to right now. Can you hear me?"
I groaned in agreement and outstretched my hoof.
"I'll take that as a yes. Now, here's what happened.... Well... Cherry fractured your skull."
Whoever was talking stopped for a moment and I heard a small whining noise which almost sounded like 'sorry'.
"My name is nurse Lucky, which fits for you tight now because you're lucky Cherry noticed she'd hurt you worse then intended. Now, stay still for a moment because I've got to do this very carefully."

I felt a strange pressure press against my back and all my hooves before I figured it must have been magic holding me still, I obliged not having any clue of what was happening anyway.
I groaned more out of the sheer tormenting pain as I felt a prick of pain before a warm, soothing, almost pleasurable sensation worked its way up my neck and into my head.

"I've just fitted you with an IV drip into the top of your spine, it should feed straight to your wound hopefully so you'll be stuck here for a day, but with any luck it'll turn from possible fracture to minor concussion over the course of the day, and you should be fine to leave tomorrow after another day of rest."

I began to whine upon hearing that. Rest? I had no time for rest! I had to go find a new water talisman!
"But- but- but-" I began. The nurse just put her hoof to my muzzle.
"No, Crimson. Rest."
I brushed her hoof with a wing and began to speak again.
"The water... the water talisman. Need... need to find a new one."
"You're in no condition to-"

That was as far as she got before mine and Cherry's pipbucks began to blare out.

"This is Pocket Change of Four Ridges, repeat. This is Pocket Change of Four Ridges! Crimson, Do you copy? Cherry?!"

I slowly opened my eyes to look at the pipbuck, still a mess of blur of colours and shapes.
"Cherry... answer. My eyes are..."
I couldn't even speak properly. Either the drugs, the damage or the pain was stopping me from doing anything useful.

"Pockets, this is Cherry Sundae. I can hear you. What's happened?"
There was a pause for a moment, then the old buck began to speak once more.
"Kingcakes is dead. I've been hit but its only a flesh wound. Fallen and Dusk are under fire right now. We're in Coltshire Town and we're all putting up a defence, but these raiders are armed with some heavy ordinance."

I could see Cherry spin around and turn her head to me as she continued to speak.
"Sniper rifle? About thirty odd of them? Led by a Zonkey?"
There was a hesitation over the airwaves for a moment before he began to speak again.
"Y...Yeah. I take it you've run into them then?"
"Yeah. Could say that. Hold on, I'll be right there. Crimson won't be coming though."
"What?" The fear was obvious in his voice, though I couldn't tell if it was for me or for his own life.
"How will you get here in time then? What happened to Crimson?"
"I'll tell you later. I've gotta go."

With that she hung up, kissed me on my nose and pinned my wings with her hooves.

"You. Are. Not. Going. Anywhere. Got it?"
I whined. She scowled at me.
"No. No whining. You're nowhere near fit to move, let alone fight. Besides. I need to repay that fucker. I'm taking Maisy and we're going over there to sort them out."

I had no choice. She was right. I couldn't stop her if I tried.
I just lay there on my belly, unable to move. She took the helmet off my armour and magically held it at her side.
"Also? I'm taking your helmet. My turn."

I watched as her figure walked out of the door. I was worried, absolutely worried.

As soon as Cherry left the building, I spoke to the nurse and got her to go through my pipbuck.

I'd contacted Tank Mercenary Group and asked Cherry's background and combat experience. I'd expected something average, maybe having gone out once or twice and patrolled the wall plenty. What I hadn't expected was what I was told.

"Sorry, but I just don't have allowance to those files Crimson!"
"What do you mean? You're the administrative pony in charge, you must do!"
"These are 'Romeo' level files Crimson. Whatever is on them, it's something serious."
"As the son of the Overmare, I am telling you, I need to know her history."
"As the guy behind the keyboard, I'm telling you. I can't access the files, I'm not permitted."
"Fine. Type what I say now. Stable over-ride code Prise."

I heard the presses of each key and then the satisfying beep sound as the computer unlocked its files.

"Right... okay. Says here she was... is... no. This can't be right."
My gut wrenched at the thought of his hesitation, this was a pony who was all business and never hesitated to be clear and precise.
"Says here she's active special forces. I wasn't even aware we had special forces."
At that moment I heard the sound of stuttering.

"M....M...Mayor"
I stayed quiet, listening into the conversation.

"Specialist. What is it you're doing on that computer."
"I..."
"Let me see... why have you opened the files on Cherry Sundae? How did you get into these?"
I had to speak up now or risk this bucks job.
"Mayor. Here. Broadcaster."
I heard the sound of heavy hooves against the floor, making their way closer to the broadcaster. Even over the ringing in my ear, I could tell when she approached despite being the other side of a broadcaster.

"Crimson? I take it that's you on the other end of the line?"
"Yeah, its me."
"Got a reason you wanted those files?"
"Cherry has gone off on her own. I need to know how capable she is."
She gave it a moments thought before speaking with a smooth as silk tone. "She can handle herself."
"Special forces I hear."
She huffed. "Yeah. Special forces. That's all you're going to find out. Only I and your mother are to know more, besides her of course."

I went to argue, but I knew in my current state it'd probably only end up with me dying from exhaustion, so I let it drop.

"Before I go Mayor, I have a proposition..."

It only took Mayor Gut-Rot five minutes odd to arrive, but it took the best part of an hour to come to an agreement over my pipbuck on how to protect Coltshire Commons with T.M.G forces. Gut-Rot hadn't wanted a lot of protection at first, nor did she want to give up a lot of the resources in the Commons.
However, after some fierce discussion involving possible artillery bombardments in the future for worst case scenarios in times of dire need and top rate protection and town controlled asset management, they finally came to an agreement that T.M.G would gain access to the new zone of the hospital and gain complete ownership of the old hotel.

Barring the suite which remained my own personal property... after I piped up about that particular piece of it all.
The mercs would be allowed in the hotel, but by the Goddesses themselves I would not allow my personal suite to be used by anyone else. I had some plans for that room.

It was also agreed that while the mercs would have to use their own supplies, they were at free liberty to use equipment and staff from the local hospital if they received any wounds that required medical treatment, or if need be, could use town supplies for a price if they hadn't any of their own.

All in all it seemed like a fair deal... for once. The mercs would leave for the Commons tomorrow and the town would finally, truthfully be defended, capable and a new bastion of hope for the wasteland.
The needs of the many.

I smiled as I felt myself lull back into a sleep.

*** *** ***

We flew through the air, slicing the wind with precision and speed. My rifle rattling as we pushed through faster and faster, the comforting weight letting me know it wasn't going to come off.
I loved flying on Maisy's back, she always made me feel so safe. I had wished Crimson did the same, but at least he was more exciting to ride.
It hadn't taken long to get Maisy in the air and flying to Coltshire Town, though admittedly she was unsure about it without Crimson around.

I could begin to notice the smoke coming from the outskirts of the town when I heard Crimsons voice, I turned my head and prepared to shout at him before realising it was through my pipbuck.

"As the son of the Overmare, I am telling you, I need to know her history."
"As the guy behind the keyboard, I'm telling you. I can't access the files, I'm not permitted."
"Fine. Type what I say now. Stable over-ride code Prise."

My blood ran cold and my heart skipped a beat. What would he say? What would he do? Would he forgive me for keeping secrets?
No... he hadn't asked... there wasn't a need to tell him.

My hearing and vision went dull as I was sunk into deep thought, then I heard Crimsons voice speak up again.
"Cherry has gone off on her own. I need to know how capable she is."

...More capable then you'd have ever thought.

"Special forces I hear."
"Yeah. Special forces. That's all you're going to find out. Only I and your mother are to know more, besides her of course."

I'd felt guilty listening into the conversation, but I'd felt worse about not having told Crimson about any of this. It wasn't my fault though! I was bound to secrecy until he became Overstallion!
I simply sighed and turned off the radio, switching my focus back to the town ahead.

*** *** ***

We came into view of the ponies below and immediately I could see the raider army still besieging the town, their leader at the middle of the crowd, commanding like the coward rather then fighting like a true leader, like my Crimson.

"Maisy. this is the plan, you've gotta fly high and slow the on the first pass, I'm going to use my rifle. After I've fired two shots, I want you to give me a minute to prepare myself, then you're going to dive, fly low and fast, I'll make a strafe on them with my SMG. Feel free to take a swipe if you get the chance."

Maisy didn't make a sound, but simply flew high. I laid carefully across her broad back and lined up the first shot, a big buck in full armour, just like the ones from before. Slipping into S.A.T.S I casually held my breath, just another shot.

They say that your life flashes before your eyes when you die, that your soul rises to the skies above to be with Celestia and Luna.
I don't think that beast had even the slightest part of a moment as the round sliced through his armour and caused a catastrophic mess.

Another moment for me was another body and it always felt as if I was standing in an ocean of blood.
Each and every time I killed I knew that it was another chance for the wasteland, to improve, removed from existence.
Yet I still continued because it was the lives of these ponies who were willing to rape and kill, make victims of anybody else... or the lives of many innocents.

I came out of S.A.T.S and began to breathe again, recollecting my thoughts as the raiders below began to turn on their hooves to their fallen friend, if they were friends in the first place.
Preparing myself for another round in S.A.T.S I lined up my aim ready to go into the deeper perception.
Once more I hit back into S.A.T.S and lined up another shot, this time aiming for the leader of the gang.

Maisy hit some air turbulence and bounced. I missed. Instead I'd hit the pony beside him. I fucking missed! I never miss!
I hung around in S.A.T.S to recollect myself, presuming the momentary guilt to be the reason.
If Crimson were here, he'd simply laugh at me right now, make a joke, no doubt.

As I stared through the scope however, I noticed I had yet again hit one of their medic ponies.
Was that a bonus or a loss for pony-kind? Yes they were a raider, yes they were making life harder for the good ponies out there...
No. It wasn't a loss. They might have not been shooting their gun, but they were helping raiders, and they probably didn't have any medical training anyway bar a quick jab of a needle.

S.A.T.S closed and Maisy began to descend. Strapping the rifle onto my back and prepared my SMG.
Just like how vultures come down for the carcasses after a fight, we dived for the decaying body of the fighting force.
Gravity played its tricks on my brain and I felt almost weak as Maisy levelled from the attack.
I hadn't even time to notice what had happened, but as I looked forward I saw blood all over Maisy's claws.

Before I could even aim my SMG into the crowd a cry came from the Zonkey bastard.
"FUCK! IRON-CLAD HAS FALLEN, RETREAT TO BASE."

I looked to the crowd and felt Crimsons helmet jingle with a burst of wind. I slowly placed it onto my head using my magic and began to speak to the crowd.

"YES, FLEE. FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT SHALL FIND THEIR LIVES STRICKEN FROM TIME ITSELF. SPREAD NO FURTHER EVIL."

Maisy flew back to a decent altitude and I considered another shot, but decided better of it. There was no need to go looking for a fight and risk death, or bring yet more decay upon the land.
After slipping the helmet off and reattached it to my barding I gently stroked Maisy's mane and told her to land where the smoke was coming from, so we could survey the damage done.

Gliding through the air we came to a stop in front of the bodies of the fallen defenders, my heart ached amongst the further destruction and corruption of an already disturbed world.
I looked over the bodies, Kingcakes and Pocket Change lay amongst the others.
I didn't dare take anything from them, instead, I simply sat there and cried.

Maisy laid at my hooves and looked at me, gently nudging my face with her nose as I clenched my eyes shut.
Speaking through the tears was tough,
"I'm sorry Maisy, I'm sorry."
She just made her soft whine and scooped me up against her fuzzy chest and cradled me like Crimson might've.
Crimson... how I'd needed him so badly right now.

Dusk and Fallen came around the corner from the sounds of my sobbing, immediately sounding distressed upon sight of Maisy, crying out.

Dusk was the first to speak, unusually. "Shit! Like we haven't had enough to deal with already!"
Fallen began to shout right after. "Yeah! Fucks sake! Right... You, beast. Put Cherry down right.."
That was when they saw me, unharmed, in Maisy's arms.
Dusk's jaw dropped in confusion and Fallen began to stutter something nonsensical.

"It's all okay guys, she's with me. Before you ask, yes, she was the manticore which uh... we saw on the way."
With that, Dusk went back to his same old stoic self as Fallen kept up his look of disbelief.
"But... but... how? When? Why even!?"
I gave a half hearted laugh as I began to explain.
"Crimson's new pet."

Maisy didn't like that one bit, and showed her displeasure at the notion by giving a huff and looking away, despite still holding me as though I were her own baby.
"Okay, okay. Friend. Mine too."
Maisy smiled and gently put me down so I could go talk to the two remaining guards.

Dusk looked at me solemnly, probably expecting some horrific response as he posed a question. "So. Where is Crimson? What did happen to him?"
Looking straight at him in the eye, I sniffled as I began to speak.
"Oh, Crimson? He's... resting up. He got shot up by some automated security system he now apparently has ownership over and the concussion I accidentally gave him."

The way I said it sounded so nonchalant that even Dusk dropped looked at me with a puzzled face.
Fallen broke the silence with his oh so witty commentary, along with a wink.
"Oh, you like it rough in bed do you? Is he a wild lover?"
I'd felt tempted to smack him across the head with that comment, but after doing so much damage to Crimson, decided not to.

"Nope. Haven't had any fun in too long actually, I've been wounded. Which if you must know, I sure do miss and yes, yes he is."
My grin made me feel confidence that normally took Crimson standing by my side or being on a mission to have. Fallen just looked disappointed I'd outgunned him in wit and Dusk laughed, for once.

We all stood there for a moment until the sombre nature of our meeting caught up with us once more.

"So." I asked. "I suppose we ought to get the bodies out off the side of the road, prepare a grave for them and sort out what's going to be of your mission then?"
Fallen Arrow went to give a hard stare in my direction, but Dusk put his hoof in the way and nodded.
"Yeah. As much as we'd all like to sit around moping about the loss of Kingcakes and Pocket Change, You're right. Fallen, I'll let you strip Pockets if you feel up to it.."
Fallen just nodded and began to take the valuables off Pockets corpse. Dusk did the same with Kingcakes.

I sat down beside Dusk as he slowly took the pieces of armour off the corpse, and gave a soft sigh.
Doing my best to be there for him, I placed my hoof on his shoulder and spoke softly. "I'm sorry, Dusk. Was he your friend?"
He didn't even turn his head to look at me, instead he just carried on.
"Yeah... he was something like that."
"Something huh? You two were close?"

He just looked at me, almost angrily, before sighing and beginning to tear up.
I gently pulled him off the ground with my magic and took him round the corner so we could be in private. I'd given a nod to Maisy to stay put and make sure no-one else touched the body.
I hadn't meant to push Dusk over the edge, but it seems he would've tipped at some point with or without me.
Dusk didn't need anypony else seeing him like this.

"He... he." Dusk began to stutter.
I simply held his head to my chest and stroked his mane, giving a soft soothing sound to try calm him down.
"He was my... he was my brother. The only pony around who knew my name, besides myself. He only came so he could protect me, and that's why he died."

Damn, I needed Crimson right now. He'd understand what to do, what to say. Me? I had no hope. I was never any good at speaking to bucks unless it was to do with the mission.
Crimson...

"Shhh. I'm here for you Dusk. If you need anyone to talk to... I know I'm not a lot of good at this, I never have been, but I'll listen. Though if you want someone who knows what they're talking about... Speak to Crimson. He's the one who calmed down Maisy, got her to be friendly. No doubt he'd be better to talk to then me."

That was the best I could do. Stroke his name and offer to listen, but I truly had no idea what else I could do.

[Song: "At the grave" (Two Steps From Hell - Starfall)]

Ten minutes later Dusk had pulled himself together and walked back out, to finish the job. Me and Maisy began digging two graves just down the path as Fallen slowly clambered along with the corpse of Pockets.

"The grave is ready for him, Fallen. Have you got everything of value off the corpse?"
It wasn't easy to say, it never was. However, we were all taught the importance of stripping down valuables from a fallen comrade. I'd done it more then enough times myself to know it was never something we wanted to do though.

"Yeah." Fallen quietly confirmed. "He's clean of everything, bar one cap in each of his pockets."
I nodded. One cap for Charon and one cap for his respect.
Death wasn't something we took lightly like others out in the wastes did.

Before long Dusk had prepared Kingcakes body in the same manner and was ready.
Respectfully I levitated the bodies down into their graves and we began a quiet prayer for their souls.

"Celestia above, guide these two souls into the heavens. Your love and tenderness we seek, through death we join with you as we had been before. Let us live by your law, as we once did before. May you have mercy on these two loved ones, may you have mercy on us all."

It began to rain as the prayer ended, as cliché as it would have seemed in the old world. To us, it was a signal that the Goddess had forgiven them of their crimes, the blood swept clean.
Maisy, along with Fallen, sought shelter inside the nearest building. Me and Dusk, however, stayed out in the rain just a little longer to mourn the loss of Kingcakes and Pocket Change.

Dusk scratched something up against the wall with his knife before he left and as he walked off I found myself unable to resist the temptation to look.

'B C'

Not much later in the day I spoke to one of the merchants around this part of town. Coltshire Town was a lot larger and it would definitely take more then a day to get to know everyone.
I looked around the stalls and watched as sales-ponies brought more of that gear out after the attack, having received a level of safety required to trade once more.

"Hey! My name is Cherry Sundae. May I ask yours?" I smiled at the old buck hoping to make a good impression. It seemingly worked as he smiled back.
"Well, since you're being nice and polite, sure. My name is Custard Cream."
The white buck bowed his head to me and I blushed, curtseying in return.
"Custard Cream huh? Funny, One of our traders is called Custard Tarts."
That got a chuckle out of him, unbeknownst to me as of why.
"Tarts, oh Tarts. I know who you mean. We like to joke that we're related and that I'm his uncle. Good buck that one. Good buck."
Now I understood, I couldn't help but giggle myself. I smiled at Custard Cream again and thanked him for managing to cheer me up so easily.

"So, anywhoo, I reckon you didn't come for just a chat. Did you?"
I bit my lip as I pondered on his question for a moment, before beginning to speak.
"Well... yes and no. mostly no though. First of all I have to ask a question, regarding a very... I'll admit, rare, piece of technology."
Without even a blink or asking what I might be going for, he spoke. "Rare technology huh? Sounds expensive."
I sucked in the air around me, knowing I'd most likely made some trading mistake.

"Yeah. Rare, unfortunately. I'm after a water talisman."
Custard Cream just looked at me and chewed on his own teeth, before finding the words to speak.
"Water talisman... you're right, that is rare. Given how rare, I'd have to charge you for any information I have that would lead to one.
A sour taste filled my mouth and I began to pout upon hearing those words. Damn Crimson, why aren't you here to do this for me? Oh yeah, I beat you to concussion!

Thankfully the old buck looked at me pouting away and thinking to myself and interrupted my moment of soggy thoughts with another comment.
"Though, I do believe that Crisp Bake just across the road may have some kind of idea. He runs that shop over there in that particularly run down building. He deals in unique, antique and advanced technology."
My face lit up and I grabbed Custard with my hooves, planting a great big kiss on his cheek.

Almost like a filly my voice came all shy as I looked up at him.
"Thank you Custard Cream."
He smiled and laughed to himself, as I trotted out across the road up towards the surprisingly solid looking door, amongst the decrepit, decaying decorations and walls of the shop.

The wall was pockmarked from previous firefights, burned from both the great war and seemingly numerous fires, and had vines growing up and digging into what was left. Yet still in defiance, it stood, weakened and damaged, but still it stood.
As I walked through the door the inside hadn't looked a great deal better either, the roof showed signs of damage where cracks of light poured through and the floor had seen better days, stained tiles from still water and dirt spreading almost the entire distance as almost empty shelves fell apart upon themselves.
If this was supposed to be an antiques shop, all it sold were the memories of a once better time.

Something caught my eye in the distance, and upon further inspection I noticed that where the wallpaper on the back wall was peeling, there was what seemed to be a metal backing, which seemed extraordinarily strange to be amongst the broken and destroyed isles of the once proud shop.
I walked up to it and tapped it lightly with my hoof, rewarded with a strong bang that sounded reinforced yet still as if there might've been an area behind it.

"Hello?" I asked, hoping to catch this mysterious Crisp Bake fellow.
"Hello? Crisp Bake? Are you there?"
I was greeted with silence as I continued to wander within the confines of the shop, aimlessly picking up random objects and observing the way they'd been broken over the years.
That was when I heard the hoofsteps from somewhere behind me, behind the metal wall, as I turned around.
"Hello?"

Still nothing.
I could've sworn I'd heard movement, but if they weren't willing to come out or even communicate with me, it seemed like a pointless waste of my time. I'd have to go speak to Custard Cream again, maybe he'd know how to get Crisp Bakes attention.

As my front left hoof made its way out of the door I heard a faint cry for help, strained as it was I could just about make out something....
"T- T- The counter. The button at the-"
I turned back around and rushed to the counter, looking at it I couldn't see any button... I bobbed my head down below wondering if it might've been under the dusk - of course! There it sat.
I pressed the button and part of the wall shifted, revealing a walkway as the front door clanged against the inner wall.

Rushing in all I could see was clean glass, metal and counters. They'd all obviously been looked after properly, and I noticed that everything of value was hidden in here. Still, that didn't explain the faint cry for help. I made my way through the shop to the clerks desk and saw a blood trail leading into the employee zone.
My own blood ran cold as I turned the safety off on my SMG. If there was something, or someone, of danger in here, I'd need that.

Instinctively my training kicked in as I bust through the door, slamming myself into S.A.T.S to try and make sense of the situation.
Two armoured... pegasai? I stared at them for a moment as time seemingly held still and took note of their armour.
Heavy enough to deflect most projectiles, lightweight enough that it wouldn't impede their movement or flight. I assumed it was from the same branch of technology that made Steel Ranger power armour.
The odds in this fight? I would lose without some clever ploy if things got violent, so I waited one more moment in S.A.T.S to examine further...

That's when it hit me. Their weakest spot must've been the eyes, underbelly or perhaps even the groin.
It would take some freak miracle to be able to just that last one to my advantage, however.
I came back out of .S.A.T.S and stopped in my tracks, simply staring at the two armoured pegasai.

"What the fuck... Who are you?" One of them asked. He had a strong commanding voice, would've been attractive in any other situation. The other spoke straight after in a much younger, more inexperienced and thuggish voice.
"Another dirtsider. This time a unicorn. Huh. You think you're the security for this place or some shit?"
"Nah, Drift. Security in this town don't wear armour. Besides, this ones red and pink all over. Too cute to be of any real harm."
"Yeah, so cute I might just fuck her now. What you think?"
I interrupted their little discussion with a look of disgust on my face at that last comment.

"I'm not security, no, but I am a part of the TMG and-"
"TMG huh?" The younger of the two spoke one more. "That stand for The Menacing Girly? Haha!"
I gave him a dirty look and spoke in a no nonsense tone.
"Tank Mercenary Group. Specialist Cherry. You have three seconds to explain your actions before I call my pet down upon you."
Again the older and more experienced buck spoke.
"Tank? Never heard of it. Talon perhaps, but not Tank. Go away dirtsider, before we include you in our business."

I looked behind me to check I had a clear running, I still did.
Turning my head back towards them, I spoke slowly.
"Three... Two.... One... Times up colts."

Magic enveloped myself as I turned invisible, much to the dismay of my opponents... Or so I had thought.
Suddenly they brought their guns to aim upon myself. Even as I moved around them, they followed me.
That was when it hit me; they must have had E.F.S as well!
My odds of survival without injury, let alone death, had just dropped another score.

Racing around the two bucks was easier then I had thought it would be however, for as light as their armour must have been for them to be able to fly, it was still enough to kill their ability to manouver in tight spaces where everything was of value to them and they didn't want to trash it all - that had to be the only reason they hadn't simply brought their wings into matters.

I ran up to the younger of the two and smacked him to his side with a quick applebuck as the confused pair continued to try keep up with my frantic movement.
My horn began to really be sore with the intensity of the spell I was using to keep myself somewhat cloaked as I ran, I wasn't used to moving this fast while actively camouflaging.
I used the moment of his weakness to my own advantage as I brought my hoof down against his chest plating.

An amber shot flew past me, narrowly missing my face and instead scorching the wall behind me. I had to begin moving again!
I brought myself round a few more times, racing down different isles each time to try and get another kick to disorientate the opponents ahead of me, but I knew I couldn't keep this up.
My horn was beginning to burn in agony already as my magic overextended itself to try and keep up.
Before long they'd land a shot against me or I'd simply tire out and they'd both still be relatively fine.

Suddenly I felt an entirely new sense of pain run up my side as my right flank was punctured by something sharp.
That was when I noticed not only did they have their guns, but they also had stingers for tails! How didn't I notice that beforehand!?
It tore deeper into me as it got caught inside me and I wailed in pain as I ran away from the stinger, blood flowing down my side.

Doing the only thing that I could, I snapped back into S.A.T.S to try think about the options I had left to me.
Crisp Bake, if still alive, would be ultimately useless in a fight right now against these two ponies.
That wasn't even thinking about his wounds - he'd lost a lot of blood and while I was no medic, I knew from my field experience that it had to be so much that while he wasn't dead from that alone, he wouldn't be able to move fast enough to get away from a radbit, let alone anything else.

I looked into the hallway again. The old shopfront still stood with the main door open, though the isles were far more spacious and would no doubt give the armoured ponies their wing advantage.
Still, I had no choice. I had no idea how well my 9mm bullets would penetrate even the weaker points of their suits, let alone the chest and carapace.

Snapping back into reality, I did my absolute best to run while my side punished me for my mistake.
Running while crying out an allies name would normally be considered cowardly and dishonourable.
This time? This time I had no shame as I cried out Maisy's name and jolted out of the door towards the exterior of the building.
Behind me I could hear the angry yells of the young buck, threats of tearing my eyes out and murder on myself and my friend 'Maisy'.
I came round the corner too fast however and slipped on the mouldy floor where a damp spot had been.
My horn gave out for a moment as the buck followed me out, flying, and hovered over me in mid air.

An excited tone overtook the younger of the two. "Permission to... 'waste' this dirtsider, captain?"
Smugly, the captain let out a little grunt of approval before speaking.
"Permission granted, soldier. I won't be filing any reports on anything that didn't happen and no-one will be getting any punishment."

Looking at him, I noticed that the the young buck's codpiece was his most lightly armoured part, looking as if it was barely armoured at all and I saw my moment to take full advantage of that fact.
Using my magic to turn invisible again brought me extreme pain and almost made me breathless, but I knew if I didn't take this chance now I'd be maimed, violated and murdered right here right now.
Jumping back to my feet and beginning to run again I made my way around the corner, up over the shelf and jumped down on the confused buck who had stood there puzzled at how I'd just gotten away.
Two hoofstrikes to the face dazed him beneath his armour and I pulled my SMG out of its holster and firmly placed it against his genitalia, the flimsy covering proving to be little more than a sheath.

Spitting and snarling, I began to threaten him. "It would be so easy to pull the trigger right now, give me a reason not to."

With my blood dripping down onto his back, my camouflage wore off again. I couldn't keep up the spell any longer and to try would've just caused a burnout.
A cold sweat overcame him as his voice trembled and his words became nothing but an incoherent mumbling.
He'd messed up proper this time, and if he made one wrong move, I'd not hesitate to blow his testicles right off his body.
His commander turned to me, gun raised and readied, before realising the predicament he was in.

"One wrong move... he says goodbye to all of his stallionhood."
I pressed the gun further against his partners testicles and gave a cold, hard stare at the captain.

"What are you, Security reincarnate?"
"You already asked that." I told him. "My answer remains the same. No. Specialist Cherry of Tank Mercenary Group. Oh, by the way... take the piss out of TMG again and I'll go through with this threat."

The commander looked at me for another moment before stepping forward with one hoof and lowering his head to a battle stance.

"What makes you think I can't shoot you dead right here, right now, and accept Drifter as a loss?"
The pony below me simply laid there speechless at his words, unable to say a word. That or unwilling, he'd be a smarter pony then he made himself out to be if so.

I calmly answered his question with confidence. "Maisy."
"Maisy?" He repeated back to me
I slipped Crimsons helmet back over my head and spoke with adrenaline pumping through my veins, this fight was over.

"Maisy. Here girl!"

I nodded off to our right, over at the cracked wall. Moments later glass and bricks went flying everywhere as the doorway was extended into a protruding hole, possibly threatening the security of the entire structure but doing the job no less.

There stood Maisy, my manticore friend, holding guard over the captain with a claw to his throat, pinning him against the wall.
I took the helmet off and smirked.

"Still think you're so tough?"

Moments later we heard more metallic sounding hoofsteps coming toward us from down the road. I looked towards the commander and hissed at him.
"More of your kind? Do I need to blow his balls off right now and prepare for another fight?"
"N...N...No. Not that... not that I know of."
"Who are they then?"
"I don't know."
I looked at Maisy and spoke calmly. "Tighter."
She pressed herself against the scared buck even further and he began to struggle with his breathing.
"Who then?"
"I DON'T KNOW!" he cried out.

Moments later, our question was answered with the sight of Rangers. These rangers however, looked a lot different to the usual ones, having painted their armour red with apples on their flanks.
"Who are you?" I snorted, still firmly holding my SMG in a magical grip against the terrified soldier who had been quiet this whole time.
"Applejacks Rangers. Headhunter squad Bravo Alpha Sierra Tango Alpha Romeo Delta Sierra... or BASTARDS for short. We hunt the worst of the Enclave soldiers who have quickly made a name of themselves for their crimes against ponykind."

"So, you've been following these two, have you? What for?"
One of the bigger bucks took a step back to allow the most decorated of them all to step forward, his armour dented more then any of the others, but also had more intricate details then the others as well.

"These two particular enclave soldiers were part of a bigger squad. When one of the others refused to set alight to a building with innocents inside, they shot him and left him to burn too. Since then we'd seen their trail of destruction as they've gone around raping and murdering merchants who carry any old world technology, before scavenging the most prized possessions and anything of value to them."

"Well, there's only two here. What about the rest of them?"

"We caught and killed them. These two managed to slip away from us each and every time we'd get into a fight with the group. We've taken no losses, astoundingly. They on the over hand have lost three of their comrades."

I looked down in disgust at the buck below me, still shaking, still speechless. Lifting my head back up to look at the ranger yet again, I asked what he would do to the two now they had been caught.
He looked at me and without an ounce of mercy, but instead full of conviction, he spoke.

"Execution. Pure and simple as that. If it had been a case of they hadn't done these things, that they were simply enclave soldiers who had only followed basic orders, we have our own orders to bring them back to HQ for imprisonment until the war is over and either resettlement can be agreed upon or sentencing can be decided if they have committed any non-major crimes."

I considered firing a single shot into the groin of the exposed buck, but decided that the rangers would no doubt make it a much more merciful, less painful death then a moderately slow death bleeding out from a destroyed nether region.
So instead, I pistol whipped him with the butt into his nethers so his ability to walk, let alone fly, would be utterly crippled.
It was the least he deserved after intending to rape me, much less all his victims.

I looked at Maisy, whom still had the captain pinned against the wall as she had before.
"So, How are you going to make sure that the captain over there can't fly away."
A stone cold voice answered me.
"We execute them here and now. They deserve no less."
Just like Crimson...
I couldn't stand to watch, so I walked out of the building and heard him speak once more as I passed through what was previously the doorway.

"May Celestia know what to do with your souls. One. Two."
I couldn't hear him say the word three. In perfect unison both of the heavy .500 calibre revolvers sprung into action and further removed the filth from the wasteland.
At least their blood wasn't on my hooves... this time.This time I was clean of the slaughter.

It had been another fifteen minutes before I'd managed to remember to go check up on Crisp Bake. I'd brought one of the local medicine practitioners with me but thankfully it turned out that the blood trail was from a mostly superficial wound across his cheek and a lost tooth.
I nodded the quick fix doctor off and sat down next to Crisp Bake.

The brown buck with mauve hair was quite sight to see, I'd never seen such an odd combination of colours, but that only made him all the more interesting to look at while he spoke.

"Thank ya darlin'. I thought I was dead for sure when those punks showed up. Seemed mighty fine at first, showing me all this technology they had to offer."
I simply smiled and nodded.
"You're welcome, Crisp Bake."
"Now, about that. How do you know my name, hey?"
"Custard Cream told me."
"You must be after some of my gear, I take it. You're looking to pay however, I hope?"
"Of course. Of course."

At this point he shook himself and loosened up.

"I'm sorry, that was awfully rude of me. What's your name, miss? I heard you saying something about a Cherry earlier, right?"
"Cherry Sundae, yeah."
"Well miss Sundae, glad to make your 'quaintence. Much appreciated you saving my life and all that."
"Hey" I said as I gently nudged his shoulder. "Gotta look out for one another, right? The wastes are bad enough without everypony dying to one another."
He nodded his head again and smiled at me.

"Now... what is it you're after exactly?"
I looked at him, a strained look passed over my eyes as I began to grow weary from everything that happened in the day already.
"I don't suppose you have any clue where to find a water talisman of all things, do you?"
Instead of acting surprised he simply paced around his shelves for a moment, looking at everything he had, then at the wall where a giant map of Equestria hung.

"I don't have a talisman, no. I know that Friendship City recently got two though."
I gingerly interrupted him, a sorrow in my voice...
"Friendship City is... gone. Wiped off the map by Enclave."
He didn't have any words for the matter, instead, he gave a sombre nod and placed his hooves up on the map gently.

"Over here in Coltchester we have Stable 78 which is rumoured to be the headquarters of a gang known was the Coltchester Crushers, lead by a Zonkey. I'm pretty sure they may have been the ones who attacked us earlier today - though usually they leave us in peace, so I can't say for sure, nor can I confirm that to be their hideout.
Though if it were true, it would undoubtedly have a working water talisman and food recycler, given their numbers."

I looked at him with a deadpan expression... because yes, attacking a gang of thirty raiders who were somewhat organised and armed was the perfect way to get the talisman. Nevertheless, I still mentally noted that down as a possible source of a talisman if worst came to worst, though it would almost undoubtedly require the full force of Tank Mercenary Group to pull off such an endeavour.
With that, he continued...

"Failing that, there is this abandoned Stable 77 right here, on the far side of Coltchester. That's a dangerous trip however, as the road to Coltchester alone is no less then four days journey for most and as many days to reach the other side safely - again, that was before hostilities with the Coltchester Crushers. You may find that they make travel... troublesome, as they tend to keep a good hoofhold over the control of Coltchester."

He took a moment to breathe and think on his words, before beginning to speak again. I simply stayed quiet the whole time.
"The local populous there often require C.C provisions ranging from food to ammo, and thus if you get on the bad side of the gang, you're often found dead within a day or two by random mobs trying to prove themselves strong enough to join the gang."

I thought about it for a moment, then asked.
"Anything not near Coltchester? You know... just in case?"
He looked at me, then at his map, searching for anywhere else.
"Well... There is the Ranger base over in Maneford, 176, No good going there. Rumour has it there's also a 153 nearby that location, not sure where though. My guess would be as good as any, but look out for isolated buildings if you go out that way. Apart from that, I got nothing. Sorry miss."

I nodded, and began to open my mouth to mention payment, but because I could even reach the first syllable the old buck spoke.
"As for payment, my debt is paid for this. I know my life is worth more then a little information, but I'll continue to provide information if I get any. If you do happen to find yourself a water talisman, that right there would be us absolutely even. Fair?"
I nodded. "Fair. Thank you."
He nodded back and I politely made my way out of his store.

Maybe I didn't need Crimson to do all the smooth talking after all... Though that thought lasted until I walked out and saw Dusk sitting down, gloomy and upset. Nope, I definitely needed him for this one.

I lowered my head as I walked over to him, keeping my tone quiet and comforting. "Dusk..."
"Cherry."
"I'm sorry about what happened to Kingcakes. I always knew him to be a brilliant colt back in the day, and he was a fine mission support when I'd had him once or twice. I know this doesn't say even a scratch of who he was personally, but to me, he was always a great buck."
Dusk looked at me with tears in his eyes still.
"He joined up because of you Cherry. He joined up because you asked him. He joined up because you were asking for help from the rest of us."

I nodded. Kingcakes death was on my hooves, whether I'd like to admit it or not, whether I was directly at fault or not. He'd willingly volunteered, yes, but only because it was me. Someone whom he had an immense amount of respect for.

"I'm sorry Dusk. It's my fault, I know."
"No... You're wrong. It's not your fault. I just wanted you to know... he did it because he respected you, and... I respect you too. You've not handled this as another loss, you're trying your best to be there for me, thank you."
I held him against my chest like we had before as he sobbed.

"And you're right. He was a great buck. Know how he died? He died protecting me. He died protecting the merchants. He died protecting us all. Not just by being here, but he literally held four of them off at once so we could pull back.
I tried Cherry, I tried to stay there! I wanted to protect him like he was protecting me! But... but... he yelled at me, and the bullets were flying too close."

I just nodded and let him continue.

"Then he kicked me to get me moving, and four of them came at once. He told me to pull back, that he had it sorted.
Cherry... he gave me the chance I needed to get out of the line of fire, just as he died.
He died a hero, not just to me, but to all these merchants too. You have to know that. His story can't die out with me."

I pulled my head back and looked at him in the eyes, brushing the flicks of mane out of his.
"His memory won't die with you, Crimson will give him the greatest honorary decoration he has the power to, and give you and Fallen Arrow decorations of the homeland. I promise you. As Spec Ops, I have the power to bring up this issue officially. As Crimsons marefriend? I'll encourage him personally. I promise, something will happen."

We sat there for a little longer, me holding this hulking earth pony who was crying like a baby, normally so stoic and calm, but now reduced to the base elements of a pony.
That was when he looked at me and said it.

"Cherry... I can't go on any longer. I've already spoken to Fallen about this, and specialist Strawberry Strudel.
Fallen agrees we can't wait around here, but is willing to stick out here. Strawberry Strudel is happy to stay as long as he has a guard and is promised more to continue the journey, but won't go any further until he has others protecting him. I need to return to Tank, recover from this and perhaps just be on wall security duty or something for a while."

I nodded once. "Sure. We have the tower apartment over in Coltshire Commons under our control thanks to a deal that Crimson is setting up today, as far as I'm aware. The Commons has been fortified by our effort with a perimeter wall that runs around it, you'll all be safe there, and you can go back to Tank from there either by yourself or wait for the first group recon team to return from settling in. How's that sound?"

Dusk gave a murmur of appreciation as we both rose to our hooves.

"Come on. Let's head off now, yeah? No point in wasting daylight."

With that we all gathered up and made our way back to Coltshire Commons. The Brahmin wasn't too pleased with Maisy being around at first, but soon enough got used to her after realising she wasn't going to eat him whole or rip either of his heads off for fun.

*** *** ***

My head ached and pounded. It didn't feel a whole lot better then it had earlier in the day, but it was showing signs of improvement as at least I could see straight now and focus on what was ahead of me, rather then just fuzzy images.
Laying there as I woke I wondered what had been happening to the other two. I closed my eyes again and felt myself lull back into a restful peace.

My dreams had been quite hazy, yet pleasant, which I expected was a side effect of concussion and a healing potion IV drip directly into my spine. As I laid there my eyes beginning to open I took note of my surroundings, everything was peaceful at the very least it seemed.
I looked around to see that it was still somewhat light outside, but only just.

Suddenly two figures caught my eye as they walked through the door, paused, then came straight towards my bed.
"Hello?" I called out to them, no response bar their continued path towards me.

One of the bucks, the bigger of the two, looked towards his friend and spoke.
"This is the one who did my sister in, right?"
"Yeah" replied the other. "He's the one who kicked her across the street for nothing."

I looked at the duo and started to recognise the smaller of them both, who was still stronger then myself.
"Hey, the flight show is postponed for now, come back tomorrow when I'm over this concussion eh?"
I was too tried and weary to offer anything else, despite resting all day.

Suddenly I noticed a wicked grin work its way across the bigger bucks face.
"Oh, It's not just postponed, flyboy. Your show? It's cancelled, over."

A dread filled my heart and shock of pain ran down my spine and filled my entire body as they ripped the IV drip feed out of my it and threw it to a side.
The needles hanging there limp, slowly dripping out medicine until one of them switched the nozzle to stop wasting the precious resource..
The smaller of the two then proceeded to unlock the bed wheels and wheel me across the room, out of the door.
I could tell this wasn't going to be ending well already.

"So, where do you two think you'll be taking me? You do realise I'm a very important buck and if I'm hurt, you will both be found, neutered and then killed slowly... right? Hell, when my dad died, they shelled the entire area for a full hour non stop, then went on a stomp to cleanse the area of remaining thugs."

"Keep talking tough, big guy. End of the day you'll be another corpse on the side of the road that no-one will ever find, much less care about. See how there's no-one around right now? We planned this. They're all listening to the mayor speak about how your little group plans to come round and protect us all. It's going to be sweet getting protection from your mercs while we know we killed you."

I gulped,

No-one saw them walk off with me as I laid on the bed, still unable to move
Every time I tried to tilt my head or look in another direction, my head gave me agony, making sure I couldn't even see which direction where we were heading in.
They had taken me out and fifteen minutes of walking to somewhere secluded, they stopped.
I was going to die. I knew it and they wanted me to.

"So, now you haven't got your pet to save you, how tough are you going to be, wings."
I looked at the buck and spat in his direction.
"The name... is Mister Wings, to you. As for how tough I am? Give me a healing potion direct and I'll show you."

Instead of a healing potion, I was given a firm kick to the side, sending both myself and the bed flying to the ground.

The big buck kicked me again as he began to shout. "Your time to die, bastard. You should've never come here."
"Hey, Save some for me!" Followed up the smaller of the two.
He smacked his hooves into my chest repeatedly, stomping on me five times before the bigger one pushed him out of the way for another kick.

I tried to crawl out of the way, but I couldn't move fast enough. Another blow to my side sent me skidding across the ground and hitting into what felt like the hooves of another... but I didn't see anypony there...

"Stop." Commanded a voice which came from nowhere.

The big buck laughed as he spoke. "Ha. You think talking like a girl is going to make us stop attacking you? You fucking wimp, flyboy."

The voice spoke again, yet there was nothing there... then it clicked, I thought I'd heard that voice once before.
"I am not the pegasus. You would do well to heed my warning, for it is your last."
"Yeah, who are you then?" Taunted the smaller buck.

Her magic wore off and a stern look held her face like stone.

"My name? You don't deserve to hear my name. Just know I am his Prise, and if you do not heed my warning, it would have been a waste of my breath to tell you that, even."

"An alicorn huh? What you gonna do, nag us to death? You may be taller, but we're stronger."

With that the big buck smashed his hooves into her side and sent her flying, before putting his attention back into me, throwing me into the air to try and kick me before I landed.
However, instead of being kicked or landing on the floor, I found myself engulfed in a magic hold and gently lowered onto the floor, as the alicorn rose into the sky.

"You have dared to kick a goddess? Your life, submit it to me now."

A loud crack was heard and the brute fell to the floor lifeless, blood pouring out of his eyes, ears and mouth.
The other buck charged toward the midnight blue goddess pony but was simply met by being levitated himself... higher and higher he rose, screaming at first, but suddenly finding his voice muffled.
Then he dropped.

From thirty foot he dropped. If he had wings he would've survived, but he hadn't. His skull exploded upon impact with the ground and stained the muddy floor with a maroon tinge.
I looked up at my saviour as she ever so graciously glided down to my foot, and began to speak as softly with me as she once had before.

"Crimson. My apologies for not having intervened sooner. We... we are unsure of when the proper time is as of yet, though your safety cannot be put into such peril in front of us. Please forgive me."
I stared at her in amazement as she lifted the bed back up and gently lifted me back up with her magic onto it, before looking into my eyes and smiling.
She began to push me back to the hospital while I laid there speechless, unbeknownst to me what to say or do in such a situation, without any idea of the proper gesture of appreciation.
Instead, I just thanked her and let her take me back.

Placing the IV drips back into my spine was surprisingly easy for the alicorn, as her last act before vanishing into thin air and leaving via the door.
I was absolutely stunned, clueless as to why anything had just happened the way it did, but grateful for the salvation all the same.
...I liked my little guardian angel. That was for certain.

Half hour had passed when Cherry arrived back at the hospital with Maisy, a sombre looking Dusk, a drained looking Fallen Arrow. The specialist and the brahmin followed them closely, but Pockets and Kingcakes were nowhere to be found.
Cherry began to explain to me everything that had happened, how Kingcakes had valiantly sacrificed his life for the safety of the rest of the group, how Pockets died of his injuries, and how Dusk was going to need to talk to me when she was interrupted by an urgent beeping from my pipbuck.

"Hello? Crimson here."
"Crimson, This is Lemon Gaze. We're finally at the outskirts of Fillydelphia, along with Custard Tarts and his group. We've had minor skirmishes with lone raiders and wildlife, but no losses... but there is one massive problem."
I could tell the shaking in his voice even over a pipbuck, I didn't like this. "What problem is that, Lemon?"
"...It's Red Eye,"
"Lemons, please. What's happened?"
"...Red eye is dead."

---o---o---o---

Footnote:
Cherry Sundae level up!
Perk unlocked! Active Camouflage level 3!
.At this level of Active Camouflage, you're able to run while covering yourself! This is extremely draining on your energy however, and is a sure way to exhaust yourself quickly.

25 Speech attained.

As promised, I'm going to keep advertising the fact that the head picture came from WavemasterRyx, who can be found:http://ask-the-waves.tumblr.com/ !

A massive massive massive thank you goes out to my readers - I cannot begin to apologise enough for how much I have let you down as of late. It's not something I've been meaning to do, I just haven't head the strength within me to keep it up.
At one point I was considering scrapping this whole project - but to do that would be to scrap my life itself.

Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for being there for me.

Katarn & Tea get honourable mentions for Katarn being an amazing emotional support and Tea because in chapter 5 he did a lot to help me and I repeatedly forgot to give him special mention - so here it is. Thank you Tea, your reviews are always so much appreciated, and Katarn, you're amazing and you know it - I say go ahead with your story - hey, you gotta now, everyone knows!

Thank you so much though, both - and all of you. Thank you. I'm sorry I made you wait so long.

Chapter 7: The road to the damned pt. 1

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds
By Kippershy

Chapter seven: The road to the damned - Part One

"What are you doing?"
"I'll need this I'm gonna take her round the mountain another way,"
"Around the mountain? That's going to take them forever"

“Red… Red Eye is dead? How did this happen? How do you know he’s dead?”
I couldn’t believe it. Red Eye, the strong and charismatic leader of Fillydelphia... dead?
He had an entire city behind him, industry and power. He had an army!

“According to reports here from the Talon mercenaries, someone called the Stable Dweller killed him during a huge battle with the Enclave over at some place called Cathedral.”
My blood ran cold at the mention of the Enclave. My father had been ex-Enclave. It was the very same group that had wiped both Canterlot and Friendship City off the map.
At the very same time, Cherry interrupted the stillness in the room with a grunt of displeasure.

Taking a moment to think about what had just been said, I simply held a worried look upon my face.
“What’s the effect of Red Eye’s death over at Filly-D? Are things safe?”
“For the moment, yes, but there’s a battle looming on the horizon and no-one knows when it’ll kick off, but we're already being warned of advancing Enclave battle barges by the griffins.“

Without thinking I nodded, as if Lemon Gaze were here to see it.

“Any chance of going around Fillydelphia in that case?”
“It’s all we could realistically do, Crimson. The reason I've actually tried to contact you to confirm that as the proper action. We’re going to have to split up early. May we have permission to break from mission parameters?”
I didn't even need to think about the answer to that, my response was reflex.

“Do it. Stay safe but if this means you have to split up, do it. Carry on your course for Tenpony, and Custard towards the Society. Just as long as you stay safe. We've already lost our Coltchester caravan while Cherry and myself spent time elsewhere.”
“Rodger, will do. You stay safe, Crimson.”
“You too, Lemon. You too.”

There was a crackle of static to the background of the conversation and I could tell that there was still something on Lemons mind.
With a long pause before an uneasiness broke in in his voice, he had confirmed my suspicions.
"One last thing, Crimson."
"What is it, Lemon Gaze?"
"How did the Coltchester caravan go down already? They haven't even had time to reach Coltchester yet, have they?"
"Raiders attacked Coltshire. We lost Kingcakes and Pockets, and were set to lose the others until Cherry and Maisy drove them off."
"Whose Maisy?"
"My new pet manticore. I'll tell you another time. I've gotta think about all this."
"Okay, yeah. Good luck Crimson"

With that, the call ended

“Enclave huh?" Cherry snorted as she spoke. "Those bastards that tried to rape me earlier today were Enclave soldiers.”
…Wait, what? Turning to look at her the shock on my face was evident as she realised she hadn’t gotten around to telling me this particular detail of her trip earlier.
“They tried to what?”
“They tried to rape me, Crimson. Two Enclave soldiers who were robbing an old buck, going to kill him. I intervened and got into a little scuff with them. Ended up winning that fight when I held my gun to one of their ballsacks.”
I gave her a surprised look and instinctively recoiled in horror of the thought, but quickly realised just how necessary it would’ve been.
A kiss on her cheek and a hug that didn’t seem to end told her how proud of her I was - I gently brushed her mane and smiled at her to reassure her of that. She smiled back and kissed me back before I pulled away further.

“Right. We’ll talk about that in more detail later, for right now I’m glad you’re still around and untouched, even if you are a little hurt.”
Nudging her flank where there was dried blood for effect, she recoiled slightly in pain, obviously still sore.
`

After the embrace, Dusk turned to me and began to speak.
“So, Crimson, what are you going to do? We can't continue like this.”
“What can I do? The two groups up north are out of our range now. As for the battle, we haven't got the ponypower to go to war with the Enclave, and quite frankly, we've got bigger issues on our hooves with the water talisman right now."
Dusk simply stared blankly at me, though I couldn't tell if it was him being stoic or if there was something else.

"I don't mean up there, though I'm glad you have your priorities straight with not going to war. I mean with the caravan problem that's going on here."
"Well..." I began, thinking it over for a moment. "We're going to have to organise for replacement guards and merchant. Why, is there something more to it?"
Goddesses... the thought of there being more to it then that ran a chill down my spine.
"I'm going to be leaving come the morning, heading to Four Ridges once more" Dusk answered back.
"Alone?"
"Fallen Arrow is coming with me. Specialist Butterscotch said he's willing to stay here in the Commons with the brahmin, as long as he has a place in the hotel."

Butterscotch nodded in agreement as he walked up beside Dusk, not opening his mouth to speak.
I didn't know if it was shyness or the moment as for why he hadn't said a word, but I gave a firm nod back.
"Of course he has a place. The agreement was that Tank Mercenary Group owns the building, that extends to anyone working under Stable orders by default."
"Good. Another thing, Crimson."

Dusk gave me a very serious look and I knew straight away it was something important to him, but not what it was yet.
"Kingcakes... he was my brother. Cherry has promised me she'd talk to you about giving him an honorary decoration for his act of valour in saving the whole caravan and that part of town. What will you do about that?"
I gave it a moments consideration before choosing my words carefully.
"I take it he died in battle, performing an extreme act of valour and died for his services?"
"Yeah."
With a small but reassuring smile across on my face, I spoke. "Celestia's Cross then, in that case."

He looked at me in surprise in how fast I was able to consider which award would be appropriate, but between my training to be the next Overstallion and past experience at ceremonies, I knew instantly.

"As for the rest of you, I'll have to hear what happened for myself, but if you were lying Cherry would've said something as you said what you did... so. speak to me in the morning once I've had some time to consider what award I can give you. You may not have been out here long, but the fact you came at all deserves something. I'm sorry for your loss and I'll do what I can for you, even if it means an ear."
I gave Dusk a very serious but caring look as I gently rested my hoof on his shoulder and stared into his eyes.
"I know it won't bring him back, but its something, I hope."
"Thanks Crimson. Right now I need something else though, I need time to myself first."
"Yeah. Speak to me in the morning before you leave. I'd rather have at least said goodbye."
"Thanks Crimson."
"No worries. Now go get some rest."

I turned my head back towards specialist Butterscotch and nodded at him again.
"Come on everyone, lets go to the hotel. Dusk, you get first pick of rooms bar the suite at the top. Fallen and Butterscotch, you get whatever rooms you like after that. You can find me and Cherry in the suite."
Fallen looked at me and poked me with a hoof to the shoulder. "Why doesn't Dusk get a chance to stay in the suite, Crimson?"
"Because I... We, even, own it. Our personal space."
Butterscotch just facehoofed at Fallen. "Fallen Arrow... you need to learn your place. Really. Come on, lets go with Dusk and find a room each."

With that, we all trotted off to the hotel, me with a little help from Cherry seeing as my head and sides still hurt, but was still a lot more healed up then earlier in the day nonetheless.

"Hey! What are you doing!" Cried out Cherry.
"I'm the big bad enclave soldier, here to take what I want" I said in my most seductive voice.
"Oh, is that so? Well perhaps you ought to put on a show of power to put me in my place then?" ...Damn, she was turning me on like crazy and she knew it. I couldn't resist but to flap my wings to lower myself onto her as I held her hooves down as she giggled.
"Trust me, I'll show you power."

With a series of kisses along the back of her neck, her smile grew from side to side.
"So, You think you'll get inside me just with a few kisses like that huh?"
With a smug smile across my face, I answered back. "A little flattery worked before, didn't it?"
She pouted at me before winking. "Don't make me remind you how powerful my hoof can be, Wings."
I looked at her, astonished that she'd say such a thing, and decided a new approach was required... one more sinister and conniving way I could think of!

Slowly I lowered myself down onto her and rolled her over onto her back, before looking at her in the eyes and kissing her with a soft yet firm passion which burnt from the very core of my heart.
A certain squeal of enjoyment from her had told me that her guard was down... and then I did it.
I gently moved my forehooves over to hers to gently hold her down as I brought the tips of my wings to her belly.
In one motion, she found herself overpowered and incapable of defending herself as the feathers glided across her stomach in swirling patterns.
The giggles and pleas for help served only to further my attack as I proceeded to kiss down her neck and moving even lower.

"You ready?" I asked her, the cockiness obvious in my tone of voice. She just squeaked in admission as my lips touched her body where she felt as soft as velvet, a small squeak entered my ear.
"Yes... please"

They were the last words before the chorus of moans, chirps, squeals and heavy sighs filled the room.
God she knew just how to turn me on indeed...
I had needed this so badly, so very badly. From the way Cherry was acting, looked like she'd missed it too.

~ ~ ~

A destroyed city lay beneath me. Manehattan, I presumed from the layout.
From the darkest depths of the world now shun an ambience in the world, where life still clung to the scraps of harmony and friendship.
At first the embers of life were weak and sparse, but as time passed and the buildings continued to crumble, flights flickered one by one in and out just like embers of a fire that refused to die.
Until there came a time where one door opened, and a bright light filled the entire area.

Slowly the light grew from this area, dots and sparkles turning into a flowing river of melodic beats as the lights jaggedly flowed through the fields and dispersed into all directions, until the city was found..
Once more, Manehattan lived.

As the lights grew however, a dark red tint grew upon them and a coldness broke from the city itself, filling the air with the stench of death that filled even to the skies from which I sit high above..
One by one, the first of the lights either exhausted or turned to match the hue of darkness that surrounded it.
Quickly however, the plague of red broke the bright white and turned everything red or dead.

I couldn't bear to look any longer, I turned my head in the opposite direction,
I had no idea as to what was happening in the once glorious and thriving city below, but it felt wrong and disgusting.
Slowly growing, the red lights crept out of the city and spread further yet, changing the dark brown floor to a disgusting Sienna.
The ground itself bore the mark of decay, my heart growing ever weaker as it did. Where ever this dark power went, the land bore its scar and tainted the hearts of any whom may tread upon it.

Yet something happened... as I looked to the south a new beacon of light emerged!
A slow erection of grey spires absorbed my attention. I flew towards it with all my heart and hopes.
Perhaps this would bring back the comfortable warmth of light upon my skin in which I had desired since the fall of the sun and the crowning of the clouds?
I had to know, I had to be sure.

No luck amongst the newly christened wasteland of decay destruction and deceit.
The land did indeed harbour the gentle ambience of pure and honest hearts, but once more a slow emergence began of a new set of lights.
A putrid brown ate away at the gentle white glow, threatening the warmth below as the red had once before.

Immediately I knew what I had to do... I could not let another city drown in blood.
Given the options available to me, here was no decision to make.
As I landed down to the ground, I noticed two others behind me to my left, and right... there we stood as we had once before.
Helios, Selene, and myself, Eos

Not again would we fail to see the error of our way.

~ ~ ~

As I woke, I saw the alicorn standing before me once more, her horn had just risen above my head, and I could feel where she had been touching me at the time.

"Now you know half of the story. We trust you will not pretend that you do not see the struggles around you."

I couldn't make heads or tail of what she had just said to me, but before I knew it she had turned invisible once more and I felt a drowsiness fall upon my body.
Fighting the urge to fall asleep, I tried to question the mysterious mare.
"Who?"
"You heard my name, Crimson. I am Eos. Sleep well, for the dawn ends soon."

My eyes closed and I slipped into blackness once more.

The morning broke through to my tired eyes, my head still ached from the beatings and disturbed rest of the night before.
Turning my head to look at my sweetest, I found myself confused as to where she had gone. Where she had laid the night before, she was gone this morning.

"Ughh." I groaned and mumbled to myself as I still struggled to open my eyes and accept a new day had come, when rest felt so much nicer.
"Cherry, are you around?"
A sweetness in Cherry's voice called out from around the corner, the soothing tone gently making our bed all the more comfortable. "Eeenope"
"You really do suck at pretending to not be around, don't you|?" I laughed as soon as I had said that, I really did enjoy that.
"Eeeeyup"
Oh Cherry... how she made me smile.

"What's the time, what's been done, and most importantly..." I paused for dramatic effect, knowing she'd fall for it.
"Most importantly what?"
"Where's my breakfast?"
I burst out into hysterical laughter, expecting a hoof to the head once more and another day on an IV drip... why they couldn't have just let me have some deliciously sweet med-x I didn't know.
However, much to my surprise, she simply kissed me and smiled as she levitated over a bowl filled with radspider broth.

I pouted as much in embarrassment as I had out of irony and pleasantness, served with a side of 'oh god radspider again'.
Cherry caught my look and nibbled on the corner of my ear, before softly whispering into it.
"Hey! You're the one who decided we'd use all those radspiders as target practice rather than to try drive them all off. So realistically speaking here, its your own doing that there's so much radspider meat to eat. It's fresh but won't last long, so better eat that rather then our canned goods. No buts."
I whinnied in response. "But... but... I like your butt!"

A smugness covered my face as she turned read before waving it in my face.
"Oh, I know you do. Perhaps you'll get another chance for it soon.... if you're good."
If I'm good?
Did she even know me? I was amazing in bed!
She caught my look and just giggled at me, before walking off into the bathroom to take a shower as I began to eat my meal.

Who said you couldn't have the luxury of the Stable while out in the wastes?

*** *** ***

Slipping out of the talisman room after Gasket, I let out a worried sigh.
"So. I suppose I aught to let the Overmare know about the problem getting worse? Thanks for coming anyway Gasket, I know you've had a lot on your hooves what with the whole turrets popping up randomly along the walls recently."
Gasket didn't even turn to look at me as he carried on walking, trying to avoid the lower level maintenance ponies vying for my attention.
"It'd not change how fast the talisman cracks unless its used a little less, I reckon. However, it would be nice having an update on how the search is going."

I nodded and looked at the unicorn as he walked down the halls towards the main door. I whistled to him and he looked at me one last time.
"Again, Thanks for coming Gasket. It's been nice to have another pony who knows their stuff give another opinion."
"You're welcome Melony, any time."
I smiled as he continued on his way out of the Stable, and presumably back to Gummy to get back to his own work.

I trotted off down the corridors and dismissively waved my hoof at the younger technicians.
"Give me fifteen minutes, then I'll be back to help with your problems. Sorry everyone, but this is top priority business."

Knocking my hoof against the Overmares door, I wondered what she'd have to say about the news.
More-so, I wondered if she'd heard anything back from Crimson or any of the caravans yet. Princesses I hoped they'd find a replacement soon.

A moment passed and the door began to open before jamming halfway.
Two seconds later a worried voice came from the other side.
"Oh crap. Excuse me, who is that on the other side of the door? Would you mind going and getting Melony Love to come fix my door for me?"
"It's me, Overmare."
"Melony! Oh good... you don't mind uh..."
"Fixing the door? Of course."
A tenderness overcame her voice once more as she thanked me, and I got on my belly to inspect the door itself.

There was nothing physically obstructing the door from opening or closing from what I could see, so I pulled my wrench and screwdriver out of my toolbags that hung effortlessly off my back.
Opening up the door control mechanism proved that there was no electrical nor mechanical fault in the control box either... there was only one possible thing to do to fix the door now.

"Gra- My apologies. Mrs Overmare, please stand back from the door."
"Why? What's happening?" She asked, but I simply brought myself away from the door and reared up.
One firm kick to the door and it rose without fault.

I quickly turned back round to find the Overmare with one brow raised and a smirk across her face.
"A kick to get things in order I see? I thought that only worked with visual screens and my son."
Not knowing whether I should be stifle the giggle that had overcome me or the blushing, I tried to do both... without any success.
The Overmare just joined in the giggling before giving me a warm welcoming smile.

"Come on in Melony, and remember, you are allowed to call me Grace."
I smiled as I continued into Grace's office and living quarters.
We sat upon the sofa and I began to give her a new update on the water talisman.

"It's showing further signs of damage. It's not broken entirely of course, otherwise I'd be a hell of a lot more alarmed. However, it is showing wear and tear at an excelled rate. We estimate we have another two to four months, though it could fluctuate based on usage and damage sustained."
"Would it not simply degrade at a single passive rate if used at one continuous rate, or perhaps even turned off for a time to allow it a rest from fatigue damage?" Grace asked, gracefully.

Now I truly understood why her parents had decided to call her Graceful, as all her actions despite any situation carried an air of level-headedness that fed confidence into whomever she spoke to.
Of all the ponies I knew, I knew no-one more suited to lead the Stable at a time like this as I spoke to her.

"Unfortunately, we doubt it. As the crystals inside the talisman circuit degrade they weaken, exposing them to even further damage, hence the two to four month timespan that we have left before it completely breaks.
However, the amount of usable water able to be produced by the talisman may very well not meet our demands within those two months, we fear."

Mrs Graceful just nodded and continued to listen as I spoke further.

"After two months, if our estimated graphs hold true, the water output production levels will drastically lag behind consumption and usage rates. We'll produce enough to keep ponies hydrated and crops watered for up to two and a half to three months, but not washed in clean water. After the third month, we'll only have enough water production to keep everypony from being thirsty, but we won't be able to offset the required amount for the crops over in Angel. They would have to rely on the rain alone. In which case without Crimson's cloud manipulation magic here to keep that routine and as needed, well... we can't exactly say that's a reliable source."

"I see. Thank you for the update report on that Melony. Though it doesn't put me at ease to have a definite time-limit, it makes my decisions easier to make and my worried mind hold strong that at least with predicted rates of damage, we still have some time rather then an unexpected period which could be tomorrow."

I shyly smiled at her as my eyes hit the floor. Being the bearer of bad news was one of the 'perks' which came with being the head of Stable maintenance, and I had always hated it.
Looking back up at her I took a deep breath before asking my question.

"So... have you had any news from the caravans as of yet, Overmare?"
Surprised as she thought about my question, she spoke with an earnest tone. "Actually, no"
With that, she got up and sat at the computer terminal and remotely turned on the bigger conference screen that lined part of the wall opposite, which provided superior audio quality.
Tapping in a few commands she brought up the list of contacts and sought out the caravans tags before calling them.

"Yeah, We're fine Mrs. Overmare." The firm voice of Lemon Gaze spoke. "However, we've been in contact with Crimson last night... there's some bad news on both ends of the map, but up here to the north, Red Eye has died. My team and Custard Tart's team has had to split up earlier then planned due to situational circumstances. I made contact with Custard Tarts this morning however, and he's fine."

"Thank you for your report, Lemon Gaze. How long do you reckon you have until you arrive at Tenpony Tower?"
"By the end of today if we're lucky, some time tomorrow at the latest unless there's a major setback which slows us down. Any significant update on the talisman?"
"None. Keep up the mission. Good luck, Princesses be with you all."

I looked to the Overmare but she just kept a cool head and began tapping another series of code into the computer. This one she hadn't needed to look up the registry to know what she was typing, and even I could recognise Crimsons pipbuck tag as she wrote the key-bind.
What I, no, what we heard next...

"Augh yeah. Just... yeah... Augh."
The Overmares face just dropped. I blushed as he groaned longer and louder.
Cherry's voice made the whole situation even worse as she began to beg.
"OH FUCK. OH FUCK CRIMSON YES. AH. AH. SO... SO CLOSE."
"Yeah... you take that. Princesses I'm so fucking close."

That was too much. I coughed loudly and suddenly there was a very confused sound from Crimson before Cherry began to moan in absolute ecstasy.
"YES CRIMSON. OOOOH YES I'M THERE!"
Grace decided she'd had enough before firmly exclaiming my point.
"Crimson!"
The other side of the line went quiet as Cherry panted before asking what was up before Grace spoke again, and had realised what had just happened.

"Crimson. I suppose you hit the 'answer' by accident, did you?"
The nervousness in his voice could have had been my own as he spoke.
"M...Mum?"
"Yeah."
"...Aw. FUCK!"
"Me too!" I added.
"...Melony?"
"Uh huh."
"...AWH DOUBLE FUCK!"

We all felt as awkward as one another at this point, as Grace calmly spoke through her embarrassment at hearing her own son in the heat of the moment.

"Crimson... Want me to call back in five minutes?"
"...Please."

With that, the call ended. I just looked at the Overmare and felt uneasy. Had she had to deal with this before? Did she know what he was like? ...Shit, did she know I'd slept with him?
She just shook her head and laughed. "Just like his father."
My cheeks simply burnt all over at that comment and how obvious it was that she must've known.

A little longer then five minutes later, we tried ringing Crimson again.
This time he had been decently prepared to answer the call without groaning in pleasure.
We'd learnt about the death of Kingcakes and Pocket Change, the upcoming return of Kingcakes brother and Fallen Arrow, the later whom would rally up more mercenary guards and head back out.
We were also informed of the official take-over of Coltshire Commons Tower as it had been dubbed by Tank Merc Group, who we had heard were leaving for somewhere earlier in the morning.

Crimson then told us about the four possible leads to water talismans, though warned that two of those would be inaccessible in their current situation and the other two leads were uncertain.
Still, to have a definite possibility at finding a water talisman so soon were astounding!

With the end of the call, myself and the Overmare had traded pleasantries before parting ways once more, myself to organise my team, train the recruits and get back to my other tasks.
What an eventful morning it had already been.

*** *** ***

Looking towards Cherry I sat with a deadpan look upon my face once the call had ended, she simply looked at me mirroring my expression before we both said the exact same thing at the same time.

"Well... that was awkward!"

Some time later we'd gathered up all our gear and I'd slipped back into my leather duster. The more I wore it the more I really grew attached to my new coat. Cherry just smirked at my childlike fascination at how it looked so amazing on me.

"You know, all I need is a sheriffs hat and authority glasses!"
I looked at her as she gave me a sidewards smirk.
"I mean it! I think it'd fit the coat quite nicely, make me look like some kind've law enforcer or something! I will be one later on in life, right?"
"The Enforcer huh? I like it. It's a cute nickname for you. Just don't let it go to your head, hmm?"
"Like you let me go to yours?" I gave a wink and smiled from side to side.
"No, like my hoof goes to yours!"

With that, she threw her hoof around my neck and held me tight, pinning me up against the wall before giving me a gentle yet passionate kiss.
"You make me feel like such a mare, Crimson. Thank you. It's nice to not have to be Specialist Cherry every moment of every day."
"That's a point." I raised my eyebrow at her. "Were you gonna tell me? When are you going to tell me the details now I know?"
Cherry just looked down to the ground and scuffed her hoof on the floor. "i... I... I'll tell you on the way to Coltchester, okay?"
"We'll be heading out to Coltshire Town first... need to resupply."

First of all though, I needed to talk to Dusk.

As I trotted through the halls of the tower I noticed a dark blue pony walking into a room, to which I opened my wings and glided on over. "Dusk, there you are. I've been looking around for you."
"Crimson? Ah. Come on in, there's a pair of chairs in here I suppose."
I gratefully accepted the offer and walked into the room. The very first thing I noticed as I walked in wasn't how bare the room was, but rather, how stained his muzzle was from all the tears he'd shed the night before.

"Dusk, I know this is a hard time for you. I'm sorry about how everything turned out and I really do wish we still had Kingcakes around. More-so, I want to know how you're handling all this."
He just looked at me and sighed, his words breaking the silence slowly.

"Crimson, he was my brother. I don't know what to feel, think or do. He sacrificed himself by giving me and the others to fall back to a more defended area. How do I deal with that?"
How do you deal with that indeed?
"Dusk. Tell me again, why did he die - not how, but why did he die?"
"He died trying to prevent the raiders from overrunning the barricade we'd put in the way."
"For what reason did he do this?"
"To allow the others and myself to fall back and cover him as he retreated with us once we were ready."

I looked at Dusk and put one of my hooves onto his shoulder and began to stare right into his eyes.

"Dusk. He died for you. he didn't die because of you, he died so he could protect you and the others. He knew the risks of being the one to hold their ground, but he decided that you were all worth that risk. He could've asked you to stay with him and retreat together, but he wanted for you to be safe above all else."

He sat there for a moment thinking over it before shaking his head.

"Dusk, I know you don't think that's so, but I know it is. My dad did the same for me and my mother. We were on their way back from Tenpony Tower along with our two personal guards when raiders came and attacked us from a distance. The first shot they fired killed one of our guards straight off the bat and we began fleeing. The other of the guards ran out of ammo for his SMG and had nothing he could do besides use his knife if it came to it."
Dusk looked at me absolutely bewildered as to why my story had any relevance, but I continued anyway.

"My father told the remaining guard to go on, to my mothers protests, and keep us both safe. He said he'd try to hold them off for long enough that we could be out of sight and he'd catch up by flying to us.
We were almost out of sight when he turned tail and began to fly towards us... and got shot dead."
Dusks eyes shot up and open wide at the same time, looking straight back into mine.

"Your brother died protecting you, Dusk. Remember that. He didn't do it unwillingly nor did he plan to die, but he put his life at risk knowing if nothing else, you would be safe at the very least."
I took my hoof off his shoulder and he let out a small yet sad smile.

"Thank you for listening to me Crimson. I know I didn't say a lot, but having you around at all means a lot to me. I really couldn't imagine Mayor Sunburn doing this for me."
I looked at him and gave a small nudge on the shoulder.

"Hey, you're a good buck, Dusk. You fight valiantly, you live with honour and you've just been through hell. I want you to know I'm always there for everyone I can be, while I might not have the time to listen to every single ponies everyday problems when I become Overstallion, I promise I'll be there at times like this. I want to help you, all of you, as much as I can. What good is a leader if they aren't there for those they lead?"

Dusk let out a small smile and nodded before leaning in and raising his mouth up next to my ear, whispering as softly as the wind.
"Baby-Cakes."
It didn't hit me at first, but then it ran through my mind... his brother was Kingcakes... Dusk had just told me his name.
With that he whistled to Fallen Arrow who came out from around the corner and they made their way off out of the tower and towards Four Ridges once more.

With the departure of 'Dusk' and Fallen Arrow, I felt we had best take our leave as well.
Cherry had already rounded up Maisy and made sure she'd had her breakfast and was ready to leave once more.
The road to Coltchester would be a long and perilous one by ourselves, but the adventure alone made it seem worthwhile to me.
Instead of simply making use of our wings and wasting energy needlessly, I decided a relaxing walk with a chance to talk while on our way to Coltshire Town was in order.

As we passed through the gates of the Commons and heard them shut behind us, I instinctively smiled.
Knowing that we had made the Commons a place of security and hopefully given it a chance to become a thriving town itself had been an amazing feeling. We had no duty to make it so, but helping other ponies survive in the wastes was something we should all strive towards.

As we tread the dust covered ground and left the Commons behind us, I turned my head to face Cherry.

"So, Specialist Cherry Sundae."
She didn't respond until I'd flew ahead and brought myself face to face with her, wings spread wide to prevent her going forward until I let her.
"You've got some explaining to do. I'm not mad at you, but I am shocked that you're part of the special forces and I had no knowledge."

She lowered her head and spoke solemnly in return.
"Special forces aren't meant to be publicly known about."
I tried not to hiss as I spoke, but the undercurrent carried in my tone all the same. "I'm the son of the Overmare, Cherry!"
"You knew we existed though, didn't you?"
"Well... yeah, I did. Only in theory though. I'd never knowingly met a special forces operative."
"You've met all of us, Crimson. You just don't know the difference between us and anyone else. Whenever you leave the Stable, our duty is to watch over you. When we're not out on missions, anyway."

I took a moment to think about it and looked back to the time when Cherry had shot the raider who stood from the other side of the wall from me. Was it pure luck that she was there, or had she been travelling that part of the wall to keep me safe? Then something else hit me...

"Cherry?" I asked.
In a subtle tone which expressed her sadness"Yeah?"
"You say your duty is protect me when I'm out of the Stable. That's why you were on that part of the wall, right?"
"Yeah. Another three of us were on each of the other walls."
"Did they join in the caravans?"
"No."

I looked at her quizzically for a moment, before she continued.
"Myself and the others talked about it while you went off alone. Sending our entire task force out would not only leave Four Ridges without specialist capabilities, but would secretly make us an even higher value target. We agreed that myself alone should be enough to do the job as long as I stick around with you."

"Is that why you slept with me the first time?" A crossness filled my voice as I stared at her. "Why you've slept with me all those times since? Why you want to be in a relationship with me?"
Rather than lowering her head further, she brought it back up and stared at me with ferocious rivalry to my own stare.
"No. I don't have any requirement by job to sleep, or have feelings for you. You wanna know why I did in the first place? Look at yourself, even with scars down your cheek you're handsome. Also, do you know how much time I have for myself with being a specialist? Do you know how many bucks want a mare stronger then themselves, who is deadlier and more capable?"

I retreated and sunk down into myself, holding my wings tight to my side.
As cocky and arrogant as I normally was, I knew I'd made a big mistake, and I had to take responsibility and take the punishment.
Though with that, her voice became softer.

"Crimson. I wasn't joking when I said I'd never had much luck with the bucks. In fact, I've only ever had one before you, and when he found out how skilled I was in a fight and realised that if he made the wrong move I could end his life effortlessly, he ran. He ran Crimson. My confidence with bucks has never been moderate let alone high and now the Overmare's son hits on me? Of course my nethers would burn in lust and of course I'd accept. Crimson, you make me feel like a mare. An actual mare rather than Specialist Cherry Sundae, cleanest shot over 250 meters and who can turn invisible. You make me feel like somepony."

I began to look up at her as she nuzzled my wing and kissed my cheek, turning into a new passionate kiss.

"You make me feel special, Crimson."
My voice was as shaken as my heart beat from both fear and something else, and I whispered into her ear.
"Cherry, you are special. You're very special to me."
A childlike tenderness came from her once more. "Promise?"
Now my heart beat faster, but not out of fear.
"More special then anypony else, because... I think, no, I'm sure that... I love you too. So yes, I Promise."

Cherry just stood there, her face had turned from bewildered to furious and now it had gone a shade deeper red then ever before.
We spent more then a small moment in an embrace that felt more affectionate and loving then any other, holding each other close after the moment of distrust and worries.
When my hooves came back to the ground, I'd felt our bond had been stronger then before, and even Maisy sat there on her rump with tears flowing from her eyes at the sight of us and a smile across her face.
Cherry and myself giggled and both jumped on her at once to get a three-way hug going.

Some things in life are priceless, this had been one of those very moments.

*** *** ***

As we walked into Coltshire Town, an old buck approached Cherry and thanked her for saving the town. She simply smiled and accepted the praise but reminded him not to forget the sacrifice of Kingcakes. Humility, thy name be Cherry Sundae.

"How many caps do we have, Crimson?"
I looked at my pipbuck, my wonderful pipbuck with its inventory sorter made it so much easier.
"Six hundred."
"Well, we're going to need ammo, is that enough?"
"Is with me."
I smirked at her and she rolled her eyes. This was my time to shine!

The elderly buck looked around bored for a moment before noticing us. "Hey there!"
"Hi, I'm looking for some ammo, healing potions and chems. Got any?"
"What calibre ammo you searching for?"
"9mm, 10mm, 12-gauge and 50.cal"

He looked at me as if I was about to cause a small war.
I nodded and stepped to a side as Cherry levitated her gun into view.
"Oh! You're with her! Of course, of course. here's what I can offer you!"
I looked at Cherry in surprise as she shrugged with a smile on her face as he pulled out boxes upon boxes of ammo.
Picking a 10mm bullet up with a wingtip I studied the casing.
"This looks hoof packed."
"That it is."
"Mind if I test one to assure its up to standard?"

He just looked at me as I smiled. He sighed and nodded. I pulled out my pistol and chambered the round, before firing into a wall on one of the buildings down the road.
The wall left a small crack mark and told me that the rounds had been properly reloaded and were as high quality as military cache rounds.

"How much have you got of each?"
"110 9mm rounds. 75 10mm rounds. 40 12-gauge rounds and 25 50 cals. As for healing stuff, nothing at all."
"Okay, we'll have the lot."
"Give me one sec... right, that's 110.. 2-6.. 3-0.. Four-hundred caps please..."
Cherry's jaw dropped at the price of it and pulled my face to the side.
"Crimson. Are you certain? We need some money!"
"Watch and learn haggling."

I turned back to the merchant and began to barter.

"Four hundred huh? Seems quite steep, especially when you're selling to someone who saved your town."
"You didn't, she did."
"Guess who sent her? Same with the other group."
"Who do you think you are?"
"Crimson Wings, Heir to the leadership of Four Ridges. The guard who died yesterday was one of my own."
"Okay, Wings, what do you reckon?"
"Three hundred and forty."
"How?"
"Eighty five for the 9mm, one fifty for the 10's, twenty for the 12's and eighty for the 50's."
"Three-Seventy."
"Three fifty last offer."
"No deal. I won't go lower then three-sixty."

I looked at the trader with a sure fire smirk and spoke calmly.

"You absolutely sure about that?"
He looked at me nervously. "What? Why?"
"You won't find another buyer getting so much at once. You don't want to let us down, do you? Find another merchant and haggle with them instead?"
That was all it took. He sighed and agreed.
"Three fifty then."
I smiled as we made our deal and I handed over the caps.

As we walked off a truly gigantic earth buck wearing a suit of scathed power armour which had parts of it ripped away and replaced with leather or scrap metal attachments instead, walked up to the kiosk.I couldn't help but notice the minigun on his right and the fact that rather then having a saddlebag on the left, he simply had an ammo box connected to the gun.
"One thousand rounds of 5mm, please."

I just blinked in shock and carried on walking.

We made our way around a few more market traders with no luck on the healing goods until we made our way into an actual shop.
As we walked through the rotting door-frame I saw that it was actually a clinic inside, or what was left of one anyway.

A white pony reminiscent of Melony Love, albeit with a single tone of lemon yellow hair stood behind the counter.
"Welcome do the good fix! We'll fix you, or give your fix in times of need! How may we help you today?"
"Hey, I'm after about... six healing potions, two rad-away for good measure and perhaps some med-x if you have any in stock?"
Cherry followed my sentence with her own, questioning why I'd need med-x.
Quickly I pulled the Canterlot Journal of Medicine out of my saddlebags and flashed it at her. She smiled uneasily but didn't say a word after that... thank the princesses.

"Five healing potions... that's one hundred, two rad-aways are another thirty to make it one hundred and thirty and I can give you four med-x for another one hundred."

I thought about it for a moment and pouted.
"Damn. I only have another one hundred and sixty caps left. I suppose I'll just take the healing potions, rad-away and one med-x for what must be 1-55, right?"
She looked at me and scrunched her face up for a moment.
"Tell you what, because you seem like a nice buck, I'll do it for 1-30."
I looked at her surprised and gave her a kiss on the cheek out of joy. Cherry huffed as the mare behind the counter giggled.

Like a child I collected the medical goods and cooed a thank you as I happily trotted out of the clinic after paying up.
I may not have had my supply of med-x, but I had something at least!

Now we only had twenty caps though, our shopping trip would come to an end. Instead of spending the last of our caps, I handed them over to Cherry and told her to buy herself something nice.
What she did next only half surprised me.

"Something nice huh? Okay!"
With that, she kissed me and slipped the caps back into my saddlebag before climbing atop of my back once more.
"ONWARDS, MY TRUSTY STEED!"
I kinked my head back around through my laughter and looked at her.
"This again?"
"Yes! ONWARDS!"
The smile across her face only caused me to laugh more. It seemed that this little joke would never end.

We went through the town gathering strange looks from everypony around, which had seemed weird to me. We were just two ponies and their pet manticore, even if one of those ponies was riding on the others back!
As we approached the gate towards Coltchester we saw a large gathering of people next to a noticeboard with big writing across it announcing 'BOUNTIES AND JOBS.'

Most ponies were after someone to offer security for their shop or market stand, to which we had to turn down. Sure, we needed the caps, but we weren't in any position to be sitting around in one place for more then a few days unless it was necessary.
However, one of the ponies caught my eye as he held a picture of a radbit in one hoof. I walked up to him to see what his job was about.

"Excuse me sir" He started before I'd even reached him. "You look like you can handle yourselves, to say the very least. Would you be interested in a proposition?"
I nodded.
"There's a mega-swarm of radbits between here and Coltchester that are heading this way. I'm with the security council of Coltshire Town and we're interested in anyone who is capable of clearing out the monstrosities."
Cherry pipped up on that and began to almost shout at him, while still sitting on my back.

"Monstrosities?! How dare you say such a thing? They're absolutely adorable!"
"I'm sorry Madam, but they're not adorable when they eat their way through your security walls, eat the doors and inside of shops, render wooden-stock weapons useless to earth ponies and then steal and eat all your canned and fresh food in the town."
Cherry just pouted and huffed, knowing that he was right.
"Anyway, as I was saying. They've reached megaswarm status. This means they'll either die out slowly from hunger or they'll take half of Coltshire with them before dying out anyway."

I looked at the grey buck and smiled.
"How much are you going to offer us for the job?"
"Seven hundred caps."
"Method of payment? I don't plan on returning here for some time."
"Titan here will be accompanying anyone who takes up the task, to make sure that the job is indeed done. If that's the case, we will entrust him to carry the caps until the job is done."

With that, the buck nodded over to the tall earth pony I'd seen buying all the ammo for his minigun.
I stepped back in shock for a moment, then smiled because of how fitting his name was for him,

"I'll accept the job, in that case. Any other jobs for me as I head off towards Coltchester?"
"Yes, actually. One task, a letter. Nothing dangerous about it, simply needs delivery to the Wasteland Courier Service depot. 50 caps when the letter reaches depot, as the note on the unopened envelope says."
Titan kicked into the discussion himself at this point, in a raspy voice.

"On top of all that, I'm not offering a cap reward, but I will offer you my experience as a guide towards Coltchester and my gun, as needed, if you'll allow me to tag along."
I looked at the buck even more confused.
"It's a long journey, having a guide helps a lot. As for what I'm getting out of it, as much as my firepower is a deterrent, I'm not safe going alone. I was waiting for a few other travelling mercenaries such as yourselves to come and go that way anyway,"

I looked at Cherry and then back to the other two. "We'll do it."

Ten minutes later, Titan was ready to leave for Coltchester with us and we had safely put the letter in my bags.
As the gates opened for us we walked through out into the wasteland once again.
In the distance we could see that the ground had turned from the dirty and dusty brown to a gentle green that indicated that even the grass of Equestria had refused to give up its struggle for life and would continue no matter the cost, like ourselves.

"So, what's your names?" Rasped Titan, as he walked along in his clunky armour. Now we weren't around the sounds of voices and hoof-steps everywhere I could understand why he hadn't wanted to travel alone. He wasn't capable of fluid movement or staying quiet and would've surely made a large, albeit tough, target for raiders out here if he was alone.

"My name is Cherry, Cherry Sundae." A soft spoken voice came from above me as she still lazily sat across my back..
Maisy let out a small roar as if to tell her name.
"That there is Maisy, our pet and friend. My name is Crimson Wings."
"Wings huh? Got a reason for a name like that?"
I looked up at Cherry and she wrapped her hooves tight around my neck, as I prepared to show him.

A moment later I was up in the air, hovering in front of Titan with some difficulty, but I still did my best to make it seem effortless despite the weight of our combined armour, guns and ammo weight.
Carefully I landed back down on the floor next to Titan.

"I see. Ex-Enclave?"
"My father was. I'm pure earth born."
"Good. I was there when those bastards ran and I'll be there when they run again. Just you wait and see."
"Wait... you were what?"
Titan just looked at me and let out a hollow laugh. "You didn't notice the rasping?"
Cherry let out a cautious 'I did' and I just shrugged, not knowing why it was important.
"I'm a pre-war ghoul."
"A what?"

Cherry interrupted me at this point however, and just stroked behind my ears as I carried on walking. "I'll explain to you later Crimson."

*** *** ***

We'd been walking for just over an hour when the landscape had drastically changed from the dingy green back to a barren looking brown where the grass had been crushed to nothing and anything made of wood had been completely destroyed by... something.
Titan paused mid joke when he saw the look upon my face.

"They ain't joking when they told you that radbits will eat anything, including wood straight from trees. Megaswarm trail here and we're hot on it, too."
"So, this megaswarm. What is it?"
"Radbits fuck like you two, judging from how you allow her to ride on your back."
Cherry blushed at the comment but I laughed though.
"Yeah, sounds about right."

"Anyway, they breed like crazy. A group of ten can hit thirty in three months, a group of thirty can turn to over one hundred in another three and a group of one hundred can hit three hundred."
"That's when they're dangerous, I take it?"
"They've been known to make little implements of mass destruction. How's that for dangerous?"

Cherry gasped and spoke, a shocked tone to her voice.
"Wait, you mean that the radbits know how to make megaspells?!"
Titan just laughed to himself, shaking his head with a gentle clanging between his armour.
"Nah, just little swords. Not really all that dangerous at all, unless they decide to stab you in the eye. More annoying then
anything usually."

With that, he pulled off his helmet and opened his eyelids...
My jaw dropped as a deep red stared back at me.
"Cybernetic eyes... Don't worry though." He paused for a moment. "This is before the war. I was part of the first test group with cybernetics, hence why they're solid red rather then the later updated realistic looking eyes."

I cursed him out as I laughed for tricking me good, and Cherry huffed at the fact she'd been tricked despite all her knowledge of the wastes.

"Yeah. Usually their numbers are kept in check by natural predators and travellers looking for a bite to eat. Sometimes they get away though, and end up with dangerously high amounts. Largest group ever was five hundred and thirteen."

"Five hundred and thirteen bunnies? That's so adorable Crimson! I want one!"
I looked up at Cherry. "You what?"
"I want a radbunny! Please?"
I looked towards Titan and he chuckled.

"Anyway, on with the story. As I was saying, I was there when we killed them all. It was a long fight and getting crushed by a literal tidal wave of radbits as they all threw themselves at us at once was quite the experience, tell you that."
Cherry laid her chin on my head at this point and in a soft spoken voice, made a declaration.
"No matter what kind of experience that is, having one of them for my own is an experience I really want. I'm having one, okay? Just one. One."
I laughed. "Fine, As long as you can convince one to stick around with you then you can have one. I'm not carrying one around in a cage though."
"Deal!"

Along our way we heard a strange, metallic sounding singing coming from the distance to the side of us. Turning my head to the right, I soon found out what it was.

"If you go out in the woods today you're sure of a big surprise. If you go out in the woods today you'd better go in disguise.
For every U.S.H that ever there was will gather there for certain, because - today's the day the sentinels have their picnic."

As they sung, they rolled right by us. One by one they turned their torso to the left to face me and saluted.
They broke song for one moment, only as they saluted me.
"Lt. Colonel Wings"
As they rolled on further, they continued their song.

"If you go out in the woods today, you'd better not go alone.
It's lovely out in the woods today, but safer to stay at home."

I had no choice. I had to go up and ask them what the hell they were on about.

"Excuse me, Soldiers, but what is all this?"
"We're on leave, Lieutenant. One week for every six months of work. This allows our central processing systems to self maintain and our self-repair matrix to complete its work efficiently without strain."
"Okay, I understand that part now... but a picnic?"
"We have feelings too, commander. Our AI was designed to allow us to enjoy the simple things..."
I didn't know whether to laugh or simply honestly smile, so I did the next best thing.
"At ease."
"Commander."
As they rolled off into the woods, I turned and let out the laughter over how strange that all was.

Titan just turned to look at me.
"Okay. So I'm travelling with a pegasus stallion who isn't from the Enclave, who has a unicorn riding on top of his back... who have a pet manticore... and is able to keep a straight face without a helmet as six sentinel robots roll on past and sing about having a picnic? To which they then call him Lieutenant Colonel?"
"Yeah, pretty much. Same kind've situation in how I got my duster here."
"...In all my years of being a ghoul... I've never had such a weird experience. Good thing we're off to kill some radbits, at least that feels normal after all these years."
I just shrugged with a smile and carried on.

It was then that we saw the first glimpses of the horde ahead of us. Indeed, there must have been at least three hundred of the damned things from what we could see, perhaps even more. My EFS was nothing but blue ahead of me, but I had worried about what would happen when it would undoubtedly turn red.

"Maisy.." I took a deep breath through my nose and stood there for a moment, paused.."Maisy Maisy Maisy. Looks like you've got some work ahead of you. You ready?"
Titan sighed. "Maisy is the name of your manticore?"
"What else?" I replied, smugly.
Cherry just rolled her eyes at us with a funny smile. "Bucks."
"Wanna know a real name for a death machine?"
"Go on, what's the name of your minigun then?"
"Styx, the titan god mother of Victory, Rivalry, Force and Power"
"Styx... Okay. Good name."

Titan revved the motor on Styx, I had Cherry climb off so I could more effectively equip my shotgun and she pulled out her SMG.
Maisy began by flying straight into the body of mass, claws protruding to each side as the first radbits fell.

The fight had begun.

---o---o---o---

Footnote:
Level up!

55 Barter attained.
60 Speech attained.

As promised, I'm going to keep advertising the fact that the head picture came from WavemasterRyx, who can be found:http://ask-the-waves.tumblr.com/ !

Much appreciation to the people who read and comment! I'm going to apologise again for my reaction last chapter to some criticism - let me just remind everyone that as an author, constructive criticism is very much appreciated and wanted, but I need to be told why something doesn't work for you or even better, how I can change it.

For those of you wanting a more grimdark storyline; I appreciate this and it will come, but patience is a virtue. I plan to begin the grim, gritty storyline arc with the next chapter (part 2 of TRTTD)

Chapter 8: The road to the damned pt. 2

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds
By Kippershy

Chapter eight: The road to the damned - Part Two

"Some things you live for. Some things you have to fight for. Others? You have to be willing to die for."
"But... I don't wanna die!"

Tiny screams of horror came a hundred at a time as Maisy effortlessly flew through the radbits, ripping them apart with claws.
I proudly turned to Titan and smiled as he watched in waiting for an opportune moment to fire Styx. It was abundantly clear in his eyes that he was impressed by Maisy, though something told me from the smile he held himself that I was about to see something just as spectacular.

Giving Titan a chance, I whistled over to Maisy and she soared into the sky to fall back to our position. Within a matter of moments this had gone from a simple task to clear out the mega-swarm of radbits to a show of force and strength.
As she rose from the ground just five seconds after having gotten into the crowd, ten or so radbits rose with her, caught on her claws.
Blood spilt all over the ground and the crowd around her as the entrails of the once cute radbits spilt out.

In his raspy voice, the smugness overcame the sound of the spinning motor that revved up next to him. "You ready for this, Crimson?"
"As ready as I'll ever be, go on you slow git. Show me how you've lived these two hundred odd years."
"Two hundred years of slaughter and mayhem, working in mercenary groups and as a lone travelling merc. Don't put me down for my age otherwise I'll bore you with my task force days stories."
I chuckled. "You'll have to fill me in on the way to Coltchester then."

With that there roared an unholy sound from the direction of Styx and within a moments passing just as many radbits as Maisy had managed had to kill not so much fell to Titan, but rather they had exploded
A few moments longer and the total death toll reached what seemed close to forty.
Titan powered down his minigun and slowly the barrels now began to stop their rotation.
He had proved his point that Styx was powerful, but in the end, these were only radbits after all. Only time would tell for sure if it would be as effective against harder targets, no doubt.

Now it was time for me to prove myself. Maisy had shown the sheer capability of her claws when combined with her wings.
Titan had shown that his minigun had truly deserved the name given to it, with its explosive power.
I had no weapons capable of providing the kind of force required to even come close to Titan, however, I did hold one advantage.
Holstering my shotgun I slipped my helmet on and unfolded my wings.

Titan looked at me, bewilderment in his voice. "Wait.That helmet... is tha-"
That was all I gave him a chance to say as I had already flown into the air and hung there breathing deeply before beginning my war-cry. I began to scream as loudly as I could into my helmet, knowing just what kind of amplification it would receive.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

I had to take my helmet off instantly as I felt laughter storming up my throat and out onto lips.
Titan looked like he had absolutely shat himself and seven of the closest radbits twitched on the ground as they had a heart attack.

"Crimson?"
"Yeah?" I looked back at him cockily, wondering what he had to say.
"You... are a fucking mad-buck. You realise there's more then just Radbits here, right?"
"So?"
Titan just looked at me as my arrogant face smirked back at him.
As I stood there self proclaiming my own victory by raising my hoof in the air in a champions pose, Cherry lazily pushed me to a side.

"Colts. The pair of you. This is how it's supposed to be done."

Before my eyes Cherry began to disappear with her magic, though a small sparkle glinting through midair told me where she was.
As tempted as I was to go and kiss her along the neck for the sheer fun of putting her out of focus, I decided it'd be better to see how she handled it.

Step by step she made her way to the radbits just who were a good twenty-odd meters ahead of us.now.

"What you reckon she's going to do? Snap its neck or something?" Titan asked in a hushed tone.
"That... that would be too logical. She's a mare, remember." I countered, keeping my own voice low as not to be overheard.
"So, she'll stamp it to death then? Has she got the strength to do that?"
"She gave me a concussion two days ago, so yeah, she's got the strength for that. But I don't reckon she's the type to be that mean."
"Well... what about the rifle on her back? Think she'll use that as a golf club?"
I just looked at him in amusement at the thought then shook my head. No, Cherry would never do something like that.

She didn't surprise me either. Ten seconds odd after our discussion had ended one of the radbits had turned invisible along with her and I heard her hoof-steps coming back towards us.
Titan just looked to his side and spoke into the empty space. "So... let me guess. You're gonna feed it to your pet manticore?"
A gasp broke out of her mouth and her magic field came down, revealing herself once more with the radbit sitting on her shoulder.
"Of course not! This little guy is my pet now! See Crimson! I told you I would get one as a pet!"
Her face gleamed with pride and joy as I made my best attempt to stifle the chuckle it brought out of me, all the while as Titan stared on in amazement.

"Oh Cherry. You know, this is why I love you."
She blushed and I smiled even more. Her new pet radbit, just a baby no less, sat confidently in her mane.
"So you love me because I turn invisible and get my own pet?"
"No, because you're adorable and different."
Her blushing turned into a kiss which I hadn't expected, but was all the better for it.

As our lips broke apart I affectionately looked into her eyes for a moment longer...
I felt my words come out as softly as my feathers would touch her lips. "Cherry?"
A sweetness in her voice carried the same passion as I held. "Yeah?"
Looking at her with a smile that only grew and grew... I said it.
"It's clobbering time!"

Cherry gave me a deadpan expression as she looked at me before closing her eyes and shaking her head.
Slowly a new smile came across her face as she began to giggle.
"Crimson! I'll clobber you in a minute!"

Titan stood there laughing to himself at what had just happened and I jumped into the air and pulled out my shotgun.
A smirk across my face, I couldn't help myself. "Time to spread some bucks shot"
Cherry just grinned at me and gave a small bout of a giggle as I flew alongside Maisy for another go at killing all the cute little bunnies.

I gained height to increase the spread of my shots and make them all the less accurate.
In conventional combat this technique would have been absolutely stupid and unforgivable, wasting ammo and risking my life.
Right now though, the increased spread area of effect would only mean that more targets could be hit.
With the radbits, even a single shot-ball seemed to be enough to incapacitate them.

Maisy didn't have to change her tactics for anything though, it seemed. Her ferocious swipes only seemed all the more effective when coupled with a playful ripping of intestines as she also chose to literally chew them apart.
I felt bad for Cherry having to watch such an occurrence with her stance on killing, though thankfully she seemed to understand just as she said she had.
This was something we needed to do, strange as it was. For the radbits' own good, the good of Coltshire, and worst of all, our own good - what with the caps reward.

Swipe by swipe, shot by shot we weakened the radbits.

"CRIMSON!" Titan called out.
I looked down to him.
"YOU'RE WASTING YOUR AMMO. PULL BACK AND LET ME WASTE MINE INSTEAD."

As much as I hated to admit it, Titan was right. I'd gone through what must've been twenty shots and the radbits still looked strong and angry. Cherry had used the time to start climbing up atop a nearby rock formation while the radbits slowly advanced towards Titan who had been keeping his gun motors revved and ready.

Falling back and calling Maisy to follow me would've been embarrassing in any other situation, but right now the point was to make money, not lose it all in wasting all my ammo.

As soon as Maisy had moved out of the way, Titan opened fire once more.
Bullets ripped past just below me and the explosions sent a shock wave from beneath me, threatening to knock me off course with my flight.
Thankfully however, that hadn't come to be and instead I managed to regain composure.

I watched as he released the destructive force from the gates of Hades itself upon the almost defenceless radbits in his path.
No survivors bore the scars from that gun, I was assured.

Ten seconds passed and then he stopped his fire.
What had seemed like just over half of the entire radbit group had been killed, but now they were almost atop of Titan with their makeshift weapons to bare.
Without warning, the radbits piled onto one another and produced a wall of fur that suddenly swallowed him whole.
The noise from their angry screeches was almost deafening and put me off focus for a moment.

Cherry gasped in shock and began to shout to me before I had fully noticed what was going on.
"CRIMSON! RESCUE HIM!"

I looked down at the pile of radbits and noticed that they were simply trying to crush him to death.
There was no option of simply leaving him under the pile of radbits, but using my shotgun would be too deadly in case I'd hit him. I had to go down there and do it by hand.

I quickly put my helmet on and flew into the air, before committing myself to a dive bomb.
Landing in the middle of the pile myself, I back kicking and bucking the radbits all over the place.
Maisy joined in on the dog-pile and began ripping radbits off as if desperately digging for buried treasure, whole groups went screaming in pain as they flew through the air by the paw-full.

Swipe after swipe, buck after buck, they kept filling up the gap! There was just too many radbits and there was no chance we'd be able to get them off Titan at this rate.
Then I saw a trace of his hoof try yo break the surface, we were close!
Maisy roared as loud as she could and most of the radbits looked at her in terror as she began to smash her head against the crowd, using her powerful maw as well as her claws to savagely rip the radbits apart.
Doing my part also, I grabbed one of their weapons and began decapitating them in vicious swipes while I also crushed their heads beneath my hind-hooves.

With a sudden burst of power Titan reached out with his hoof, and this time I grabbed it.
Once more though, Titan was lost amongst the sea of radbits trying to slice my legs as I worked to kick them aside.

"FUCK"

I hadn't thought about the fact I was still wearing my helmet, but without hesitation the radbits all turned to look at me in anger and fear.
Now was our chance.
Maisy used all her strength and managed to rip even more apart as the radbits turned their attention to me before I took flight to avoid being their next victim.
A third time Titan broke through, with both of his hooves this time.
Maisy took no time in grabbing them in her paws and dragging him out of the pile of radbits, cuts all over every inch of exposed skin.

I blinked in amazement at the fact that he was still moving, even if he did seem as if he'd just taken an utter beating.
Maisy carried Titan over to the rock formation where Cherry stood and gently lowered him down next to her.
Landing next to him to check him over, he hadn't bothered to try stand up as I did.
His breathing was slowed and his movement even more challenging looking then before, but blood-loss seemed minimal and all vital signs seemed strong enough to continue.

"Titan, want a healing potion?"
"Nah thanks kid. As much as this hurts..." With that, he spat up a small amount of blood, but nothing like what Cherry had when she'd been shot. "As much as this hurts, I'll be fine. Just gotta find me some radiation and I'll feel fifty years younger."
I was tempted to say something like that'd still make him one-hundred and fifty, but decided against it.

A gentle breeze carried through northern winds and the smell of fresh kills hit us all again. During the act of slaughtering all the radbits the smell hadn't quite hit me, but now as we rest a moment while they regroup after their attack on Titan, it became clearly obvious to me.
The smell of blood was overpowering in the area now, and as I looked down to my hooves I could notice nothing but how it dripped from my coat.

I had been out of the Stable and in the wastes for a week and already, I realised, I was becoming a killer.
I had taken up a job to kill hundreds of radbits for caps. I Instantly felt sick with myself.
Gently I touched the wolf-tooth necklace Cherry had made for me, wondering who I was becoming.
Cherry caught my look as I slumped onto my butt and began walking over.

Whispering into my ear, she gently stroked my cheek. "Crimson."
I just murmured an inaudible response and she lifted my head with her hoof in turn.
"Crimson. You're not doing this because you want to. You're not doing this because you love killing and its all you are. You chose not to be aggressive towards Maisy because it wasn't necessary. You've chosen to be aggressive to these radbits because it is."
Looking at her with confusion and admiration, she gently smiled.
"I've been here too, Crimson. I've sat down and cried about everything I've done, some days I still do feel the crippling pain and guilt. But the reason you're feeling like this is because you aren't a monster, Crimson. The wasteland is a tough place and we have to be tough to survive in it, both physically and emotionally."

Cherry's new found confidence and capability to speak to me about such an issue and really captivate me was astounding, but at the same time with the experience she also held it shouldn't have been so surprising after all. It wasn't that she was a good talker, but that she'd been through it all herself.
Another soft kiss and I felt a lot stronger, knowing that I had someone to keep me tough when I felt weak.

With the soft slurping of our lips meeting and the touching of our hooves making a slight brushing sound, Titan got up behind me. I didn't bother to turn to him but instead stayed in that moment with my eyes closed and thanked Cherry for being there for me, and for being mine, with the passion of our kiss.

"Crimson? Cherry? Where did you go?"
I ignored his questions but opened my eyes to see that Cherry had coated us in her illusion magic once more like she had back in Gummy.
She pulled back and let down the magic field, much to Titan's displeasure.
"Bah. Unicorns and your fancy magic You want some real magic? Watch this."

With that Titan pulled out three red banded grenades from the storage on his back and laid them on the ground. One by one he pulled the pin with his teeth and kicked them into the swarm of radbits that attempted to climb up towards us.
One second passed, two seconds, three... on the third second though, something happened.
A loud crackle came from the grenade and rather then sending shrapnel everywhere, radbits began to scream in agony as they burnt.
Then the two other grenades lit up one after the other and the swarm of radbits quickly turned into a fireball of smoking death.

If we had been raiders, no doubt we would've laughed. Instead, we all watched solemnly as the sobering experience filled our eyes and memories.
Very few of the radbits had managed to escape the fire, and once six had done so I pulled out my pistol.

One more ran. I slipped into S.A.T.S and ended its life.
Another ran, I repeated the process. Two more ran at once and I decided I'd let them survive, and then another ran.
S.A.T.S held out forever as I hesitated to take the shot, the radbits leg held in seemingly suspended motion. I decided I'd let it run, and only shoot if they were burnt.

After seven more radbits had ran, three of them badly burnt and one of them still burning, the pile of bodies stopped moving.
The radbits were done, our contract was complete.
Titan casually opened up his back storage and allowed Cherry to take the bag of caps from it. I took the bag and put it into my saddlebag, watching the pipbuck caps counter rise from 30 to 730.
I nodded and Titan nodded back. Now all we had to do was get to Coltchester.

"How long do you reckon it'll take to get to Coltchester from here, Titan?"
"How long does it take to get clean water?"
I looked at Titan blankly and humoured him.
"Depends on the method."
With that he nodded at me once more... damn that buck! I let out a little chuckle after realising exactly what he was getting at.

"So, what's the fastest route?"
"The most dangerous one, of course. Cliché as it may seem, that's exactly why its the most dangerous - it's a shorter distance for the raiders to patrol and the raiders attract all sorts of wildlife and... other things, that go for the corpses of the looted or those wounded from the fights."
"How long would it take to get there using that method?"
"We could reach there by nightfall if we move promptly. I know of a inn which we could stay at for 50 caps a night per room."
"50 caps seems a lot."
"Maybe... but when it's that or sleeping on the edge of Coltchester? I'd rather pay to have the guard at the door all night and have a nice bed, over sleeping lightly if at all on the floor."

Cherry snuck up beside me and wrapped one hoof around my neck.

"But you'll get that price down, won't you Crimson?"
I smiled as she boosted my confidence and I nodded in return. "Of course."

"Titan?" Cherry asked.
"Yeah?"
"What's the other route like?"
"Well, I really wouldn't say it's perfectly safe. There's still a moderate chance that there will be a roving band of raiders or wildlife, but it's not as much a certainty as the fast route."
"How long does that one take?"
"Three days. It goes around the worst of everything and around the city to the side of it by coming back on itself."

Cherry looked at me with concern, but I shook my head.

"Three days is too long. I know you say its supposed to be safer but its still three days over the rest of what we have today to get ambushed. If we run out of ammo half way through that trip, we're screwed. If we run out at the end of this trip, we can run as fast as possible and restock. Hell, if it's a short distance I'm sure that Maisy can carry you and I can carry Cherry, but it really isn't something we can do properly for a long haul."

"Agreed. We'll move on down the fast route. Keep your senses sharp and your reflexes sharper, this is why I wanted to travel with you."

I smiled at Titan. He may have been biologically old, but he was still on the ball and willing to put himself at risk if it paid off. That big gun of his didn't exactly give him much fault either, if you overlooked the fact it was his only weapon and took a second or two to prepare to fire with.
Sliding his way down the rock face, we all set off onto the route to Coltchester.

*** *** ***

We walked down the cracked road, broken towers of once proud buildings stood either side of us.
Cherry pranced around the road carelessly as she played with her new pet, much to the disgruntlement of Maisy.
I looked up and gently stroked her mane as I walked alongside her.

"What's wrong girl?"
She huffed and pointed to the little radbit and pointed inside her mouth.
"You... You want to eat it?"
Maisy nodded. Cherry looked at Maisy with shock and displeasure.
"No Maisy, Prince Snugglebums is NOT for eating."
I watched the pair argue until Maisy raised her claw. My eyes widened in fear as Cherry immediately pulled out her SMG and pointed it towards Maisy.

"Maisy." Cherry began. "Prince Snugglebums is NOT for eating. If you dare even attempt it, I hold no responsibility for my actions. Got it?"
Maisy put her claw away and backed away slowly with a little huff and came to snuggle up against me.
I watched as Cherry magically lifted 'Prince Snugglebums' and kissed him before sitting him up in her mane once more.

"Sorry Maisy, but Cherry won this fight. I still love you but she's right, Prince Snugglebums is her pet and you've got to respect that."

Titan had gone back to wearing his helmet, but I could tell that under it he was either smiling smugly or rolling his eyes.

Cherry broke the silence as we walked some time later.
"So, Titan."
"Yeah?"
"You mentioned you're a pre-war ghoul?"
"That's right, what'dya wanna know?"
"What was life like for you before the end of the world?"
"Do you mean during my military years, or my childhood?"

Her eyes indicated that she had to think about that for a moment, as they skirted back and forth.
"What was your childhood like?"
"Short."
"Why?"
"The war."

A disappointed look came upon Cherry's face and Titan sighed.

"I'm sorry, Miss Sundae, but my childhood really was short. I was only a young teenager when I lied about my age to enlist. Before the war, there wasn't much to my life. School had taught me what I'd needed to know and street brawls had given me my cutie mark."
"You were always a violent guy then, huh?"
"I would protect a lot of people from thieves and gangs. If you call that violent, then yes."
"Wait... what is your cutie mark then?"
"A silver shield... or it was before it got too cut up, damaged and burnt to be recognisable."
"Wanna tell us the story of it to pass the time?"

Titan just looked at us both then made an over-exaggerated head roll gesture.

"Fine. Long story short, a gang of degenerates were trying to mug somepony. That somepony turned out to be a Staff Sargent in the Equestrian Army and the degenerates turned out to be Zebra sympathisers. I didn't know that at the time, nor would have it changed anything. But yeah, I took all four of them out at once while making sure none of them harmed the Sargent. From there he offered me a role in his squad since I had a cutie mark on my flank and looked old enough."

"So, that's how you got into the army then? What role did you play?" I added, honestly curious and wanting to know more.

"I served several roles. My first role was in standard grunt work for a rifle platoon. I found the rifles to be too underpowered, as accurate as they were."
I looked to my pistol and shyly looked away, wondering what he'd have to say about it.
"When the Staff Sargent got promoted and transferred to strike team leader for the Royal Forces Mission Support group Echo November Four, he personally put in for me to carry on with him. From there I proved to be perfect for the support role."

Cherry put her hoof out to get his attention. "May I?"
"Of course."
"What do you mean by support role? In the Tank Mercenary Group, it means snipers, miniguns and rocket launchers. Anything like that at all?"
"Close. Sniper rifles were Designated Marksponies, or DM's as we called them. Support was rocket lauchers or miniguns."

With that, he tapped Styx.
"Which is exactly how I happened to get this beauty. Though originally she didn't have the Zebra explosive talisman. I received that after managing to take down a Zebra 'Superhoof' Mark two while protecting my squad. The talisman was on the inside of the robot. Good reward if you ask me, even if I did half die taking that damn thing down."

I went to ask what a 'Superhoof' was but then abruptly something caught the corner of my eye as I looked at Titan. Swinging my head back ahead and squinting my eyes I looked ahead. There was a group of ponies running, but I couldn't tell who or why.
Without a second thought I gently lifted the sniper rifle off Cherry's back much to her confusion and dismay.
Peering my eye up to the telescopic sight, I saw what and why.
A group of children led by a lone adult were fleeing from a group of... it looked like ghouls, but they were foaming at the mouth.

"...Titan?" I asked cautiously, not wanting to upset him.
"Yeah?"
"What does it mean if... ghouls are foaming at the mouth? And a mare and children are running from them?"
Titan stopped dead and stared at me before bolting off as fast as he could in the direction.
Before I could even hand Cherry her rifle back Titan had begun revving the motor for his minigun.
"CRIMSON! GET TO THEM NOW! THEY'LL KILL THEM ALL IF THEY CATCH THEM."
I looked at Cherry in shock and almost dropped the rifle, but she caught it with her magic as it slipped from my hooves.

Not even a second later I was in the air and flying at full speed, shooting past Titan like a bullet and Cherry was catching up to Titan.

They'll kill them all if they catch them.
That was all that went through my mind. All that could go through my mind. I wouldn't, no, couldn't let that happen.
My wings beat hard like a tornado and I did my best to avoid all the obstacles that stood in my way in the road as the cracked buildings that lined each side of the road had fallen and leant on one another after all the years of misuse and disrepair.
They'll kill them all if they catch them... they'll kill them all if they catch them... they'll kill them all.

The ghouls chased the group relentlessly, and now I could see a lot clearer exactly what was happening. An earth pony who was carrying two children on her back and a bundle of rags in her teeth with five more children in tow was running for their lives!
Her soft blue coat wore itself dirtily as she ran through the street with the ten ferals in pursuit.

Upon hitting an uneven part of the floor one of the children caught their hoof on a tile, the one second to last of the children following slipped over and tumbled into another filly. They both went down without a challenge and before anypony could react two male pegasus ghouls dived out of the air and... Princesses no... my blood ran cold as one began raping the filly it had landed atop of.

Her screaming was unimaginably horrifying as I helplessly watched the ghoul thrusting away as it ripped her ear off. I felt sick and completely lost focus of my flight.
The fillies screams for help out of pain went seemingly unnoticed by the others though, as they continued racing for their lives amongst the rest of the ghouls who carried on chasing them.

I beat my wings even harder, I needed to close the distance right now! NOW!
Flying straight towards the group I had a clear view of them now, the ghouls catching up on some of the children.

Without warning I felt myself smash into something soft yet jagged and fell to the floor. As I picked myself back up I noticed another pegasus ghoul below me, hissing.
I didn't waste any time in activating S.A.T.S and plotting a pistol shot to the head. Time felt slowed and allowed me to cleanly pull my pistol out of the leg holster and put a bullet into the brain of the ghoul.
Coming out of S.A.T.S I found two more ghouls, one a unicorn and one a earth pony, standing in front of me.

A clean shot to the face of the earth pony brought it to the floor, but the unicorn moved too randomly for me to get a clean aim. Before I could manage to reactivate S.A.T.S a shot flew past me and into the skull of the unicorn.
Looking to my left I saw Cherry with her rifle in full aim and she chambered another round. I nodded before shooting back up into the air and began to look for the group, but they were nowhere to be found.

However, I did manage to find that more ghouls had began to feast on the two fillies, with another beginning to try and eat the entire right side of her face as she agonisingly cried out helplessly for it to stop,
Sheer rage overwhelmed me and I pulled my shotgun out, flying over to the ghouls like lightning.
Two shots for each ghoul in the area wiped them all out.
Though the second filly had died from bleeding already, her neck snapped in two, the first filly laid there gargling on her own blood.
She looked up at me and whimpered.

The sight was too much. I couldn't handle looking at it yet I knew I had to be strong for the young mare. I knelt down to her side.

"It's going to be okay. I... I... I can give you med-x, I can do something? Something..."
She just looked at me, obviously in excruciating pain and whispered something, I couldn't tell what though.
I leant down to be able to hear her better.
"k...k..."
"What is it? What can I do for you?"
Her eyes met mine, a steely determination in them told me what she was about to say was serious.
"Ki.. kill me."

My eye's just widened. No... no. nononono! No!
Yet as I looked at her, I could tell that it was what she honestly wanted. All of her limbs seemed to be broken and she'd just been raped and eaten by two rotting, living corpses.
"Kill me. Please." She begged and coughed up more blood. The pain in her eyes was too much to deny.
"What's your name?" I asked, my voice more shaken then it had ever been before.
"Platinum."
"Platinum... Princesses forgive me, please."

I pulled out my pistol and slowly drew it to her head....
Was I really going to do this?
What other alternative did I have?
I could save her!
She was dying. She'd bleed out before I could get her to anyone.
No child deserves to die!
Yet this would be mercy. It would be what she pleaded for.
She's just a child!
Though that may be true, she would die either way. The amount of pain she was in was horrific and if she lived, she'd not even be a child any longer, but rather a broken pony. I had no choice.

The shot could've rang through my ears over and over. I had almost given mercy to a child.
As I went to pull the trigger however, I'd noticed that she'd stopped breathing and her eyes had sunken into themselves.
I could've stayed in this spot forever now, breaking and falling apart. I had almost just killed a child, no matter the reason.
This wasn't like Dust Buckets, my mind told me.
You're fully responsible for this. You didn't leave a door open, you would've pulled the trigger, mercy or not. Pleading or not.
But as I lost myself in thoughts, I heard further screaming and knew I couldn't.
I had to save them. I had to save all of them. I couldn't let any of the others go through this. I couldn't let the others to die like I had her. I reloaded my shotguns barrel magazine in preparation as fast as I could.

I held back my tears and flew into the air. Immediately I noticed the group down another stretch of road. Without waiting a heartbeat I sped towards them, agility was a godsend right now.

I passed another corpse with three more of the fuckers feasting on it. I had no time right now, I had to ignore them and carry on through to the survivors.
A building collapsed in front of me as I sped through the streets trying to get to the group and came too close to crushing me for comfort.
As quickly as I could I worked my way around the insides of the concrete and steel monstrosity that lay before me.

Half way through the building I heard another scream and another guttural howling. More and more howling sounded and the child's screams stopped.
Another had died, and by my guesses that meant there was only three children and the mare left.
SHIT!

I flew straight through a glass pane into the air and spotted the mare. Again, I was too late. As I had bolted towards her another three ghouls ambushed her and instantly tore her throat out. Blood spurted everywhere and covered the road, but within seconds she was dead as she hit the ground.
One of the three remaining children ran in the opposite direction of the other two, running straight into another ambush by the feral ghouls.

Behind me I began hearing Titan's minigun roaring death upon the ghouls I'd left behind, and I could've sworn I'd heard Cherry's SMG crackling away under the sound.

There was only two children left, and I could see them running down the street from me. They'd already made a lot of headway on me but not on the ghouls. They chased the pair ferociously and attempted to jump onto them multiple times, though the colt was able to kick them off and the filly was too small to grapple with, she fell through their hooves every time they caught her.

The advancing horde made their way closer and closer to the children as they ran.
I swore blindly I wouldn't let another fall as I flapped my wings as hard as I could.
Not another. Not another child. Not after what I'd done to the other one!
My wings burned with the tormenting reality that they were making ground too fast, I was too far away.

"NO!" I screamed, half hoping they would instead turn their attention to me. If they had have done so, I'd at least be able to put up a fight and give the kids a chance.
They didn't pay any attention to me though, but instead kept their focus on the marks.

Time was running out, I pulled out my pistol and entered S.A.T.S once more, but found the possibility of hitting the kids or scoring a non lethal shot on the ghouls was too high. I needed to be closer and to make sure that every shot counted, otherwise it was wasted time that I could've used to save them.

My wings were feeling like they were on fire now, the speed at which I moved quickly helped me catch up, but I was still too slow.

One by one they jumped upon the filly, their hooves slamming against her body to further immobilise her.
Their jagged teeth we're their next weapons as the child screamed in utter agony.
Her scream was horrifying to hear, as the rest had been. I had no clue how I was going to handle this.

Once more the ghouls smashed into her face and silenced her once in for all before their teeth sliced against her throat and ripped it apart.
Like the mare she was previously following, her blue coat turned to red as the blood covered her while she lay to the floor, dead.

The colt who had been running with her turned his head and cried as he continued to run away, his friend torn into pieces by the monsters around her.
I tried my best to focus my attention to the colt, shouting out for him to run to me so I could protect him, but he ignored me.
He ran around another corner and began to scream.
As I flew round the corner I saw the biggest pony I'd ever come across, let alone ghoul, ripping off the now dead colt's limbs off from the body, his face crushed under-hoof of the ghoul.

My heart stopped altogether and my blood froze up. I didn't even need S.A.T.S to stop time, my natural perception did it for me as I watched the blood slowly drip from the corpse before splashing onto the ground.
A pool of blood surrounded the child's body and the beast tore it apart more, going for another leg.
As another drop of blood became one with the lake of it on the floor, I pulled out my shotgun and planted a whole magazine of shots into the beast, despite it having fell on the third shot.

I looked at the bodies around me.

They'll kill them all if they catch them.

The sound of Titan's minigun stopped, reduced to just a revving, and a new sound took its space... A crying sound filled the air, though it wasn't that of a feral ghoul and I was sure that all the children had just died with this last one.
The air around me went cold as I realised the mare had been carrying what looked like a bundle of rags... no.
It was a baby.

I gave no concern to my own health as I raced back through the broken building and through the streets to where the dead mare lay, another three ghouls converging on the location to track the source of the crying.

As I flew toward them I reloaded my shotgun and prepared to take them down. Pulling close enough to get a good shot I slammed into S.A.T.S yet again and opened fire on the two closest to me. Their heads exploded in a satisfying mess of blood and gore against the pavement below.
As I struck out of S.A.T.S, the third ghouls head exploded. I looked over to my side to see Cherry once more, with her rifle aimed in my direction.

Maisy flew straight through a group of four, ripping them all apart effortlessly.
I looked at her straight in the eye as she landed next to me.

"Maisy." My voice was shaken, my limbs more-so. I felt as if I was going to throw up.
"Maisy, take this baby and go to Four Ridges."
Maisy just looked at me quizzically and I remembered she had no clue where I'd meant.

"Go back home, then go to the north-west. There's a trail you follow past the mountain where we found you. If you keep heading in that direction you'll see a series of ridges with a security wall along the top of them. Go there and go to the middle where the big tower stands, drop the baby off there. I'll radio home that you're coming."

Again Maisy whined, and I could tell it was to do with how she'd meet back up with us.
"Please. I'll come collect you from Coltshire Commons once you've delivered the baby to the Stable... tomorrow, We need to get to the inn first and Cherry can wait for us both there as I collect you. Now go, please."

This time she looked sad and worried about me, as if I was going to die if she left, but I shook my head and picked up the crying baby and put it securely in her jaw. She carried the baby filly like she would one of her own young and looked at me.

"Go. Please. Go. We have to save one."
A gentle nod and she took flight, working her way over the buildings and back home.
If nothing else, we'd saved one.

Another ghoul came into sight as Maisy left. I felt myself crack, but rather then fall apart, an overwhelming anger overcome me and I threw my helmet on.
My eyes watered up with tears of anger as I took a deep breath and screamed, before beckoning the beasts.

"YOU WANT SOME FUCKING MEAT?! COME GET SOME FUCKING MEAT!"

Five ghouls burst out of the cracks between buildings all around me and I hit S.A.T.S and targeted their heads one by one with my pistol.
One shot for each of them, between the eyes. Their skulls caved in and imploded upon the impact of my bullets, causing the corpses to flop to the ground and stain the floor further.
Another eight rushed at the sounds of gunshot and began to surround me as Cherry and Titan made their way.

Spinning around on my hooves and placing a shot on each of the ghouls out of S.A.T.S wasn't as accurate or deadly, but I had no choice as it had to recharge.
After seven shots four of the fuckers still lived and though one was wounded, it didn't seem to even notice.
My shotgun came back out as one of the larger mares jumped on me and sent me flying to the floor.
Thankfully I'd managed to keep my shotgun in my grip as I landed on my back, the ghoul rushing over for the kill.

I didn't give the cunt a chance, instead, I left her missing half her head amongst a spray of buckshot.

Another loud crack of Cherry's rifle and a previously charging ghoul skid across the ground, face to the gravel as its hindlegs flipped over into the air and caused the whole body to roll with momentum.
As I pulled myself off the floor once more I blasted away at the remaining ghouls with my shotgun until they fell.
I couldn't change what had just happened, I couldn't undo the deaths of all the children, but I could remove the ghouls responsible from existence.

Through it all another twelve ghouls appeared in a large group, slowly advancing towards myself and Cherry who had now reached my side. I reloaded my shotgun while Cherry pulled out her SMG and prepared to fire.
Just as the ghouls began to run through an intersection towards us, Titan's minigun opened fire upon them, turning the air into a red mist and shredding the feral ghouls apart.

I took my helmet off and sighed, the adrenaline coursing through my veins still made me want to fight, but it seemed like that had been the last of them. My hooves shook with lust for revenge and fear out of how I would feel once the effect ended.
I didn't say another word after that fight, and Cherry didn't try get me to either.
Titan just looked at me and understood I needed time...

*** *** ***

Was it time that I needed? Was it actually a bullet to the brain? Mercy from the pain and guilt?
No. I didn't deserve mercy. Mercy was for those who had earned it through good deeds while in desperate situations. Mercy was also something you received if you were evil enough and couldn't be trusted to live any longer.
I didn't deserve mercy. I deserved a lifetime of agony.

Nothing had approached us while we walked all that distance from the area where it all happened to the outskirts of the city.
A group of raiders had seen us walking by the road and followed us from the shadows, but as one of the younger ones came out of the building my stare of death told him everything.
I would end you, painfully, if you come any closer.
After that, we saw nothing at all. Even the radhogs kept their distance from us.

I was right about how I'd feel once the adrenaline ran off. I'd managed to hold it together for most of the journey but it was now that I began to crack.

"Titan. I need to know. What was that back there and how did you know that was what they would do?"
A fire burned in my eyes as I looked at him, glaring in hopes that it would assure him I'd make his end swift if he did the same.
"Feral ghouls. They're impulsively driven by nothing more then hunger."
I burst into anger and pushed him off balance as he acted nonchalantly about it all.
"ONE WAS RAPING A CHILD TITAN! EXPLAIN THAT!"
Cherry's eyes widened in horror and Titan lowered his head, my panting speeding up.

"Sometimes they're fresh enough that they will also rape anything they can find while they eat it, Another primal instinct that they run on... in some cases. Most feral ghouls are far too destroyed to have the capability for rape, let alone the desire. Some manage to retain the capability but have no such physical need. At the end of the day, it matters about who you were beforehand. If you have the mental constitution to stay sane, you'll stay sane. If you were a sexual fiend in the past life, when you turn feral, chances of that sexual desire carrying over are moderate."

"And you?"
"And me what?"
"What about you? What keeps you from turning into one of them? What keeps you from trying to rape fillies?"
"I have purpose. I have reason. I have dedication. I've also avoided radiation hotspots to the best of my ability, to reduce possible feral behaviour. No-one has confirmed further exposure to radiation as a trigger, but I'm not risking it any more then you would."
"What purpose do you have then, Titan?"
"Protection of the weak, bearer of old world standards against tyranny.."

I let out another sigh and continued walking. Titan was right, he had to be if he had lived for over two hundred years and not turned feral. He still had his memories of childhood and of those during the war. He held true to his claims thus far. I had to believe him until he proved otherwise.

As we approached the inn, Titan took the lead and knocked on the door.
An old mare came hobbling over to the window from her chair and waved at Titan as he waited for her to come to the front.
With a creaking, the top half of the door opened up and swung to the inside and the old mare balanced her front hooves over it as she spoke to Titan.

"Silver! It's been quite some time, young man!"
"Hah, it has hasn't it. I'm sorry for making you wait so long, m'lady. May we come in?"
"How many years has it been now?"
"Two hundred and three since the war."
She looked back at him and rolled her one good eye, as I noticed the other stayed put.
"I mean since we last met, you silly boy."
"In that case? Just over two years, I think. I haven't been travelling much as of late."
"Come in, come in. We'll talk more when you're in the warm. These friends of yours behind you?"
"Yeah."
"Looking for a room I suppose?"
"Yep."

She looked us up and down before nodding slowly and smiling at us. Titan entered first and moved to the right, to sit down on a cushion that seemed almost as if it was specially for him with the plumage that ran along the half which remained undamaged.

As we walked through the door she sat behind her desk and politely smiled at us.
"The two of you in the same room?"
Before I could even open my mouth, Cherry gently stroked my mane and nuzzled me to indicate she'd do the talking.
"Yes ma'am. We'd like to share a room with a double bed if possible, please."
"A double bed ya say? Well, how many nights do you plan on spending here?"
"Two nights please."
The old mare just looked at Cherry and nodded. "My usual rate would be one hundred caps, upfront. However, because you're travelling with Titan and because of the state that poor buck of yours is in, I'll lower it to seventy-five."

I let out a small smile and handed over the caps,

"Oh, and that includes meals for you all. You've just missed dinner but you're more then welcome to some wild mushroom tea if you'd like."
I apologised and shook my head. I was in no fit state to have a cup of tea and presumably talk to the kindly old mare about what had just happened.

I slumped my shoulders and took my leave up the stairs as Cherry sorted out the key to the room which door it was.
The inside of the inn was... strangely quaint, pine furniture filled the rooms and a fireplace crackled away a soft hymn of cleansing warmth. As I made my way up the stairs the wood creaked below me to remind me that this wasn't the cold hard steel of a Stable, but instead this was a pre-war era structure kept well maintained.

Cherry carefully came up behind me and opened the door to the left with the key she held in front of her with magic. Being a unicorn made mundane things so much easier for them, I thought to myself.

The room wasn't as impressive as our suite back in the Commons, but given that this was a normal inn rather then a luxury hotel apartment, it only made sense.
Though along with the rest of the building, for as small as it was, it had a charming and welcoming feel to it.
This was somewhere I could go and cry about what had happened earlier in the day, the walls around me seemed to say.

...and that's exactly what I did.

Without even trying my wings simply spread out and helped me land on the bed as I fell over. My eyes watered up and began sobbing.
Even before Cherry had managed to rush to me the sobbing had turned into full on wailing as the events took a hold of my mind once more and I was forced to relive the moment that I'd almost shot a filly until her life ended otherwise.

Cherry gently kissed the top of my head and brought my eyes to look at her by lifting my chin with a hoof.

"Crimson." Her voice was soft and gentle, her eyes worn down but comforting.
"You tried, crimson. You tried."
She had no idea. My crying reached a new level and she held me tight.

"Y... y... you don't understand Cherry. I... there was this filly, the one who'd been raped."
"I know, you said. I can't imagine how horrible that must've been to see."
"It's not that Cherry."
She looked at me confused and alarmed because she knew if it wasn't the fact a filly had been raped, it had to be something truly monstrous. With a careful tone of voice, she prodded me.
"So... If it isn't that, what is it?"
"She asked me to kill her, begged me even."
Cherry stopped breathing for a moment and looked at me in surprise and suspense.

"Did... did you?"
"No. I... I went to. I didn't want to. I rejected her wish at first, but the pain in her eyes was too much to bare knowing that I couldn't ease it for her. She died before I managed to pull myself together enough to do it."
"So... you didn't kill her but you did think about it and couldn't bring yourself to do it in time?"
"Yeah."
"Then it isn't your responsibility to accept her death, Crimson. You didn't kill her, even if you did think about it as she asked you to. As much as you believe it was your fault, that you could have saved her, she was dying anyway."

I shook my head, I didn't want to believe it. I should have saved her! I should've saved them all somehow! Instead, I'd lost them all. All apart from the baby, who we barely rescued as it was.
Cherry wrapped her legs around my neck and held me close.
I just sobbed and sobbed while she stroked my mane and laid with me.

Some time after I stopped sobbing, Cherry played about with my pipbuck to get a transmission going between us and the Stable.

"Stable 58, come in. Stable 58, come in."
"This is Stable 58, hearing you loud and clear. Your pipbuck tag is coming up as Crimson Wings, can you explain why this is?"
"I'm fine, It's Cherry Sundae using my pipbuck" I grumbled in response.
"Okay, confirmation accepted. Patching you over to your mother, Crimson."
There was a moments pause and then the waiting tone kicked in again, this time to be answered by my mum.
"Crimson?"
"Cherry Sundae, Mrs Overmare."
"Specialist? Oh. Is everything okay?"
"I'm fine." I repeated, knowing that it was far from the truth.
"What's happened?"
I looked at Cherry and gave her a look as if to say 'you tell her'.

"Mrs Overmare, Crimson has sent his pet manticore to you. She'll be arriving any time tonight or tomorrow morning."
The line went quiet for a moment before my mum spoke again.
"....His... pet... manticore? What the hell is wrong with my son?"
"Quite frankly, a lot of things right now, but that's not the point. The manticore is carrying a baby."
"A baby? A baby of all things?"
"Mum." I interrupted. "Mum. Just look after the baby for us, okay? When me and Cherry get back, we'll look after it, make it our own." I looked at Cherry as I said that, her face was shocked and embarrassed, but a small smile broke through at the same time.
"But for right now, you have to be a good grandma and look after our adopted baby. We had no other choice and I couldn't let another one die... not another... not a baby."

My mother must've heard the pain in my voice as I spoke, because her tone changed from shocked and confused to warm and understanding.

"Okay Crimson. I'll let Tank know that your pet is on its way. What was its name again?"
"Maisy, and its a she. Take good care of her while she's around, she's well trained but don't try annoy her. Okay?"
"Okay. Crimson, I love you. Stay safe."
"You too mum, I love you too."

With that the call ended and I looked at Cherry once more.

"Our baby, huh? I like that."
I didn't even have a response for that, I just buried my head into her and continued to cry the night away as her hoof gently brushed my mane some more.

---o---o---o---

Footnote:
Quest perk attained: Bigot Ghoul Slayer
You've had a traumatising experience around ghouls and now you want revenge! When around all ghouls, feral or sane, you gain +10 to all combat stats but -15 to your speech when talking to a ghoul.
Additionally, upon sight of feral ghouls, your strength and endurance go up by 1 while your perception goes down by 1.

As promised, I'm going to keep advertising the fact that the head picture came from WavemasterRyx, who can be found:http://ask-the-waves.tumblr.com/ !

On the topic of the darkness of the chapter:
You asked for it, you receive it. This is what happens when I turn off my mental filter and simply write whatever comes to mind and don't worry about how bad it really is. No, scratch that, the original was WORSE.
That's right. The original of that scene was beyond Project Horizons but felt too much and too... placed, rather then natural, to read.

If you want things to keep coming back to a grimdark feel, I can do it, but in no way can I do it every chapter and nor can I do it to this extent again - but I can do my best to bring grimdark into it and then try cut away at it to limit the exposure.

If you absolutely hated this chapter for it... I'm sorry. I'm absolutely sorry.

Please feel inclined to leave comments at the end of this chapter to let me know what you thought of it. I went over it a good ten times in total I reckon trying to write out the kinks, cut down some of the worst, upgrade some of the lesser, and make it... better, in a writers sense of things.
If you feel disgusted but don't hate me / my story, I've hit my mark.
If you feel disgusted with me and my story, again, I apologise for what I've done.

Chapter 9: Anguish and heartache

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds
By Kippershy

Chapter nine: Anguish and heartache

"It isn't the problems along the way that make us or break us. It's how we learn to stand and face them that makes the difference."

Several hours passed and my sobbing had only stopped because my tears ran dry. I was grateful that Cherry hadn't left my side at any point during the entire time. The thought had kept creeping up into my mind that she would tire of babysitting me however and it made me feel sick with worry.
Seeing your buckfriend crying the way I was must have been humiliating, but she held me the whole way through until I slowly passed out in her hooves.

Sleep for me was absolutely limited though, for as soon as I fell into a deep enough state, I hated it.
Sleep wasn't sleep for me right now, it was some kind of torture meant to remind me of how I failed to save Platinum, the children and mare who tried to lead them all.
I begged Cherry not to let me fall asleep again, not to let me dream. She just nodded and gently kissed my nose, her eyes sympathetic to my pain.
"Shhhhhh. I'm here. It's going to be okay Crimson, yeah? I'm here for you, always."
I let out a little whine but gently closed my eyes as she continued.
"Shhhhshhhhshhhh." Her voice was almost quiet, soft and gentle like velvet. "It's okay."

~ ~ ~

There was only one face I could see, and it was hers.
I couldn't see anything else but her silver lined eyes. She was laying there as she was attacked, unable to resist or move under the weight of the shadow that surrounded her.
Her eyes wept as her mouth gasped for air and silently screamed out in pain, only to find that no sound came out.
Figures of other ponies blacked her out completely as they just walked out between the two of us, though they took no effort to even look in her direction.

As I went to flap my wings I found myself restrained, an invisible weight in the form of yet more shadows held them tightly to my side and rendered them useless... I was useless.
I tried with the best of my might to run to Platinum, I had to save her! I had to help somehow! Instead, the shadows blocked my way and formed a wall that simply stopped me from moving past it. I couldn't do anything apart from watch until she stopped moving as the dark figure continued to violate her body from behind, still holding her in place.

Without any warning I was at her body as she cried and begged meekly for it to all end, a barely audible whimpering, a twisted chorus begging for mercy as a shadowy gun formed in my mouth.
I tried to spit the gun out to no avail. I also tried to shake my head and let it go, I fared no better.
Finally I had felt myself bite down on the pistol and pull the trigger against my own wishes. She fell limp in a pool of blood.

I had just killed Platinum, I had just become a true monster.

~ ~ ~

I woke up again feeling the tears run down my face as I was crying.
Cherry stroked my mane in such a way that felt almost as if she'd done nothing else for the entire night, looking me in the eyes. She looked worried and tired.
I had no doubt she'd been just as restless as myself if not more so, taking care of me each and every time I woke up from that same nightmare, no matter how the variation.
"Crimson." The sorrow upon her face carried out through her voice. "Crimson, it's okay, I'm here."

She gave me another kiss and rolled me over onto my back, gently stroking my cheek as she did so.
"Crimson. I need to use the little fillies room. It's just through that door there. I'll be right back, I promise."
I nodded and gently tugged on the quilt to cover myself more so as she got up and out of the bed, walking over to the bathroom.
It didn't make it any better, but cuddling into the quilt I could pretend it was her soft touch wrapping around me and keeping me safe from the monsters, even if they were inside my own head.
I took a deep breath and noticed that the quilt still held that wonderful berry scent Cherry always seemed to have about her.
Immediately I felt a lot calmer and appreciated just how wonderful she was to me, for me.

A few moments later the toilet flushed and she washed her hooves before coming back into the room and gently climbing onto the bed as I lay under the quilt like a little colt in the middle of a thunderstorm.
Slowly she pulled them off of me before laying down next to me and giving me a soft kiss.
I felt guilty that she'd been so supportive and loving throughout the whole time, but still kissed her back hoping it would show her how much she meant to me.

I looked at the beautiful mare that lay beside me and fidgeted with my hooves,
"Cherry?"
"Mhm?"
"Are...." I hated to ask, in case she said yes, but I needed to know. "Are you ashamed of me?"
She let out a gasp and began shaking her head
"What? Why would I?"
"Because I'm weak. Because I've given in so easily."
"No-no-no-no." She began. "Of course I'm not ashamed of you, Crimson."
"Why aren't you? Any other mare would be."
"Crimson. It isn't the problems along the way that make us or break us. It's how we learn to stand and face them that makes the difference. You don't need to be standing on all four legs all the time to be strong, you just need to learn how to get back up when you do fall."

She paused for a moment to think and continued further. "Besides, I've seen a buck being raped by a gay raider and that absolutely devastated me. The sight of that still haunts me and whenever the subject of rape comes along I feel utter disgust because of it."
She took a moment to take a deep breath, which I assumed to be a reaction to such memories. I could tell this hurt her to talk about.
"But you? You saw a filly getting raped by a ghoul. A filly, Crimson. If anything, I'm proud of you for at least doing something about it. Too many would run from that situation and never look back. I know that you'll find the strength to stand up once more though, soon. You don't have to do it right now, as long as you do it before it consumes all that you are."

"Can I ask what you did when you found that rape happening? About how you learnt to stand back up and face your problems?"
"Bullet to the head at close range from my sniper. He was a raider assaulting a previously captured member of my crew. I sure as hell wouldn't talk him out of it, given that he wouldn't have stopped right there and then otherwise.
As for how I learnt to stand back up? I partially gave in to the anger and sorrow that rape makes me feel. I also had my duty to complete and needed to get my team out alive, so I focused on that instead."

I thought about what she had just told me. I needed to ask one more question.
"Cherry..." I hesitated to ask, I knew she'd probably say yes but even still I needed to be sure now more then ever. "Do you still think you love me?"
"Crimsonnnn. You're a silly buck, you know that? Of course I don't think I love you, no."
My heart sunk even further at that moment, but without pause she continued. "Because instead of thinking I do, I know I love you. Even at your worst you've still been amazing towards me and you make me feel needed."
I looked up at her with my tear filled eyes and kissed her. "I love you. I'm sorry that I put this on you."

She just shook her head before nuzzling into my chest.
"Don't be, because feeling needed also makes me feel truly loved. You need someone to be there for you, and I am yours after all. I want to make you happy and right now that means showing you my support through your understandably rough time. I love you, I really do."

That was the last thing she said before I felt her drift off into a sleep. I gently put one hoof around her and tried my best. Before long, I was drifting off to sleep myself.

*** *** ***

The rest of the night had managed to pass without nightmares, thankfully. Though it still meant I'd only had a few hours sleep rather then a full night of rest.
As I slowly opened my eyes I saw Cherry caressing my cheek and softly gazing at me like a mother would her child after they'd been hurt.
I felt the blood rush to my cheeks and she smiled at me.

"Finally got some good sleep did you, Crimmy?"
"Good enough. No nightmares that time." I grumbled. I really hoped that I wouldn't spend every night this way, waking up every hour crying or screaming from my nightmares.
Cherry looked worn out from the night before and I hadn't felt much better, so we both decided to lay in bed for a little longer.
"Wanna try talk about it?" She had asked in the most sincere and caring tone she could, I could tell she was genuine as she gently rubbed her hoof on my chest in little circles to try make me smile.
"I..." I could only stutter.
"It's okay. I understand. Some time in the future maybe?"
"No." I immediately blurted out. "No. I mean... I need to talk about this. I need to know if I can."

Her eyes told me I didn't have to do it if I didn't want to, but she also made it obvious that she understood how I felt and kissed me once more in an attempt to make me feel a little more secure... it worked to an extent, I had to admit.

"I just... it all happened so fast. I didn't even know what was happening, I was just rushing around hoping that I'd be able to save them."
"You saved one."
"One? What about the other eight? If I couldn't save eight, how am I meant to save over a thousand ponies?"
"Crimson. These were eight ponies running from a threat that was too close. We were too far away to help. As sad as that is, it happens. You can't save everypony."
"We should try though."
"If you try to save everypony with no room for compromise, you end up saving nopony. Focus on the ones who you can definitely keep safe, help anypony you can reach out to. Try with everypony else, but don't expect too much of yourself."
"Are you saying I shouldn't have tried?"
"No, I'm saying you're a hero for trying and that I would have tried too if I had wings to get me there faster, but you can't blame yourself for every death in the wasteland. If you do, you quickly find yourself overcome with guilt and won't have the strength to carry on."

I didn't second guess her, she'd been out in the wasteland goddess knew how many times and taken more lives then I cared to think about, no doubt.

It looked like she was just about to say something else when someone knocking at the door interrupted her.

"Excuse me you two young ones." A sweet old voice called out. "I just came to say that breakfast is about to be served, if you would like some, I'd kindly ask that you come downstairs and meet us in the dining room."
"Okay, thank you ma'am." Cherry kindly called back.
"Oh, don't worry with the ma'am part, young'un. Just call me Gertrude. The full names Gertrude Greenhooves, but I like just Gertrude."
"Okay, Gertrude. Thank you. We'll be down in a minute."

I groaned and looked at Cherry as I rolled in the bed.
"Eugh... do I really need to go down and have breakfast? Can't I just wallow in my own sorrow for the next five years and hate myself for being incompetent? It's not like I deserve anything better then that."

I closed my eyes and opened them up a moment later when I found a pair of hooves on each side of my face, stopping my rolling around.
Cherry stared down at me with a firm expression that told me I'd be in trouble, but what did it matter now? It was true, I'd fucked up and failed to save them, why did I deserve to have a nice breakfast for what I'd done?

"You are not wallowing in your own sorrow, no. I understand how you feel and I'm here for you Crimson, I love you. But that doesn't change the fact I won't let you roll around the bed hating yourself and wishing for it to all be over or just to hide and make it all go away, because none of that will work. It never has worked and it never will work, so you're coming down to breakfast with me, got it?"

I looked into her eyes and whined quietly. I didn't deserve someone trying to take care of me, especially not Cherry. As much as I wanted it, I hated the fact that I was being cared for in such a way.
Every fibre of my moral being told me that I'd failed to save those children, and worse, I'd failed to prevent Platinum from suffering that excruciating pain.
How could I do something pleasant and rewarding like have a nice breakfast while that played with my mind?

At that very moment, Cherry pushed her head against mine and stared right into my pupils, a discouraging look in her eyes as the beautiful light lilac almost reflected her venetian coat.

"Crimson. I will fracture your skill again if you don't come with me for breakfast. I know you're feeling terrible and I'm sorry, I truly am. I wish none of us had to live in this world, but we do. So you're going to come with me for breakfast on your own accord otherwise I'll grasp your testicles with my magic and drag you to the dining room. Okay?"

I looked at her in worry, but decided to call her bluff. She had to be bluffing... she wasn't bluffing. A smirk came across her face as I felt a magic wrap around my testicles and begin to pull ever so lightly.
Immediately I nodded and got up, spreading my wings and stretching my back in an exaggerated manner to both prolong how long it took me to get down there and to show I didn't want my balls ripped off in the process.

I had learnt yet another lesson in life just now - it didn't matter that I was the Overmare's son, my marefriend would still threaten me with pain in intimate places.

Step by step I made my way down with Cherry standing behind me at the top of the stairs to make sure I didn't even think of turning tail and hiding between the sheets. Princesses help me though, hiding between the sheets sounded so inviting right now.

I crept my way through up to the edge of the doorway to the left, surprised to see that Titan and Mrs. Greenhooves sitting politely on a cushion each with some rather tasty looking daisy sandwiches set our for four.
Slowly I made my way over to a cushion and sat down, bowing my head out of the shame of being allowed something so lovely when I must've ruined the atmosphere.

Cherry gladly came downstairs and gave me a nudge to take my place as she walked over to the opposite side of the table to sit down herself.

"Now we're all here, I hope everyone enjoys their food. The daisies grow surprisingly well around here. I suppose it's because there never was any bombs go off this side of Coltchester and the city took most of the radiation."
She looked at Titan and smiled as she spoke. "Though that would just be my best guess."
He nodded in agreement and spoke himself. "Seems that way. There's a damned good reason why only ghouls inhabit the south-east industrial zone."
"Why is that?" Cherry asked quizzically.
"Background radiation. Not quite strong enough to pick up on the Geiger counter but if you spent a week there without any medical treatment you'd find yourself in as much trouble as you would with two seconds in a bath filled with radioactive waste."

I tried to imagine what it must look like, a whole section filled with ghouls. Instead of being able to envision a town though, I found my blood begin to boil and my already flagging appetite dampen further.
Instead of self hatred I found myself filled with feelings of disgust and abhorrence for the foul, decaying freaks and monsters.

Titan must've caught the look in my eye because he let out a small nicker.
"Crimson? We'll talk after breakfast. Right now, I'd rather not sully the mood of good food with such a topic."
I sighed and agreed, because either way I was going to have to accept what changes the event had made to me... somehow.

We all sat down and ate our sandwiches in peace, the banter between the other three allowed me to simply think over what had happened the day before.
How I wish I had been able to help anyone, how I'd been so stupid and not rushed off sooner, or hell, how I could've focused on the ghouls a lot sooner.
My thoughts were interrupted with the beeping of my Pipbuck, the perfect distraction as a transmission came through for me.

"Excuse me one moment, I best see what I'm being called for."
The kind old lady nodded and Titan carried on with his discussion, Cherry however politely gestured and followed me outside the cottage as I went to check who it was.

"Hello, this is Crimson Wings. Who is this?"
"CRIMSON!" The voice shouted "WHAT IS YOUR... THING, DOING HERE?"
I hadn't thought about what the 'thing' could be and let out a murmur of confusion as my reply.
"THAT.... BEAST. I OUGHT TO HAVE YOU JAILED FOR PUTTING FOUR RIDGES IN DANGER."
It was then that it hit me. It was Mayor Sunburn on the transceiver and she was talking about Maisy.
"Heh, you want to jail me do you, Sunburn? Want to cause a revolt at the same time?"
"CALL YOUR THING BACK."
"Her name is Maisy, and once she's dropped off the baby to my mother and had some rest if need be, she'll be leaving as per my orders."
"You'll call her back now. I am within every right to turn every gun against her, Crimson."
"Do that and I will personally turn my gun against you when I return, Sunburn. Stand down and accept my authority."

A shocked gasp came from over the transceiver.

"Fine. Know this Crimson, you will regret opposing me. You will collect your beast personally for I will not let 'her' go free. Also, I demand to speak to Cherry Sundae."
With that, Cherry walked on over. "I'm right here, Mayor. What is it you have to say?"
"Your mission is cancelled, Sundae. Return to base immediately. You will receive a new mission."
"What do you mean my mission is cancelled, Mayor?"
"That your mission is no longer in effect. Return immediately or face the consequences of insubordination."
"Mayor, I decline. If I were to cancel my mission, I would be committing an act of low level treason by leaving our future leadership unguarded. I cannot in good mind accept your orders. Besides, it was a mission given to me directly by the Overmare herself, not you."

I was growing increasingly tired and irritated by this. Mayor Sunburn really did know how to piss me off when I needed it most, it seemed.

"Specialist Cherry Sundae, if you refuse once more, it will be classed as abandonment of Tank Mercenary Group. How do you respond?"
And now she had crossed the line. I blew a fuse.

"MAYOR." I shouted at the pipbuck broadcaster in anger "IF YOU SO MUCH AS DARE SAY ANOTHER WORD, I WILL HAVE YOU ARRESTED FOR TREASON! I HAVE GOT ENOUGH TO DEAL WITH AFTER THE DEATH OF SEVEN CHILDREN AND A MARE AMONGST EVEN WORSE THINGS. IF YOU PUSH THIS MATTER ANY FURTHER, I WILL BRING MY RAGE DOWN ONTO YOU. GOT IT?"
The line went quiet for a few seconds with nothing but the sound of her shallow breathing to be heard.
Finally, she spoke one last time. "Crimson, you will regret this."
I didn't give her a chance to go further. Instead, I hung up on the call and fell to the floor with my hooves behind my head.

How was I supposed to deal with this all at once? I could hardly hold myself together when I'd come here from the trauma of what happened before and now I had Mayor Sunburn expecting Cherry to stop guarding me under threat of losing her house and job?
I couldn't believe it. What was to be next? My mother dying?
I broke down and began to cry from the stress and Cherry grasped me in her magic and brought me to my hooves before wiping my tears away.

"It'll be okay Crimson, I'm going to stick by you through all this. I won't leave your side."
I looked at her through the fresh drops of moisture in my eyes.
"What about after we finish this journey though? Will you stick with me then or will you run off to do your missions?"
She was flustered by what I had just brought up and found herself speechless. Her stammer and rosier then usual cheeks told me this was something that she hadn't expected to hear.

Slowly we made our way to the room we rented and I slipped onto the bed so I could rest. Cherry laid beside me and looked into my eyes.
"You... you really do want me around? You're not just trying to make me feel special so I'll keep giving in to your advances?"
"Cherry." I began, touching her cheek with my muzzle. "I may be a mares-buck, I may be a charmer, but I'm not a liar. I don't deceive, only flatter. Anypony who has asked me if there is a chance for more has been let down. This time it's me asking you... is there a chance?"
"But... why me, Crimson?"
"You've been there for me in my toughest times. It's been so short yet feels so long. You've helped me the entire time and I know I'm going to need you more. I... I want you around, as more, even after all this is done. I don't think I can handle all this guilt alone."
"Crimson, for as long as you want me, I'm yours. Now get some more rest, you need it."

I went to challenge her but felt myself yawn as she tenderly looked at me, she was right.
Gently her hooves pulled my head to her chest and the sound of her heartbeat soothed me even further.
With heavy eyelids fighting to stay awake, I had no choice but to give in as Cherry nuzzled into me and scratched behind my ear while doing so.

*** *** ***

My sleep was merciful, there was no nightmares nor dreams. Waking up wasn't so pleasant however as Titan stood above me with his helmet glaring in my direction.

My very first reaction to seeing it was to swing at it with a wing to try disorientate the intruder before I realised who it was.
My voice struck a tired note but as my eyes opened wider I felt a lot more refreshed. "Ti..Titan? Don't do that, it's creepy."
"Yeah, sorry Crimson, Cherry sent me up here to see if you'd woken up yet."
"Mission accomplished. Eugh. Why did you have to come wake me up?"
"Because Maisy is still at Four Ridges when she should be on her way to Coltshire Commons like you told her to. Cherry sent me because she knew unlike herself, you'd not sweet talk your way into more sleep like you had previously."
"I... I what?"
"You sweet talked her in your sleep so you could get more sleep. You know, I've never known somepony to be able to pull together a coherent sentence while asleep before, but to see you charming somepony while asleep? It was astonishing to say the least."

I blushed at the idea before laughing it off, that sounded just like me alright.

"Now, me and you are going to have to talk before you go. You've got to pass through the ruins of Old Coltchester again."
My heart dropped.
"You... you mean where Platinum?"
"Yes. Where the ghouls killed everypony."
My breathing rate shot up and my pulse raced as sweat ran down my brow even thinking about that place.
"I... I can't. If I go back.. what if there's more ghouls?"
"You avoid them."
"I don't think I could, Titan. I... every time I even think of a feral now I feel my blood boil and my lust for death I... I'm falling apart Titan. Even looking at you reminds me of them, makes me worried about what if you turn."

The memories tore into me yet again, and uncontrollably the sobbing started.
Titan sighed and shook his head.

"Crimson. Are you going to lay there all day wallowing in your own misery... or are you going to go retrieve Maisy and carry on strong?"
I looked at him, the tears still breaking my vision.
"You've got to put aside your fears for now, put aside the anger and just soldier on."
"I can't, Titan. I just can't do it."
"Yes you can, and you will. You've got to pull yourself together, too many ponies are relying on you."
"Pull myself together?! If you'd seen what I had, you'd feel the way I do. I don't know how I can continue after that."

Titan gave me a look of utter disgust.
"You think I've seen nothing? You think I've lived for two hundred years without going through more then anypony should? That I don't have the very same worries about keeping myself sane for the rest of time until I die?"
I spat back at him, how dare he act high and mighty. "You walk around like you've got no troubles at all, like nothing phases you."
"Nothing does phase me, Crimson. There's another side of me, It sleeps at the bottom of what makes me tick and I don't let it control who I am. I'm not talking about feral impulses, I'm talking about my experiences."

He advanced towards me, his anger directed towards me blatantly showing now.

"You've not seen the worst of me, Crimson. I bite my tongue before the living because it seems that no matter what, healthy and happy or poor and sick, ponies only care to go to war with one another. I've been around for these two hundred years and seen neighbouring settlements fight over resources when they had plenty of their own! I've seen the worst nature has to offer. If I could change it all, I would in a heartbeat. If I could do something, I would, and that's what I'm going to do."
"Yeah, well if you've seen so much, I would've thought you'd understand why I feel the way I do."
"I do, but it's time for you to stop being a Colt. Buck up and be a Stallion."
"How do I do that then?"
"You go to Old Coltchester, you look at the corpse of Platinum and you tell yourself it wasn't your fault. You don't let go of the memories, you don't let go of the pain. You let go of the undeserved guilt and feelings of responsibility, you turn those onto those truly responsible."

I sighed as I tried my best to end the sobbing.

"Crimson. I've heard about you giving self proclaimed mercy to the raider. That wasn't mercy, it was justice. There will be justice in murder and mercy for those whom are suffering and are seeking a swift, absolute end. Give the ferals mercy from their self torment and justice for the sins they have committed, but don't believe that anypony else deserves the fault from their actions apart from themselves."

I looked at him in awe as I understood the weight of his words.
He turned away and walked out the door, but paused as he was half way through.

"I'm going now, I hope you do the same. As for where I'm going? There's a cause that requires my help, and with any luck, there will be justice in murder come the day we succeed. Remember Crimson, justice. Once you've done your mission, I'm sure the resistance would love your help."
I looked at Titan as he walked away further.
"Titan!" I called out, he stopped once more.
"Yes?"
"Where would I find you and the resistance? What's the cause?"
"You'll learn in good time if its important to you."
"So you're going to put your life on the line for a cause, yet you say you hate all this warring?"
"Some things you live for. Some things you have to fight for. Others? You have to be willing to die for."
"But... I don't wanna die!"
"Nopony does, but peace through force or peace through death is peace all the same, and you have to risk it all to attain it in this fucked up world."

With that, he was already back down the stairs and out the door.

He was right. I had to be stronger, I had to go back to the body and ask forgiveness once more, then continue on with the mission and find a water talisman after getting Maisy back.
If I wasn't strong enough to handle the deaths of just under a dozen, no matter their age, how could I be fit enough to lead over a thousand?

I pulled myself out of the bed I lay in and sought out my armour and equipment. A fire burned in my eyes as I geared up and strapped the shotgun across my back and my pistol back into its holster.
I wasn't going to go out there unprepared for a fight, because if the ghouls were still there, I would show them the full extent of my fury.
I made my way down the stairs after a minute of preparing and nodded at both Cherry and Gertrude as they sat discussing whatever it was they had to talk about.

Cherry went to speak but caught the look in my eye as I nodded once more to her. Instead of saying goodbye, she nodded back with an understanding.
I slipped my helmet on and walked out the door. Unfolding my wings from my sides I flew up into the air and saw Titan as he made his way into Coltchester. I was tempted to follow him on his mysterious quest but knew I had much better, more important things to do instead.

With that, I began flying back to the graveyard that was Old Coltchester.
It wasn't a far distance away when flying, but walking it while excessively tired had seemed like a journey in itself.
Passing through the clouds with ease and skimming through the air was a wonderful feeling, exactly what I'd needed.
I was free right now and it did me a world of good.

After just twenty minutes of flight, I'd come across Old Coltchester once more. I could see the ruined buildings below and even some of the corpses I'd left behind.
I surveyed the area for a moment, hoping to spot any ferals before they had a chance to spot and surprise me.
That was when I saw them, travellers from out Coltshire way had made their way through the start of the ruins but I could already see the advancing ghouls creeping up on the unsuspecting merchant and their guards.

My stomach burned in both a terror and rage with the intensity of a firestorm and I dived straight for the kill.
Unstrapping my shotgun from my back I checked I had a full load of shells and felt the fury take over.

"NOT THIS TIME. NOT TODAY. NOT AGAIN. COME HERE YOU ZOMBIE FUCKS!"

Immediately everyponies heads turned to me, undead, merchant and guard alike watched as I bolted down to the ground and swiped just short of the cracked concrete below. Pulling into S.A.T.S I saw the two friendly merchant guards and one merchant surrounded by nine zombies.
Looking straight into the eyes of a zombie one second, they were gone the next as S.A.T.S closed and reality turned back to normal.
I turned around and placed another two shells into a zombie that stood on the other side of the road.

Three more zombies came running at us and the merchant froze in shock and terror as I flew straight up to the zombies in a head on collision.
A moment before we were within reaching distance I pulled into S.A.T.S and plotted another three shots, one for each of those ghoul fuckers.
I took the chance to scan the area around me at the same time and saw another five had come to join the party. Fine. Fifteen of those fuckers and three of us, should the guards get their asses into gear and do their fucking jobs.

S.A.T.S came down and my shotgun roared. One of the roadside decorations dropped and the other two were blown back but still alive.
The guards still hadn't pulled their weapons out as one of the rotting cunts jumped atop of him from one of the buildings.
His friend bucked the ghoul off but still hadn't pulled out a gun. Armature.
I flew towards them and walked up to the zombie while it scrambled to its feet.
As it rose I'd already put my shotgun away in favour of my pistol and held it to its head.

"TUAKE RIS BARFARD!"

The head exploded with one, clean shot. I simply slipped my pistol back into its holster and looked at the guards.

"WEAPONS NOW.

They both looked at me frightened to death and pulled their weapons out and passed them to me.

"NO YOU IDIOTS. PREPARE YOURSELF TO USE THEM. THIS IS ONE FIGHT I AM NOT LOSING. YOU GOT THAT?

They looked at me as if even further shock then before and I stamped on the ground to further my point.
Without hesitation they picked their weapons back up and readied themselves as four 'fresh' ghouls and the two that had lived my previous shotgun blasts charged at us once more.
I pulled out my shotgun again and loaded in six new shots.

The sound of my shotgun filled the air as their 9mm pistols followed with half the effect.
The ghoul I was aiming at fell, though the other two whom had been shot didn't even seem to notice.
I slammed into S.A.T.S and aimed a shot for each of the ferals, one by one they fell as my aim proved to be as deadly as it was precise.

The merchant mare behind us screamed as a big fucker jumped atop of her.
For a moment my mind froze as it imagined the trader mare was Platinum. I let out an unholy growl as I sped towards her and smashed the ghoul in the face with the butt of my shotgun.
The mare crawled off towards her guards as I now stood atop the ghoul and unloaded my last three rounds into its face.

Putting my hoof into my saddlebags to get a reload turned out problematic, so I looked in there only to find I'd run out of shotgun ammo.
That should've phased me, but right now it didn't. There was still eight zombies but I had plenty of ammo for the pistol.
Now, what did phase me however, was the fact that the eight had now jumped to twelve. Four more had joined the fight.
We needed somewhere we could put our backs to and fight knowing we weren't going to be attacked from behind.
Then I noticed Platinum's corpse up against the wall where she died.

My heart skipped a beat and I was knocked to my side by a large earth buck who now climbed atop of me and attempted to rip my throat out. Two more joined him and I found my hooves pinned down as they attacked the duster jacket around my armour. I was dead.
...or so I had thought.
Without warning the big earth buck fell limp atop of me and then the other two were kicked off.
Rolling the corpse off I got back to my feet and nodded with a smile.

Almost calmly I strapped my shotgun onto my back once more and walked over to the corpse of platinum and fell to the floor out of agony for the death of the young filly.
I wanted to cry. I wanted to never move again. I wanted to take her place, but instead I stood back up and noticed something... she had an ornate knife stashed within her robes.
We still had nine zombie fucks left to kill, and out of respect for her, I carefully took the knife... not even the princess would be able to stop me from getting one kill with it, at the very least.

I took my helmet off and called out to the others.
"We make our stand here, backs to the wall. IN THE NAME OF PLATINUM, I WILL DESTROY THEM."

The scream that left my lips now bore the mark of heartache and anguish, as it rippled through the buildings it tore a part of me to pieces and a the fire for revenge and justice reignited to as bright and heavy as it was before.
The sound I made could've easily been louder then simply talking while wearing the helmet, and the guards looked at me in fear.

All at once, the nine came rushing towards us and I lost my self control. I flew straight into them and applebucked one in the face so hard that my foot got lodged within its skull.
Another came at me and I used S.A.T.S to plan a swipe from its chest to under its chin and then a stab to the eye.
It dropped without a problem as another jumped onto me, only to be met by the knife into the top of its skull.

Behind me the two guards took aim and shot another two, both dropping without a trouble this time.
Five left.

I pulled back to the two guards and looked at the knife, wiping the blood and traces of entrails onto the corpse of one of those beasts before looking at its delicate decoration.

"Forgiveness."
The merchant mare standing beside at me looking at me in confusion.
"The knifes name.. is forgiveness. Maybe it wasn't before, maybe it was without a name. What it means to me though? It means forgiveness for being unable to stop an atrocity from happening. It's forgiveness for not being able to end the pain and give mercy to the young filly behind us. It's a token of her acceptance over my guilt. I came for her forgiveness, and now she has given it to me in the form of this knife."
The mare just looked at the fillies corpse and frowned.

Turning my head back to the ongoing fight I saw that one of the guards had just been overpowered and the over one was frantically trying to reload. I walked over to the overpowered guard and stabbed the zombie in the back of the head with Forgiveness.
There was only two left now and the other guard had just managed to reload his gun.
Three shots later and there was only one left as it crept its way up to us from around some rubble.

"This ones mine."
I walked past the stunned guard and pulled out my pistol as I did. The ghoul hissed as it saw me but I didn't even blink as I brought the pistol to its head, not bothering to use S.A.T.S, and blew it apart with the one shot.
"Justice like none other, nopony is going to be crying over you. Rot in hades, meatbag."

As I stepped back I heard a snapping sound and looked underhoof to notice I'd stepped on one of the children's bones. I felt a mixture of sickness and anger rise within me.
I knew however, that the fight had ended and I would have to sheath my fury and try to not feel disturbed over the misstep.

We spent another ten minutes on our guard to be sure that no more ghouls would come running for us, but none showed up.
"Excuse me sir." The merchant mare looked at me and curtseyed. "I, we, were just wanting to thank you for saving us."
I smiled at her as the adrenaline wore off and felt a lot more calm.
"You're welcome. I couldn't let you die, doubly so after what happened yesterday."
"Yes, we heard. Not specifics, no, we heard you."
"You...what?"
"We're from Coltshire. We came to collect the radbits, we were on our third trip when we heard an echo from out of your direction, thinking someone was in trouble."

I took a minute to think about it, it didn't quite add up. Why would they be all the way out here in that case?
"If that's so, where's your cart of radbits?"
"We're only half of the group. We left both carts to the other half and went off to see what had happened, thinking it nearby."
"So you came out half a days travel trying to find the source?"
"Indeed. A stupid mistake it seems."
"Maybe, but it saved my life too. I wouldn't have made it without the extra firepower, so thank you for being so..." I paused for a moment and the mare raised her eyebrow at me. "Determined to search for the cause." I finished.
She smiled again.

"Well, thank you for saving us. I know it was foolish to come out this far but you've saved our lives. Though do you mind telling us what exactly happened yesterday?"
"You heading back to the radbits or Coltshire?"
"Coltshire, yeah. We'll take a rest for what's left of the day after this."
I nodded. "It started when we were travelling on the outskirts of Old Coltchester. I saw a group of ferals but didn't know any better."

The merchant gave me an unsure look as she walked alongside me.
"You an ex-enclave pony, with them wings and all?"
"Nah, closer to Stable pony."
"Makes sense."
"Anyway, yeah. I saw a mare being chased by them along with seven kids. I rushed to save them but failed. Ended up with one of the children getting raped and begging for mercy before dying right next to me. The children each got killed in various ways and the mare had her throat torn out. We rescued a baby and it's safe now, my pet manticore took it to my home so it can be looked after."
"Your pet manticore?"
I sighed... another story to tell.

*** *** ***

I had to tell them about the actual events in proper detail in the end and though they were all morbidly shocked, they managed to understand perfectly fine. None of them made any inappropriate comments and all kept their respect for me shown, which was very pleasant.

"So, let me just ask again. That knife you took off the filly." One of the guards asked.
"Yeah?"
"You've named it? I can't get my head round that."
"You've never named your weapons?"
The confusion grew more obvious in his voice. "Well.. okay, yeah, I have. Not a random weapon though."
"It may seem random to you, and true, it is just off the corpse of a filly I barely even met. However, I was going to go to her corpse and ask for forgiveness once more for being too slow to help her. The knife wasn't obvious to me before, but now it was. Taking it wasn't like scavenging, it was, to me, a token of her blessing."
"Okay? How? She was dead, she couldn't tell you to take it."
"True, but look at what I used it to kill straight away? Ghouls, the very same group that killed her, even if not the same ones."
"So... why do you still have the knife?"
"To remember her by. To remember her forgiveness by. To remember to forgive myself. Besides, when I put it in my saddlebags my pipbuck called it Forgiveness so I'll take that as another blessing."

The white buck shrugged and didn't bring it up after that. We made it to Coltshire some time later.
The merchant mare looked at me.

"One last thing, what's your name? I never did ask."
"Crimson Wings... of Four Ridges "
"Four Ridges huh?"
"Eeeeyup."

She looked to each side and watched as her guards went off into the nearest bar before whispering to me.
"Well Crimson, I uh... haven't had a good bit of flank spank in quite some time. Would you like to as a reward for saving me back there?"
I smirked as I bit my lip and looked at her, she was definitely beautiful... but...

"I'm sorry. While I would've two weeks ago without any need to consider yes or no, I have a marefriend now though."
"She around here?"
"Well... no."
"It's only been two weeks you've been together?"
"About a week, but still, no. Sorry. She's special to me and I couldn't. I mean... part of me wants to, but I really couldn't betray my marefriend like that."
"Okay. Guess I'll go without. Shame, I was really hoping I'd get something a bit.. exotic. Those wings must allow you to do such wonderful things."
I looked sheepishly at her as I mouthed the word 'sorry' and got on my way.

Damned temptress. I needed less guilt, not more!

Though speaking of temptations, now I was somewhere safe... I looked into my bags and pulled out the needle of med-x.
With ease I pulled off the topper from the needle and pushed it into my abdomen, which automatically injected the sweet sweet nectar into my body.
The rush of warmth filled up through my entire system and I felt a hazy goodness as I began to flap my wings in lazy motions, noticing how it felt so soothing and wonderful.

Ahhhhh, yeah. That's exactly what I've needed.
It felt so good and I dropped the needle back into my saddlebag and began to walk up to the clinic I'd bought it from in the first place.
A knock on the door and the white mare walked up and unlocked the top half.

"I'm sorry, we're not in full service right now. We've just had one client throw up everywhere and we're currently trying to clear the mess. Though is there any way I can help you otherwise?"
"Yes, I'd like to ask if you have any way of sterilising needles at your clinic?"
"That we do! I take it you have one?"
"Indeed I do."
I pulled the needle out and she carefully took a firm hold of it in her magic.

"This entitles you to a discount of ten caps if you buy another. Would you like to?"
"Oh! In that case, yes! I'd like two, please."
She looked at me, obviously eyeing me up and down before nodding, "Two needles of med-x for forty caps. Yeah?"
"Yes."
I smiled and passed over the caps as she pulled out two fresh needles of med-x and deposited them into my saddlebag for me.
I gave her the look of a just rewarded colt. "Thank youuuuu."
She just smiled and shook her head gently, letting out a small chuckle.
"Have a good day!" I called as I began to trot off.
"You too, wings."

Now I had refilled myself with a somewhat decent supply of my favourite drug, I had to resupply myself with the ammo I'd managed to expend between the radbits and the ghouls.
Trotting up to the ammo merchant I gave him my biggest smile.

"Well hello again! I'm here to buy more of your ammunition, please."
"You again? I thought you used up all your caps between me and Bloomheart."
"Well, I made a load of caps by doing the whole radbit thing. So, I'm going to need one hundred 12 gauges."
"We only got eighty."
"I'll have them all."
"Eighty caps please."

I looked at him and tried to work my charm, but it was a lot higher when high as a kite on med-x.
"Sixty?"
"Eighty."
"Sixty five since you hadn't the hundred I wanted?"
"F-... do you a deal. Seventy five because you got a hefty bunch off last time."
I noticed how he was about to say fine, but decided not to. I needed to play it smart and safe.
"Seventy, no higher."
"Fine."

We traded goods for caps and I made sure that I was all set... which I was now.
With that, I took off into the sky and towards Coltshire Commons. With any luck, Maisy would be waiting around for me and ready to go the moment she saw me.
Though perhaps seeing the baby would be a smart move.

Wind carried me home as I began my journey, the thoughts of what I was going to come across worried me though.
Would Sunburn be preparing for a fight? If so, would it stick to just being verbal? There was no way to tell right now, I guess I'd just have to find out first-hoof.

*** *** ***

As I approached the wall along Four Ridges some time later, I felt secure and safe from the sheer sight of it, despite not even being inside.
Living within the confines of the wall my whole life, despite the ability to fly off at any time I chose, had made it seem impenetrable to me. We'd never had any problems with raiders actually managing to force their way in and the very few cases of them sneaking in under the guise of merchants were always swiftly dealt with using deadly force.
The security of Four Ridges and its villages was top priority alongside its capability to produce for its own.

Though I noticed something strange as I came closer - there was no guards along the wall by the front gate. Usually there was a good six guards on each side of the gate manning it for visitors of both kinds, but right now there was nopony in sight.
That's when I heard Mayor Sunburn screaming at the top of her voice about some emergency.
I swept down and flew between the towers that stood on each side of the gate and glided along the rooftops of Tank towards the sound of the commotion.

A few seconds later, I saw the cause.
Maisy had twenty guards surrounding her with high powered rifles as she sat there impatiently waiting for them to back off.
I whistled down to the crowd and stood atop one of their homes as I looked upon them.

"Yoo hoo!" I shouted out. "Mind taking your guns away from MY GOD DAMN FRIEND... and let her be?"
Mayor Sunburn looked at me and shouted angrily back.
"YOU! THIS THING IS NOT A FRIEND, IT IS A MONSTER. HOW DARE YOU SEND IT HERE?"
Oh... she had not just said that. I flew down and landed directly in front of her and stared into her eyes.
"Maisy is my pet. Maisy is not to be harmed. If you want to argue with me, I will punch you right here, right now. Deal with it."

Some of the guards started egging us on while some of the others looked away.
I could tell by the look upon Mayor Sunburns face that she'd much rather kick me then walk away, though I doubted she would.
Then again, I had doubted Cherry earlier on too...

"I accept. Take your armour off and fight me, Crimson. Prove how much a stallion you are."
I smirked. "You want my armour off? Come tear it off me. Oh, and if any of you think to intervene, Maisy will have you in two, won't you girl?"
Maisy looked to me and gave a nod, before looking around at the others.

This fight was ON!

The Mayor had begun the fight by bucking me straight to the chest, sending me back a good few meters. I was glad, because despite her size advantage, I was still feeling the effects of the med-x and on top of that I had a lot of anger and frustration to take out, and she was going to prove to be a good punching bag.
I felt myself smashed into the ground again as I drew closer to her and considered a different technique, but decided against it for the most part.
This time when I charged at her however, I slipped down onto the ground and between her feet, knocking her off balance.

Bringing myself back up to my hooves I applebucked her and she went tumbling into the side of a nearby building, to which I immediately flew at her and smashed her with all my hooves at once.
She withstood the blow a lot better then I'd expected and managed to stay up, even evading one punch and using the chance to headbutt me down to the ground.

As I fell she took her chance and pounced on me, aiming blows for the head but not quite hitting her target as she was strong, but not agile.
I used her schoolfilly mistakes to angle my rearhoof into her stomach and send her flipping over me, onto her back.

This was my chance.
I bucked her in the ribs and climbed on top, smashing in her face over and over until she managed to roll out of the way and I clutched my hoof after having hit the ground.

"You're a good fighter, Crimson." She started to say, before smashing me into a building.
"But that won't save you from me!"
She smashed me in the stomach with an applebuck and I threw up over her hindquarters before falling to the floor, but before I could even more she had picked me back up and hit me round the face again.

I realised exactly how far she was going to go now, and dropped down to the floor in a roll to get out of her way. Immediately I got back up and flew into the air, despite her calls of me cheating.

"YOU FUCKING COWARD CRIMSON!"
That was what hit me, how dare she call me a coward?
How... HOW DARE SHE!
I turned back and divebombed into her, headbutting her with all my strength and speed.
She fell to the floor dazed as I climbed back atop of her and continued to smash into her chest and face with my hooves.

"AFTER WHAT" smash "I HAVE BEEN THROUGH" smash "YOU HAVE" smash "NO RIGHT TO" smash "CALL ME A COWARD!"
I climbed off her and bucked her as hard as I could to the ribs. There was a loud cracking sound as I did so and I walked off from the Mayor who bled on the floor.
A medic pony rushed to her aide and gave her a shot of med-x and a healing potion as another one gave me a healing potion myself.

The Mayor looked like hell, seemed like she'd feel like hell for the next week or two on top of that. That didn't matter, I'd proven my authority over her in a completely legitimate way for Tank customs.

I thanked her as I walked off with Maisy towards the Stable, for willingly having been my punching bag for physical venting. She hissed at me with some lame threats through the gasps for breath as the pain showed itself evident.
I had needed that fight just as much as the med-x, and now I felt completely rejuvenated despite the pain in my stomach.

Maisy carried me off to the Stable upon her back after I'd asked her if we could go back there first for a quick visit.
When we reached the great door we found that she was unable to go further then the first area, but that was okay as security quickly calmed down now I was around with her as we walked through.

"So, she really is yours, Crimson?"
"Hey wait, how did you get that scar?"
"Is... is that bruising there?"
"Dude, are you okay?"

All the security staff bombarded me at once as I walked through the door. I simply laughed and took a deep breath.

"Yes, she is. As for the scars, I got my cheek sliced open during a raider attack on Coltshire Common. Yes, I just had a fight with Mayor Sunburn over authority, that ended up in a literal fight and I won. Yes I think I'm okay but the Mayor isn't now I think I've broken her ribs. I needed that fight."

I walked through the rest of the Stable with minimal molestation from ponies surprised to see me after the security guards decided to escort me to mothers office. I didn't need the escort but it made things a lot easier.
I punched in the keycode for our personal quarters and slumped onto the sofa within her office, expecting to have found her there.
Nevermind, she'd soon enough hear of my return and come find me.

A gentle voice called out in a soothing tone only two minutes later and my mother walked around the corner with a clean bundle of rags in her magical grip.
"Crimson?"
I replied between mouthfuls of the apple in my hooves. "Yeeees?"
"You're here. I take it to collect your pet... Maisy if I recall?"
"Mhm. Also to see babby."
"Oh? You're here to see her are you? Does she have a name?"
"Her huh? I hadn't even looked, to be honest with you. Given the circumstances we saved her from, I didn't have the time to check if she was healthy even. I just wanted her out of the area before she... ended up like the rest."
"The rest?"
"Of the children and the mare babby was found with. Feral ghouls got the rest, I wasn't going to let her die too."
"So you had no chance to find her name out then?"
"No."
"What're you going to name her?"

I thought about it for a moment... a name was something special to everypony, and she was especially special.
It had to be something that really represented what she meant to me, that would always remind me that at least I'd managed to save her.
She would be my child and know me as her daddy, Cherry as her mummy.
Then it hit me... I had got the perfect name for her! No other would do.

"Cherished Chance."

---o---o---o---

Footnote:
Level up!
Perk Unlocked! Med-x madness!
You're accustomed to the use of med-x and find it is 25% more effective when you apply it to yourself! This benefit does not apply to being treated with it nor treating others - you fiend!

First of all, for anyone who missed it, there was a picture 'hidden' in this chapter, which you can see here. It was drawn for me by a friend that goes by the name of Striderbread. He's a very talented artist and has recently started doing commissions for an insanely low price.
I'd encourage everyone to at least view his work both on his tumblr and on his deviantart
It would mean a lot to me that you consider him if you're looking for anything drawn - and if you do, drop him my name as this would also be very much appreciated just to let us both know if anyone does find him through me. (it's a returned favour for doing that picture).

I'd also like to mention; that picture was without any influence from me bar giving him colours to work with and references. The pose was all him and the section of writing to which I paired it with was all me, without any influence from the picture.
They just fit together perfectly, by sheer luck. Amazing, right?

Anyway, enough of that, I just wanted to give him a chance and return a favour, onto the rest of my praise!

Like usual, infinite thanks goes out to the guy who drew the main picture for this story and whom also drew 'mercy' (found on the tumblr) - WavemasterRyx, who can be found:http://ask-the-waves.tumblr.com/ !

He's a great guy and I really adore his artwork and the guy himself, he deserves thanks no matter how long it's been.

I want to thank you all so damn much for sticking with me on this one - Life isn't sunshine and rainbows for Crimson any more and nor will it ever be the same again. Things are going to be lighter then they were in chapter eight but he'll always know just how fucked up the wasteland can be, and he'll never stop mistrusting/hating ghouls for what he's now seen.

I expected a lot of flak and some people to stop reading once I released that last chapter, but you've all been amazing and I adore each and every last one of you. Thank you for being so amazing, you truly are what keeps me writing because without you, I wouldn't bother to pour my heart and soul into this.

On that note, I apologise for how long it takes for me to release a chapter and how low quality I am compared to some authors works, but I try. Again - thank you.

Lastly:
Thank you both Kkat and Somber for both writing amazing stories that have inspired me to write. Without you two, there would be a massive hole in my world, and I don't know how I would've filled it otherwise. Thank you.

Chapter 10: Convalescence

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds
By Kippershy

Chapter ten: Convalescence

"So let go, let go. Jump in. Well what you waiting for? It's alright, because there's beauty in the breakdown."

My mother walked over with the newly named Cherished Chance in her magic and let me have a look.
Her mane was a beautiful blonde the likes which was only found in the cleaner environments, while her coat was a golden pre-war scotch kind of colour.
My hooves went out to meet her as mother floated her on over, looking down at her from close up she was more beautiful then before.

With a murmur she began to stir, before opening her big eyes and looking at me! I didn't know what to do so I gave her the softest smile I could, though that just made her confused and began to whine.

"Shhh shh. I'm daddy. Well, your new daddy, but I'm daddy."

She didn't take it in and just began to cry until my mother came back over and cooed to her, as I watched the baby softly being soothed.

I spoke softly to try not upset her further. "Cherished Chance, that's your new name."
She just looked at me in further upset, there had to be something I could do for her to cheer her up!
That was when I figured it out! The one thing that had always soothed me when I was a child was my father brushing his feathers on my nose... perhaps she'd take to it like I did?

I tried it out, ever so gently brushing my wing tips on her cheeks and a little tickle under her nose. She let out the cutest little giggle and smiled.

"Seems you can do something right, huh Crimson?"
I turned my head to my mother and poked my tongue out at her before reaching out for Chance again.
This time when I held her she didn't cry, but instead somehow pulled my wing out towards her...with her magic?
"Uuhh, mum? She has magic? How.. how old is she you reckon?"
"Only young. Perhaps two months old, maybe three. Babies have amazing powers when they're born, and lose them before childhood. Princesses only knew how many nights you threatened to fly off out of the Stable as a baby."

I looked at her in shock. "I... I what?"
"Oh yeah, that's right. You wouldn't stop flying over to your dad and he'd tease you by giving you a hug and flying away. Just about the only pony who managed to babysit you properly was Mayor Blossom, she loved it."

I felt a prick as Chance pulled a feather out of my wing and held it to her chest, my heart almost stopped from the sheer cuteness of the scene and I didn't even register the pain after seeing the sight.
Little Cherished Chance had won my heart all over again, and there was no way I was going to resist from letting her keep it now.

Feeling a tear come to my eye, I knew this was possibly the most special moment of my life thus far... I had joined the party that was parenthood.
It didn't matter that I hadn't known the mother for sure, or even had a clue of the father. What mattered was that I had saved her life and now I was going to give her the best chance she could have at being happy and safe.
It felt right.

I watched her playfully brush the feather with her hoof as if it was her most prized possession, and perhaps it was. She had nothing else in the entire world but the rags she had been wrapped in when I'd found her.
Without hesitation, I asked mother to go fetch a piece of string as I pulled out five of my brightest and most impressive feathers that I could find on my wings.

"Crimson... why are you pulling out your own feathers? You're not too stressed out from being a father already, are you?"
She laughed as she said that, and I couldn't help but join her.
"No, of course not. I want to give Chance something of myself for while I'm gone. A necklace with some of my feathers seems something beautiful and meaningful."
"I see. Crimson... make sure you return, alive. I know you have Cherry Sundae watching over you but still. Please don't get hurt."
"Hurt? I've been hurt physically, and healed from it. I've been hurt emotionally, and again, healed from it. Though the memories and psychological hurt? Platinum? I'll never heal from that. So that's too late. But I won't let Chance lose her daddy... not until he's old and grey."

Mum just smiled at me as she carefully wrapped the feathers and string into a piece of nearby fabric and called Double Stitch to the office over the Stable PA system.
I gently lowered Chance onto the floor and began to tickle her with my wings while we waited.

"Whose a pretty little girl, hmm? You are! You are the beautiful little baby, mhmm, yes you are!"
My mother giggled in the background as I tickled Chance and she giggled herself.
I had never known what having a child was like, but within these few moments, I understood why everypony who was anything decent of a parent had said it was something truly special.
The way Chance looked at me with her gigantic, gorgeously green eyes. They had sparkled like emeralds as I held her in my hooves, smiling down at her little face before giving her a soft kiss to the nose.

"Beautiful, isn't she Crimson?" I heard Double Stitch from behind me. I hadn't noticed her enter and wondered how fast she must've run to arrive so quickly.
I turned my head and nodded at her, a smile across our faces.

"I take it you've seen her then?" I asked.
"Of course. I have a little outfit for her here. It just needs one tiny little piece of work done on it first.. One final detail."
"What's that?"
I was curious as a manticore whom had just smelt her next meal but couldn't see it, but Double Stitch didn't let me see just yet. Damn her perfectionist ways.

"Cherry's cutie mark is definitely a circle, right?"
"Yeah, a dotted circle... why?"

She turned around and showed me the little outfit, a turquoise blue that was comparable to the calm waters of the lake that I used to spend time around as a child with my father. That wasn't the most amazing part, however.
As soon as Double Stitch handed the baby-grow clothing to my mother, she used her magic to slide Chance into the folds effortlessly.
That was when I saw what truly made my heart soar, and what inspired me to grab Stitch right there and give her the most impassioned kiss I could muster as she blushed.

Double Stitch had even taken the time to sew my own and Cherry's cutie marks into each flank of the outfit, and a small "C.C" onto the back.
A small hood showed it even had a little cover for her horn as well as I stared in amazement at the crafts-ponyship, care and love that had obviously gone into making this outfit.
I turned back to her still blushing mare and wrapped my hooves around her tight, bringing her close to me.

"Thank you Double Stitch! You have no idea how surprised I am by this, and how much it means to me."
She let out a shy chuckle as she slowly melted into the embrace. "Heh.. heh.. anything for you, Crimson. You are the next Overstallion after all."
"Still, thank you. Really, this is truly amazing."
She smiled humbly at me as the hug broke off.

"Mum, make sure she gets something special for her efforts."
Her face showed signs of utter astonishment and a glimmer of hope filled her eyes as she became nervous, I knew that look all very much too well.
"O...Oh? I... I don't want to impede, but may I ask why you can't?"
"I won't be around for long. I'm heading back out again in an hour or two."
A slight undertone of sadness or disappoint, perhaps a mix of the two, filled her voice as she spoke more.
"Ah. I see. Is there anything else you'd like from me while you're around? I guess there is since I was called over the PA?"

Mother walked up and floated Chance back to my hooves, who now seemed all too comfortable as she yawned and snuggled through her cosy new clothes into my chest.
"Yes, Crimson has stripped himself of these feathers to be made into a necklace for Cherished Chance. Would you be so kind as to use your skill and make a necklace of them?"
She looked at them as if they were the holy grail and I smirked at her as she did.

Looking back at me she leant over and whispered into my ear.
"C.. can I have... can I have some more feathers?"
I wasn't sure what to make of it, but saw no trouble in it. "Sure, go ahead, just take some out yourself if you like."
Her blue face flushed redder then before as she nuzzled into my wings and gave them a soft kiss before gently removing three more feathers from each wing.
With each feather that came out there was a short pricking pain before she kissed the spot from which she took each feather again.

I had wondered if the kisses were meant to turn me on or if they were simply out of adoration of sorts, but either way they did.
Temptation struck me all over as I felt my package harden. I couldn't hurt Cherry like that, as much as my body begged for it.
I sighed in both relief and disbelief over what had just gone through my mind, but I was proud of myself for not simply giving in. I could've done it in the past, but there was something special about Cherry and she was my special somepony now.

Double Stitch made her way over to the table and pulled the sewing kit out of her pockets, before nimbly working her magical hooves and piecing together a necklace within a matter of moments while I cradled Chance.
Before I'd knew it she walked back over with the necklace and gently placed it around Chances neck.
I looked at it, noticing it had five beautiful feathers hanging down around it, though I was sure there was eight taken...
Looking towards Stitch with a raised eyebrow, my face said it all.

Her voice came out hurried and worried, afraid of reprisal. "I.. I uh... Oh please don't be upset with me!"
There was nothing I could do but let out a small smile as I shook my head. "Upset? Why would I be upset?"
"Because... because I... I kept a few of your feathers for myself."
"Four."
She blushed and backed off, almost crouching down into herself, before whimpering. "Yes."

It was painfully obvious she had a crush on me, and to be fair, what pony didn't around here? Mares and bucks alike wanted to be with me because I was exotic and had power.
I didn't want to give Double Stitch false hope but at the same time, seeing her cower in nervousness around me was somewhat pitiful. I didn't want my followers to see me as a godly figure who needed to be appeased at every single moment of life, nor did I want them to be worried about being themselves around me.

Thinking over it for a moment, there was only one cure to this.
Outstretching my wing I pulled her up by her chin and looked into her soft, lemon glazed eyes, smiling and allowing her to soak up the moment until I felt the pressure ease off her worried face and enjoy the touch.
Pulling back, I began to stroke her mane with a wing.

"Double Stitch, please don't feel nervous around me."
She gulped and let out a long, gentle sigh before nodding.
"I have a special somepony now, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy a bit of affection or have something special to keep, like those feathers. If you had just asked, I'd have still said yes, as long as I have enough that it doesn't show or change my flight. You're a good mare and I don't want anypony under me to be afraid of me, yes I want respect, but not fear."

The way her face relaxed as she took a deep breath was soothing. I couldn't help but smile gently but assuringly at her as she showed a little more confidence.

Her eyes went down to the floor before coming back to me. "Crimson?"
I nodded before I spoke. "Yeah?"
"May... I have one more feather?"
"Of course."
I let her take one last feather and watched her eyes filled to the brim with joy before she rushed off back to the table to sew another necklace, this time for herself.
As she slipped the necklace on, it was obvious in her eyes that I had done something truly special for her. My heart beating stronger as I saw the joy an happiness in another pony over something so simple that I could give.

Turning my head back down to Chance having realised I hadn't noticed her making any noise or movement, I began to worry... until I saw her eyes closed and breathing gently as she slept against my chest.
I felt staggered and let go of my breath as softly as I could as not to disrupt her, she was sleeping cuddled up against me, and it felt amazing.

We stayed cuddling for another half hour before my mum walked over to me and nuzzled into me.
Gently her horn flared and I allowed her to take Chance over to my old crib, which was kept safe for the day I had a child of my own.
Trotting back over to me we shared a moment in an embrace.

"I would adore it if you could stay, Crimson. However, we both know that you're needed out there and the guards are getting increasingly anxious over Maisy."
I nodded, knowing that she was right. I'd have loved to stay myself, just spending time with my little Cherished Chance but responsibility called. As always, the teachings of my father ran through my head strong and proud. 'The needs of the many must always outweigh the needs of the few' ...even if that meant that Chance would be without me for a time and yet to meet Cherry properly.

With a kiss to my forehead and a brush of my mane, she seemed ready to let me go again.
"Take care of yourself. Do you think you'll need any extra ammunition? I can give you a few more caps to spend over in Tank on the way out, if you need to."
I wasn't sure if I'd deserved it, but all the extra support was helpful so I was inclined to agree.
"Sure. I'm out of grenades so that could be handy. Extra ammo is always helpful too."

Without hesitation she pulled out a bag of 100 caps and slipped them into my saddlebags for me. I gave her another kiss in return before I set off for Tank.
"Thanks. I love you mum, stay safe while I'm gone."
She just smiled at me. "Should be me saying it to you. Come back, Crimson. Soon?"
"As soon as possible, I promise."

*** *** ***

Leaving the Stable yet again was an experience I hadn't liked, especially leaving Cherished Chance yet again.
Still, she was a lot safer with mum in the security of the Stable and she'd had some time spent with me, so I supposed it could've been a lot worse.

The flight to Tank seemed almost leisurely with the amount of fun me and Maisy were having as she flew by my side.
She'd initially offered to let me ride on her back but I declined, instead choosing to fly myself because how free it always made me feel. Besides, flight was good exercise.

As we swam through the skies I did a few barrel rolls around the entirety of Maisy and teased her with a loop-the-loop to get behind her and stroke her barbed tail. She followed suit and chose to grab and hug me in mid-air in retaliation. I couldn't help but laugh and enjoy the moment as I cuddled into her massive chest like Chance had mine not too long ago.
As the embrace ended she placed me upon her back, to which I stayed to please her.

"We've got to make a quick stop at the place where all them mercenaries were, Maisy. The same place where I had that fight."
She groaned at me in confusion but I stroked her mane as I spoke to calm her.
"It's fine, I'd just like to buy some more ammo is all."
That seemed to calm her and she continued on her way, and Tank was in the distance of our view now.
With any luck, it would only take five minutes to reach, buy the stock I needed and head back off... though saying that, I now had a brilliant idea!

"Grenades! Shot-shells! Bullets! Missiles! You name it, we have it at Flak-Jacket and Shrapnel Face's miscellaneous emporium!"

I watched Flak-Jacket shouting from the group of roving traders who had taken a stop over in Four Ridges. One or two of the guards watched with a keen eye from the wall, though they seemed with the best intent and hadn't done anything to raise suspicion other then be a simple gun merchant with sufficient stock to suit all needs.
What was interesting though, was what I noticed when I touched down.

"Welcome friend. My name is Flak-Jacket." The left head said to me. "And my name is Shrapnel Face!" Said the right.
I stared in awe, as I had assumed it was the ponies who were shouting... I was wrong.
The merchants turned out to be none other then one brahmins themselves, and their pony companion soon revealed themselves to be the handler who would deal out the actual exchange.
The guards of this group? I couldn't believe my eyes... because the guards were none other then the other brahmin in tow!

"Uh, hi! My names Crimson Wings, welcome to my region."
"Oh? You're the owner of this secure zone? I was told it was a woman." Flak asked.
I was tempted to facehoof at the very thought of it being that they'd heard Sunburn was the owner, but corrected the brahmin instead.
"Well, technically true. My mother is the Overmare of the Stable not far from here."
"Yes." Shrapnel interrupted. "Graceful Skies, no?"
I nodded. "Yes. I'm her son, heir to the throne, as it were."
"I see" Flak murmured.

I gave the brahmin a good look up and down, unsure what to make of it all.

My curiosity peaked, I had to know. "You travel as a group of... armed brahmin traders?"
Shrapnel face smiled at me. "Indeed. We get asked often about the nature of this, so let me explain. We've all been exposed directly to small amounts of taint. The goddess sought to find out the exposure of taint on brahmin, and thus our intellect and reasoning capabilities grew. Though we have no direct telepathic link with the alicorns, it turns out that such exposure has made it so they often fear or revere us."

I blinked in pure confusion, but allowed him to continue.

"As our presence caused too much disturbance and unease to the alicorns guarding the goddess, we were sent out into the world - but not without yet another gift. The goddess saw fit to equip us with converted battlesaddle kits to fit our frame from the occasional raider, mercenary or travelling group that she had... brought into unity. Alicorns dislike using guns and prefer their magic abilities. As such, she allowed us instead to have all the ammunition and guns that had been collected and stockpiled over the years, and in return we would not harass her children on our travels."

Now more then ever, I felt that I had seen just about everything and that even the robots singing about going for a picnic didn't match up with this. Damn Titan would've loved to see this.
"So... let me get this straight. The goddess, whoever she is, decided to take a group of brahmin and expose them to taint on purpose?"

Flak nodded at me before letting me continue.
"Then from there, your very presence made the alicorns uneasy and thus they equipped you with converted battlesaddles and allowed you to have all the guns, armour and equipment that had been collected over the years?"
"Yes, precisely."
"Now you travel as a group of merchants? Are you all under Flak Jacket and Shrapnel Face's emporium?"
"Yes. Well... the shop is owned by us, but the others follow and carry a part of the load. Together, we are the Battle Cattle."

I smiled and began to laugh a little, much to the bemusement of the brahmin.
"What? What's so funny?"
I wiped a tear out of my eye and apologised again. "I'm sorry, It's just.. I just had the best idea for a motto or catchphrase ever for you lot with that..."
"Oh?" Flak's face lifted and his eyebrows raised in a questioning way.

I couldn't help myself, I had to stand in a heroic pose as I did it... "BEWARE THE BATTLE CATTLE!"
Flak and Shrapnel seemed surprisingly amused by this, and joined in with my laughter.
After the moment was done, I simply sighed happily and smiled at them.

"So, anyway, I was wondering if you have any grenades? Oh, please say you have some grenades!"
"I'm pretty sure we do, my good sir. Summer Swig, check Haymaker and Steakjaw's pack, would you? I'm pretty sure they had the explosives."
"Of course, master."

My brow raised at as I noted the use of the word 'master'. I looked at Flak and Shrapnel with an uneasy stare.
Immediately Shrapnel caught the tension in the air and began to talk.

"I take it you have a thing against slaves? Truth be told, so do we. Summer Swig is an ex-slave, we liberated him from a band of small time slavers. Summer Swig has been brainwashed however, he doesn't seem capable of looking after himself properly out there alone. We provide him security in the form of someone to travel with and a job that pays, he isn't a slave as such as he is... a child in need of guidance."
I wasn't sure what to make of this, was it even the truth? Rubbing my chin as I stood there, I immediately thought of a way to find out.

I called out to the purple pony with the blue mane, his head turning to me the second I opened my mouth. "Summer Swig."
"Yes, master?"
"Why do you call me master?"
"Because it is all I know, sir. Sir or master is what I have been taught to speak."
"Do you like it with these brahmin?"
"It's preferable to being alone, sir."
"Do they treat you well?"
"Of course sir. As master Shrapnel Face says, I'm paid and have the freedom to leave, but I don't know what I'd do... I've never had to make my own life. These brahmin are far from my old task masters and living with them is comfortable. None the less, I show the proper respect they deserve as I have been taught to do."

I looked back at Flak and Shrapnel, the latter of whom nodded back at me.
"Okay. I think I understand now. Just had to be sure was all, you know?"
"Of course, slavers are the scum of Equestria and we accept them no more then you do. Putting matters aside though, prices. Each grenade is fifteen caps."
"Fifteen caps huh? Tell you what... I'll make a deal with you. Are you on your way to Tenpony Tower, the Society or Coltchester any time soon?"
"Tenpony? Not any time soon. Society? Definitely not. Coltchester? Yes. We often stock up our supplies there and we're running low as it is. "
"Perfect. I'm heading back there myself, for the first time into Coltchester proper. How would you like me to make a small investment in your group for a constant discount in the future?"

The brahmin was taken back by this offer, though definitely seemed intrigued.

"Do go on, we oft find ourselves running low on caps and rely on scavenging and salvaging what we find to make ends meet. Which as you might imagine, isn't the easiest thing for a pack of brahmin to do as buildings are almost always inaccessible to us. Being able to do more direct trading could make us more profitable..."
"And that would mean that you can offer higher quality, and a higher range of goods. You say you have all the ammunition types, but what about general stock? I bet you don't have much food or drink, do you?"
"Unfortunately not. Us being brahmin and all means that we consume a lot of food. The only good thing is our stomach's purge the radiation as long as it's not pure radiation in a shell of food."

I looked at the brahmin leaders confidently.
"Here's my offer. I invest one hundred and fifty caps and pay one hundred caps for six grenades. You'll be getting one hundred and sixty caps 'free' this way, and in return you give me a constant discount and if you happen to find a water talisman, you come here and sell it to the Stable. If that happens, I will be informed and will no longer expect a discount."

Flak and Shrapnel looked at one another before turning to look at the other brahmin.
"We will need to discuss this matter. We had recently came into ownership of a talisman but it has already been sold off, we are sorry to say. In the mean time, we will accept ninety caps for six grenades, and will talk about the extra one hundred and sixty."
"Okay."

As they walked off, I dealt with Summer Swig and exchanged bottlecaps for grenades. It always struck me as weird that items as deadly as grenades, guns and ammo could be exchanged for something so simple as bottlecaps, but that was the world we lived in.

It was five minutes before the brahmin group had decided on if they should accept the offer or not.
Thankfully for me, they had accepted and agreed to tell me that the water talisman they had sold was to the Steel Rangers. Unfortunately for me though, they weren't sure where the group had come from or if they had turned sides to Applejack's Rangers or the stayed loyal to the old, technology hoarding ways.

The brahmin looked back over to me once more as he began to speak. "So, Crimson was it?"
I nodded in response.
"As said, we'll accept your offer and promise to come straight here if we manage to haggle, find or acquire any other water talismans. We will also give you ten percent off all prices in return of your generosity. Now that you've got that all settled, is there anything else we can do for you?"

Handing Summer Swig the one hundred and sixty extra bottlecaps for my investment, I looked at Flak-Jacket one more time.
"Saying that..."

*** *** ***

My saddlebags weighed heavy with the extra ammo I bought from the brahmin traders. Another one hundred shot-shells, one hundred and twenty 9mm, one hundred 10mm, and twenty more 50.cal bullets had cost a pretty penny, but with my third off starting immediately, didn't take every last cap.
Still, I relied on Maisy to carry me now as the med-x in my system was kicking my ass and making me feel weaker then normal. Damn did I hate the downer from med-x.

Thankfully however, riding on Maisy made things a lot smoother and our flight back to Cherry was smooth sailing, it seemed.
It was only early in the afternoon when we could see the walls of Coltshire Commons in the distance.

Stroking Maisy's mane, I decided I'd like to make a quick stop off at the new Tank Merc Group outpost centre at the tower hotel.
Maisy didn't really make a fuss about the idea, no doubt she'd like to spend a little more time in her home and grab anything that she might want, not that I reckoned she really had anything to grab in the first place though.

As the town came closer and closer, I began to notice the guards patrolling the wall in their familiar TMG barding.
It was comforting to see the familiar guards, even if I didn't recognise them all by face, simply seeing the armour and guns they carried reminded me of home.
What didn't remind me of home however, was the warning shot that sped past narrowly missing Maisy.
From below, a shout was heard.

"TURN BACK NOW OR DIE, BEAST."

While I really shouldn't be playing practical jokes, especially not at a time like this... but it was all too tempting and I couldn't help myself.
I slipped my helmet on while still out of view of the guard below.

"WHO DARE SHOOT AT ME?"

The guard however, wasn't fooled.
"Crimson? Is that you?"

"Uh... No? Who is this Crimson you speak of?"

"Crimson. I can tell your voice even through the shout. Already been told that you befriended a manticore so come on by if you want. Your trickery won't work on me."
I took my helmet off with a sigh as I did, damn I was hoping that prank would work.

Maisy fancifully glided down towards her house as I took off myself towards the guard who'd fired the warning shot.
"So, trigger happy, what was with the whole warning shot?"
"Speed Scope is the name, speed scoping is my game. You really think a manticore is going to simply be left fly over any area we're defending?"
"She was let in Four Ridges just fine."
"Not without causing a massive scene that even we heard of. Which, by the way, well done in that fight of yours."

I looked at the light grey buck in utter confusion, his an earthy brown mane covering his eyes making it hard to tell what he was thinking.
"Fight? Which one?"
"Against Sunburn. Tough opponent and very few manage to beat her. Only something like just under twenty ponies have before, which is rather small considering we all get offered the chance as part of the training. Instils a sense of dominance, ya'know?"

I was shocked to find out she put her recruits through painful, humiliating trials of might against herself, but then I supposed it was better to have everypony know you could handle yourself hoof to hoof and remind them who was the boss.
Which thinking about it now, made me smirk even more as it meant I'd shown her who was the boss indeed.

"So, what do you think of me having done it?"
"Me personally?"
"Yeah, take yourself away from a professional standpoint and tell me what you think of me kicking the crap out of Mayor Sunburn until she had broken ribs is."

He turned his head to either side as if looking to make sure that nopony was too close for comfort before leaning up to me, beginning to whisper in my ear.
"You wanna know? I think you're a damned hero for it. It's not the most popular thing with everypony, but most ponies smiled a little when they heard. Around here, only five of the twenty of us sent were upset over the news. Ten didn't really care either way. Myself and four others though? We cheered. It's been too long since someone beat her, and never has anyone gone to the extent you did."

I blushed at the compliment. I wasn't a skilled hoof to hoof fighter, but my wings gave me a huge advantage I supposed.
"Well... that was her own fault. She riled me up when I was on the breaking point and when I would've just ended it early, she pushed me way too far and turned despair and torment into rage. It felt all too good smashing her face into the ground."

He smiled at me once more and shook my hoof eagerly, I just smiled back and didn't try to stop him.
"Yeah, well, you did a good job. Thanks Crimson, someone needed to do it. I'm glad you did."
"Ha, thanks Speed Scope. I best be off for now, but if I come back through I'll be sure to check out for you, okay?"
"Of course. Have a good day, Crimson."
"Thanks, and you too, Speed."

With that, I made my way back to the hotel tower to make a quick check-in with the operators there and check some stuff around the suite quickly.
Casually floating through the door hovering above the ground caused quite a stir when the operator looked up at me.

"Who are... Oh, Crimson! Oh! Oh fuck! Crimson! Oh Celestia oh Celestia oh Luna, please don't tell me you're here to punish me! I.. I didn't mean to!"
I looked back at the operator with his headset hanging around his neck and a sweat coming from his brow, unsure as to what the commotion was all about.
"So uh... yeah, what did you do then?"
"Y...You don't know?" A sigh of relief came from his lips as he looked down. "The alicorn who was looking for you? I told her you weren't around and that I wouldn't radio you for your location, because of the previous radio traffic."
"Alicorn? Was she a deep, dark blue by any chance?"
"Uh huh. Who is she Crimson? She appeared out of nowhere last night and asked to speak to you. I had to decline."

I paused for a moment, the operator had a good point. Who was this alicorn indeed? I knew she'd meant me no harm, otherwise she'd have simply left me to die previously... but apart from some cryptic messages and leaving me with the name Eos, she never really gave me much of an idea of what she was actually after from me.
Looking at the operator I'd realised we'd both spent the time in utter silence while I thought, so I sought to correct that.

"Yeah, no worries. She'll find me when she wants me, somehow. She always does seem to do it. If she comes back, let her know where I am through either you contacting me or letting her use the transmitter herself. She's good."
"Okay, Crimson. You mean you're not mad? She was an alicorn and all..."
"Of course not. It's better to be safe with that then to be sorry, right?"
"Yeah, just as I thought. Thanks Crimson."

I shot him a smile and he saluted me before I nodded with my keen smile and trotted off up the stairs towards my suite.

Walking up to the door, I noticed a small piece of paper stuck to the door.
'I'll be waiting for you, Crimson. Come inside when you're free.'
I was taken aback by the note, who the hell would leave this? How long were they willing to wait? Where were they waiting?
That was when it hit me, I have an .E.F.S! To which it then hit me again that the E.F.S couldn't tell where anyone was in terms of altitude... shit.
Well, there was only green in sight, so that was good I supposed. Guess it was time to see who got into my suite.

The door opened slowly with my knife readied in my mouth just in case I needed to use it.
As I walked into the room I found nopony in the initial area of it, the corridor it had was clear as always. I let my guard down as I walked through and closed the door behind me, moving on into the living-room space of it all. There she was.
My knife gently came from my mouth and hovered down into my bag once more as she sat there, smiling at me.

"Hello Crimson, I was told you'd be around here at some point today. Glad you could finally make it."
"Well, Eos, didn't exactly expect to be meeting you again so soon, ya know? Hades, I never really know when to expect you."
"I know, I know. Being one of the prise is a serious task and it requires my full attention. However, reports of your incident reached me with tremendous speed. I needed to come find you to check you're okay still."
"Okay? Okay how? If you mean am I okay physically, your report would tell you that I am."
"Indeed it did, though like a ghoul, your physical aspects are not all that matters. Your mental state is just as important, alive or undead, it's all the same."

I looked away at that point. I couldn't stand being compared to a ghoul. What a disgusting gesture.

"Crimson, do not feel offended. You travelled with a ghoul who protected you and taught you, did he not? Without him, you would have not known that they needed saving at all. Not all ghouls are daemons, not all ponies are angels. In fact, most are corrupted and more concerned with their own well-being then the state of pony-kind as a whole. This is why I had chosen you, because you show yourself to be different."

Now I was just curious, and looked back up at her before I began to speak.
"Different? Different how?"
"You left the safety of your home for the greater benefit of an entire society, no?"
"I had to. I can't leave the one and a half thousand odd ponies in such dire risk. A new water talisman is necessary."
"And yet you could've chosen to simply send out more teams to search for a new one. Waited at home and directed the efforts from afar."
"That wouldn't be right, I need to be out there to help look for one. To help my community. If I'm going to be their leader one day, I have to prove myself worthy today. I can't stand idly by while my people are in danger."
"Thus is why you were chosen, Crimson. Too many leaders send their minions without trying themselves. Too many do not understand the hardships of those at the bottom. You put yourself at risk for the betterment of others."

I looked into her eyes, amazed by what she had said. I wasn't sure if I should've felt, this wasn't something I was doing for glory.
Drawing a deep breath, I let out a following sigh. She was right, too many leaders did just allow those under them to go into the dangerous situations without having any understanding of the risks themselves, I couldn't be one of those leaders.

I looked straight into her eyes as I spoke, but felt myself cracking under her gaze as I lowered my rump to the floor.
"I see. So I suppose you want to speak to me about my new-found distaste for ghouls?"
In a surprising act of generosity and kindness, Eos levitated me over to the sofa where she sat and laid my head on her side. I felt my cheeks burning like a wildfire under the sudden comforting touch and unexpected intimacy.

"Yes, yes I do Crimson. I understand you're going to harbour a lot of resent for them, that's understandable. What I need of you though, is for myself to be sure that you are healing properly and the promise that you won't simply shoot any and all ghouls on sight, nor will you refuse to talk or give aid to any that may need it based on ghoulification."
"I..." I didn't know how I'd react. Could I help ghouls? Would I turn them away? "I don't know how I feel, Eos. I wouldn't kill a sane ghoul just for being a ghoul, but... how do I know that they won't turn? How can I be sure that others are safe around them?"
"Trust, Crimson."

Trust? I looked at her with a shocked expression and she looked back at me as if she were my own mother.
How could I trust a walking corpse pony not to go zombie and try kill anypony around?
Though in the end, I gave in to her gaze and nodded. Trust was all that I really could rely on after all, as there was no cure for being a ghoul other then real death.

Sighing, I lowered my head once more.
"Crimson. I know you find it hard to trust any ghouls right now, I accept and understand. However, do you know what makes a feral ghoul and a sane ghoul different?"

I shook my head. I'd never been taught about ghouls in all my years and I'd never thought it would ever become important. Sure, I'd heard of them, but never anything more then the odd whisper of how one was visiting. I never decided to go and meet one personally, however.

Eos looked at me with a very calming, gentle expression upon her eyes.
"Crimson, I would like to look into your mind. Unfortunately, I can only do that while you are asleep or in deep meditation, due to your not being a unicorn. However, I worry you do not have the training for such an accomplishment. Instead, I ask you be honest with me while we speak."
"O-of course Eos." My words tripping up over themselves as I tried to speak, still astounded by the situation. "I wouldn't tell you anything other then how I really feel."

She smiled at me and motioned that I was allowed to make myself comfortable, which felt strange but I didn't want to offend so I buried my head into her and smiled as she stroked my mane and ear with her magic.

"Now, the difference between a feral ghoul and a sane one is two things, though they are both one in the same when it comes down to it. The first, is something to anchor themselves on. When a pony becomes a ghoul, they can easily lose themselves to madness and desperation."
"Anchor themselves?" I asked, completely confused by what she had meant.
"Yes, a ghoul needs something to focus on in their unlife to make sure they stay sane. Some stay sane through simple day to day life without some greater cause. Others, like Titan, have a greater meaning behind their lives and thus stay sane for that cause."

I thought about how Titan had told me about how ponies can never live in peace, seemingly. always at war with one another, and how he planned to do his best to change that or at least bring some semblance of peace to any area he could. It struck me as a weird thing to anchor one down, but at the same time, a very noble goal.

"The second thing that makes a feral and sane ghoul different, is that sane ghouls have a soul."
"Wait... You're joking, right?"
"No. From what we can tell, a feral ghoul doesn't just go insane, it loses everything it has - ranging from memories to most basic mental capabilities, besides instinctual and predator traits."
"So they have no soul?"
"From what we understand, no. We've never successfully been able to integrate any feral unicorns into unity either, which is yet more proof to base our hypothesis upon."

I looked at her... If ferals had no soul, that meant they truly were different from sane ghouls in a very, very real way.
I considered this as I gazed into her eyes before my own fell closed as an amazingly soothing feeling came over me, Eos' magic scratching behind my ear while gently rubbing them at the same time. It felt like heaven.

"So..." I began to murmur through the pleasure Eos had seen fit to bestow upon me. "If feral ghouls have no soul, that means it's okay to kill them whenever I like, right? Not to mention the fact that they're dangerous fuckers and they're better put down then left to pose a risk to anypony else."
She hummed for a second as she thought about it, but nodded in agreement after.
"Yes, yes I suppose they are. However..."
"However what?" I asked.
"You tell me."

A sternness fell upon my ears with her tone with what she had just said, I knew she was serious.
I couldn't just answer without thinking, there was something she was after from me.
I gave it a moments pause before I cautiously began to speak.

"However... sane ghouls..."
Her voice told me she was appeased with how it all started."Yes?"
"Sane ghouls should be treated as any other pony. If they can speak coherently, they should only be attacked if they were attacking first, or in defence of another in some form."
"Good, I'm glad you understand, Crimson. One thing to mention though, we know of at least one ghoul without a tongue, she cannot speak. If you were to ever meet her up at New Appleoosa, you would find she is not only perfectly sane, but also perhaps the most friendly pony around. I only have memories from back during Unity, though we are sure she has not changed."

New Appleoosa? I'd never heard of it and I didn't ever plan to visit there, though if I did ever come across the town, I'd be sure to be extra cautious not to draw my weapons if she was oh so friendly.

I looked up at Eos and smiled.
"Hey... if any ghoul hits on Cherry though... I take no responsibility for where my hoof goes."
"Oh? Cherry?"
"The mare who accompanies me, the mare I care about the most bar my own mother."
"Ah, I see. Understandable, I suppose."
"Yeah, I just wish there was something I could do for her to say thank you, other then pinning her down in bed and making her hooves curl and making her scream in delight, ha."

The tall blue alicorn blushed as I spoke before biting her lip and looking towards the bed.
I was worried now, surely she wouldn't expect me to pleasure her? I mean... she was stunning but that wasn't the point!
Thankfully, she hadn't been looking at the bed however, but at the desk that sat beside it.
Her magic opened the draw from across the room and out came a piece of paper and pencil.

"Aha! That's how you left me a note?"
"Yes. Now, take a moment and think... how does she make you feel? What would you like to say to her? What would make her happy?"
A love letter eh? Well, if there was one thing I was good at, it was being charismatic and romantic.

[Song: Wake up - instrumental cover]

"My dearest Cherry... It's not been a long time that I've been with you, indeed, in some ways it only seems like we met yesterday, with how much we're learning about one another each and every day."

I looked to the beautiful alicorn next to me to see her nod back, waiting for my next line, she was good.

"Though no matter how it's truly been, it feels like our time together has been a lot longer, and with every hour that I spend away from you, it feels like a lifetime has passed and my heart longs once more to see the curves of your face and your deep, beautiful rose tinted eyes.
That's because from the very first moment that I met you and truly noticed you, I've felt there is something truly different about you, something special."

I took a moments pause to think, this needed to be perfect.

"You watched over me as I flew around Four Ridges, keeping me safe from any threats foreign and domestic. You've defended me hoof first when I was pinned by wolves, making sure that none of them could truly harm me.
You've provided long range fire support, acting as an angel removing the threats around me.
However, the most amazing thing you've done for me and continue to do? You pick me up when I fall, take me from my lowest and raise me to my highest."

"You never looked down on me when I was weak, when I had made a mistake. Instead you looked at me and saw the lessons I needed to learn, you sought to teach me.
You taught me about true guilt and humility, far beyond what I had learnt in my training to be the next Overstallion.
I thought I understood responsibility, but it was only when I came with you that I learnt the true meaning and weight of it all.
When that responsibility turned to fears of failure and regret over what happened, you were there to not only support me, but carry me every step of the way as I needed until I could walk on my own four hooves once more."

"The thing I appreciate and admire about you more then any other though, is the way you accept me for the way I am and love me for it, rather then it being who I am.
You don't ask me for power and nor do you ask me for wealth, you ask me for my affection and caring nature.
Even as I commit to you more then I ever have any other, I find myself feeling truly free in your hooves."

Once Eos had the last few words down, I knew it was time to truly up the ante now. My mind began to flow without pause as the feelings I held for Cherry rushed through in a torrent of words to my tongue.

"You are my guiding light in the darkness of the wasteland, the anchor to keep me safe and sane through whatever may come my way.
The happiness you provide to me is unlike any other I have felt before, not at all like any alcohol nor flesh, It is too pure and true with a warm feeling that comes from you."

"Cherry, you make my heart soar in such a way it never has before,
My stomach flutters like a gentle breeze, you make my mind feel at ease.
My hooves tremble and my cheeks burn, something telling me that the depth of this love I still have to learn.
Your gentle kiss is not all that I miss, the way you touch feels like all too much.
You smile at me and I know it's true, there's only one I want, and that is you."

I gave Eos another pause, her cheeks flushed red as she wrote and her jaw dropped as she gazed at me.
Sheepishly I smiled and felt myself retreat under her awe filled eyes, obviously I was doing something right.
She smiled back at me and nodded to continue.
Instead of speaking aloud though, I decided this last part would be best whispered into hear ear...

*** *** ***

Eos had been completely speechless at the end of it, her smile earnest after hearing the deepest of emotions being poured out of this stallions heart to paper with her help.
She'd asked if she could accompany me to see Cherry's reaction upon reading the letter, which she had now put into an envelope and signed for 'Cherry Sundae, the magnificent' on the front.

To which, I of course, agreed.
I mean, you don't exactly turn down a request as simply adorable as that after that kind've help... do you now?
We gathered up Maisy together and flew back to Coltchester.
It truly must've been quite the sight, a pegasus wearing his duster flying between a manticore and an alicorn.

We passed over a group of three ponies who looked like they would be raiders some way through the flight, but again, the way we looked completely terrified them and despite their usual disregard for the odds, sometimes even a raider knew that pulling a gun out on somepony was certain death and avoided it like a pool of radiation.

We laughed as we carried on flying ahead, knowing they'd surely go and tell someone down where-ever the hell raiders met to have a drink and nopony would believe them, as true as it was.

The sunset gently caressed the sky and although the clouds overhead hid the majority of it's beauty, the stunning blend of the sapphire skies against lemon yellow and amber setting through the murky silver clouds still held a sense of something more beautiful and romantic then the day could provide.

"It never used to be like this.. even on the most rain filled of days. Ponykind has torn itself apart in a painful way."
I turned my head to Eos, her head hanging down in sorrow.
"What do you mean? I mean, I know the Enclave put this cloud cover up... but what do you mean by the tearing apart?"
"Crimson. There was once a time when pegasai like you took care of the weather just as the earth ponies did their crops. The unicorns were always the one race that were neither here nor there, but somewhere else entirely with their magic.
All three races used to coexist peacefully and happily, but these days it seems that earth ponies make the best slaves, unicorns the best gunslingers and pegasai? You're one of the few, it's beyond rare to know a pegasai first hand, Crimson."

There was nothing I could say, but Eos quickly dropped the subject. It was obvious that she wanted the world to be different, to be better. It was just a question of how she'd go about it.

*** *** ***

"Prince Snugglebums! Come back here or I'll have to give you another tummy rub!"

He didn't listen, instead he chose to run circles around my feet and squeak at me in his happy little way.
Oh, it was on! If he was going to tease me like this, I had no choice!
My magic clasped onto him and I pulled him up to my face before kissing his nose and tickling him!
"Haha! Gotcha!"

My hooves went from tickling to rubbing his tummy and I laid next to him on the surprisingly soft floor round the back of the inn. Cuddling into Prince Snugglebums wasn't the same as having Crimson with me, but his fur did remind me of a mix between Maisy and Crimson's feathers so I supposed it wasn't all that bad.
We'd played together outside for quite a while in an attempt to bond, and it seemed that it had worked a charm.

I loved Prince Snugglebums and he really did seem to love being with me too, despite the chance to run off whenever he wanted. Of course, he could've run away and I wouldn't have stopped him, but he only ran around in a teasing game with me, so I knew he was happy to stick around a little longer.

A little while later, from somewhere in the distance I could've sworn I heard the sound of wings.
Though it was strange because when I turned around in hopes that my Crimson had returned, I saw nothing. No Crimson, no other pegasai, no manticore, nothing.
I shrugged and assumed that I was just overeager to have Crimson back with me, especially with how he'd been feeling when he left.

Prince Snugglebums began to squeak and drew my attention back towards the inn, I really could rely on him to take my mind off things, couldn't I?
A minute later I heard the same sound again, a lot closer this time though. I looked up again but still couldn't see a thing! This was annoying me now because it had to be something out there causing the sound, and I didn't want to keep turning around hoping to see my buckfriend and instead finding nothing.

When I turned back to Prince Snugglebums however, I noticed a little piece of paper casually flying into my face!
Damned litter flying around. I caught it in my magic and I was about to rip it up when something hit me... paper flying around? Especially such a neat piece?
There was something different about this, so I brought it closer to have a look.
...It had my name on it.

My blood ran cold as I saw it addressed to 'Cherry Sundae the magnificent'.
Who the hell knew my name? Knew where I was? I looked around but saw nopony about. This was damned freaky.
My nerves shaken I slowly opened up what I had now identified as an envelope and began to read aloud.

"My dearest Cherry... It's not been a long time that I've been with you..."

IT WAS FROM CRIMSON! Crimson had sent me a letter! I looked around frantically to find him, shouting his name out in joy and hoping I'd see him... but he was nowhere to be seen.
I looked in the sky above and even the clouds to the best that I could see, but there was no trace of him at all.
Then I decided to look back down to the letter and continue reading.

My lower lip trembled and my hindlegs gave way under me as I read, my eyes welling up.
Crimson had wrote me a letter telling me how much I meant to him! I felt the tears roll down my cheeks as I read it in his voice in my mind as I spoke further aloud.

"Your gentle kiss is not all that I miss, the way you touch feels like all too much.
You smile at me and I know it's true, there's only one I want, and that is you."

I could hear his voice clearer and clearer as I read it, his words manifesting in my mind.

"Cherry, I love you. You are what makes every single struggle worth fighting through, knowing I'll have you to see me through it all and keep me strong. Knowing that I'll have your love, as you have mine."

I burst into full tears. I couldn't believe that he had written this, but how had it got to me? It made no-
A familiar feathered touch wrapped itself around my body and a hoof pulled my face to his, before wiping my tears away with his other wing tip.
It became obvious that it wasn't my mind that sounded more and more like him, it was him reading it along with me! For me!
I looked into his eyes and cried even harder as I launched myself at him, flooring him in a cuddle.

My face buried into his neck and my body atop of his, his wings stretched out and held me close.

"Crimson! You... you... I.... you really mean all this?"
"Of course I do, Cherry. I love you. I wanted you to know how much I appreciate everything you do for me, how much I appreciate everything you are."
"I don't know what to say!"
"Just whatever you want, whatever you feel would do."

I looked at him, the sweetest stallion I'd ever known. He'd given me a truly beautiful gift on the second day that we'd ever properly met, treated me like a princess whenever he could and seriously seemed to care about me, and now this!

"Cr...Crimson."
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
"I love you too, Cherry."

With that, Maisy appeared out of nowhere beside a large alicorn.

"Who is this, Crimson?"
"I, miss Sundae, am Eos. One of the three guardians of ponykind. Crimson is special, and so are you by extension. I needed to make sure he was okay after reports of what had happened, and acted as the scribe for that letter. I asked to watch as you read it, seeing as you mean a lot to him. However, I must go now, I have spent far too long gone and no doubt am needed where I belong. I trust we will meet again."

I blinked in confusion and turned to Crimson as she vanished, a more powerful and advanced version of my stealth cloaking or teleport, I couldn't tell. Crimson just nodded back to me and ushered me inside the inn with a smile on his face as he brushed my mane with his wing.
...Then he brushed my hindquarters with his wing and I felt the burning desire. I was so going to end up on the Overmare's naughty list.

---o---o---o---

In this chapter as well as the last, for anyone who missed it, there was a picture 'hidden' in this chapter!
You can find it here. It was drawn for me again by Striderbread.
I'd encourage everyone to at least view his work both on his tumblr and on his deviantart

Arcus Audicus gets a very special thank you this chapter for dragging me out of a series of miniature breakdowns and getting me back into focus with my writing. Without him, this would've gone a lot longer.
Thank you, Arcus.

I apologise for how long it did take, as I say, series of mini emotional breakdowns lead to me not writing and made it exceptionally hard to get back into writing. I'm back on the ball now though so hopefully it doesn't happen again!

He's a great guy and I really adore his artwork and the guy himself, he deserves thanks no matter how long it's been.

For those of you who remember back in chapter two, I used Coheed and Cambria - Wake up, for the bedroom sweetness scene.
Yes, I used it again - but it really does fit in with the scene and hey, who said it can't be Crimson and Cherries song, huh? I didn't, and I'm making it so now!

Chapter 11: Hardship

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds
By Kippershy

Chapter eleven: Hardship

"Perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim."
[Be patient and tough; some day this pain will be useful to you.]

The previous night had been intense, it was truly magical to see the satisfaction upon Cherry's face as she slumbered through the morning. Her smile remained around even as she slept through dreams, a beautiful warmth of kindness radiating from the curves around her face.
I loved this mare, she held my heart in her hooves and she had given me hers to hold in mine.

I began to stroke her mane softly, admiring how silky and alluring it had always been despite all the harsh environment it had gone through.
No matter what, Cherry was beautiful. To me, that would never change.
Gradually I moved from stroking her mane to planting a soft kiss on her lips, still managing to taste and feel simply tantalising in her own special way.

A light flutter of her eyelids told me she had awoken and I pressed my lips against hers once more as I brought my wing to softly brush against her cheek. She began to blush as she smiled, returning my affection by leaning in with another kiss as I broke away slowly.
We spent more then a passionate moment locked in one another's lips, our tongues grazing as they exchanged minute amounts of flavour and fluids.
Looking at the mare laid beside me, I understood now why I had never felt the need to commit to anypony before in the way I was willing to give myself to her.

It was because nopony would ever be as special as her, as perfect for me as her.
The chemistry we shared went beyond simple lust, it felt like I could be truly comfortable around her while also pushing me to want to be better for her.
She made me happy without trying, even as she smiled at me now as we lay together, she hadn't need done a thing to make me happy.

After around twenty minutes of pulling ourselves closer against the others body, Prince Snugglebums began to stir.
His little squeaks as he rose up from his own rest were simply adorable, but also meant that we would have to part from our embrace and move on with the day ahead.
Cherry pulled herself off the bed and levitated Prince Snugglebums up to her face before giving a compassionate kiss to his forehead and a nuzzle to his cheek, resting him back down to the floor afterwards.

I too raised up and stroked him from head to tail a few times with my wing, doing my best to show him that I was friendly despite being the cause of his life changing drastically.
He looked up to me and squeaked, initially pulling back but cautiously snuffing at my wing after a moments hesitation.
Just a few seconds later, I was able to hold him in my wings and get a small hug before placing him back down myself.

I watched the baby radbit snuggle back around the warmth of the windowsill where what light broke through was magnified by the surprisingly clean glass.
If there was one thing that was for certain, Gertrude was a pony who took a lot of pride in her inn, and I couldn't blame her.
In the distance we'd seen the decaying ruins of Coltchester city and behind us was the husk of Old Coltchester. Between the two laid this beautiful slice of peace and tranquillity, providing the ideal rest stop for travellers like ourselves.

In her subtle, happy tone, Cherry beckoned me. "Crimson?"
"Yes, m'lady?" I turned my head to her to see what it was she wanted.
With that she put her hooves around my neck and gave me another kiss that lasted a very long moment.
"Thank you, Crimson. For everything."
She smiled at me and I smiled back, I was a truly lucky buck to have her.

Gertrude knocked on the door not too much later and we all prepared ourselves for breakfast, myself and Cherry gathering up our gear and making sure Snugglebums and Maisy were fed before taking care of ourselves.

"So, what are your plans after this, may I ask?"
"Well, we're in need of a water talisman. Our current goal is to get one, hoof it back to home and get it installed. After that? Life goes back to the way it was... well, mostly."
Gertrude looked confused upon my answer. "Oh? Just mostly?"
Even Cherry looked at me unsure as to what I'd meant.

I smiled as I spoke, nodding to Cherry.
"We have Cherished Chance to look after, and on top of that, Cherry, I want you with me."
"Who in the hoof is Cherished Chance, Crimson?" Cherry asked, before it quickly came obvious that it clicked in her mind.
"Wait... wait wait wait." The excitement in Cherry's eyes erupted. "Cherished Chance? Male or female! Are they cute!?!"
Laughing away, I nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, she's absolutely adorable. She seems happy and behaving herself for nanny Graceful, thus far. She absolutely loved the touch of my feathers."
"I can't wait to meet her. I really can't!" Cherry squeezed herself around me in delight and I couldn't help but grin. She was going to be an amazing mother for Cherished, I just knew it.

"Excuse me... I don't mean to intrude on your excitement here, but this whole scene seems a little weird. Are you two not together?"
"That we are." Cherry happily bounced back, her head resting on my shoulder still.
"Yet you haven't seen this child? I take it that it's not your own by birth?"
"No, it isn't." I replied. "Cherished Chance is a baby we found when traversing Old Coltchester. Awful things happened and a mare... and her children..."

I couldn't, I just couldn't tell her. I didn't have the strength in me to say it.

"Crimson found a mare running for her life, with a group of children. He in particular tried everything he could to save them while myself and Titan still made our way as fast as we could, but obviously Crimson is a lot faster then us. Anyway, things quickly went bad and there was only one survivor, which happened to be the baby."
Even Cherry took a moment to pause at this point, though if it was for herself or Gertrude I couldn't tell.

"Crimson ordered Maisy off back home with the baby to get her somewhere safe. No matter what, she's safer where we come from then out in the wastes. Even Tenpony Tower isn't as secure as the Ridges. Perhaps the only place better would be Fillydelphia,.. or the core of Hoofington, if that even belonged to anypony."

"I see. Titan did warn me that you two had been through quite some extremity, though he did say Crimson was worse for wear from it all."
I nickered softly to remind her that I was still in the room and that while I appreciated the thought, it was preferable to speak to me rather then about me.
"Anyway, you both seem the decent sort. Your caps were quick to be paid and you've caused no trouble. If you're certain that the baby would be safest and in the best care where you come from, well, I have nothing I could do about it anyway. Though I'll put my faith in you as Titan had, so thank you for giving a life a chance for something better."
Now I smiled and we all continued to eat the last of our sandwiches.

"Thank you for everything you've given us, Miss Greenhoves!"
"Oh shush, young miss. My name is Gertrude and I'd still prefer you both call me by that."
I nodded. "Of course. Thank you Gertrude, for everything."
"Is there anything else I can offer you before you two go? I see you have ample protection, but what about knowledge? Wisdom can be just as strong as any blade, if used properly in conjunction with foresight."

Thinking it over for a moment, she was right. For as many guns we had on us, and Maisy, Cherry only had very limited exposure to Coltchester and I had none myself. Knowing any customs or important information could be vital enough to save our lives.

"Sure. First of all, when we walk in from this direction, what's the first thing we'll come across and how should we react?"
"Don't give out any caps, what so ever. Keep an eye on your saddlebags. Try not to get distracted by the mares, not for reasons to do with Cherry. Lastly? Try not to get into any fights around or with anypony, zebra, or donkey, wearing red and brown suits of armour."
"Oh, don't worry, I'll make sure he keeps away from the other mares." Cherry happily added.
"Don't say I didn't try to warn you."

I was confused now, if I was supposed to be a good pony... "What's with the no caps thing?"
"You hand out any amount of caps, they'll come back for more. If you refuse to give them more? Some will leave you alone, accept that they've been given some help. Others? They'll attack you knowing that you have the caps on you to take."
"Ah, okay. So we've got to avoid being generous?"
"Unfortunately so, though usually it's better to tackle the cause then it is to try and lessen the effect."
"Cause and effect... of course. How could I forget such simple leadership training? Got it. See if there's anything we can do beyond simply dragging out the otherwise inevitable."
The elderly green mare nodded sorrowfully.

"Exactly. As for anything else, I have nothing I can tell you now. I've not been to Coltchester in many, many years. I can't bare to see the sight it's become, yet I can't bring myself to leave entirely."
"So you stay here, hope to make it at least a little nicer somewhere."
"Yes. At least somewhere near Coltchester can be nice with me around, it seems. Enough about me though, you two have a long journey ahead. Good luck in your searches."
"Thank you Gertrude, stay well."

We smiled at one another and exchanged a quick hug each, Gertrude whispering into Cherry's ear as they embraced.
"Well, let's go. Come on Maisy! Time to head off."
The patter of her paws on the smooth tarmac came closer as she approached. We were ready, ready for whatever Coltchester would hold.
Snugglebums sat happily on Cherry's shoulder, our bags were fully packed and prepared again, guns were cleaned and reloaded, we'd all used facilities required while they were available... we were ready.

[Song: Call of Juarez The Cartel - Pawl Blaszczak - This Moment Won't Last]

We walked down the road, the sight of Coltchester growing ever larger as we got closer.
I'd noticed that the city was in ruin before, but with every step I noticed it more and more.
Buildings stood upright but their walls had collapsed inside, ceilings and rooftops having smashed through the ones below and causing entire sections to lean like a decrepit old pony getting out of bed.

Moss climbed the walls, completely covering the side of some buildings and bringing some colour to the sickly city.
It was a complete shock to me to find that nature had managed to grow foliage on the buildings.
Some things were too determined to just go ahead and die, some things had purpose.

Still though, I was unsure of the safety of walking nearby them, maintaining a err of caution as we crept alongside.
My worry was exacerbated by the fact that the occasional tower had given way to the force of time and made entire sections inaccessible as we approached, making me wonder what might've been hidden inside.

I wasn't sure what to make of it, there was supposed to be a city, there was supposed to be something that ponies clung to.
Instead, the carcass of the buildings around us felt cold even before we had reached them.
There had to be something more to Coltchester, there simply had to be.
It wouldn't be long before I found out for sure, for myself.

If nothing was different, I'd have understood how Coltchester was good to scavenge and salvage from, but it still felt as if there was something missing. Even a husk of a city held something other then bones and technology... so why were the signs of life missing?
We drew ever closer and even still we could hear nothing, see nothing. There was just the wind blowing through corridors of concrete and steel, carrying nothing but dust.

"Cherry, are you absolutely certain that there's life here? It seems so empty."
"I'm sure. Patience, we'll be in Coltchester soon."
"You mean we aren't yet?"
"No."
"You know, I would ask that you take the lead if you know so much, but that would be giving you more ideas about undermining my authority."
"You what?"
"You heard me, telling me to get out of bed, telling me to stay in bed, telling me not to stop because you're close to having an or-."

I stopped there. Not because I had planned to stop, but because she put her hoof to my mouth and rolled her eyes with a cheeky smile on her face, a grin across mine.
If Coltchester was going to feel lifeless, I was going to have to bring it back with humour.

"Snugglebums doesn't need to know."
"He was there the whole time, wasn't he?"
"Well.. yeah, I suppose. Maisy doesn't need to know then."
"You've peered in on Maisy getting laid though!"
Suddenly there was an agitated sound behind us as Maisy ruffled her wings.
"Oh come on Maisy, she didn't mean to! It was when the radspiders attacked the Commons and you'd decided to find another manticore... where from, I don't know. Can't blame you though, everybody needs relief."

Instead of calming her down however, Maisy took off into the air above us. Her face was a bright shade of pink.
I tried to fly up to her and apologise, but she simply huffed and pointed me back down to the ground.
It was useless to try and make things better with her right now, but she still stuck around with us, even if it was up in the sky instead of walking alongside us.

We continued to walk through the maze of partially collapsed buildings and destroyed streets until we found what we had been looking for the whole time.
The sight had shocked me and sent my heart plunging into an abyss of sorrow.

Twenty seven mares and foals in all spanned the very beginning of the road, a ragtag chain fence with no lock provided the only barrier from the outskirts of Coltchester for these ponies.
Laying across the floor, most of their eyes hadn't even bothered to look up as we walked down the middle of the road, flanked by the filth and decay of the squatters on both sides.

One mare raised her head as we walked on by, taking in all the horror of the situation.
"Please... If nothing more, just a sip of water."
I knew that we weren't to give out caps, but water? I looked to Cherry and nodded, to which she used her magic to pull out one of the smaller bottles of water we'd managed to take along our journey.
We didn't need every single one of them, so the act of generosity was something that wouldn't hurt us too much.

"Please be kind, share what you can with this. I wish we had more to give, but we simply can't afford to do so." I plead with the mare, who then nodded and shared out what she could with the foals around her. Nopony was in any situation to take care of themselves here, but they still managed to have the decency to try help one another.

"Please sir..." Another mare began. "If you can offer her water, can you not offer us caps?"
Cherry began to shake her head. "No. I'm sorry, but we cannot afford to share what little we have. That water was all we could give."
Without a moments hesitation, the mare sprung up from her prone position and pulled a knife out of her clothing!
"IF YOU WON'T GIVE ME WHAT I'M AFTER, I'LL TAKE IT FROM YOU."
Another three jumped up after her from further on down the road and began to run at us, one with a baseball bat, the other two completely unarmed.

Cherry stepped back, uncertain how to react. My twelve gauge shotgun hadn't been uncertain at all however, and within a moment the barrel stared the mare with the knife in her mouth down from a meters distance.
The other two mares continued to charge but Cherry quickly pulled her SMG out and took aim, causing them to pause their advance.

"You've got one choice now." I began in my cold, heavy tone. "You get back on the floor, or you get back on the floor. How you go about that is up to you, if it's in a bloody mess, so be it."
The mare on the receiving end stared at me in shock and horror of how fast we'd both reacted, not knowing how to respond to it.
"Crimson?" Cherry asked. "Are you sure you're going to do this?"
"They want to become aggressive towards us first? Yes. They may be homeless with nothing but what's on their back, but I'm not going to roll over and give it to them. Treat them as a raider, that's all they are."

I looked straight into the eyes of the first mare and stared her down, she tried to stare back but found her focus broken and looked away.
"Come on girls. This one isn't worth the risk."
She clapped her hooves on the ground twice and began to walk over to the chain fence, to which the other two followed.

We holstered our weapons and began to walk away ourselves.
"Crimson, you did the right thing there. Thank you."
"The right thing? The right thing would've been to stop them once and for all, make sure their raiding ways don't continue."
"No, that only leads to further death. Crimson, in all my time out in the wastes, I've grown to hate killing when it's not needed. Each and every life I take is another life that can't do good, is another pony with hopes and dreams. Everypony deserves a chance."
"What about those who waste their chance, Cherry? What about those who use that chance for pure evil?"

She sighed and opened her mouth as if to speak, but closed it once more and nodded in admission.
Some ponies just didn't want to do good, and when that was the case, it was up to us to end that.

We made it to the end of the road before the sound of sprinting came up behind us.
Turning my head to see what the commotion was all about, I felt a knife tear into my leg and rip upwards for a few inches before becoming stuck against a part of my armour underneath.
I screamed in pain, my duster quickly becoming coated in blood already.
Before Cherry could react, two mares began to assault her as well, the one with the baseball bat smashing her around the back of the head and knocking her off balance as the other jumped on top straight after and began to pound her spine.

That was it, I had just been pushed over the line.
I hit into S.A.T.S and plotted out my shots, one straight to the back of the head of the mare atop of Cherry as she was easiest to aim for, two shots into the side of the mare with the baseball bat and one shot to the chest of the unicorn with the knife.
I closed S.A.T.S and began to fire, the first mares head exploded into a bloody mess, splattering all over the wall nearby.

"NOPONY FUCKS WITH ME LIKE THIS AND GETS AWAY WITH IT."

Two shots into the mare with the bat, one slamming into her side and the other her front as she fell down to the floor, her throat torn out with the sheer force of the blast. She wasn't dead yet but there was nothing more she could do.
Unfortunately in my rush, the second shot also managed to hit Cherry and she fell down to her side from the shock of being hit.
I tried to turn to the unicorn behind me but as I did she lodged the knife in further and I fell to the floor, screaming in agony.
My eyes shot wide and the fear and pain rushed through me like a raging brahmin, throwing me down to the floor under the pressure of supporting myself.

A sickening sensation filled my stomach and I fought to hold down my breakfast as I felt the blood rushing down my side.
Now because of the torture I felt I wasn't able to get an aim on her, my focus taken away from me completely.
I was truly fucked as Cherry wouldn't be able to respond in time, I was helpless.
Fuck the ghouls, this was going to be the way I die, I was certain now.

To much luck however, Maisy came storming down from the sky and grabbed the unicorn with both paws around her neck. The pink mare tried to scream in horror but Maisy gave her no chance, her grip too tight to allow any air travel through her neck.
Before I could even take note of what was really happening, the mares head was missing, blood all around Maisy's jaw as she crushed the bone between her teeth.
The body of the now lifeless pony dropped like a rock, blood flooding the road as if a fire hydrant had just been broken.

Before I could say a thing, Maisy was already back in the air however, leaving me laying in the pool of blood combined from two different ponies.
I tried to move my leg but felt an immediate burning pain overwhelm me again and stayed put, initially yelping in pain before sobbing in agony as it continued to carve into my thigh.
Cherry having pulled herself off the floor, trotted over to me painfully before pulling the knife out of my side, causing me to scream in pain once more.

"Oh get over it you big baby. Being stabbed isn't the worst of all pains possible and anyway, I just took some of the spread from your shot without crying. Speaking of which, be a little more careful next time huh?"
I tried to speak, but found myself unable to. Instead, I breathed in and out deeply for a minute as I tried to handle the pain the best I could.

"Some of..." I fought for my breath, finding it hard to speak still. "The spread, yeah..." I took another moment to breathe deep and try control myself before continuing. "Straight to the barding, may I add."
"So? A knife, a bullet, it's all the same, pain is pain."
"Not this knife. Feels worse."
She helped me off the floor and back onto my hooves, before I fell back down to the floor once more.

"I'm going to have to use a healing potion on you like that then, here, drink this."
With that, she grabbed one of her potions and levitated it to my mouth, I swallowed the whole lot in one go and was glad to feel the warm, calming sensation begin to ease the pain.
My leg began to heal up somewhat, but it was obvious that it was going to take more then a single healing potion.

"Just be glad it didn't do more damage, this damn thing has a serrated edge. Looks like it's an officers issue Equestrian Army combat knife."
I groaned in response. "What?"
"An officers knife. We've seen a few of these, not too many of course. They're sharper then standard issue and have this notch on the hilt, see? They're nastier then standard issue ones, I'll hand you that."
She levitated it over to me and the ferocity of the knife was obvious now. Indeed, it was quite the impressive piece but I still couldn't appreciate it to its fullest while it was covered in my blood and while I still burnt in my left hindleg.

"Cherry, keep that. I want you to hold onto that knife and remember... justice. Justice is what these ponies have just received - not murder. I know you don't like the idea, I know you like to think that everypony deserves a chance and you're brilliant for that. However, justice will always be something that's required, just as with mercy."
With that, I pulled my own knife out of my saddlebag and showed her.

"Wh...where did you get this, Crimson?"
"Platinum. It was her gift to me, her gift of mercy from myself and forgiveness from her soul. I hadn't noticed it the first time but when I went to her corpse, as I went to ask her forgiveness, I found it when I needed it most."
She studied the blade herself, obviously intrigued by the ornate design, before passing it back.
As the second blade slipped into her saddlebag, she turned to me with wide eyes.

"Crimson... this blade... it's called Justice?"
"Yeah, what of it?"
"It wasn't before. How... how did that happen? I've never had this happen!?"
"What's in a name, but of what it means to us? There could be another knife the exact same, but the fact that this one is special to you makes it different. Just like how you went from being any other mare... to the mare I love. The meaning we hold in it makes it different."
"Oh, okay. I've just never come across that before."
"Part of my duty as heir to role as Overstallion is understanding things like this,"
"Really?"
"Nah, Melony Love taught me about that. Just something she loves to do, spend time teaching me stuff when she can. Now, do you mind helping me back up now the healing seems to have done what it can? Even if I have to hover, I'd rather not be laying down for too long when the floor is absolutely covered in blood."
"Oh right, sorry."

With her help, I was back up off my side and standing up.
"AUGH. AUGH. AUGH FUCK."
"Walking too painful for you?"
I stared at her for a split second before letting out a breath and nodding. Seemed I'd have to hover in mid air to get around for now.
I was all too thankful for my wings now, their gentle beating keeping me from having to let my hooves down onto the ground.

We went off further into Coltchester, the city quickly changing from the former sight of nothingness to a new sense of nothingness, the streets filled with ponies too poor to own even a blanket to keep themselves warm under the cold wind and rain that pounded the wasteland on a regular basis.

"P...Plea-"
"You gonna try and stab me if I don't give you what you want?"
"N... no. I..."
I sighed, looking down at the mare below, her lime green coat covered in dirt to the point it was almost brown, her mane too damaged to notice what colour it may have been.
"I'm sorry, I don't mean to be like this. I just got my thigh ripped into and accidentally shot my marefriend. What can I do?"
"Remember us."

I blinked in shock at the mare... has she really just asked me to remember them?
"E- excuse me? Remember you? What does that mean?"
Instead of replying however, the mare closed her eyes and slumped out further across the road. letting go of her breath.
I looked at the mare completely stunned before slowly lowering myself to my knees, avoiding movement in my back left leg the best I could.
I pressed my muzzle against her neck... there was no pulse, no breath from her lungs. She'd died, her last words were to remember 'us'.
Cherry looked to me in desperation as she saw my head left sorrowfully, tears began to fill her eyes.

"What... No... no no no!" She began, the tears falling down.
"This mare doesn't deserve to die, Crimson! This can't be the way she goes, can it? It's not right!"
I frowned and shook my head, there was nothing I could do.
"Y... Celestia damn it! Why?! I've had enough of this death!"
I couldn't understand.

"Cherry, you're special forces. I know you hate death, but why are you taking this so hard? You seemed a lot more composed at the death of Kingcakes and Pocket Change."
"They knew the risks Crimson! They died with a cause... they died doing the best they could, trying to help. This mare was just trying to live, she had no greater cause. It's not justice to take her away, it's just another life meaninglessly lost!"
"Is this anything to do with your snipers remorse?"

Cherry was taken back by my comment, an unbelieving look in her eyes.
"How... how do you know? How do you always seem to know every problem and what it's about?"
"Quite simply? My training. It's a part of my job as future leader of Four Ridges to know these sorts of things so I can be there for the ponies under me, so I can lead in a much more confident and compassionate way. I've been taught that snipers often feel remorse due to the more personal nature of their killing, Cherry. I understand, but we need to move on. Ponies die every day and we need to stop that, yes. Crying isn't going to help though, if we want to help then we'll have to do something about it."

I wiped her tears away with my forehoof and looked at her. There was no self assured smile on my face this time, no grin to make everything seem like it was going to be okay and that it was going to be fine.
This time, the sadness and pain was etched through the lines around my eyes and mouth, a strain on my emotion obvious.
Having a pony die near you was never easy, but having a pony die so peacefully was worse then killing a raider, a million times worse.

The city had changed from the initial broken stone buildings to ones of steel and concrete as we made our way further in, the less affluent becoming less prominent with each and every moment.
The homeless had seemingly preferred the outskirts of the city, but something told me it was more to do with exterior forces then it had been their own choices.

As we went along, we heard a mare shouting away.
"YOU THINK YOU'RE SAFE HUH? WE'LL SEE! COME BACK HERE AND SETTLE THE SCORE WHY DON'T YA. WIMP."
I looked at Cherry in confusion and laughed at how absurd that all sounded, she just sniffled and gave me a little smile.
I wrapped my hooves around her tight and stroked her mane as I did, my poor little Cherryberry.

"Well well well, what do we have here, a flier huh? You with the wings! Over here!"
I broke from the embrace and looked towards the grey mare who stood before us.
"Me?"
"Yeah you, you thick or something? I don't see any other fancy smancy pegasus ponies here."
I looked at her with an unsure glare. "No, No and no you don't, What do you want?"
"You see that purple mare up there, running off? Go catch her."
"What's in it for me and what's she done?"
"Fifty caps for the leg work."
"What's she done?"
"Taken something of mine. Just go fetch her."

I looked at Cherry and nodded. "I'll be right back."

I darted around the corners as the purple mare with the white mane ran as if her life had depended on it.
"STOP, PLEASE. I JUST WANT TO TALK."
"THAT'S WHAT THEY ALL SAY."
"I REALLY MEAN IT."
She didn't listen, damn she was annoying.

I was faster then the mare, that was for sure, but even with all my agility she'd managed to out-manoeuvre me time and time again rushing around and making tight corners between buildings and obstacles alike.
I really didn't want to keep chasing her and end up getting lost in here, but I supposed the worst I'd need to do is fly straight up and find where I'd come in.

Just as I thought I had the perfect chance to corner her, she managed to jump into the air, throw her legs against the wall and force herself in the opposite direction, completely putting me in awe with her nimble ways as she moved like a radbit being chased by a predator.
Trying to talk to the mare had been useless and chasing her proves just as difficult, so instead I decided a new tactic was required.
I pulled my helmet off from its latch on my armour and slipped it on.

"STOP ALREADY. FOR CELESTIA'S SAKE I JUST WANT TO TALK."

That had caught her attention, stopping her in her tracks and making her look up at me as if I was some kind of monster about to rip her in two.
I took the helmet off and dived down next to her, smashing my bad leg on the floor as I landed and crying out in agony, dropping my helmet at the same time.
The pain tore through my spine and reminded me to be more careful about how I land next time.

Taking a moment to catch my breath back once more, the mare had give up running upon my show of 'persuasion' and looked at me in a stare that seemed halfway between confused and motherly, upon seeing my pain.
I picked up my helmet and reattached it to its latch, looking back up to find she was no longer staring at me from the front, but instead had moved round to my side and was assessing the wound.

"You're going to need a bandage for that. You've obviously used a healing potion as the wound has closed up while the blood on your coat still looks fresh. Twenty caps and your promise that you'll not hand me in to her and I'll patch it right now."
I stared in utter shock but nodded, taking twenty five caps out and handing them to her.
I could've got another shot of med-x for that many caps, my mind told me, but at the same time this mare seemed like she'd need it.

"Sorry, I don't usually charge for this, but right now my supplies are extremely limited. On top of that, this is Coltchester, medical supplies don't last long."
"Why not?"
She looked at me flatly as she pulled the bandage out of her saddlebags with her mouth and began to wrap it around my leg, already the soothing feeling began to kick in.
Once she was done, she looked back up to me and gently smoothed down the end of the bandage with her hoof.

"That's because the D-Z-C take what they like, when they like. When a 'scouting' party comes back heavily wounded, everyone has any medical supplies they may have stripped from them unless they're in charge of looking after their foals, like I d-... did."
"You looked after foals?"
"Yeah, I'm one of the foal sitters in Coltchester. I'm D-Z coalition owned, as in, I'm as good as a slave in all but title."
"So that's why you ran away? Why that other mare wanted me to find you?"
"No but yes but no. No she didn't want you to find me purely based on the fact she 'owns' me, yes she did ask because she does but her reason is something else. She asked you because eight fillies and colts went missing - one of them was only a little foal, four months old."

Suddenly the seriousness of the whole situation loomed upon me. This mare was being accused of taking them, and I was to turn her in for caps so she could most likely be put through horrendous punishment or worse.
"What happened to them?"

"I'm not entirely sure. There was two of us, foal sitters I mean, that looked after this particular group. She'd been speaking about breaking out of Coltchester for quite some time and taking what she could with her, wanting me to join her and try find a better life elsewhere. We've heard stories about how a place called Hoofington is supposed to be rich with prospects for ponies like us, perhaps we could've made a better life for ourselves and the foals over there? Even then, failing that there's Fillydelphia, at least they'd have schooling if we took them there."
"You didn't consider Coltshire proper? The Commons even?"
"Too unsafe. Heck, latest few raids have been on those two places."
"What about Four Ridges? Did you even consider them?"
"Four Ridges? You're kidding me right? They wouldn't let us in, we don't have the caps, even if it doesn't need anything like Tenpony Tower does!"

I looked down to the ground and scuffed my hooves on the cold, hard floor.
"Huh, is that how ponies view us? Cap hungry and unwilling to help?" I let out a sigh. "I promise you, if you ever do make it there, you'll be let in."
"You... you're from Four Ridges?"
"I practically own it."
"You what?"
"I'm the heir to leadership there, nevermind all that though. The foals, when did they go missing?"
"Just.... two days ago, maybe three. We're not sure exactly when."
"What were their names, oldest to youngest."

The mare looked at me quizzically before I shot back a nod and her eyes swiftly went back and forth as she recalled the names.
"Charmer, Boulder, Sugar Heart, Platinum..."
She continued to list of names, but my ears didn't hear the rest. I looked at her with wide, terrified eyes.
I knew those ponies, I knew their ultimate fate.
My throat felt tight and I began to choke up, the tears fell from my eyes before I knew it.

"S...stop please. They're all dead."

Her faced dropped. "Dead? As in dead dead? Really dead? Oh... oh Princess. How?"
"Feral ghouls, feral ghouls chased and caught them all. I witnessed it and tried to stop it, but found myself useless in the end. The only survivor was the filly foal, who I've adopted since saving her from the monsters."
"You adopted her?"
"What was I supposed to do? A baby in the middle of the road, just seen a load of children killed and one... Platinum... go through worse then a quick death. Am I supposed to just leave her there to die? To find out who she belongs to when there's no clues? She'll grow up happy and safe in the Stable, a part of the family in charge of Four Ridges."
"You promise?"
"Of course. If you can make it to Four Ridges, tell them you've met me. Describing me and saying I said so is enough to get you in and to the Stable. Cherished Chance is being looked after well, I promise."
"Cherished Chance? Well, that's better then going four months without a name after the mother died of childbirth and the father in a raid before she was born."

I nodded.

"Anyway, you'd best be going. I'll tell the grey mare that you've gotten away, try make it out of here if you can, don't spend any longer then you need to if you can help it."
"Thank you... I... I can't show you how much this means to me. Thank you. What's your name?"
"Crimson, Crimson Wings."
"Blessed Cradle."
"Seeya Blessed, good luck."
"Thank you."

Flying up into the air, I located where I'd come from and glided back down to where Cherry was, Maisy still skulking around the tops of buildings out of the way.
I hadn't minded her being out of sight, it actually made travelling a little easier knowing that we wouldn't have to worry about explaining why a manticore was walking alongside us, or worse. Even still, she'd proven to us that she was still protecting us, it just meant a slower reaction time before she was there.

When I returned to Cherry and the grey mare, the latter staring at me with a deep grudge obvious in her expression.
"WELL, WHERE IS SHE?"
"Lost her, sorry. As quick as I am, she was just too agile. Every god damn time I almost had her she'd manage to turn tail and back up, heading the other way."
"HMPH. Well now you're not getting the fifty caps, so don't you even consider asking for them."
"Of course, payment only for jobs done properly. I understand."
"So you're not completely stupid after all huh? Well, in that case, the bounty still stands. If you find her alive and manage to catch her, fifty. If however, you find her dead, twenty caps for her head or entire corpse."
"You'd prefer her alive? Why is that? What exactly did she do?"
"What she did is none of your business. What is important however, is that the centurion, who is my husband, will be informed and the praetorians will be searching for her too, Best be quick if you want that bounty, Wings."

I looked sourly at her. "Why the hell does everypony call me 'Wings'?
"Because you have wings? Because nopony else is so schmancy fancy as you with yours? Fuck off outta my sight you little snotbag if you're gonna whine about what I call you. Just be fucking grateful that I'm not hitting you like I would any Coltcherian pony."

Turning my head to Cherry, I mouthed the words 'start running'.
She looked back at me in confusion but I just nodded and flicked my eyes over the other direction as if to guide her.
"What did you just call me, you tired old hag?"
"You best learn to watch your fucking tongue, flyboy. You're speaking to the wife of the centurion who runs this district!"
"You best learn to avoid my hoof then!"

With her moment of confusion, I smashed her round the face as hard as I could.
By no means was this the wisest decision I had ever made, but damn did it feel good when my hoof smashed into her nose and sent her back.
Behind me, Cherry had taken my advice and began running as fast as she could further into Coltchester. No doubt I'd have to answer a few questions to her once we were safe, but right now I'd felt all too good for doing that.
The grey mare fell on her back, holding her face in shock as I ran away, using my wings to catch up to Cherry.

Cherry turned to me as we ran alongside one another, but where I wore a stupid smile she was obviously displeased by my actions. "WHAT WAS THAT, CRIMSON?"
"She's the wife of the centurion around here, why not?"
"BECAUSE SHE'S THE PRINCESS DAMNED WIFE OF THE CENTURION! What in Celestia's name were you thinking!"
"With what the mare running did? What 'crime' she supposedly committed? How she doesn't mind if she comes back dead? Seemed fair."

We ran around a series of different corners and streets, ponies with beggars belief staring at us as we shot past them until we were truly and utterly lost to both her and ourselves.
There was only going to be one way back out of Coltchester now, and that was up.

Taking a moment to catch our breath, I found a nice bit of soft yet dry mud to sit on, with Cherry choosing to sit down on the pavement opposite.

"Crimson, you don't simply walk into a new city and smack the first authority figure you see around the face. Tank may respect warriors right to hoof to hoof combat as a means of sorting out personal issues, but this isn't Tank. This is the wastes and you've got to remember, you're not at home any more. You're a nopony with some armour, two guns, a mare who loves you and a mission. We're far from the fighting force of the entire Tank Mercenary Group, We have to lay low."
I smiled at her, even after my stupidity she still seemed supporting enough to stick by me, even if she didn't wholly agree with my actions.

"Now, what is it that you hit her over?"
"Well, first of all, she spoke to me with that kind've disrespect. I may not be at home any more, but damn it, I've never laid down and let someone piss all over me before. I won't start now."
"That's not a good enough reason, what other ones are there?"
"The mare who was running away? She was a caretaker. She was a slave. Her fellow slave was the mare we found in Old Coltchester.... Platinum... Cherished Chance... they were all from officers of this region. The mare was wrongly accused of taking them all away."
"So? Wouldn't you want to find anypony who took Cherished Chance away from you now? Or me, perhaps? Wouldn't you want to hunt down anyone who takes me from you?"

I looked at her sheepishly, knowing my answer was going to be exactly as she wanted it to be.
"Well of course. I'd hunt down anyone be they pony, zebra, mule or griffon. I'd do anything to bring justice to whomever responsible."
"So why shouldn't these ponies feel the same? What makes you any more right to do it then they?"
"Because I don't 'own' ponies. Four Ridges doesn't have homeless ponies, let alone ponies with absolutely nothing to their name."
I thought about that for a moment, she had a very good point. Four Ridges truly was a place of prosperity where even the poorest of ponies had somewhere to call their own and the ability for basic things like food and water, if not luxuries and entertainment.

"True, you don't own any of us excluding those who contract with the TMG, but why do ponies stick at Four Ridges under your mother?"
"Because it's a better life, a safe and secure life with no real troubles. Yes it can be hard work for some, but it's better then being out in the wastes."
"Now take that last part, and apply it to the ponies here. It may not be perfect, or even pleasant for some. However, it's somewhere to be with some level of safety. Four Ridges can't take in everypony that comes across it, Crimson, so where better have they got to go? How would they even get there?"

There was a damning look in her eyes, though it was painfully obvious that she was right.

"Well, what about what Eos said! Titan? They've both said this place is terrible, and from what little we've seen, it has been. If there's any form of governing body, why haven't they done something to improve the conditions? If not for the ponies here, for themselves at least!"
"It's not that easy Crimson, besides, you can hardly say you know this Eos even if she did seem friendly to me. As for Titan? Neither of us have spent enough time around him either to know everything there is to know about him. We can trust his capabilities in a fight but we have no clue what kind've leadership qualities he holds. You can't go causing trouble just because you feel like it."
"But.. but..."
"No."

The pain filled my heart, Cherry scolding me was easily as painful as taking a bullet to the chest.
She hadn't meant to make things awkward, but as I trotted alongside her as we continued forwards, I found myself unable to say a word to her.
Even when I tried to apologise, I couldn't get the words out. She looked at me sympathetically and I knew she understood how I felt, but it was obvious that she had to learn this very same lesson once before with the way she acted.

You can't go around doing whatever you please, just because you're used to doing it at home. Sometimes, you have to take a step back and realise the position of power is in the other hoof and you've gone from top dog to underdog before you even realised it.

"Now, let's see your wound. You were just running without showing any pain so you've either damaged it further but not noticed it through adrenaline or you've gotten incredibly lucky."
I couldn't help but smirk as she said that. "Aren't I always lucky, seeing as I have you?"
Her blushing and smile made the moment perfect.
"Well, yes. You are right there, still. Coat off, let me see it."

I took my duster back off and showed Cherry the bandages around my leg and thigh, getting a very curious look from her.
"Your own work? We didn't have any bandages though, did we?"
"Nope, not my work. No we don't have any though. The mare who I was sent to chase did it for me, part of our agreement and discussion for me letting her go once I'd managed to catch her."
"Well, it looks a good job. I never was a good medic myself, despite my magic. Despite that though, I do know a good patch up job when I see one and that is a good job. Glad somepony managed to fix you up somewhat at least."

We trotted off further into Coltchester together, unsure if Maisy was still following us as I couldn't see her anywhere, but no doubt she'd find us if we needed her help with anything. Besides, flying into the air and making myself an obvious target to anypony that might've been trying to follow us after my little shindig with the centurions wife and that wasn't worth the risk.
Instead, we carried on at a much more calmed down pace.

"So, I know you say that we can't judge them until we've seen what their best and what their worst is like."
"No Crimson. we can't judge them. You've lived a life of luxury through randomness of birth, and even I myself have been lucky enough to at least be born into a community where safety is practically guaranteed without fail and a job that pays well enough that I could go to Tenpony if I saved up and maintains the safety of my home. These ponies might not have that luxury, so until we see something terrible happening, we have to accept worse conditions."
"Fine. You know what? You win. I was wanting to believe in what Eos and Titan had told me, but if you're adamant that this isn't the worst the wasteland has to offer, then... well, okay."
"Besides, we trade with The Society, don't we?"
"Rarely..."
"Still, we do it. Isn't that encouraging slave trade?"

Sighing, I nodded at Cherry. She'd won and put that argument into the ground for good. There was no way I was going to be able to bring it back to the table now unless something truly horrible happened.
Part of me wanted both Eos and Titan to be right about Coltchester, if only for my own pride. The other part of me took absolute disgust in this desire however, knowing that it would mean that there was ponies out here that needed our help and I would relish in the fact that they were.
What was I, some kind of monster? No, I had to be better then that. I wasn't some superhero either, I was just the son of the Overmare on a mission to find a new water talisman and return home asap so life could go back to it's safety and certainty.
Still...

"Hey there, sugarcube."
I gave a quick glance over to the unicorn mare who stood on her hindlegs as she leant against the wall of a house behind her for support, wearing clothing that obscured her nether region while revealing her flanks in a much less then graceful way. She was interesting to look at, but with Cherry right next to me, I looked away instantly anyway.
"Hey hey hey, I saw you looking. Yes, I meant you."
Stopping in my tracks as I passed her, I turned my head to her.
"What?"
"Yeah, want some fun sweetie?"

Cherry walked out from beside me and looked at her in the eyes.
"See him? He's mine. NO, he doesn't want your fun."
"Oh come now, I'm sure you could join in too?"
With that, she lifted a leg up and pulled it even higher, exposing herself to us. I had to admit, I was finding it incredibly hard not to be aroused.
In the laziest authoritative voice I could muster, I answered her flatly. "Sorry, but we haven't the time, caps to waste and nor do we have the desire."
"Oh, you sure about that?"

Before either of us could react the bright yellow mare had already began to use her magic to gently brush my testicles and coax my already tempted member out from its sheath. I pulled back in shock but found her pulling softly on my penis, encouraging it to expand with strokes of magic brushing against it.
I tried to move my hooves but before I could do anything she held them tight.
With my struggling, Cherry came to realise what was happening.

"YOU GET OFF MY STALLION NOW, OR I'LL BLOW YOUR HORN OFF!"
"Oh? How do you reckon you're going to do that, sweetie? Think you'll get close to me?"
Cherry just smiled and turned invisible.

The sound of rushing hoofsteps worried the sunshine coloured mare and she began to panic, pulling on my sexual organs hard enough to take my breath away.
Just as she had done that however, the magic stopped and the mare was sent flying down onto the floor, bleeding from a cut in her head.

"YOU WERE WARNED. DON'T MAKE ME SMASH YOUR HORN OFF."
"I... I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY OKAY!" The provocatively dressed mare yelled into nowhere in particular, covering her face with her hooves.
Cherry reappeared and stared her straight into the eyes as she brought Justice to the base of the unicorns horn.
"You apologise now, to both of us. You leave us alone whenever you see us from now on. My buckfriend is NOT interested in flankspanking you and I am NOT appreciative of you trying to arouse him by force. Be glad I'm going to let you go with nothing worse."

The terrified mare speedily shook her head without a word and laid as she was while Cherry got off, even as we continued to walk off.

The situation which had just passed was completely amazing and frightening at the same time, my body still unsure if it should be aroused or not.
I couldn't believe what had just happened, or how fast it all happened. I was just in utter awe of it all.
"Wow, Cherry. That was uh... scary?"
"What!? What do you mean that was scary?"
"I just, haven't seen you behave like that since when... the wolves perhaps?"

Cherry pouted at me. "What was I supposed to do? She was sexually assaulting you! And yes, before you say a thing, that WAS sexual assault because you didn't agree to it. She hurt you, didn't she?"
I nodded, she had indeed hurt me.
"Well then, I was in the right. If that goes back on us and causes trouble, that's fine."
"Wait, how is it fine when you do it and not when I do it?"
"Because I say so and because I say so, got it?"
She smiled at me, I could tell that it was an uneasy smile and she'd crack if I pushed her, no doubt get upset with me if I did, so I left it out.

"Okay. You're right, if it comes back to causing trouble then it's okay because she wasn't exactly asking before she touched me in that way. Does this mean we can't have threesomes now though?"
"Maybe. Depends. I'm not sure. Definitely not with her though."
I laughed, thinking back to the time with Melony. Damn that was one good night, one good night indeed.
"But don't get any ideas mister! It's only going to happen if we both agree that it's for the fun and won't ruin what we have. I want you to stay mine."
"Of course."
With that we held in an embrace and I stroked her chest as I kissed her, our tails intertwining on the floor below us as we sat happily smooching in the middle of a random road in Coltchester.
What a sight we must've been!

After our moment, we'd been speaking to some of the locals. A few of them were homeless, though most weren't.
Even still, something seemed off with them. Every once in a while, one of them would greet us with some weird motto, I couldn't quite make out what it meant however.

"Perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim... what the hell could that mean Cherry?"
"You mean to say that you've not been taught that in your all topic spanning leadership courses?"
She gave me a wink and a cheeky grin as I couldn't help but laugh along with her joke.
"Nope, unfortunately not. It sounds something akin to the old zebra language but I really am taking a wild guess there."
"Huh, okay. Guess we'll have to ask next time."

We walked up to the next set of ponies in sight and began to speak, but found that instead of speaking as we began to greet them, they scurried back into their houses nearby or away from the street completely, the few braver ones down the road still in sight but far enough away to only just be able to see what was going on.

"Vobis, prohibere!"

[To you, stop!]
"NO, I WILL NOT STOP!"
"VOBIS, PROHIBERE!"
"I SAID FUCK YOU, ZEBRA!"

Turning around to see the commotion, I had thought I'd recognised the voice somewhat. It was Blessed Cradle, her purple coat and white mane flying through the wind as fast as she could run.
One of the five zebras who were chasing her pulled the throwing spear off his back and threw it at her with his hooves, barely missing her as she dodged the oncoming projectile.
Anypony less agile then that mare would've been slaughtered. I had to stop this, now.

Sliding my helmet on, I stepped out into the road.

"I DON'T SPEAK YOUR LANGUAGE, BUT I'M FAIRLY CERTAIN YOU SPEAK LEAD."

I watched the confusion and horror as I whipped out my shotgun and stared the oncoming zebras down, the purple mare rushing by me and turning her head as she passed, only to fall down and be caught somewhat by Cherry's magic as she had.
"Whoa, what's the trouble there miss?"
"CRIMSON?!?! CRIMSON, SAVE ME, PLEASE!"

"I'M ON IT. STICK WITH MY MARE. WE'LL KEEP YOU SAFE."

"WHY ARE YOU SHOUTING AT ME?"

"It's his helmet. Now, play it safe and stick with us for the moment, be ready to run if you need to though."
The frightened mare nodded frantically and hid behind Cherry as I prepared myself for the oncoming force of the suddenly rearing zebra, damn I should've paid more attention to the enemies ahead.

Instead of feeling the full force of the kick however, my shotgun reduced that to the full force of a falling corpse, the head blown clean off with the distance of the target being minimal.
By the sounds of things, Cherry had pulled out her SMG as rounds began to pound into the armour of one of the others running towards me.

I went into S.A.T.S and planned two shots into the nearest two enemies, both to the head.
Slipping out of S.A.T.S I went to execute them, and everything looked good until I began to fire.
The first shot pounded into the chest of the first zebra, knocking him back onto the floor but far from dead. The second shot however had been completely ineffective as instead of firing, the gun had jammed.
Jammed! At a time like this, my fucking shotgun had jammed!

Two hooves smashed into my chestplate and pushed me back onto the floor, my spine hurting from the sudden force of being knocked down.
My head smacked against the concrete road as I landed, but thankfully my helmet reduced most of the blow with its interior padding, no doubt designed for melee combat with such attackers.

I watched Cherry run up towards the zebras with deadly speed, blasting one of them in the face with a hail of 9mm rounds. His jaw was completely missing and his neck had more holes then could be counted in a glance only about three seconds later as she stood above me.

"Don't worry Crimson, nopony nor zebra fucks with you and gets away with it if I can help it."
I had wanted to thank her, but knew that this close the volume of my speech would be painful.
Instead, I nodded as she helped me back up with a hoof after having found it too painful to do by myself, my thigh beginning to ache worse under the strain of fighting again already.

One of the zebras looked around and doubled back, running off to where he had came. Only only two zebras remained now, one of them wounded though the other still completely fresh in the fight with no injuries.

"Adepto Praetorians! Adepto machina!"

[Get the Praetorians! Get the machine!]

The unharmed one had kept his distance the entire time but now he had climbed up atop of some scrap that littered the landscape and threatened to jump down atop of us.
Before he could, I pulled out my pistol and tried to aim for his head, though his movement was too erratic and instead I gave in for a shot that simply pushed him back behind cover.

The other zebra followed suit, and did his best to make it behind cover.
None of us were going to risk going into the line of fire without being sure it was worthwhile and the zebras didn't seem to want to retreat either, probably believing I'd shoot them as they ran.

"RUN AWAY NOW AND I WON'T SHOOT YOU, A STALLIONS PROMISE."

"Numquam ego regredi!"

[I will never go back!]

I couldn't tell what they were saying, but the tone of voice he was saying it in and the fact he hadn't began to run off told me he was going to stay defiant in the face of death. I had really wished this was easier right now.
Spreading my wings, I leapt into the air to try and get an aerial shot on the zebras.
As soon as I had however, the sound alerted the healthy zebra and before I could do a thing, his spear was already flying towards me.

The sensation I felt was beyond that of pain. The sensation of the spear as it pierced through the soft tissue of my wings burnt my whole left side, bringing my crashing down to the ground in a heap of metal and pony below.
My screaming multiplied by my helmet, I couldn't feel anything other then the complete and utter agony of where there was now a jagged hole in my wing.
Though it had missed any of the bone or vital pieces of my anatomy, and despite the fact that the hole looked more superficial then permanent, I couldn't help but cry as the pain overwhelmed all my sensations and the worry for my wing took control.

In the time I was doing this, Cherry had already finished the fight.
I hadn't even heard the 50.cal rifle shoot above the noise I was making myself, my whole body begging for mercy.
I'd wondered if this was how Platinum had felt as I cradled my wing in my hooves, rolling in sheer torture.
I felt violated and convulsed in pain

Cherry rushed to me and took my helmet off so she could speak to me. "Crimson! Your wing! What can I do for you?!"
"M...m...med-x! My med-x!"
Cherry looked down into my begs and handed me a syringe of med-x, immediately I jammed it into my side as close the wing as I could and pushed down on the top.
The pain slowly faded away somewhat, but not completely. I was going to need more to get back fighting fit!
"Another!"
"Are you sure?"
"Please Cherry, I'm going to need another. Please."

With reluctance, she handed me another. Again I jabbed it into the same spot and released the soothing goodness of my favourite drug.
When you needed to relax, med-x was nice in smaller quantities, but it also served damn well in its proper purpose of making pain just go away.

Suddenly a shaken voice came from behind me. "I'm going to bandage your wing, Crimson Wings. Please, please let me do this one for free, just don't fight me while I try to do it, it will likely hurt."
"Please, please do it. Thank you."
Laying down I felt a sharp pain stabbing me each and every time the bandage was wrapped around the wound, but as it got tighter the pain was lowered somewhat more.

"Thank you, Blessed. Celestia knows I need that."
"Don't try to fly, Crimson Wings. You'll tear your wing further. If it was up to me, I'd have your left wing bound so you couldn't even try, but we don't have the time."
"What do you mean?"

She just pointed, and I saw what she meant as I leant up with Cherry's help.
Twenty zebras marched toward us carrying a great banner of a red background and black stripes coming down from the right corner to the left.

"Audaces fortuna iuvat!"

[Fortune favours the bold!]

Again, I couldn't tell what they were saying, but it didn't sound good in the least.
Cherry slid my helmet back onto my head and raised her rifle once more, taking a shot at the advancing column of zebras.
Three of them dropped dead as they walked, her bullet going straight through each of their heads as they marched in line, one by one their brains splattering the one behind until the bullet caught inside the skull of the third.

With a cry of horror and anger mixed together, the zebras charged.
Their armour was increasingly obvious that it was heavier and tougher then the previous soldiers sets, leaving me wondering how the hell we were going to come out of this fight alive.

Without warning however, Maisy swept down from the rooftops above and landed in the middle of their ranks, roaring as loud as she could.
With little effort, almost half their entire force as on the floor with one gigantic swipe, the zebras in absolute confusion as to what was happening.

"WHY... WHY IS THERE A MANTICORE HERE?!" I heard Blessed scream at the top of her lungs.
"Because that's Crimsons pet. Yeah, my stallion has a pet manticore. Wanna fight about it?"
I looked back at Blessed and smiled as her worried eyes shot frontwards and back before she passed out.
Crap, this was the last thing we needed!

Still, Maisy was proving to be as loyal as ever and just as ferocious with her fighting as we expected from her.
Four more zebras fell to her swipes and crushing attacks, two more of them heavily wounded by her stingers poison. It looked like things were going to be okay for us as Maisy seemed to be able to ignore their hoof to hoof attacks with stunning endurance.
She showed signs of pain, but had seemed to use that pain for further rage fuelled fighting techniques.
Then the robots came.

By the sight of them alone, the robot zebras had frightened Maisy away from the fight, hiding at the top of the rooftops as she had once before, her once proud roar becoming a frightened squeak.
Eight robots rushed towards us alongside the remaining zebra force, quickly overrunning where we had once stood as we were pushed back further and further.
We'd lost Blessed in the confusion and trying to avoid the hoofbeating left right and centre.
They dragged her away before we could do a thing, my focus purely on the sound of my shotgun roaring away.
It all happened too fast.

Six shots, only two piercing the armour of one of these new soldiers. He went down on the sixth but it was too wasteful, I wasn't going to be able to take them all out with the ammo I had if I kept shooting the chestplate.
I hit into S.A.T.S and targeted the face of the closest zebra, two shots in case the first one missed.
It hadn't, the first shot went straight to the eyes, blinding but not quite killing the zebra. The second one gave it mercy, an end to her screams as her body fell limp to the floor.

"CHERRY, FALL BACK!"

"NOT WITHOUT YOU!"

"JUST DO IT! PLEASE!"

"NO!"

"CHERRY!"

I watched as one of them rushed up to her side and smashed her to the floor before one of the robots smashed me, sending me flying against the wall.
What the hell were those things!? That fucking hurt even through the high dosage of med-x running through me!
I did my best to pick myself up and galloped straight to Cherry where the zebra reared above her, about to smash down on her with his hooves.
My own hooves put a stop to that, sending the zebra fucker onto his side and I pressed my pistol to his head, as I once had done so to the raider before him.

"Who am I? I am The Executioner."

A loud bang rang through and the zebras all stared at me in shock, apparently executing your foe in the middle of a battleground was some kind of war crime.
Before I could spin my gun around on the others, a zebra robot smashed into me again.
Once more I felt myself flying through the air, too damn grateful that I had heavy armour on as I smacked against a wall.
My vision began to blur slightly as I watched them approach cautiously, I could feel my blood pouring over myself.

As they came closer however, a large explosion blew one of the buildings further down the road apart. Screaming filled the air, but not screaming of pain, horror or even panic.
The screaming sounded almost... heroic, energetic, inspiring perhaps.
I turned my head to look at the group of ponies wielding assault rifles and one with a sniper before I saw him... Titan.

"Perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim."

[Be patient and tough; some day this pain will be useful to you.]

I couldn't do anything but watch as Styx began to rev its motors before rounds started pouring out into the zebra forces in front of me.

"ZEBRA SUPERHOOFS! BE CAREFUL BUT BE BRAVE! WE MUST RESCUE THEM ALL!"
A cheer from his followers lifted my spirits as I saw the alarm and shock in the zebra's faces.
Explosive rounds punched into the ground around me, sending warriors flying.
The robots stood a better chance against Titan and his minigun then the zebras had, but even they found the unrelenting force of the bullets smashing into them alongside the clatter of assault rifles and the sniper rifle to be too much.

Falling down onto the ground the robots began to spark, entire limbs being ripped off of them in the force of the shredding attack.
One by one, the robots were reduced to nothing but scrap, unable to do any further damage.
The remaining zebra force ran, screaming for their lives as their numbers dwindled from many to few.
Cherry lay unconscious on the ground and I felt myself sweeping in and out of alertness as well.

"Pick them both up! Get them back to base!"

They were the last words I heard.

---o---o---o---

Footnote:
Level up!
Perk unlocked! I am The Fucking Executioner (Executioner rank 2)!
You don't give a flying fuck where you are now, you'll execute anyone - anywhere, if you so feel like it and have the chance.
Your morality will now only be affected if you shoot innocents and you score an instakill every time you attempt it.
Though your morality won't change, group reputation will dramatically swing dependant on your actions, so be careful!
...You still don't give a fuck for reprisal though.

40 Medicine attained.
65 Small guns attained.

Footnote:
Cherry Sundae level up!
Perk unlocked! Ferocious love!
If someone is assaulting your love in any way - be it traditional or sexual, you gain +10 to all combat related skills and +5% to damage resistance! No-one hurts your Crimson!

75 Small guns attained.

Footnote:
Maisy level up!
Perk unlocked! Pain rage!
When in lots of pain, Maisy gains +15 to her unarmed skill.

85 Unarmed attained.

As promised, I'm going to keep advertising the fact that the head picture came from WavemasterRyx, who can be found:http://ask-the-waves.tumblr.com/ !

A huge thank you to my friend Joey for helping me out a lot, through a lot of things. He's been there for me more times then I can remember now and he's a fan of the story, often inspiring me to write more just like Arcus does.
So thank you Joey, much appreciated for everything you do for me.

The combat in this chapter has been highly influenced by Swicked from Cloudsville - a friend of mine and fellow member of the Project Horizons Comment Crew. Thanks for the insight on how to make it better!

Chapter 12: Plans for the future

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds
By Kippershy

Chapter twelve: Plans for the future

"I just finished planning my schedule for the month, but I forgot to leave time to plan for next month."

"Doctor... Crimson... waking up."
"Okay, just check... when he does... everything is fine."

I groaned loudly as I came further into consciousness, my head aching like a brahmin had kicked it and my leg even more-so. I didn't open my eyes but I could hear parts of conversations going on around me, though parts of what was being said completely eluded me as I lay down on the...
Wait. Where was I?

My eyes shot open immediately and instinctively I began to spread my wings in an attempt to fly, only to find out that my wings were strapped to my side and instead of flying, I'd managed to fall off of the bed.
Immediately a female with a grey coat ran over to me.

"Please stop! Calm down! Please!"
I had almost let my guard down, then I noticed something... horrifying. My eyes darted from side to side to try find an escape, but none was obvious. Instead, I had to go through her, hoping that her bones wouldn't crush under my weight and that I wouldn't get that disgusting texture all over me... the texture of a ghoul.

"FUCK FUCK FUCK! I GOTTA GET OUT OF HERE"
"Please calm down! We're trying to help!"
"TRYING TO EAT ME!"

I smashed through her, pushing her to aside as I had, trying my best to run on unsteady hooves before I hit the ground, hard.

*** *** ***

Feeling my eyes begin to open once more, I hadn't remembered what had happened. Where was? Oh, scrap that. I was... there was a bed.
Looking up I could see worried faces, looking to my side I could see I was back on the bed.
Turning to my other side I saw the ghoul again, instinctively my reflexes were to freak out once more.
Struggling to my hooves, I found I couldn't get up yet there was no visible restraint.

"Crimson."
My name? They knew my name? With that I calmed down, but for how long could I stay calm when I couldn't even move?
"Crimson, it's okay. It's me, Titan."

I looked at the pale earth pony, even without his armour he was exceeding any size a pony should be allowed to be in terms of muscle and height, even as an earth pony. Parts of his body had worn down and exposed patches of muscle under a dingy coat.

"Why can't I move Titan? What's going on!?"
"Calm down Crimson, it's okay. You're safe with us, even if we hadn't expected to meet you like this or so soon."
"We?"
"I'll explain later, right now you need to clam down and not hurt the medical staff."
"You mean the ghoul."
"The nurse."
"Ghoul nurse."

Titan sighed at my response, shaking his head in a mixture of pity and slight annoyance.
"Crimson, it's okay. You're being held down with simple telekinesis so I can talk to you without another incident where you knock yourself out in panic."
"It was hardly intentional."
"Precisely. You can't be trusted to look after yourself yet, your body needs some time to compensate the damage done."
"What do you mean?"
"You didn't realise your leg is fractured?"
"Wait, what?"
"Yeah. Superhoof fractured your front right leg, we assume. You'll still be able to walk if you absolutely need to, but we really don't recommend it. In fact, we're not letting you out until it has healed, and right now our shipment of hydra hasn't arrived."
"Well shit, you got no healing magic capable ponies?"
"Nopony."

I felt the magic holding me down let go, a soft smile from the nurse attendant behind Titan as she released me.

"Thank you. I'm sorry for freaking out earlier... I just don't like ghouls one bit after what I've been through, waking up to see a ghoul wasn't exactly the best idea."
"Well, you're awfully polite for a bigot, aren't you? Thank you anyway."
"Hey, when you've seen what I have, you have the right to be a bigot."

Titan interrupted now, obviously displeased.
"Crimson, shut it. I know you've seen something horrific, but haven't we all? That is the wasteland for you, and that's why we're fighting to stop it. If you can't handle the fact that some insane animal that used to be a pony did what it did, fine. Don't take it out on the rest of us who've been put in the same bath of radiation though. Besides, you don't look at every smoothcoat and see them as raiders, do you?"
"No, but I make sure to kill or execute the ones who are."
"Yeah, we heard you loud and clear, yelling out about being 'The Executioner'. One of our scouts even saw you do it, to their disbelief."
"I would do anything to keep my marefriend alive, anything to protect the ponies under me."
Titan just nodded in appreciation and left the subject.

So... I was stuck in a bed where I didn't know exactly where I was, where the only pony I knew was Titan and even then I hadn't known him for long. I had just walked into a city and started a series of fights with an unknown group that consisted of zebras speaking their old language and ponies so poor they were willing to risk their lives for anything they could possibly get, despite the risks involved.
What an interesting tale this had turned out to be already, all I wanted was a water talisman.

"I know that look. You're lost and you don't know what you're doing, you need direction both literally and metaphorically. You want me to go grab Cherry so you can at least have something familiar?"
Eyeing him, I spoke slowly and cautiously. "How the hell did you know?"
"You don't go for a little over two hundred years in life without picking up some basic skills like that. You see of many ponies come and go, birth to death. You learn all the more simple stuff like this before you've even realised it. Kind've sad, really. Anyway, yeah, I'll go get her for you now."

With that he trotted off through the doorway and down the hall, turning a corner. I'd wondered how long it'd take for him to get her and what kind of condition she was in. Worry filled me as I thought about that, the last time I'd seen her she was knocked unconscious on the floor, was she okay? I hoped she was.

Two minutes passed, it felt like an eternity staring up at the ceiling above and the walls surrounding.
It was obvious that they'd tried to keep the place clean, though both time and inability reduced its cleanliness with subtle brown stains in the corners. I could only hope those stains were dried in blood like I'd assumed and nothing else.

The sweetest of voices called out to me from down the hallway, my love. "Crimson? You there?"
My lips curled into a soft smile as I laid eyes on her, her beautiful face lit up my world as she walked up to me and gave me a small kiss. A single tear ran down my cheek as I looked at her, the worry and stress washing away.

"Why are you crying, Wingsy? Is it your wing? That is quite the nasty wound you have."
"No, it's not my wing. I mean, my wing does hurt, but that's not it."
"Oh? What's wrong Crimson?"
"I was just worried about you is all, last I remembered of you was you being knocked out."
With that she gave me the most warming of smiles and tenderly brushed my tears away with her hoof as she kissed me.

"Awh, babe! I'm fine, I just wish you were. Good news is that the doctors have said your wing looks like it'll heal up fairly soon, judging on old world textbooks. It means no flying for you, but it's only as bad as breaking the bones in your wing."
"Only as bad? Breaking my wing would take a week or two, maybe even longer to heal up!"
"Well, thankfully you're the only one so beat up."

I huffed in response, annoyed at how she could make that sound so cheery. "Hey! What do you mean thankfully?!"
"Well, because all I am is a little sore. You? You're out of the fight as it were until you're better, my orders. Besides that, they're going to need help and if we were both unable to fight, that would prolong our search out here a lot."

They were going to need her? What was she even on about?
"Wait, what are you on about?"
Titan walked by her side with his helmet back on, partially armoured up once more.
"The cause, our cause, to be exact. I've been speaking with Cherry, and we know of one water talisman, safe and sound. Trouble is, you'll need my help to get it."
"And so you want us to help you out before you'll help us out."
"Is there any other way? You're free to decline of course, we won't hold it against you. However, we need your help as much as you need ours."

Thinking about that for a minute, Titan had a fair point. There was no one way trade in the wasteland, everyone had their price both good and bad.
I started to wonder what my price might've been, though that was the last thing I'd ever wanted to fall to.

"Okay, if you want our help, you've got to not just tell Cherry, but me too. What is it you need?"
"Most of all, we need the support of the ponies. We of course are a part of the citizens, but we need the majority to support a popular uprising. We cannot and will not go ahead until we can rest assured it is what the ponies truly want. This isn't about ourselves, it's about the well-being of everypony here."
Nodding, I allowed Titan to continue.

"Once we have the popular support, it'll be time for infiltration missions and weakening the enemies infrastructure. If we're going to take down the D-Z-C, we're going to need to take their weapons from them and give them to ourselves. We'll need to cripple their ability to control the masses, take their ability to organise forces. We'll then need to strike hard and heavy on their leadership and take down the leader."
I put a hoof up to interrupt,

"No."
He gave me a questioning look. "No?"
"No. You don't strike for the top echelons of leadership first, that would be your downfall."
"What are you on about?"
"Leadership doesn't run top down, it runs middle, top, bottom. The bottom is the ponies with no power, the ponies who make the masses. They have no true capability to change things without a lot of help."
"Yeah, we all know that, but how does-?"
"Auh, let me finish. The top pony is a figurehead, a pony in charge to turn to in times of need, be it to blame or to seek deliverance. The middle is where the power is."
"How so?"
"The middle is where the masses are controlled from. The middle is all the technicians that keep the guns and buildings repaired and efficient, the middle is all the officers and council members who handle what needs to go to the top leader and what can be handled locally. Without the middle, the top falls like a house of cards under the strain. You eliminate the top and the middle will select somepony new to rise up."

He stood there speechless in awe, even Cherry did as I laid there with a grin on my face.

"Prove it. What would happen to this organisation if our leader died?"
"If you died, the uprising would still continue if it was the true desire of the pones. Perhaps it would be stunted, but a new leader would be found. Somepony would show the courage and qualities of leadership and they would be made the new leader. For as long as the need exists, it will be filled sooner or later."
"I'm not the leader though."
"No? You show the signs of leadership, you hold the proper qualities. So, you must be the middle then? Before we help you, I want to see your leadership."

Cherry cocked her head to the side slightly and turned her head between me and Titan.
"Crimson, are you sure this is wise? We're going to need his help either way."
"Yes, I refuse to help anypony topple any governing body until I know the leadership of the group."
"Normally I'd agree, but unless we have another option..."
Once again, his gruff and raspy voice spoke. "You don't, as far as I'm aware. As for seeing our leadership? No. It's too early to trust you on such matters yet."
"I demand to see them, end of."
"No, it's too ea-"

Titan's voice dropped as a large blue pony appeared next to me.
"Hello Crimson."
"Eos? Wait, you're the leader of this group?"
"Eos, what are you doing in here? You should be in the war room away fro-"
"Silver, I understand your worry, but Crimson is fine."

With that, she levitated me upright and slid her hooves around my chest and back with an embrace only a pony as magnificently big as her could do.

"Thank you, Crimson. Your actions have postponed the death of one of our most faithful, though her life is still at risk. We would be... most appreciative if you were to help us, be it through yourself or through Cherry Sundae, for now."
"Hey! How do you know my name? Why are you hugging my buckfriend? I don't exactly find it too pleasant to find you coming out of nowhere and hugging him without asking either of us first, thank you."
Stifling a laugh, I looked at Cherry. "Awh, Cherry, you getting jealous?"
"N..No! I just don't know who she is and she's hugging you without..."
"It's fine. She gives lovely hugs, but that's all. Her name is Eos and she's friendly."

Titan made a grumpy sound as he watched on. "Yeah, real friendly. Eos, what's with the sudden affection? Your type has always been so cold."
"Is it not within my right as a pony to desire affection? Is it not possible that Crimson was the first not too scared to give me admission to have some?"
"Well... of course. It's just... strange."
"I desire love and admiration. If that seems strange to you, so be it."

"Now, Crimson, hold still. I should have some minor healing magic ability still."
With that, her horn pressed against my wing and an incredibly unnerving sensation filled my side as the skin patched itself together slightly, though still showed signs of damage and lacked any of its feathers.
"Oh, wow. Thank you Eos. Would it be too much to ask for my leg done too?"
"Unfortunately yes, my healing spell is very limited due to the fact I'm not skilled in it, so that's all I can manage. As for your wing, you still cannot fly and nor should you try. However, your wing will heal a lot faster and to a better overall condition then it would have otherwise."
"Thank you."
"Now I must go once again, I am needed elsewhere. However, before I do I must ask of you one thing."
"I pledge our support to you, Eos, as long as you may pledge your support in return once we're done."
"Of course, thank you. Goodbye for now."

Instead of disappearing back behind another cloak of invisibility however, the slender alicorn elegantly walked out of the room and down the hall.
Titan muttered something about breaking procedure and safety hazards, and Cherry looked bemused that I'd so freely accept Eos' affections.
I really hadn't understood though, wasn't like we'd kissed even!

Cherry gave a little shake of her head before giving me one last hug.
"Crimson, I'm going to head off with Titan now. You stay here, okay? I'm going to go plan what needs to be done and begin preparing, you need to rest up. Maisy is in the area above somewhere, from what I've been told, so I'll be safe. Heal up fast, Crimson. Gonna need you out there soon."

Staying in here as Cherry followed Titan out of the door was a terrible, gut wrenching feeling. I knew she had the training and I knew she could handle herself better then I could, she had newer armour and she had the advantage of magic.
She didn't have my wings though, or a shotgun. I thought about calling her name out and offering it, but I supposed her 9mm would do the job all the same, quieter too.

So what did I do instead? What could I do was a better question, with only one logical answer given the situation. I slept.
At first I felt restless, but after some time, I'd gotten so bored that I really couldn't help but feel sleepy.

"Goodnight."
I heard the nurse from earlier reply to me. "Seep well, Mr Wings."
I couldn't help but smile at her forgiveness, maybe not all ghouls were too bad after all.

*** *** ***

"So, what do you make of what he said back there?"
"About what?"
"About the chain of leadership. I was a simple soldier pony, that's what I still am. I fought to protect those around me, I didn't fight to get promoted to some desk job. That's why I chose to go for RF Mission Support when I had the chance, I knew in that role that I wouldn't be risking a promotion to some worthless role while increasing my ability to protect my friends."

Looking at Titan, I couldn't quite grasp what he was trying to say.
"What are you getting at?"
"I mean that I never thought about all that stuff. I always assumed that if we took out the Caesar, the war would be won. That if Celestia and Luna were to fall, all would be lost."
"All has been lost, for everyone. Pony, zebra, griffin, buffalo, no matter what species, everyone lost. We lost our innocence with the start of the war, our world at the end of it and our souls with what we are today."

"That we did, that we did. I've watched for over two hundred years, I've seen it all fall apart. It wasn't like this at first, not at all."
"What was it like?" I had to know.
"Surprisingly peaceful, if not chaotic. To begin with, ponies simply scrambled about trying to survive and stockpile what resources they could. Most ponies died in the blasts, the cities being the biggest targets of course. The ponies out the country tended to manage fine enough. That's how I survived."
"Where were you?"
"I was in the middle of a battlefield, fighting zebra forces at the time. It was a tough battle, but then the zebras began to retreat, their full force turned tail and began to flee. Most units were happy to call it victory, but me and my commander wanted more, we wanted to put them into the ground where they belonged. Too many of the ones we knew died, we burnt for retribution."

Titan's voice carried an air of lamentation, obviously he felt bad. I went to say he didn't have to go on, but before I could he drew another breath and continued.

"I see the error of that now, I understand how killing those soldiers would've done no good. They were the same as us, scared and told that they had to go to war for their honour, for the protection of their friends, for their way of life. Anyway, they ran and we charged towards them until we saw deep shades of green, purple and blue filling the skies above. Missiles struck past and we fell to the floor in fear, thinking that moment was going to be our last, if only."
"That's when they hit the cities instead... leaving you out in the middle of the battleground?"
"Precisely. We fell back upon orders of high command, what was left of it. We tried emergency evacuations from the cities, what was left of them anyway. Needless to say, we only found radiation and death."

A choking sound filled Titan's throat, a guttural splutter sound almost like crying.
Lowering my head, I wrapped my hooves around him.
Titan had been through a lot, he'd seen his whole world collapse and changed before his eyes. Even after all this time, he still found it hard to think about... even after all these years.
That hit me hard as I sat there, silently comforting the ghoul who sat in half of his patchwork power armour.

"It'll be okay Titan, some day. Maybe not tomorrow, but some day ponykind will pick itself out of the ground, from the ashes scattered all over Equestria, and relight in rebirth like a phoenix. Some day."
"I hope so. I've... I've been fighting for so long. Too long, yet I can't give up until the job is done."
But the job would never be done, I thought. As long as there's ponies out there who have anything, there will be ponies who desire to take it by force.
Even flesh and blood isn't sacred, as sad as the fact was.

Once Titan had some time to recompose, we continued to make our way to the war room. I'd soon realised it was simply an abandoned under-surface hospital designed for military casualties to keep them safe from any zebra bombs or artillery.

"We're going to be travelling with a compliment of scouts, for your protection somewhat and for generally speaking to the public. The resistance needs to gain solid footing in East Slumside before we can take it from the DZC."

I'd gone to reply, but instead my focus was lost on a sign above the doors.
"SECTION 3 - RESTRICTED ACCESS - AUTHORISED PERSONNEL ONLY".
Personnel? I shrugged, though it seemed weird to use the word personnel over 'ponies'.
I'd also wondered why the door was extra large, but that was probably to help evacuation if needed.
As we walked in, a lone computer screen sat on the wall, one line of text flashing over and over.

">Coltchester experimental medical military base 01"
">Base integrity - Medium / Needs repairs"
">Please organise repairs to be made"
">Base defences - Inactive / Needs repairs"
">Please organise repairs to be made"
">Base lock-down features - Online / Inactive"
">Project Steelpony - Active"
">Project Iron Giant - Reactivation pending"
">Please reactivate Project Iron Giant"
">Base capability - 70%"

I tried to ask Titan about what all this stuff was about, but before I could even do so he was in the next room over and pulling off a map of Coltchester from the wall and placing it on the table ahead.

"We need to hold full support from Slumside before we can move over to either the old Dog Quarries south of here, or the farms to the north."
"What about West Slumside? What's the status quo there?"
"The West is ours, it's where those most willing to support us reside. You've seen them with your own eyes, you know the squalor they live in. They want us to change that, to take charge and make their lives better - or die trying."
"So you have the majority of the ponies there willing to rise up when the time comes?"
"Between six to seven for every ten, yeah. We think some of the others would pledge their support if it weren't for fear of reprisals if they were caught saying so. Others? Others have lost everything they can lose, their lives are as good as gone without any future change."

I couldn't help but admire him when he spoke, the passion he held for the ponies reminded me of Crimson in the way they both truly believed in the power of the ponies and their willingness to be servants to them rather then to try order them every time they spoke.
We hadn't been in Coltchester even a full day, but already I'd come to believe in this cause, perhaps it could be the redemption of the city.
We'd seen what it was like for the ponies here, we knew that this couldn't have possibly been a city without dissent.

"So, we make some friends over in East Slumside. How do you plan for us go about that?"
"Crimson would love this... we fight. We show the weakness of the DZC and at the same time, show our strength. They rule with an iron hoof through intimidation and physical strength. Foolish foals see them as the way to be powerful and respected. Terrified mothers see them as monsters who they bow to in hopes of avoiding being hurt or worse. All the while, horrified fathers are left with no option but to join their ranks or ultimately support them in some other way, lest they wish to be those who live in West Slumside and fail their families."

That was quite a predicament indeed... "What kind of attacks are we talking?"
"Well, we've found attacking head on is no good, guerilla tactics where we hit and run have been effective however."
"Any infiltration attempts?"
"Three, all failed miserably. Each time our agents have been caught either getting in or getting out, and hung for their troubles to make an example of them."
"Huh, that so?"
"You're not thinking of trying are you? There's no way it could work, they'd catch you for sure."

As he spoke, my magic encased me in a stealth cloak, removing me from sight.
"Huh, almost forgot about that. You thinking you could pull it off?"
Slowly I let down the field as I began to speak, as not to waste effort uselessly. "I could, but I'll need a goal, a distraction and something else. Before I agree to any missions like that, you have to tell me what targets you'd want to hit, what benefit they'd have by doing so and lastly, what diversion you can give me."
"Uh, well... I'm not too good with planning, I just lead the ponies in the fight. I was never an officer for a reason, I couldn't understand advanced tactics, just immediate effect ones involving flanking the enemy."

Really? Really? He was going to try and organise an uprising and new government like this? I facehooved.
"Look. You're going to have to tell me, what do they rely on most in Slumside?"
"The slave market is probably their biggest attraction to wealthy outsiders."
"Good. Taking down a slave market provides a lot of moral bonus, gives us popular support, and perhaps even more soldiers from ex slaves. Say this goes wrong, say I need them distracted somehow, how could you do that?"
"Uhm, Oh! The centurions wife! It's her birthday in ten days, it's a large public event. We could disrupt that, though security would be tight at the venue."
"Perfect. You organise a mass panic, something like a few smoke grenades would do the trick. Anything that would lower visibility or make the everypony scatter."
"Got it, sounds like something we could organise."

Now we were getting somewhere, and with that, I walked away from the table.
For a second I messed around on the dials on my pipbuck until I had the right frequency to broadcast.

"Broadcast code CS534, repeat, broadcast code CS534. Come in."
A gruff voice came from the other end. "Treetop?"
"Freight train?"
"Indeed, it's me. What's up?"
"I'm calling a code rainbow."
"Rendezvous?"
"Coltchester, west entrance. Leave tonight."
"Tonight?"
"Tonight."
"Got it."
"Further details upon arrival?"
"Of course. Come to rock and roll."
"Wilco. Good hunting."
"Princess speed."

"What the hell was that all about? Reminds me of my old army days."
"For good reason. We survive because we're professional, code speak is essential."
"Across all your force?"
"....No."
"Should I ask?"
"No."
"Okay."
"Sorry Titan, but some things just gotta be kept as they are."

We'd studied the map together and Titan showed me how far the military base expanded, pointing out where its entrance was found over in Slumside as he began to plan once more.

"So, we have our big event planned for the long term. What are we going to do short term?"
"Generally we go out, speak to the ponies topside. We find out what they need most and what's been happening."
"Uh huh, what else?"
"If we have the supplies? We do what we can. Otherwise we apologise and go to the next lot."
"That's the wrong approach there, then. We're going to need to stick with the ponies, get them the supplies from the DZC and give it to the ponies."

He grinned at me through the missing lower half of his helmet.
"You thinking of taking the resources by force?"
"If we need to? Yes. You say your forces are strong at guerilla tactics? We ambush the enemy convoys as they move or we make hit and run on their stockpiles, keeping the method of attack and approach changed up each and every time if we can help it, because the moment we get lazy and follow through with the same method for the third time in a row is when they start to shore their defences from that type of attack."

With a shy little scuff of the ground with a hoof, Titan looked down as he spoke to me.
"Just one thing, isn't that a lot more risky then what we're currently doing? We don't have the forces to keep receiving losses."
"You expect to win the support of the ponies while you're too afraid to take risks? While you're too afraid to get the items they need to survive with more comfort? What kind of example does that set? How do you think that makes you as a prospective future leader?"
"I, uh..."
"It makes you look weak. Sometimes, taking the risk wins you the jackpot. In this case, the jackpot is the betterment of the lives of everyone here, be they pony, zebra or otherwise. I assume there are some zebras who aren't in the forces, correct?"
"Yeah."

Taking one more look at Titan, I knew our little talk had come to an end. He was ready to lead the soldiers, he just had to remember to stop being so painstakingly careful about it. From our time planning, I could see a new, more confident about himself Titan that had previously only showed in the thick of a fight.
This pony was war material, leadership of a unit or perhaps even an army, but I couldn't imagine him leading a city.

"Get your armour on, your gun reloaded and put on some cologne, we're going to go see the ponies we're doing this for."

We traversed the tunnels with Titan's scouts ahead of us, leading the way. Titan himself knew the way like the back of his hoof, but this was my first time consciously travelling through here and took in as much as I could as I tried to memorise the route.
Passing by many clean rooms, some of them had stacks of pre-war documents still unsettled in neat piles upon the desks within. Something told me there was a deep level of respect for where they stayed, despite the age of the base.

"Remember mares and bucks, we'll be entering the city after a big fight. Security is going to be heightened more then likely, and if you find any posters depicting a bounty for any of us or our friends, take them down. Got it?"
"Yes sir, we understand."
"What about me?" I asked. "Anything I should know?"
"Hm, you should be fine. You're new to the city and Crimson was the one who got all the attention after his little exploit. Nevertheless, be careful yourself. If you can obtain any robes to cover yourself with, make good use of them for a little further protection."
Nodding back at him, I took note. A set of robes did indeed sound a smart idea to try conceal myself and blend in with the peoples of Coltchester.

As we approached the exit, one pony ahead carried on over to the large cover in front of the opening while the rest of us halted a few feet behind.
Poking his head out, he turned back to us and nodded. "All clear, we're free to go."
Titan's low voice filled the air with a thickness in the way he spoke, a strangely soothing sound. "Thanks Lightstep, come on you lot, lets go."
In pairs we made our exit as Lightstep held the large door open for us, closing it slowly as I'd made my way out.

"Scouts, remember the mission. You're to talk to who you can, find out what you can and remove any bounty posters you can. Cherry, keep an eye out for Maisy, get her fed if she needs to be, though reports say that some of the radspider meat stockpiled in DZC stock houses has mysteriously vanished, so that might have been her since we didn't do it."
"Okay. You remember what I told you too, right?"
"Of course, I don't forget after just twenty minutes, Cherry."
"Just checking! Come on, lets go, like you say."

With that, we made our way out from behind a broken house, two of the scouts scattering off to the left as soon as they got round the corner, the other four sticking with us for a moment.
"So, where to first Titan?"
"First we'll check out the marketplace, though the mix of supporters and rebels is quite even in the locality, it's good to strengthen what we already have."
"Got it."

Making our way along the cracked roads, I'd noticed how much Coltchester had changed from the oppressive emptiness to a place filled with both the poor and those who obviously had something to flaunt. Ponies haggled their goods to us as we walked on by, though most of it was stuff we hadn't wanted anyway.

"Round up, round up! Get your radspider kebabs! One hundred percent fresh!"
"Forget his kebabs, get my radbit burgers! Full of meaty goodness from the recent radbit massacre!"
"Oh, not this shit again, Thin Slice! Everybody knows that your burgers cause diarrhoea!"
"Only for you, zebra sympathiser!"
"You want to watch your mouth? I'll have the coalition take you away otherwise."
"No! I won't bow down to their oppressive rule and they know that!"
"That's why you're always getting beaten, you're on the losing side. Now get your crap food away from mine, dirtbag."

Looking at the pair, I couldn't help but giggle at the two vendors arguing,
"Say, pretty mare! How would you like a free radbit burger?"
"Who? Me?"
"Yes, of course! I've not seen a mare such as you around here before."
"Oh... uhm... well, uh... yeah. No, I'm new here."
"You're not frightened off by that jackass and his false accusations are you? The quality of my food is fine."
"OF COURSE SHE IS YOU MORON!" The purple pony on the other side of the road shouted back. "NO-ONE WANTS TO FALL ILL FROM YOUR FOOD. GO AWAY BEFORE I DO GET THE GUARDS."
"Uhm... I..."
"Yes? I'm sorry for his behaviour."
"I'm really sorry, but no. It's not what he's saying, I just can't imagine eating a radbit burger... I mean, Prince Snugglebums is a radbit."
"Who is a radbit?"

With that, I took Prince Snugglebums out of my saddlebag and sat him on my back, to which he took up his usual post atop my head.
"My radbit! Prince Snugglebums!"
A warm smile made it's way across my face as I blushed a little at the vendor giving me a puzzled look before smiling back at me.

Titan stood by my side at this point, after casually having browsed some of the other stands leading up to the two meat vendors.
"Well, what a sweetheart you are. I suppose there's no chance for a sale with you then?"
"No, sorry about that."
"Okay then. Perfer et obdura."

Titan spoke, his rough and raspy voice spoke as softly as it could once more. "Dolor hic tibi proderit olim."
The look upon the vendors face changed from simply happy to what seemed almost scared, until I realised it was awe.
He smiled as he nodded to us, one by one and we continued back down the road.

Leaning into Titan's ear, I began to whisper a question. "Titan? What does 'perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim' mean?"
"Be patient and tough, for some day this pain will be of use to you."
"Ah, I suppose its your way of identifying members, maybe?"
"Yes, precisely. Those who believe in the cause understand the cost of what it takes to reach our goal and will strive to endure any pain that they may receive on the road to victory, for it is all we can do."

"Do you know of anywhere I can get a cloak? Perhaps one for yourself wouldn't be a bad idea, hmmm?"
"My armour too much of a status symbol you think?"
"Not so much for fear of being mugged, but what about this coalition?"
"If they recognise me, so be it. If I am to lead the fighting, I need to be recognised by my own. I do not travel without the protection of the Prise."
"The Prise? I'm sure Crimson mentioned something about that... back while I was away in Coltshire for the first time."
"No, surely not. I doubt very much that he had even known the term."

Rolling my eyes at him, I couldn't believe what he had just said. Did he take us for uneducated tribals or something?
"Oh please, the prise as a term is a very old one."
"Is that so?"
"Angels of the skies and stars that gave birth to the princesses, they who watch over us and influence the outcomes of what they can. A lot of old ponytales, really."
"Still, the prise of lore and the prise of my protection are not the same. The likelihood is not high, even with her action. Still, it does not matter."

Did he just? I couldn't help myself, I had to do it.
"Oh, okay. Yeah, I see. Doesn't matter because you might be wrong huh?"
"Are you really going to insult me like this?"
"No, it's called teasing, you old grump. Teasing, remember?"
"Hmpf. Perhaps if you reached my age, you'd lose your knack for such humour too."
"Hope not." I gave him a little wink as I playfully tilted my head backwards to him. He really needed to lighten up.

Trotting along we'd passed a lot of different stands, some empty some filled to the brim with little things that had looked like they'd been scavenged from the surrounding area. Surprisingly, one merchant had two guards by her side, both donkeys in heavy metal armour that almost looked to be imitation of Titan's, as low tech as they were.
Actually, scrap the use of low tech, sheets of metal simply welded together fit the bill a lot better here.

Casually making my way up to the stand, I saw why they were here. The vendor was selling guns, and they looked to be high quality of that.
With a sure smile I looked at the somewhat ageing coffee brown donkey behind. "Perfer et obdura?"
"Uh, what? Look, I have no time for you if you're outta your mind like the rest of the nutcases round here, but something tells me you were just trying to fit in. Either stop wasting my time or you'll be punished, you here to buy or you gonna walk?"

My cheeks burned red. "Oh. Sorry, what do you have?"
"You got any fifty calibre for my sniper rifle?"
"Fifty? Fuck no! Get out of here before I report you to the authorities. Only the Donkey Zebra Coalition is allowed that kind've gear, so don't you dare even bring that up again. I'll let you off this time since you're obviously a visitor, but if you come back here, I will have the guards drag you away, got it?"

I stared at the vendor in shock and hit into S.A.T.S, considering my options. This vendor was obviously a supporter of the DZC and the way they were behaving was simply out of line, but alas, killing them for that alone wasn't my thing. If the time came that they chose to turn their guns on me, it would be self defence. This? This would've been murder over a dispute, though I had no guilt about using S.A.T.S to give myself time to think and calm down.

Coming back out out of S.A.T.S, I looked over to Titan.
"Come on, lets see what other stands there are. I'm not going to stand by and be threatened by this piece of shit."
"Oh, I'm the piece of shit am I? I work hard to provide for our glorious leaders and army, yet I'm the piece of shit? You want to start a fight with me, red? I'll have the guards down on you faster then a dead pegasus falling from the sky."
Images of Crimson filled my mind, the horror etched itself across my face and I could hardly contain myself.
Still, I knew I had to, for now.

Titan ushered me away, knowing that if it went on much longer it'd possibly end up in a bloodbath. Even if I didn't shoot first, there was an awkwardness in the way that he walked that told me he was just as agitated as I.
No doubt he'd have loved to take a shot at them himself, if he could've.

A cold, calculated voice spoke in low volume next to me. "He's our first target."
"What do you mean, Titan? We're not ready to start a fight yet, are we?"
"Not yet, no. Though when the time comes and we go aggressive, he's a primary."
"Got any reasons behind that, other then hate for him?"

Titan paused for a moment, nodding his head at me.
"Supplying the enemy? Being proud of that? That makes him a military target in my mind, not a civilian. Just because you're not on the front line."
I couldn't help myself from interrupting. "Just because you're not on the front-line, doesn't mean you're not a military valued asset. Enemy supply lines must be cut for a successful campaign."
"Yeah, exactly. He's a source that feeds directly with no need for a supply line. To take him out is to take away from enemy capability, to leave him in only strengthens them. Besides, his guards were Donkey heavy troopers, renowned for their no nonsense attitude, more-so then zebras even. They're a big threat to the community."
"I see."

Half hour had passed, we'd seen more vendors but nothing special was happening. Titan spoke to some of them, though each and every one had said there was something wrong, none of them would say what.
It was truly tiring to try and win the trust of the people when they wouldn't open up and tell you what needed to be done.
The last of the scouts had left us twenty minutes ago, after reaching their location to break away at.
Now things began to change however.

A voice carried through the alleyway ahead. "Help! Please! Somepony!"
Looking at Titan, we both knew we had to go check it out. I rushed off ahead of him and ran between a series of buildings and jumped over a fence only to find the way was blocked, I'd have to go around further.
"SHUT IT YOU SLAG, YOU'LL DO AS I SAY, WHEN I SAY, OR ELSE. YOU GOT THAT?!"
"Please! Somepony!" She cried out in pain as I heard a hoof strike down on her, her cry of pain getting closer as I ran around.

"Gravel, grab her front hooves. I'm going to show this bitch that I take what I want, when I want. Then I'll burn her stand down to the ground after I'm done to really prove my point, HA!"
"Oh, I love it when you've got a plan boss. Can I join in?"
"No, I want to hear her crying in pain without your cock in the way. You can have her once I'm done."
"NO, NO! PLEASE NO! PLEASE SOMEPONY! ANYPONY!"

It was sickening what I was hearing, how could anybody do that to another?
From the sound of it, it was just over the wall, but I couldn't climb over! Fuck!
There had to be something... something to climb on or up or...
That was when I realised, I was standing next to a house! A house that could see over the wall!

Kicking the door down with my hind hooves, I paid no attention to what was inside. Immediately I rushed up the stairs ahead of me and kicked each and every door down one by one until I could see the event unfold in front of me.
The mare below had just been kicked to the floor once more as the buck took place above her, ready to defile her body.
I couldn't let that happen, I wouldn't let that happen.

The bullet flew true, colliding with his left eye a moment before he could enter the mare. Two other bucks immediately turned to face the window I'd fired from, but I gave them no chance.
Turning my gun to the first, I blew his head off using S.A.T.S and put the rifle back onto its holster on my back, before reaching out for my SMG with my magic and jumping out of the window onto the third buck below.

As soon as I landed though, the buck was on top of me, throwing armoured hooves into my side and tried to hit my face..
At the top of his lungs, he bellowed at me. "YOU THINK YOU CAN KILL MY OFFICER AND I WON'T AVENGE HIM?"
I covered my face as I began screeching back at him. "YOU THINK YOU CAN STAND BY A RAPE AND NOT BE PUNISHED?"

Prince Snugglebums jumped off my back and ran away into the corner, hiding next to the mare who had already crawled under her stand. Now I could really begin to fight, knowing I wasn't going to get him hurt.
Watching him run away proved to be a mistake though, as a cocky voice came back from him as he whacked me with enough force to send me sliding. "Yeah, yeah I do. Actually, I think I'm going to have you instead."

Oh, not this shit again! I'd already had enough of that crap with the enclave soldiers saying this shit!
"You want me? Come and get me!"

I stood back up and dodged his attacks, rolling out of the way and bringing my SMG to face him.
Before I could fire though, he knocked the gun out of my hold and out of view under one of the stools.

"You're all alone now, bitch. No gun to use on me, what you gonna do?"
"TITAN, ANY CHANCE YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE YOUR WAY HERE RIGHT NOW WOULD BE REAAAAAL HANDY. YOU THERE MAISY? HERE GIRL!"
"Your friends ain't gonna save you now!"

Another hoof collided with my face, I went skidding once more, my jaw seriously hurting as I spit up a bit of blood.
The sound of Titan's hoofsteps was still too far away, it really did look like I was alone now.
Once more the buck charged me and stamped his hooves into my chest, I doubled over in pain and he knocked me onto my front.
No... my hooves shook. I had to move otherwise I was in the perfect position for him.

"Yeah, you wanna stay just like that, don't ya? Make it real easy on yourself."
I spluttered up more blood as I went to talk, feeling the pain in my stomach. "No."
"Oh yeah? No huh? You look like you want it so badly."
He approached cautiously, but I now had a plan. Just as he went to mount me, I rolled onto my back and magically pulled my knife out from my armour and lodged it deep into his throat.

His eyes shot wide as his hooves trembled, his body falling to the floor. Falling atop of me.
As he did so, the handle of the knife stuck against my armour and lodged itself even deeper into his throat, almost completely swallowed in the gore that was his neck, completely cut open by the attack.
Rolling the body off myself, I recoiled in horror of the amount of blood that had managed to completely cover my lower half.
Within half an hour I would be one of the more sticky mares in Equestria, barring whores.

My magic pulled the knife out of the corpse. "Justice... yeah, that name for this knife really is apt now."
The mint green mare with her white mane cowered beneath a wooden stand filled with clothes as she watched me pick myself up.
"Y... Y... You saved me?"
"Yeah. You got lucky, kid."
"Are... are you here to take what you want from me too?"

Looking at the poor mare in confusion, I held out a bloodied hoof to her in consolation. Amazingly, she reached out and let me help her off the floor, despite the blood.
"Of course not. I heard your cries for help and knew I had to check it out."
"Why?"
"Why shouldn't I?"
"Because you could get yourself killed? Because you can find yourself on the wrong side of the DZC? I already am, and if they find out you did this..."
"Good, let me be then. If this was the DZC, all the better. I'm... working for the organised rebellion."
"The organised rebellion?"
That was all she managed before she passed out from a mixture of exhaustion and shock.

When the mare had come back around, she saw myself and Titan calmly sitting down opposite her, after having had two of the scouts and Titan "dispose" of the bodies and "rectify their lack of need for equipment".
My stomach had still been killing me after the blows I took, but thankfully they had a healing potion on them, fixing the damage done to my jaw and insides.
Still, it wouldn't remove long lasting ache, only fix up the actual damage done.

"Hey there again."
"Oh. Oh my. You're still..."
"We're still here?"
"Well... yeah. Did I pass out or something?"
"Yeah, just that exactly. Look, we want to talk to you. I want to talk to you."
"What do you want?"

I looked over to Titan and then back at the shaken mare.
My body was telling me that I should be feeling the same, I had after all just been in the same situation, but I had to be strong and comfort her. I at least had a chance and used that to stop what was going to happen.

"First of all, we want to buy some of your robes. We need to disguise ourselves when travelling and we've found the perfect pieces for both of us, so, how much?"
"H.... How much?"
"Yes, how much for them?"
"L... Look. You saved my life back then, even if they didn't kill me, losing all that I have and being raped would've killed me. Have them for free, it's the least I could to repay you."
"Are you certain?"
"Absolutely, please take them."

Gently I pulled the mare in for a hug to show my appreciation as Titan picked out my new set of robes.
The hood of them cast a shadow over my face out quite well, making it hard to tell who I was underneath without it being removed.
Titan had found one which would've fit him normally, but it had meant to be out of his armour.
Nonetheless, he decided to take it with him just in case, a wise choice in my opinion.

"Now, there is one more thing, miss?"
"Silk Swirls."
"Okay, Miss Silk Swirls, there's one more thing. We're with the PLAC, and we'd appreciate it if you joined our cause."
"Do... Do I have to come with you right now? There's thing I need to... ponies... oh."
Titan stepped in, a smooth bow to her before he spoke.

"Of course not, my fine mare. I or any of my associates can come collect you at any time you please, though I would recommend you make it sooner rather than later, for your own security. Normally, we don't require our members to come live with us, in fact, a lot of the west side of Slumside are actively in support of us. However, in cases such as yours, we would prefer you be safe. Your safety may be at risk, if these scumbags had told anyone they were going after you. All the same, the signs of the fight at your stand are not good, as you would assume."
"I understand. You would provide me with somewhere to stay? Food to eat, water to drink?"
"Of course."

She cautiously raised her hoof to her chin as she thought for all of three seconds before nodding in agreement.
"Give me three hours. There are ponies I wish to speak to, to advise to join the cause if I am going to be brought into this. I had heard the rumours but was unsure before, now you have won my trust. Promise me these attacks will stop outright when you have come to power, and I will risk my life to make it so."
An earnest smile filled Titan's face. "Again, of course. I pledge to you that these attacks will stop once and for all. This is no way for somepony to live."
"Is there any way I'll recognise your associates?"
"If someone speaks the words 'perfer et obdura' you should speak back 'dolor hic tibi proderit olim'. This is our sign, our motto. Likewise, you may speak 'perfer et obdura' and if they are to say 'dolor hic tibi proderit olim' in return, you are in friendly hooves."

The frightened mare gave a little bow herself as she repeated the phrase a few times over, before saying it to us each personally.
Watching her pack up what she could manage before donning a cloak herself, I could tell she was nervous.

Titan stepped forward and looked into her eyes one last time before she went.
"We meet at the market. We will recognise you, or you will recognise us. Either way, we will be there and speak the words of truth. Stay strong, we will seek you in the hours gone."
Silently, she nodded before scuttling off out of sight around the corner.
Our job here was done, though I'd known that a single person was not enough for a rebellion.

"You handled the situation brilliantly, Cherry. Thank you."
"Brilliantly huh? I could've and almost had gotten raped! How the hell is that handling it brilliantly?"
"You could've, but you didn't. You've been trained excellently in hoof to hoof."
"Yeah? Well I never was too brilliant at it. It's why I keep my range, something I'm a lot more confident with."
"Even still, you managed to take down an attacker who was bigger and stronger then you. It's not all about how many you take down or who you take down, but how the outcome goes. End of the fight, you win or you lose, and you came out physically hurt but not molested nor the loser."
"So fighting is just about who wins and loses to you?"
"I'm not sure. Just understand that you did well, okay?"
"Okay."

We began to walk out of the square and back onto the main road to go further into Slumside when from our left flank, we heard a commotion.
Turning our heads to see what it was all about, eight ponies in armour similar to the sets worn by the raiders who had attacked Coltshire, Town and Commons, stood.

"THERE, THERE THEY ARE!"

It was time for either fight or flight.

---o---o---o---

As promised, I'm going to keep advertising the fact that the head picture came from WavemasterRyx, who can be found:http://ask-the-waves.tumblr.com/ !

I'm sorry for how long this chapter took to write. I'd had a week off from work and thought that I could leave it until then, but when I had the week off I didn't have it in me because all I wanted to do was rest.
Now I understand where I've been going wrong, and I will begin to rest properly instead of keep on worrying.
My plan is to read my story from start to finish, to see it as (you) the reader does, and revitalise myself.

This doesn't mean the story is stopping. It just means I understand where I was going wrong now.
My next step is to finish up the rewrite on chapter eight and make it less rushed, more graphic and in general, better.
Then I'll be working on chapter thirteen right after, and my goal if I can, is to have it released before / on the 24th to mark the 6 months since release.
The original conception of the idea for Broken Bonds was actually on the 13th of January, 2012, while I was waiting for my operation - but the first release was on the 24th, followed up on the 26th with chapter two.

Though I won't cry if I can't. I do need to relax about all that, after all.

I hope you've enjoyed this chapter, please feel free to let me know of any problems! Thank you, and goodnight.

Chapter 13: Disharmony

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds
By Kippershy

Chapter thirteen: Disharmony

"This statue represents discord, which means a lack of harmony between ponies."

Fight or flight...
My thinking took too long, I'd hesitated. Titan looked at me in wonder as if he was ready to fight, but waiting on me to confirm.
Instead, I hadn't been able to give a proper response to him, and the ponies charged at us.
...Only, they ran right past us, they weren't charging at us at all!
Looking past them, I could see who they were really charging towards now.

Another group of ponies dressed in rags and armour patched together without pattern stood with grins upon their faces, awaiting the soldiers with an awesome aura of confidence flowing from them.

"COLTCHESTER ANARCHISTS STAND STRONG IN CHAOS."

Three smoke grenades rolled out between themselves and the soldiers, filling the area with a heavy smog of green and red.
Amazingly the soldiers continued to run into the obvious trap, despite the risk to their lives.
Turning my head to Titan, I mouthed the words "shall we?"
In response, I heard the rumbling of a familiar motor.

We rushed over to the scene, any damage we could do to the DZC now would save us the risk in the long run.
Though most of all I yearned to use a show of force and awe to intimidate our enemy into laying down their weapons, for every time we could spare a life was another chance given back to the wastes to improve.

Titan seemingly was without trouble, firing small bursts into the mist ahead of us to hear a yelping of pain each and every time. I'd wondered if he'd been aiming carefully or was simply spraying the zone, hoping that it had been the former over the latter.

"How are you being so precise, you can't tell me it's pure skill. An E.F.S can't give you that much confidence in accuracy." I asked, needing to know what he was doing and how.
"My eye is cybernetic, remember? It can see in low light, normal light and also focus on thermal imaging, though that's part of an upgrade to it."
Looking at his helmet, I'd almost forgotten that he had a cybernetic eye. True, I'd seen it recently enough, but it wasn't something I tried to focus on.

Then the smoke stopped and rapidly dissipated, Titan retreating a few steps with it.
I could see now that despite the power of his gun, the short firing times had done little to the enemies numbers, though it had greatly weakened them.
Two laid across the floor, alive but bleeding, one of them trying his best to tend to the other. A dead pony lay next to them, both of his forelegs blown clean off.

Another two ran towards us while the other three continued to do their best to avoid the knives of the 'Anarchist' forces.
"You! You have shot at the troop of Sideswipe Battleborne! Prepare to die!"
Out came their weapons, one wielding an axe with his magic while the other used an underpowered pistol.
Titan growled at them, laughing almost as he did.

"Oh, you sure about that?"
Spinning as fast as he could on his hooves, he brought his rear end to bear and kicked the one wielding a pistol in his mouth as hard as he could, sending him into a nearby wall.
At the same time, his friend with the axe had made the distance on me and tried to take a swing, only for myself to roll out of the way awkwardly and place a magic field around myself.

"How are you going to hit me, when you can't even see me?" I asked.
"WHERE DID YOU GO, BITCH?"
Stepping around him, I tried to trip him over, resulting in us both falling to the ground in a spectacular mess.
"AUGH. YOU CUNT. STOP THAT."
"You really aren't a nice buck, are you?"
"No. No I'm not, and your face isn't going to be so nice once my axe meets it either."

The strain of my magic was too much right now, I couldn't hold it. Picking myself off the floor, a scream of pain and anger drew my attention and I saw Titan in hoof to hoof combat with the buck he'd previously kicked.
A mighty blow knocked me to my side with the distraction, axe buck turning back around to charge at me again with his weapon ready to swing once more.

"STAY STILL, BITCH. IT'LL HURT LESS IF I GET IT RIGHT FIRST TIME."
"That's what my ex said, and he ended up being an absolute cunt."
"Oh, mouthy. Shame it only pisses me off more!"
Another swipe came at me, inches from my face as I jumped back.
This was too close!

I cried out for help, it was the smart thing to do. "Titan! Do you mind?!"
"I'm busy!"
"Well this buck here needs you to be less busy!"
I ran around the market as he chased me in circles, knocking over stands to block his path as much as I could.
Seeing a gap in the fighting between the rest of the soldiers and the Anarchists, there was no other choice.
The risk that they'd all follow me wasn't enough to stop me, as I hurdled my way through their group knocking two over in the process as they still traded blows with the Anarchists.

"You OWE me, bucks." I cried out as I made my way through them, distracting them all.
"ANARCHISTS OWE NOPONY NOUT." One jeered back at me, they really weren't all that polite.
"BUCKS, GET HER!" Axe pony cried.
"WHAT ABOUT THE OTHERS?"
"WE'LL TAKE THEM ALL AT THE SAME TIME!"

Oh, just my fucking luck! With that, there was now four of the bastards chasing me.

"TITAN, REALLY GOOD TIME TO NOT BE BUSY!"
"I'm on it."
A gun went off, a pony hit the floor.
My mind raced, hoping to Celestia that it wasn't Titan having just hit the floor. Oh, we were so fucked if things had just hit the pool of lava with him dying.

Thankfully, he hadn't. Instead, it was Titan who had taken the gun and shot the earth pony, his last words being inaudible as he swiftly died from the bleeding.
Behind me, the four still chased with their short swords, one barely any longer then a knife.

"Get down, Cherry!" I looked towards Titan and did as told, skidding to the floor while keeping control the best I could.
Behind me, a hail of bullets slammed into my pursuers and exploded on impact, blasting away at the rest of their armour within half a second and rendering them easy kills as I pulled out my SMG and aimed for them.

Standing firmly I looked straight into the eyes of the now floored opponents. "You've got one chance. Leave now and do not return to your masters, or die in combat to his gun. Choose."
One spat at me before saying his final words. "Surrender to filth like you? You Anarchists are scum, NEVER!"
Before Titan could even bite the trigger, another smoke grenade went off around us.
Immediately my training kicked in, and I backed away from where I previously stood.
One by one the sounds of their throats being slit sounded, their gasps for breath useless as they died within seconds of one another.

Before I could do anything, it had stopped only for hooves to run into the distance.
By the time the smoke had cleared once more, only myself and Titan stood.
The Anarchists had made their way from the scene, bloody hoofprints showing how one of them had committed the slaughter before running away.

Four ponies, four ponies had died before three of them had been able to voice their choices. One did not speak for the entirety of any group, never could it.
Yet they'd all had their throats sliced open, depriving them from any chance of redemption.
Standing above the bodies, I felt sad. I felt sad that the wasteland had made us like this, had caused such horrific things to happen on a daily basis.
Though I wasn't surprised, because this was the cycle of life and death, what it had become.

Wiping my hooves clean of the blood the best I could, I made my way over to Titan as he silently stood, watching over me.

"You... saw all that, didn't you?"
Nothing, his silence told me what I'd needed to know.
"You didn't think to stop it though, you wouldn't have, would you?"
"Why?"

Why? Was that all he could say? Why?

"Why? Because three of them had not the chance to redeem themselves. Sure, the first had declared his desire for death over surrender, what of the others though?"
"For as long as they work with the coalition, they are guilty of the coalitions crimes."
"Are you guilty of the crimes by the Equestrian army two hundred years ago then?"
"By default? Yes."

I couldn't help but shake my head at Titan. True as it was that they had helped the coalition directly, they weren't all given a second chance, or even a chance to explain themselves. Instead, their last moments were robbed from them in a haze of green smoke and confusion.

Despite all that however, it had seemed that the other two soldiers were still alive, the ones who were previously wounded.
Cautiously making my way over to them with my SMG trained on them with every step, I called out for them to be friendly or face the consequence.

"Friendly? You think we're going to be anything but when my wife is dying here?!"
"Your wife?"
"YES! MY WIFE! Fuck! FUCK FUCK FUCK!"
I looked down on the buck and for the first time, took in the features of the one who laid next to him.
He wasn't lying about her being a mare, at the very least. Indeed, as I pulled her helmet off I saw her gentle blue mane brushing against her mint green coat.

"Look, I don't have much experience with medical stuff, but I have enough to apply dressings and stabilise a pony. I do this for you, you promise to let us speak, okay?"
"Yes, yes, please. Whatever. We'll speak, if you can patch her up, I can bandage myself."
I nodded. Some things in the wasteland were too precious to waste, and two ponies who loved each other was definitely one of those things.

Pulling out a bandaging I'd received from the resistance and a single health potion from my pack, I wrapped her chest tightly and allowed her to drink half of the potion, forcing the other half down the males throat before he could refuse it.
Giving either of them a whole potion could prove risky, though half a potion was enough to begin the healing process sooner.

"Now you're wrapped up and stabilised, I want to talk to you, both of you."
"Okay, Anarchist. What do you want?"
"Anarchist? We're not a part of that group."
"You aren't?"
"No."

With that, the buck looked to his wife and sighed, lowering his head when he turned back to me.
"I'm sorry, we just... we only joined the coalition because the Anarchists attack anyone they assume is working in any way with 'the zeb'. How does that make sense? Well our house was burnt down for trading wares with uniformed soldiers, as if our lives wouldn't be put at risk if we didn't."
"So you joined to spite the group?"
"Not to spite them, to protect ourselves from them. The city is run with an iron hoof, but if you go with the flow and stick with the status quo, you find yourself with a better quality of life."

Titan nodded and admitted that it's true.
"So, you don't like working for the coalition but do it for your own good?"
"Are you kidding? Of course we don't. We've been sent out on raids and collecting tributes like a lot of other ponies, donkeys and zebras. Sure, some of the others love it, but there's a few of us who only do it because we have no other choice."
"You're being given one now, the choice to redeem yourself by fighting the good fight."
"What do you mean?"

Titan stepped slowly, approaching us all but focusing on the ponies below most of all.
"We've all been fighting for a very long time, some longer then others. We've all lost loved ones, some more then others. None of us are alone in this, and some of us have decided to fight against it. We are the resistance, we will fight for a free Coltchester. If we can succeed, all of the Coltchester region may be free, but if we cannot or will not overthrow this oppressive regime, all of Equestria may eventually be lost to the ongoing brutality of the wasteland. Coltchester is our chance to change, Coltchester is our salvation."

He took a moment to pause before speaking again.
"We want you to join us. We can accommodate you if you can promise us your loyalty. We have a lot of members of the public who support our cause, but it's time we begin to neutralise the military of the coalition by whatever means. You say you only joined for the better quality of life? Join us instead, for a better quality for all."

The buck looked down at his wife one more time, not knowing what to say, when a whimper came out of her mouth.
"I.."
"Honeydew, please. Reserve your energy."
"N... no. I... accept."
"Are you sure, Honey?"
"Yes."

We helped the two to their hooves. and Titan carried the mare whom we now knew to be called Honeydew upon his back.
"Do you also agree?"
"If my wife does, I do. Whatever she wants, I would follow to the end of Equestria and back just to make it so."
The smile that came across my face at that moment was subtle, but grew as the pair reminded me of Crimson and myself.

My heart began to flutter freely as if it had his wings as I thought of him, his tender touch and loving words as they would fill my ears. My heart filled with hopes that some day, he would prove himself to be the buck for me for always and eternity.

We'd need to return to the base before we could do any more, but that was no problem for me. Instead, it gave me a chance to put Prince Snugglebums down and out of the way of harm and see Crimson while we were there.

"So Titan, are we all set to head back? Do you need to call your scouts back or do you think they're fine?"
He turned his clunky head towards me and nodded slowly. "Nah, we're fine. They're all capable of handling themselves in a fight if need be, though they're smart enough ponies to avoid fights. I trust them."
Nodding back, we set off back to the headquarters.

Walking back to the headquarters shouldn't have been an issue, but walking back with a wounded soldier upon Titan's powerful shoulders caused some minor disruptions. Some ponies rushed up to us and asked if we'd done the damage, a tone of voice betraying them and allowing us to lie about that at least, saying we were going to take them to the nearest medic. Others whom recognised Titan were worried about the soldier walking with us, but a quick discussion to each and their worries were no more.
It became exceedingly obvious to me just how torn Coltchester was, though the majority preferred to let sleeping manticores lie.

As we made it along the last stretch of the marketplace, yet another pony approached us.
This pony was different though, the clothes she wore were patched together in a strange pattern, the same style of patching as what we had seen before.
Standing in front of us now, she scuffed the ground with her hoof before looking back up at us.

Her tiny little voice squeaked confidently, despite the volume. "You. You are the ones that helped us."
"Yes, yes we are." I replied.
"We do not know who you are, but we appreciate it. The people of Coltchester will not be oppressed any longer!"
"People?" I asked.
"You do not believe that the zebras and donkeys deserve a chance too? That there are those of other kin who seek a Coltchester free from this tyranny?"
"My apologies, it's just not something I come across much. Though I must ask, you're not from the revolution, are you?"
"We are, but not of those who organise themselves in the name of the PLAC. We are the Anarchists, we do not feel any governing body can be any better then another."

Titan huffed and stood proud for a moment, bringing his chest high to the air.
"You think so? Well I can assure you, we at the PLAC are the way forward for Coltchester, and we plan to rebuild the utopia that Celestia herself had made of Equestria."
"Plans are weak, action is strong. You speak words of plan, we strike blows of action. Nevertheless, though our means differ, our primary goals are the same. As such, the enemy of our enemy is our friend for the time that we share common interest, and we will work parallel, but not with you."

Titan lowered his head in a bow and the small mare reciprocated the gesture before moving to the side.
"Though be warned, we shall not tolerate any group that seeks to repeat the actions of those currently in charge. Should you seek power, our trust is essential for though we do not seek it ourselves, we will not abandon the reigns which we hold without certainty."

With that, she slipped into the crowd behind her and was gone from sight almost as fast as I could tell.
There was something both inspiring and creepy about the way she spoke, though if she was going to be friendly towards us for now, I could settle for that at least. It was better to be talking to other ponies rather than shooting at them, definitely so.

"So, you deal with that a lot, Titan?"
"Nope, that's the first time I've had a run in with the Anarchists. My scouts have reported sightings of them from time to time, sometimes even having a discussion here or there when trying to convert ponies. Never had an experience myself though, and we've never had hostilities."
I couldn't help but sigh in relief, much to Titan's confusion.
"Sorry, I'm just glad that's so. I believe that everyone, pony, zebra, donkey, griffon... everyone deserves a chance to do better, to heal the wasteland from the hurt it's caused itself."
"Hah, you're an idealist, kid. Perhaps if you reached my age."
"Yeah yeah, you've said. You know all and you're all bitter because you're old, but I'm not and I still believe we can do better."

For that, he gave me a playful bump with a hoof and I laughed at it, silly old ghoulie.

The large pile of rubble was completely unsuspecting, I hadn't even recognised it in the slightest when we'd reached it.
With a single hoof clashing against the pile, Titan stood against the slew of metal and concrete. Only a moment later he used his might to move the pile as if it was nothing, opening up the door and allowing me access to the bunker.
Taking a careful step, I made my way into the tunnel which I'd now recognised somewhat.

Lights suddenly beemed ahead of me, almost blindingly bright against the dark backdrop of darkness further in. "Who are you? How did you know the knock?"
"She's with me, you jumpy sack of brahmin crap."
"Boss?"
"Yeah."
"Oh, sorry boss. Wasn't expecting you back so soon."

With that, the focused light turned off and the tunnel lights turned back on.
"Ah, sorry miss, go on ahead."
I trotted up ahead as the buck followed, carefully watching Titan as he made his way down the stairs, still carrying Honeydew.
"Who're these, Titan?"
"Converts. Ain't that right, you two?"
"As long as you keep your promise for a better Coltchester, we'll fight for you, yes."
"See? Converts."

The teal pony lowered his suppressed assault rifle back down and saluted as Titan walked past. There really was a level of respect for Titan around here, it felt a lot like back home.

Now I was back here, I followed the signs I'd noticed on the way out and raced my way back to the medical rooms.
Corridor after corridor, room after room, I searched. It took me a few minutes, but I'd found him.
My angel had been sleeping upon his bed like a good little pegasus.

Pressing my lips to his forehead, I began to whisper in his ear about how wonderful he made me feel when he showed his affections to me.
There was only one buck in the world who had treated me so well, he was that one. Scratching softly behind his ear, I watched him smile as he slept and gently kissed him on the lips, trying not to wake him up sooner then he would otherwise.
Watching him sleep really was soothing to me, the way his chest pressed up and down.

I couldn't resist myself, I magically levitated another bed over and pushed it to his so I could lay by his side once more.
Even though he wasn't awake, simply being by his side and feeling his breath blowing upon my chest and neck was something truly special, something I could lose myself in, something to forget my worries to.

A raspy voice carried from the doorway, the quickly becoming familiar sound lingering in my ears. "Cherry, you're not planning to fall asleep for a good few hours are ya?"
Snorting softly, I waved a hoof dismissively at him. "Of course not, Titan. I just want to lay down with my Crimson for ten minutes, is that fine?"
"Oh, if that's the case, sure. We will be going out soon, remember. Ten or so minutes though is perfectly fine, rest yourself up and all."
A little nod and he walked off elsewhere, peace at last.

Just as I'd began to get comfy, Crimson started to stir.
"hu..."
"Shhh, It's okay Crimson."
"Che...?"
"Yes" I whispered into his ear, kissing the back of his head. "It's me. Go back to sleep, Crims."
Tenderly I wrapped my hoof around him and he placed one of his on mine, locking in a hold that felt all too wonderful.
Nuzzling into the back of his neck, this was something I'd not often gotten a chance to indulge in, and it was all the sweeter for it.

Fifteen minutes more passed before Titan had come back and prompted me to leave Crimson once more. I'd made sure to put Prince Snugglebums down this time, as I didn't want to risk him getting hurt like he almost had before. He pouted, he whined and he squeaked at me to take him with me, he really was being insistent.

"Look, mister. I can't risk you getting hurt."
He scurried around my hooves, bouncing around and hoping to climb up.
"No, sorry but no. As cute and adorable and lovely as you are, no. I don't want you to be hurt is all."
More little squeaks and a pose that made him seem confident later, my heart melted as he gave me the soppiest eyes he had.
"I understand, I really do. You'll be a lot safer with Crimson though, I promise. Please?"
A sad, quiet little squeak came from his mouth once more as he bounced around.
"Please?" Fluttering my eyelashes at him, I tried to be as sweet as I could to try convince him it was better here.
It worked, finally. He pouted once more and leaned up on his two legs, his ears flopping down to his sides.
Gracefully I lifted him with my magic and gave him a small kiss before stroking his ear and whispering. "Thank you."

Next I turned to Crimson and kissed him too, to which he proved he wasn't as asleep as he made out by replying 'ewwww, radbit kisses' at me, causing me to laugh without warning. Silly buck.

Titan walked up to me, out of all his armour and wearing the robes he'd previously taken from Silk Swirls.
"Now you're set with them two, I suggest you stash your fifty and take Crimson's shotgun or something. More kick to it then your SMG in case we get into a fight."
Upon the end of his sentence, I gave him a stern look. "We're not going to get into any fights though, are we."
"I don't know, depends on if we see-"
"That wasn't a question, Titan. Not every time we go out has to have a fight. Though you are right, I will take Crimson's shotgun as a precaution."

Titan eyed me as if he was annoyed, before taking on a semi sarcastic tone of voice.
"As you insist, M'lady. Shall I drive your coach to the royal gala?"
Seeing the smile upon his face, I could tell he was having fun with humour for the first time in quite a while, so I humoured him back. "Oh yes please, chauffeur. Be sure to take the scenic route though, fashionably late and all."
He looked back at me with a grin upon his face before we both burst into laughter. Sometimes the moment was all too strange not to laugh at it all.

With that, I did as recommended and put my rifle and SMG away and took Crimson's shotgun instead, along with its ammo.
A bewildered and exhausted Crimson murmured out to me. "Hey.... hey... hey. My..."
"Your shotgun?"
"Mmmmmm, yeah. My shotgun. Mmmm. Mmmhmmmm."
"It's only for a little while, love. Sleep, you need to rest and heal your body."
Trotting off, I could hear him mumble in his delirious half asleep half awake state. He'd be fine, he just needed some rest.
As I reached the doorway, I heard one last thing from his mouth that made me laugh once again.
"I'm not Meloooonyyy."

Simply shaking my head, I made my way out. He was too adorable, sometimes.
Suddenly I remembered we'd had a letter to deliver to the local courier service and scampered back over, looking through Crimsons bags again to try find it.
Ammo for his pistol... a bit of ammo for his shotgun I'd missed... a second empty syringe of med-x? Never mind that now, I noticed the letter and took it out, sliding it into my own pack.

Looking at Crimson, another quick kiss on the cheek couldn't hurt. "Bye for now, Crimson."
He stirred and smiled towards me, lazily rolling his head. "Mmmmm, bye babe."

*** *** ***

"So, Cherry." He began. "Can I ask about Four Ridges?"
"Sure, what do you want to know about it?"
"What is it like there?"
I looked at him in absolute puzzlement, to which he simply nodded back to me and repeated himself.
"Why do you want to know?"
"Can't I be curious? I have faint memories of rumours about it before the war, but never been there."

We turned round the corner and passed by some beggars, though we continued our conversation as they pleaded with us for caps, food and water. We both knew the danger of giving out either, never mind the fact we hadn't copious amounts ourselves.

"It's a peaceful place, mostly. Not because we can't take care of ourselves, but exactly the opposite. Each town in the region has its purpose and-"
His surprise halted him in his tracks. "Region? You mean..."
"Yes, region. Four Ridges isn't a single town, nor city."
"You're kidding me, right? There's no way they could've kept that secret."
"Who are 'they', Titan?"
"Oh... just the authorities back two hundred years ago. I'd heard of 'the project in the ridges' but... is it seriously that large?"
"Yes, yes it is."

Titan stood in wonder, thoughts obviously flickering through his mind as his one natural eye shifted back and forth with a pace that made me wonder if it was going to fall out of his sockets if he didn't slow down.
Then he spoke again as he continued to trot along.

"So it's large enough to have multiple towns... and yet Crimson is expected to lead them all under the one banner?"
"Yeah, he's seeming to do just fine in his training, from what I've seen out here. Perhaps he's a little inexperienced and young just yet, but he's got what it takes I think. I'd gladly follow his lead."
"Oh, I've heard."
Titan's eyebrows raised and a smug smile slithered across his face before I realised what he meant, my face burnt with embarrassment and I couldn't believe he just said that to me.
"I... uh..."
I just hid my face as he laughed, that was the end of that conversation.

Twenty minutes later, after having been mobbed by another ten or so beggars, I remembered the need for Titan to take me to the courier service.
"Titan, my turn to ask a question now."
"Oh, you're willing to talk to me again now, huh?"
"Yeah. We need to find the courier service. Where is it around here?"
"Oh? Why is it that you need to go there?"
"Remember when we first travelled together? We were given a letter to deliver and we've been too busy since arriving here to do that. The second we walked into Coltchester we were being attacked left right and center, now we have some time before we pick up Swirls, right?"
"Yeah, this way then."

The Coltchester Courier Service building was a mess, structurally and literally. The floor tiles were cracked with litter strewn across the entire thing and broken glass sitting by the windows, somehow it seemed even worse then the rest of the buildings around.
"Titan, is this..."
"Normal?"
"Yeah."
He sighed and looked at me before shaking his head and looking back at the carcass of the building.

"No Cherry, it's not normal. Old Pony Joe has never been known to leave his place like this, ever. The reason I've not freaked out myself is because there's no blood... I mean, if someone came in here and straight up robbed him, there'd be blood. Attacker, his own blood, either way there'd be something. No, this doesn't look right, but it doesn't look like he's been attacked either."
"Well, what do you think could have happened?"
"I'm no pinks, I never took criminology. What'dya expect me to say?"

Titan, Titan, Titan. "Look, it doesn't matter if neither of us are crime scene inspectors, we can at least look, right? Shall we?"
Making my way through the door, I noticed nothing but old pre-war books strewn across the place, shelves knocked off their supports and a junked up spritebot sitting on the counter, the disrepair on it beyond anything I could even begin to assess let alone fix.

Titan checked the counter, but even with a thorough search he didn't seem to have been able to find anything.
Smashing his hoof upon the wooden top, he began to shout.
"FUCK. FUCK FUCK FUCK."
"Calm down Titan, what's wrong?"
"His pass is still here."
"What does that mean?"
"It means that something happened to him. He never leaves this place without his multi-pass, it allows him to travel unmolested by the DZC to all but the places with the higher level security."
"Any other clues?"
"Yeah... it's been punched. Which means whoever did it doesn't want anyone getting around with his pass."
"You think they took him with them?"
"Probably."

I looked at him with a sorrow, if Titan was right, that was another pony taken away to have who knew what happen to them.
Worse, this was a pony that seemingly looked after the community, because couriers, along with traders, were what really kept the wasteland alive.
I walked over to where he was and just as I began to look through myself, a crowd erupted outside the building.

Shouting filled the air all so suddenly. "You! You're the ones whom did this!"
A zebra burst into the room with an anger in her eyes. "You coalition soldiers, sickening to the soul! Prepare to feel the wrath of the just!"
"Whoa there!" I shouted. "You too Titan, back down!"
The pair gave each other a steely look before the zebra mare charged into him, only stopped when I grabbed her tail with my magic.
"Look, we're not DZC. We came in here looking to deliver a letter, not to cause any trouble."
"Is that so?"

The zebra mare looked at us suspiciously before I pulled the letter out of my saddlebags and showed her the envelope. Though she stopped straining against my magic, the frown upon her face carried on strong.
"Now, do you know who did this and where we can find 'Old Pony Joe' or anyone who can help?"
"This I do not know, though who is it you seek? I know many people, and may know who you are after."

Looking at her cautiously, I gauged how useful she might be. For all we knew, she was the one who did this and it could've been a trap. On the other hoof, I doubted that the DZC would go after just anypony who walked into the Courier Service Centre.
Taking a gamble, I asked her name. If she was going to help us at all, a name would be lovely to know.

"My name, pony?"
"Yes, please. What is your name?"
"Zimena."
Looking down at the envelope, I found myself shocked. The name on the envelope had been her own.
"Are you expecting any deliveries, Zimena?"
"Why? Is your letter from Coltshire?"
Nodding, I handed the letter over to her. Deftly she used her hooves to hold the letter as she stood and ripped it open with her teeth.

Sighing, I didn't know what to do now. We'd delivered the letter but under the circumstances, received no payment.
Even if this place hadn't been nothing but a cluttering of scrap metal and paper, taking anything of value to compensate the charge would've felt too wrong to do without the owner to offer the option to do so.
Just as we began searching for further clues, Zimena spoke again.

"You..."
I looked back at her, a pair of firm but less cold eyes stared me down.
"You wish to know what happened here, do you not?"
"Yes, we do."
"Donkey heavy troopers came, accusing the owner of conspiring against the DZC. Not a simple courier but instead an assassin of the night. He tried to convince them otherwise, they would not listen. His head for the noose, waiting only for the executioner to make the scene complete."

My blood froze. "They're after 'The Executioner'?"
"Yes, of course. Do you not hear the whispers of he whom strike down the devils of the legion?"
Titan interrupted at this point. "Legion? We're fighting the coalition here, not the legion."
"You too fight the coalition? Never mind for now. When I speak of legion, I mean the zebras whose allegiance lies with the coalition and not the ZUC."

Now my head was beginning to feel like a bit mosh put of abbreviations, this was unfair.
"Wait, so... who is the ZUC?"
"We are the Zebras for a Unified Coltchester. Now I shall ask, who are you?"
Titan spoke before I could, taking the proverbial stage.
"We are from the PLAC, Peoples Liberation Army of Coltchester."
"I see. Another group who seeks power over the carcass of this dead city."

"No, not dead. Damaged and corrupt, but not dead. True that we seek power, but only to help the people living in the city. Stop the corruption, stop the pain. Bring back Celestia's glory."
"The very same glory that brought Equestria and Zebrica to destruction in the first place?"
"No, the glory of peace and prosperity. We will do it, given the chance."
"We do not trust any other then ourselves, walk carefully if you do not wish war."

Again I sighed. "Look, I appreciate you don't trust anyone, but does this HAVE to mean more violence? Can't we just work together?"
"Distrust of strangers is best learnt young, cloaked mare. We do not fear violence to protect ourselves from any injustice that seeks to do us harm. We do not seek further violence, but if it is what must be done, we shall continue to fight in opposition of any we do not feel worthy."
"Well the PLAC doesn't seek to do anyone harm other than the current governing body."
"So you say, but words are fleeting. Such is our meeting, for now I am leaving. Know this though, Old Pony Joe is within reach of a throw, but the exact building I do not know."

With that the elusive zebra mare turned around and skirted her way past the mess and out of the door, breaking line of sight by sneaking past market stands and ponies. If there was one thing to say, it was that zebras seemed very natural to the art of stealth.

Motioning to the door, I began to suggest to Titan that we make our move ourselves.
"So, you want to go out there and ask around about Old Pony Joe? Doesn't look like there's any other clues in here, maybe somepony around knows something more?"
With a sorrowful, slow nod, Titan agreed.
"Yeah, perhaps somepony does know something. Fuck, why is it always the good ones that get taken?"
"It's because it's the good ones that don't lay down and pretend that there's nothing wrong, the good ones stand up for what's right and that pisses off the bad ones."

Titan didn't reply, he didn't need to. Instead, he just walked out the door and we began walking around to look for ponies to ask about the incident.

A sandy coloured colt lay on the side of the road, his strikingly deep purple mane absolutely filthy and unkempt. I looked at him as he slept under his patchwork blanket, his only possession that he had on or even near him.
No ponies around him seemed to care about him, nopony looking after him or showing signs of parenthood.
At a first glance I'd wondered if he was dead or dying, but his breathing was stable and he showed no obvious signs of injury, just tiredness.
This was no life for a child, no life for anypony.

I turned to Titan, there had to be something he could do.
"Titan, please. Please tell me there's somewhere you can take him, somewhere he can go that you know of."
"I'm sorry, Cherry."
"What do you mean you're sorry?"
Titan sighed as I frowned at him and scrunched up my brow, but his body language didn't change from the pained expression it held.
"There's nowhere I know of that he can go, Coltchester doesn't exactly run any daycare centres unless you're a part of the coalition. We can't take him in as a resistance fighter because he's too young, and without being able to earn his keep he'd simply be a drain on resources. Besides that, his life would be at risk if our base were ever to be found by the DZC."
"You're telling me you can't support one child?"
"It's not him, it's all the others that would no doubt follow."

Titan sighed and took a moment before he continued.
"The problem is that if we take him in, others will come looking to us for a handout. We do what we can for who we can, but we try to prioritise our resources to whom can make the most difference, to whom will support our cause the most."
"So you only give it out to your friends, yet you expect to run a city?"
"With the limited resources we have, we do our best. It's no benefit to us otherwise."

Stamping on the ground, I wasn't going to stand for this.
"No, Titan! You're wrong. You want to know where you'd best benefit? The youth. You give the youth a future, hope, a chance... you give them the things they need to survive, and they'll support your cause with lifelong dedication as long as you stay true. It's fine winning over the ponies of today, but what about the ones of tomorrow?"
"I... I don't know Cherry. I honestly don't-"
"Well I do. I say we wake the child up now and speak to him, see if he wants to join us. If push comes to shove, he can scavenge food from DZC marketstands and obtain information as a spy none would expect. Just leaving him here though? That's atrocious, I wont stand for it."

Titan tried to talk further, but his words just came out as babble as I walked over to the colt anyway.
Gently lowering myself down to my knees and brushing his mane, I woke him up slowly.
His eyes slowly opened up before shutting again, still in a daze. Once more they opened and this time he saw me, only to clench his beautiful green eyes shut in fear.

"Hey, hey there little buck. I'm sorry."
His little squeak came out, shaking as he lay on the cold hard floor.
"Shhh, I'm not here to hurt you. I wanted to find out what you're doing on the floor."
Again his eyes opened up, fear obviously still running high but at least he was looking at me now.
"Y... you... you mean that?"
Giving him my best caring smile, I nodded slowly.
"Of course, I saw you laying here by yourself and I couldn't bear to look at you like this. Are you okay here? Are your parents away or something?"
He began to cry.

For fifteen minutes I held him, cradled up against my chest. He sobbed hard and long, unrelenting in his wailing.
I tried to soothe him, it served no purpose.
"Shh, I'm here for you. Come on, let it all out and then let me know what's wrong, hmm?"
Titan stood over us, cautiously watching in the different directions as if he was expecting some trouble.

Again the little colt began to sputter out words in an attempt to speak. "M...m... my..."
"Shhh. It's okay, take as long as you need."
Watching the little colt cry tore at my heart, he hadn't even been old enough for his cutie mark yet he'd obviously been through some terrible experience that ripped his childhood bliss from him. Not even living in Coltchester should have left a child like this.
"My... parents..."
"Your parents? Oh..." It dawned on me that I'd just trigged this all, by coming over to him and asking about why he was sleeping alone. I'd caused this breakdown, I was responsible for resurfacing his pain. They'd probably been taken somewhere... had to leave him and never come back or...

He cried more before I tenderly wiped his tears away and he continued on.
"My parents... are dead."
Or the absolute worst possible thing for a child to have happen, had happened. It was all too much now, I couldn't hold myself together as I tried to hold back the tears as I shared his pain.

Wiping away my own tears to try regain composure, I began to speak. "Oh by Celestia, I'm so sorry. I..."
"They were.... they.... coalition... donkeys..." His whines as he gasped for air between his tears ripped into my soul and tore it apart. "Took them... not enough caps... killed them... in front of me "

Memories of my own parents flooded to the front of my mind, the moment of their deaths filled me a refreshed sense of pain and anguish, almost as if I was there all over again. Looking down at the child, I felt as if we were one in the same at this moment, I could understand the pain and fear he was going through.
Over and over I saw the memories of my parents bodies hitting the floor, their last words and their moans of agony.
We both knew all too well of that trauma.

Titan didn't manage to cry, though a throaty rasp did come from him and suddenly a large thud was heard as his hooves smashed into a chunk of concrete.
"You know, kid?" He began. "I can't let a story like that go, I can't. So I'm going to give you the choice to come with us. I'm the military leader of the revolution, the PLAC. If you want somewhere to stay, off the streets and out of the cold, you can come with us. If you want to see them donkeys pay for the crime... then I suggest you do, because we're the best chance of getting revenge."
"Titan!" I snapped at him. "Revenge is not what this should be about. The colt needs to see that though his family was taken from him, he can grow to be the stronger, better person. You hear that, you can be the big pony that others look up to when you're older, if you work for it. Though he's right in a sense... something like this..."

Instinctively I gulped, the thought made my blood chill but a part of me knew it was right. I thought back to what Crimson had told me, back to what had happened earlier in the day.
"If you want it... if you never want it to happen to anypony else from the same donkeys. We can see that they come to justice. We can make sure that they don't get away with it."

The colt looked up at me, sparkling eyes as the tears still collected and reflected the meek light as it pierced through the clouds above.
"You... you mean it? I can come... with you?"
Nodding, I looked down at him. "I promise. We'll take good care of you and look after you, make sure you have somepony to talk to about what's happened and do what we can for you."
Instead of saying anything back, he just nuzzled his little face further into my chest. Leaning down, I placed a soft kiss upon his head and continued to stroke his mane before mouthing the words 'See what I mean?' to Titan.
He just gave a solemn nod in return.

With the child laid out across my back, we decided against going out and asking the ponies and zebras around us about Pony Joe. We didn't have the emotional energy left to do it after having picked up the colt who'd still been too nervous to tell us his name, despite agreeing to come with us.

We both knew that time was of the essence for Pony Joe, but neither of us could bear to hear more bad news if it came right now. Walking around the market place, I'd began to notice a lot more zebras walking about then I had before, only previously seeing them as a small minority.
Instead of being a minority, they became in equal numbers around this part of the town.
Some approached Titan in recognition and smiled at him, speaking the special words to mark the sign of a follower, others simply ignored us as if we didn't even exist.

"Titan," I began. "how much time do we have left before we pick up Silk Swirls?"
He paused for a moment then carried on walking. "About ten minutes, why is that?"
"Just wanted to know, not long then."
"Nope."
With that, we began to make our way over to the meeting point, no doubt it'd take us those ten minutes to reach there.

A gruff voice ahead of the crowd spoke in a commanding voice, the crowd shuffled forwards slightly. "You can move through now, you're clean."
Looking up ahead, I saw two donkeys whom were both wearing heavy armour with battle rifles equipped with battle saddles.
"Next! Come on, keep moving." the other shouted.
"What's all this about?" I asked the mare ahead of us.
"There's reports of PLAC and Anarchist attack on soldiers, so they're combing us all for weapons, bastards. As if we don't need our weapons for self defence from the crazies!"
"I heard they were only after certain weapon types." A buck next to her replied.
"Yeah? Well whose to say it's not what we have?"
"Nothing. Just gotta hope we're safe from their search."

Looking into the eyes of the buck ahead, I saw the fear he held.
Peeking over to Titan, I wondered what the hell to do. Right now we couldn't go get ourselves into a fight, we had the young colt to keep safe and neither of us had the energy for yet another fight so soon anyway.
I just wanted to get back to Crimson and clean the colt, Titan showed signs of weariness too.

Leaning my head over, I began to whisper into Titans ear.
"What do you think we should do? I can tell neither of us wants to get into a fight right now, got any plans?"
"When you ask me for plans on long term goals, I'd say no. Right now? Yeah, yeah I do."
"That's good, none of them involve getting into trouble do they?"
"Of course not. We just tell them we've been out in the wasteland... ain't far from the truth now, is it?"

A little smile broke on my face, though my eyes still stung from the shed tears.
At least some things were going well for us, despite the majority of things going haywire today.

"Next up! Any ponies, zebras or donkeys who refuse the search will be punished!"
The line moved forward again, the next batch of ponies were allowed through to trade freely in the market without harassment. I had to hand it to the coalition, they weren't complete assholes all of the time, though it was already showing the rough regime they held.

As the donkeys searched a mare, one of the bucks in their group pushed a donkey back with violent force as he smacked him round the face. Instead of retaliation, the donkey stood coolly as he spat blood from his mouth to the floor.
"Thunder! Zuox! Take this one to the side, I want to speak to him in private."
A heavily armoured donkey and a zebra counterpart rushed up to the buck and dragged him away into the alley while they continued to search the group.

They were allowed to go, including the mare who the buck had begun the incident over.
Despite this, she seemed to hang back for a moment at the side of the road. I wondered what she was thinking, what she was feeling. Princesses know how I'd handle that situation if it were Crimson.

It was now clear to me that the pony who had been hit was the commanding officer, his armour a slightly darker colour with what seemed to be more dents and repairs made to it then the rest.
I watched on as he walked into the alleyway where his two subordinates had taken the buck and the sounds of a beating ensued.
Kick after kick, the buck cried out in pain and groaned in absolute agony as the beating went on, a horrible sound to hear.
Titan showed absolute disgust, but there was nothing we could do.

Outnumbered, only one gun, Titan wasn't wearing his armour, I was carrying a colt upon my back... we had no choice. If I had my team here, Titan his scouts, things could've been different.
They weren't though, we did nothing to stop the beating.
Guilt consumed me even after it had stopped, the commander walking back out and the other two throwing the buck at the mare whom waited for him.

Watching as they walked off, one of the unicorns who was searching ponies as they went through the checkpoint raised their assault rifle, I heard him asking for permission to shoot, though the commander shook his head.
"Wildhooves, don't you dare. We made our point to him, no need to kill him. If you fire even a single shot, I'll have you cleaning every set of armour with your tongue for the next two weeks, got it?"
The pale unicorn nodded and backed down, lowering his weapon.

Another group went in, it looked like we'd be next.
Over the shoulders of the ponies, zebras and donkeys ahead, I saw that the buck was still around despite somehow being able to walk with a little help, the look upon his face told me he was going to do something drastic. That was the last thing we all needed right now.
Kinking my head over my shoulder, I spoke to the colt on my back.

"If something goes wrong, you slip past the guards and make it over to the market stand with the red roof, okay"
"Wh... why? What's wrong?"
"I don't like the look of what's up ahead, my gut tells me something bad is about to go down and my gut instinct doesn't normally do me wrong, Please, just trust me."
"Okay."
"As well as that, what's your name? I want to be able to find you easily."
"Sandstorm,"
"Sandstorm huh? Awesome name, Just remember, red roof, okay?"
"Got it. Please don't leave me, please don't be like everyone else"
With my magic I brushed his mane as I gently cooed him. "Of course not."

The group being checked got the all clear, and the donkey called for the next few ponies. To my bemusement, somepony pushed ahead of us meaning we had to wait even longer. This really wasn't something I was in the mood for, but getting angry about it would do no good and we'd already seen where violence led.
The buck ahead of us became even more nervous, fiddling his hooves together and constantly looking down at his saddlebags as he muttered something along the lines of 'oh princesses no'.
What the hell was his problem?

From behind the guards, three ponies came and helped the mare and her buck friend, one picking him up and carrying him along his broad shoulders. Though he wasn't quite as large as Titan, he still held a similar stature, that of a true working pony rather then a malnourished slave or simple trader.
Upon seeing the group, the buck ahead of us steeled himself and nodded, I noticed the others nodding back.
He was going to do something stupid, I could tell.

As the last pony was searched, the brown buck ahead stopped being so skittish and now held a confidence in himself as he lowered his head into his bag and pulled out a canister.
My eyes widened as he deftly caught the pull on a hook as he pulled it out and green smoke began pouring out.
At the same time, another canister came rolling from the direction of the other three from behind the guards, going straight into the middle of the group.

Instinctively I pushed Storm off my back and prodded him to run forwards, as he did so I pulled out Justice and Crimson's shotgun and levitated them in my magic.
The buck ahead of me had already made his way forwards, pushing through the soldiers knocking one down before everything became too misty to see.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?" One cried out.
The commander responded in a panicked voice, betraying his previously calm look. "I HAVE NO CLUE, FUCK. GET READY TO FIRE!"
Another cried out. "THERE'S A CHILD JUST RAN PAST ME, PROBABLY THE CULPRIT!"
No! No he wasn't! They... they couldn't seriously think a child did this, could they?
"I DON'T CARE WHO DID IT, AIM AT THE CROWD."
Why did I always have to be right?

I pushed ahead of the ponies ahead of me as everypony began to scream in terror. The moment of confusion had passed and now instead of standing still, petrified of what had just happened, everyone ran in every direction.
One of the soldiers spoke up again. "Permission to fire this time, sir?"
I couldn't let him get that permission.
Rushing into the group, I bashed into the first pony I found. I'd seen where the commander was just a second before and hoped I'd managed to hit him down to the floor.

My knife went straight down to his throat, softly pressing against the exposed skin between his helmet and his chest piece, the sounds of his grunting confirming I'd hit my target.
He began to choke as he tried to speak through the sudden pressure of a pony atop of him. "Permission... to...f-"
"Don't you dare say another word, or I'll cut your throat open."

"Sir!" Shouted a different pony this time. "Confirm orders please!"
Growling at the commander, I made sure that the shotgun aimed at the voices that I could hear but not see the ponies who they originated from.
"Tell them to stand down now and I promise I'll let you live. This is not a time for justice, this is a time for mercy. You've proven yourself merciful enough, I'll return the favour. Retract your order."

Gasping for breath, the commander did so. "Stand... down. Stand... down!"
Releasing the pressure from his throat, I whispered a thank you into his ear before climbing off.
As I did so, I met Titan's face little more than an inch from my own,
"Lets go."

Swiftly making our way through the haze, we found the other side and I spotted Storm cowering by the red roofed market stand like I'd told him to. Handing it to the colt, he followed orders pretty well when it meant he'd carry on living.
Rushing over to him, I picked him up and put him onto my back before galloping as fast as I could without outrunning Titan.
We heard no gunshots, but didn't want to risk anything.
Looking back as the air began to clear again, I smiled as the commander picked himself back up and gently rubbed his neck before looking in my direction.
In an act of respect, I quickly showed him the knife that had pressed against him and nodded. Surprisingly, he responded in kind.
A warriors promise on such matters was the entirety of their honour, both of us understood and respected that.

"So why did you choose to spare him?"
"Titan, you know how I feel about all this."
"Well then, what about showing off the knife back there? What about that?"
"You should know as well as anyone else, Titan. I made a promise to him as a warrior, as a soldier, as a mercenary."
"Warriors and soldiers, I understand. Mercenaries though? There's no honour in that, if that's what you mean."
"There's no honour in mercenaries who have no respect, Titan. For us mercenaries who aren't just about the money or job, for those of us who do it to make something better of the world around us... we have just as much honour as any soldier."
"Hm, when you put it that way, I suppose you could. Still, why show off who you are?"
"To show him that not everyone is a complete asshole... to show him that I respect him for showing some level of mercy, restraint and discipline."

Titan just shook his head and sighed, he didn't understand. Living so long, seeing all the things he'd seen over two centuries, part of me couldn't blame him if the optimistic side of his world had dwindled out to the dying embers of nothingness, but they hadn't in mine. That was the difference between us, I still saw the potential for good even in those who acted poorly.

He hadn't said a word after that, not out of anger nor frustration, but there was simply nothing to be said.
We looked around searching for Silk Swirls, and after a little searching, we'd finally found her.
It was a lot harder to recognise her now that she was wearing a cloak like ourselves, but upon seeing her wares she ran straight to us and spluttered out code as fast as she could.

"Perfer et obdura?"
"Dolor hic tibi proderit olim. Good job on remembering it, Swirls."
She blushed and bowed to us. "I've been trying my best. I can't thank you enough for saving me, so it's the least I could do."
"Yeah, well thank you for supporting us. Every supporter we receive is another step closer to the day we can achieve our goal."
We exchanged further pleasantries and made sure she was absolutely ready before making our way back.

As we were walking along, Silk Swirls began gossip. "Have you heard about the Anarchist attack just moments ago?"
Smiling at her, I responded in a soft voice. "We were there. Wait, how did you hear of it this fast?"
"Really? Oh! Well, truth is... I'm somewhat linked to the Anarchists, it's why I was so surprised to see you reveal yourselves as the organised rebellion aka the PLAC. I thought you were there to get back at someone or something, what with how the Anarchists work so recklessly."

Titan came into the conversation now, valiantly defending his honour and the honour of his movement. "Of course we weren't, we're here to help, not hurt. We want a better Coltchester, whatever the price, bar hurting those we've set out to change things for."
"So you would lay down your life if needed?" She asked.
"Valiantly, I would hope. It's been a long time for me, and though I hope to see an end to this, I wouldn't hesitate to put myself in the line of fire to protect another should the moment ever come. I do this for the people, not for myself."
"The people? Not just the ponies then?"
"No, everyone."

Approaching the hidden doorway, Titan made haste and opened the path for Silk Swirls and myself.
Thanking him for the gesture, he smiled back at me.
"Anything to help."
I smiled back. "Yeah, I just wish we could've done more to help Old Pony Joe."
"Yeah. Hopefully one of our scouts has news."
"Are they due back already then?"
"Whenever they're ready, actually."

Making our way down the steps, the guard gestured Titan over.
"Boss, we have news."
We all trotted over to see what was going on, he just looked grim as Titan made his way over.
"News?"
"You'll want to hear it for yourself, Lightstep is in the debriefing room."
"Something bad?"
"Very bad."

---o---o---o---

Footnote:
Cherry Sundae level up!
Perk unlocked! Dual weapons handling!
Being the unicorn that you are and having gone through the rigorous training that you have, you are capable of competently handling two weapons simultaneously! You receive a 5% accuracy deduction when you do so and can only dual wield two small to medium weapons!

25 Melee weapons attained.

As promised, I'm going to keep advertising the fact that the head picture came from WavemasterRyx, who can be found:http://ask-the-waves.tumblr.com/ !

As always I really do hope you've enjoyed this chapter, please feel free to let me know of any problems!
Nothing in particular to shout out this time, though a big thank you to you all for all the support you give.
Please feel welcome to leave me feedback - be it good, bad or just a note to say hi, as it's all that sort've stuff that makes this easier to keep on going with.
The love and joy this story gives me personally is my main reason for writing, and the storyline that you have yet to see unfold is also a massive part for me.
But as I say, what makes it really great is when I get a new comment that lets me know that someone is actually reading this for real, rather then just being a statistic.

No matter what, thank you.

Chapter 14: Building trust

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds
By Kippershy

Chapter Fourteen: Building trust

"Oh, Please don't tell her I feel this way. Please, please, please please please."
"You have my word, losing a friends trust is the fastest way to lose a friend."

Titan nodded towards the guard who stood before us, a worried look on his face.
"Let's go see what Lightstep knows then. Cherry, you want to come with us? You don't have to, but it's up to you. If you're going to be helping us out like you are, then there's no room to tell you that you're not allowed to hear it too."

Did I want to go? Hear the bad news? Yes, yes I did. As much as I wanted to be back with Crimson and Prince Snugglebums, I needed to hear this. Titan was right, if we were going to be helping out the PLAC then we had to be a part of it for more than simple guns for hire.
True, that's all we were and all I ever had been, that right now we were helping out for our own benefit so Titan would help us retrieve the water talisman... but Coltchester still deserved better.
I wanted to make Coltchester better, if it could be helped.

"Sure, Titan. Though we'd better take Storm out over to medical or something first though, shouldn't we?"
Before Titan could respond, the guardpony trotted up to my side. "It would be my pleasure, M'lady. I take it this colt is Storm?"
Sandstorm looked up at the buck standing by him before looking back at me, utterly confused and a little emotional.
His eyes welling up, he began to whine. "I... I... I wanna stay with you. I don't want you to be taken away!"

The look on his face hurt my very soul, the colt had only recently lost his parents and now it seemed as if I was going away too, how thoughtless of me.
Brushing my hoof against my muzzle to wipe away the tears creeping up on me, I quickly brushed his away and cuddled him tight.

"Please, just for ten minutes? Do you want me to take you to my buckfriend first? He's really, really kind... and funny... and caring. He'll let you talk about whatever you want and look after you until I've just heard about what's happened, that's all. Is that okay?"
"Are... Are you sure?"
"Absolutely. I'll be back really soon, and I'm entirely sure that my Crimson will make you smile a little."
He pouted at me and held that saddening look for a moment before slowly nodding his head in agreement.
"Okay, but you gotta take me to him. Nopony else, you."

A small smile slipped onto my face as I cuddled Storm and lifted him onto my back.
"You heard the little buck, Titan. I'll be back in a minute, okay? Don't start the party without me."
"Course not. Want me to come with you to make sure you don't get lost on the way?"
Thinking about it, if I said no I'd probably head off in the completely wrong direction to begin with and make a mule out of myself, so I agreed.

The walk down to medical wasn't a long trip at all, and already a small part of it became familiar to me as I made my way through the corridors, following Titan's lead.
Some of the ponies turned their heads as we walked past and greeted us as we made our way, though none of them directly demanded Titan's attention like I'd seen with Crimson back in Stable 58.

As we made our way through the last hallway, I could hear Crimson laughing away along with some other ponies.
"Wonder what has him so happy, huh?" I remarked.
"We'll find out in a second, won't we?" Titan replied, a smirk across his face.
As we made our way through the doorway, Titan's smirk turned to a look of utter horror as Crimson sat round a table with three alicorns, all playing cards as Crimson sipped down a bottle of 'Admiral Pip's Rum'.

Looking down at him as I stood next to him, I spoke to Crimson in a inquisitive tone. "Uh, Crimson, what's going on here?"
"Me and the mares are having some fun!" The smile on his face and the way he spoke told me he wasn't completely drunk, far from it, though he had quite some amount to drink already.
Titan's face now changed from shock to annoyance. "Helios, Selene, Eos. What the hell is this?"
"Oh, don't be so stiff, Titan." The dark purple one said. "Eos assured us he's okay, didn't you, Eos?"
Now the dark blue one of the three spoke. "Yeah, it was my idea anyway. You should know I've been in his head already, Titan."

Upon hearing this, the smile fell of my face too. "YOU WHAT?"
"Please, don't feel threatened, Cherry Sundae. I have done nothing harmful nor intrusive."
My voice barely contained itself from a shout. "You went through his head!"
"To see who he was and whom the pony within is. I couldn't risk my life by revealing myself before I was sure he would be friendly."
"Through. His. Head."
"And yet, I do not know his past or his deepest thoughts unless he chooses to share them with me. Our method can only tell the strongest of thoughts, the clearest of memories, what kind of person the pony is."

At this point, Crimson lifted himself up off his chair and hobbled over to me before nuzzling into my neck and softly kissing my lips and nuzzling into me yet again. Within an instant, I felt the anger within me melt as I felt his coat pressed against mine.
"It's fine, Cherry. I promise, it's fine. We've been speaking and having fun, playing games of cards while Helios over here decided that a bottle of Pip's Rum would suit the mood.

My voice became stronger as the embrace ended and I came back to myself.
"Well, I'm gonna have to ask that you stop your game for now. Titan obviously wants to talk to the three mares you've had the pleasure of having accompany you and there's someone who I want you to take care of while I go to find out what news there is."
"Oh?" Crimsons face straightened up now. "Who may that be, then?"
"Sandstorm."

Meekly, Sandstorm made his way out from behind me, the poor little colt absolutely frightened by what had just happened.
Leaning my head down I encouraged him out further to little effect.
"Come on, please? I promise it's okay, Storm." Even pleading with him had no effect.
Crimson outstretched a wing as he shook himself off and suddenly Storm bolted out from behind the furniture he'd taken to hiding behind and ran straight for Crimson before sitting under his wing and gazing up at the feathers.

Crimson looked down at him in a moment of confusion before realising what Storm was looking at.
"Sandstorm, huh? You're interested in my wings, hey?"
"They're really real? Can you fly?"
"Well, normally I can, but right now I got a pretty nasty wound to my wing that's stopped me flying for a few days, perhaps a week."
The disappointment in Storms face and voice ran strong as he pouted upon hearing this. "Awh... but... but... they're still real, right? You can fly when you get better?"
"I can do more then just fly, I can do all sorts of spectacular aerial stunts and tricks. Check out the cutie mark, pair of wings, see?"

Once more Sandstorm's face lit up and the two began talking about all things to do with wings and flying. This really was a world where pegasai were highly valued, their wings were just too exotic not to get excited over. Hell, I had to admit that even I myself gave in a little easier then I otherwise would to Crimson's advances thanks to his wings.

Walking up to Titan, I gave him a little nudge as he questioned the alicorns on what they were doing putting themselves at risk like they had been.
"Come on big guy, let's go to the debriefing room and find out what's up, yeah?"
"Yeah, I suppose I shouldn't freak out like I am."
The mares smiled at me as he made his way out and led me to where we'd find Lightstep.

As we made our way along, I started to ask Titan about what was just said.
"So, we're really that big a threat to the top of your order, huh?"
A stern tone of voice met my question, an obvious distaste to the answer he was giving to begin with. "Order? No. My order was the Steel Rangers, I've long since left them. You're a possible threat to the revolution that's taken roots in Coltchester, though with your actions I'm beginning to trust you a little more."

Hearing this, I couldn't help but smile a little. Trust was good.
"You are? Good. Look, you've got the upper hoof here because we're after a water talisman first and foremost, though the plight of the peoples that live here is extreme and if it wasn't for our current mission, I would request full force recon on the city to determine what we can do."
The curiosity in Titan's voice peaked. "So what was it you were doing earlier on the radio?"
"What was the information all about on that computer before we left earlier?"
"The base status? Pretty obvious, isn't it?"
"What about the projects. You don't see stuff labelled 'Project Steelpony' and 'Project Iron Giant' very often now, do you?"

That caught Titan's attention rapidly as he turned to face me and stopped in his tracks, an obvious shock in the way he looked at me.
"They... they are from my past, we'll leave that there for now, shall we? Perhaps when there's more trust, perhaps if..."
"If what?"
"If I'm ever ready."

Well, what a disappointing answer that was, though I couldn't really hold it against him to have some things in his past that he wasn't overly keen to talk about. From the way he reacted, it wasn't anything of shame though, nor regret.
As we continued to trot off to the room, I muttered to myself beneath my breath. "Wonder what it could be..."

"Ah, Titan, you're here!" Lightstep announced as we walked through the door. "Oh, you have a friend?"
"Yeah, her name is Cherry Sundae. She's from Four Ridges, she's here to help."
Lightstep gasped in shock and had a look as if he was taken back by the revelation. "Four Ridges... you're serious? You're from Four Ridges?"
"Yes, I'm from 'The Four'. Now, I heard you have some information to tell Titan? Well, I'm here to hear it too."
"Yes, yes. I suppose it's only ideal that you hear it straight from the horses mouth. Very well. I have some news regarding one of our contacts, Pony Joe."

Before he could speak further, I put my hoof in the air. "We already know, he's been captured, presumably by the DZC. We went to the Coltchester Courier Service building, found the place trashed and Pony Joe missing. Some zebra accused us of being the perpetrators until we made her see sense."
An appreciative look filled Lightsteps eye as he nodded. "Quite so, indeed. Well, I have yet more news. He's waiting to be killed."
Again, I nodded. "That we heard rumours of, too. Same source, the zebra whom approached us."
"Ah." He began. "But do you know why they wait?"
I shook my head. "We've heard something about them waiting for an executioner, but that makes no sense... why wait when any one of them can do it? Is the executioner some kind of special rank?"

Lightstep shook his head and bowed down with a sombre expression upon his face.
"The Executioner is not a rank within the DZC, but rather, a pony. More so, a pony not within the ranks of the DZC, but instead, a pony within this very facility."
With that, Lightstep pointed towards the doorway. I turned my head to see Crimson ever so casually walk into the room and pick up the pack of playing cards in his mouth that Titan had previously confiscated from the alicorns prior to the meeting.
"Him."
Crimson raised his head to look at us all before shrugging and walking back to the medical wing.

Titan's face dropped as Crimson walked out the door. "Where the hell do you think you're going with those?"
Crimson put the cards down for a moment to speak. "Back to the wing to play some more cards."
"I took them away for a reason!" Titan shouted in return, though Crimson just ignored him and walked off with the cards once more.
I couldn't help but giggle at how relaxed Crimson was about it all.

Once more, Lightstep spoke. "He is The Executioner... the one they wait for, the one they wish to execute more then any. To prove a point and reinforce their rule."
My face dropped the smile I wasn't consciously aware of with the end of his sentence, the realisation that the DZC wanted my Crimson dead had hit me.
"So, they want him dead? They'll have to take me first. By my duty as his bodyguard and my strength of will as his lover, I would sooner destroy the DZC than let them kill him in such cold blood."

A pain filled Lightstep's eyes as I finished my sentence. "Yes..." Lightstep began again. "Well, unfortunately, there is more, unpleasant news."
Titan spoke up this time. "What else?"
"Three more of our supporters have been captured, sources say that they may very well be being tortured right this very moment even, no doubt to find out the location of our HQ if that is so."
"Any leads on where we'd find them?"
"Not this time, not yet. We were close to finding a solid lead, but as myself and Crasher were speaking to somepony who knew..." Lightstep take a moments pause as he drew in a breath only to hold it for a second. "We were ambushed."

Titan lowered his head, the tone of voice that had befallen Lightstep had already made the outcome obvious.
"Crasher died, along with the source. We both fought valiantly but they'd killed the source on the opening shot. We did what we could to get out, both of us, but we were surrounded. He sacrificed himself by charging the enemy to give me a chance to make my way through, saying one of us had to get back. Right now the only reason I'm feeling so calm and collected is because it hasn't quite hit me yet, I suspect it won't until later."

Titan put his hoof on the bucks shoulder and nodded.
"You know where to find me, should you want to. I won't ask any missions of you for a week, I know you and Crasher were close friends."
"Thank you, Titan."
"Now, stop holding up the mental barricade and let the emotions loose. It'll do you no good to bottle it up, as much as I appreciate you being able to tell me this without breaking down, as much as I appreciate you leaving it until last. I know how much it hurts, you're a strong pony. Stronger then most."
"Not strong enough, it seems."

With that, Titan held the now weeping Lightstep and I felt an uneasiness in the air.
Not really knowing what to do, I simply bowed to them both and thanked Lightstep for the news, wishing him the best in recovering from his loss.
Though I'd been through the same too many times myself, I found myself speechless and knew this wasn't my place to be.
Lightstep needed the ponies he knew and trusted, not some random who he'd barely seen before.

Instead, I made my way out and headed towards the medical bay where I would find my Crimson.

When I arrived, I found him alright. Once more he played cards with the alicorns, a grin on his face and the bottle of rum by his side once more.
Storm was carefully pouring him another shot as he snuggled up into Crimson's good wing that wrapped around him as they all sat round the table, cards graciously flying to each player before five being laid down onto the table, five face down.

"Oh, hey there babe!" Crimson called out to me. "We're playing poker! Appleoosa hold'um! Wanna join in on next round?"
My eyes rolled and I couldn't help but giggle, as much as a bad environment as it probably was for Storm, he seemed to be happy now he was snuggled up to Crimsons feathers and Crimson wasn't causing any trouble, so I figured why not.

"Sure, you play this round and then I'll join in on the next."

"Cool! Now, girls." Crimson turned his head back to the table. "Two cap buy in?"
Each nodded and levitated two caps each onto a pile, as Crimson used his other wing to deftly pick out two caps and add them as well.
Despite not playing myself for this round, I thought it would be unsporting to look at anyone else's hoof, though saw nothing wrong with watching Crimson with his hoof.

Using their magic, one of the alicorns lifted the first two cards. King of hearts and seven of clubs. Crimson had a king of spades and two of spades. "Pass." "Pass." "Pass." "Pass."
Everypony had passed, not a stupid move for the opener.
Another card lifted up and revealed itself, this time a five of spades. Crimson had nothing special, even still. None of the alicorns really responded and nor did Crimson.
"Pass." "Pass." Pass." "Pass."
The fourth card revealed itself, another king. Now Crimson had the advantage, three of a kind. Crimson frowned a little for a split second, though straightened up his face not even a moment later.

The first two alicorns spoke, their usual response sounding almost automatic at the moment. "Pass." "Pass."
However, come the dark blue alicorn, a different sound was made as she hesitated. "I'll raise, one cap."
"Oh, wanna play like that do ya, Eos? Two caps." Crimson replied immediately.
"Three."
"Five."
"Match."
The two looked at one another before looking to the other two alicorns, both of whom gave in and put their cards to a side.

A stern, toneless voice came from Crimson's mouth, one I'd not recognised. "So, Eos. Five more caps, cough up."
"Of course. You too, Crimson."
Both of them placed their five caps into the pile and continued.
Now the fifth and final card was shown, a two of clubs.
Crimson answered first. "Pass."
"Pass. Show your hoof, Crimson."

Suddenly, a smile came across Crimson's face. "Oh, mares first. I've got to be a gentlecolt, after all."
Eos showed her hoof, a pair of sevens and a pair of fives. "Can you beat two pairs, Crimson?"
Now the smile turned into a smirk as he laid out his hoof. "Full house. Mind if I take the caps?"
The other two alicorns snorted at Eos' flabbergasted expression as Crimson had Storm pull the caps over and took another drink of the rum that sat by his side.

"Oh," Eos began. "you are so evil, Crimson. So very evil."
"Silver tongue of the devil, what can I say?" He gave her a wink and watched her turn rosy, much to all of our amusement.

Pulling up a seat not far from Crimson, I joined in the fun and games. One of the alicorns shuffled a new deck as Crimson went to give me a reasonable amount of caps to play with.
Instead of accepting, I declined. I had my own caps to play with and I'd be damned if I wasn't allowed to do so.
"Hit me with a hoof. One cap buy in?"
The others nodded.

Two cards flew towards me, I studied them briefly to find I'd gotten a five and six of hearts. Not a bad start!
"Pass" "Pass" "Pass". Now came Crimson. He looked at me with a smug face and slowly mouthed the word 'raise' at me before passing himself.
Following the lead, I too passed. Too early to raise, we'd either look foolish or scare the alicorns from betting.

Four of hearts and nine of hearts unveiled themselves, I felt a small twitch in the corner of my mouth though I did my best to contain it. It was a good hoof so far but still, the odds were against me with no solid winner.
The dark green alicorn began. "Bet, two caps."
"Match."
Then it came to the deep purple of the trio, whom broke from the trend. "Fold."

With that, there was one less opponent to try and figure out, for this round.
Crimson's turn. "Match."
The pressure was on now, I had four cards of the same suit but to get the fifth? My best odds were around one in ten...
"Raise. Four caps."
Crimson immediately looked at me with a questioning face to which I just repeated I was sure.
"Fold." Began the green one once more.
"....Match." The dark blue one said, much to my pleasure as she shifted four caps into the pile we'd made.
Crimson didn't even try to hide his reaction now as he spoke. "Match, of course."

Another card overturned, ace of spades. Crap, this wasn't any good for me. Crimson took another shot of rum as he brushed Storms hair with his wingtip, the colt enjoying the whole experience of learning how to gamble, from the looks of things.

"Pass."
"Pass."
My turn."pass."
We'd all passed, thank Celestia. I didn't want to push it.

The fourth card overturned, ten of diamonds. Really really really not good for me.
Eos looked at us both before calling. "Bet, five caps."
My eyes widened with worry, that was a high bet for what I was risking right now.. One card left to upturn, was it worth the risk?
"Match and raise. Another five caps."
I looked at Crimson in horror as he smirked away, damn him.

Taking a gulp, I didn't want to lose out on this... as much as the risk was, something told me to go for it anyway. I really needed a drink, it seemed to be doing Crimson some good at keeping calm.
"Match."
Levitating ten caps onto the pile, there was nothing more to do but wait.
"Match."

Finally, the last card overturned... it was a seven of hearts.
My heart-rate soared into the sky as I saw it, the glorious card that made it all worth it.
Eos started the rotation as she had before. "Pass."
Crimson looked at me before nodding. "Pass."
Really? After all this, he was just going to pass? I could've kissed him right then.
"Pass."

Crimson threw his hoof into the table, showing two absolutely useless cards. He'd only had a two of spades and three of diamonds! He was betting on a bluff!
Eos however, wasn't. She revealed her pair of aces, diamond and clubs, which along with the ace of spades, made three of a kind.
Her smile was soft but confident, she was clearly looking at me to confirm that she'd won the game, but I wasn't going to let her have that moment of glory, not right now at least.
Showing my cards, I'd won and it had been with a nice and strong flush. Crimson let out a tiny chuckle as Eos' face dropped and pouted at the outcome of the round.

With a smile across my face, I pronounced my intention to really wind down and relax with the games. "I think I need to have a drink myself, to celebrate. Do you have any I may have?"
The dark green of the three nodded. "Of course, does cherry wine sound nice to you?"
Crimson snickered as I flushed. "I hope you're not trying to tease me!" A pout across my face showing my displeasure to the idea of that being the case.
She chuckled in return. "Of course not, it's just much nicer than the others we have. Here."

With that, she handed me a bottle of cherry wine and a glass to pour it into.
The night had only just begun as I took my first sip and the alicorns joined us with a bottle for themselves too.

Almost an hour had passed and three quarters of the bottle of wine had been drunk between myself and Crimson, who took the occasional sip from my glass. Even Storm had a little sip after snuggling up to me and giving the most adorable wide eyed look I'd seen in years.
Now he sat by my hooves, head resting against my side, eyes slowly closing as he watched us play our games.

Crimson had proven to be pretty good at bluffing, his luck and ability to speak to people had converted well into being able to play poker, though I shouldn't have been surprised with the scoundrels touch that he had.
The three alicorns had fared well, winning their fair share of hooves too.

Another round came along and I was doing well, Crimson seemed pretty confident in his betting but something told me he was trying to bluff again, something about the way his wings twitched ever so slightly when he was bluffing made me sure of that.
As for the mares, I'd learnt their names now. The green one was Helios, purple was Selene and I'd already sort've known Eos was the blue one.

Discussing random things as the time passed, as the alcohol made our inhibitions loosen, the beginnings of a friendly bond became to show itself between us all.
Eos was the most talkative of the three, though none of them had been cold, just cautious.
Who could blame them in a world so destroyed and fucked up that ponies would fight with one another so freely?

As the last of the betting came into play, Titan walked into the room.
"What the hell... what in Hades is going on here?"
Crimson waved his hoof in Titan's direction. "Oooooooh shush, metal pony. We're having fun and you can't stop us... you can join us though, next round!"
"Crimson, are you drunk?" Titan looked down at the empty bottle of Admiral Pip's Rum and shook his head. "well, at least you're drinking the quality stuff. Wait... speaking of which, isn't that..."

Helios stretched her wing out and lifted Titan in her magic, bringing him to her side before laying her wing on him.
"Calm down, Titan. It's fine, really. We're playing games and getting to know the newcomers, this pair are very friendly. You should join us."`
"Fine, what's the bets for? Caps?"
"Currently? Yes."
"Wanna make it more interesting? Crimson, Cherry, how about we go for information instead. No doubt there's stuff you'd like to know about me or stuff I know... and there are some things I'd like to ask you, given the chance."

Looking at Crimson, I wondered what the outcome of this could be. Before I had a chance to voice my concerns though, Crimson clumsily raised a hoof into the air.
"Rule number one, no access codes to any high security zones, that goes for all of us. Rule number two,.."
He paused. We all went quiet as the moment hung and Crimson sat there with a smirk slowly growing across his face.

Finally, it was Titan who broke the silence. "Uh, Crimson?"
"Yeah?"
"What's the second rule then?"
"There is none, I just wanted to see you all sit still waiting for me to speak, see how long I could keep it going."
Titan's face hit the table as Eos burst out laughing and I couldn't help but playfully slap him and give him a kiss for his antics, he really was too cute sometimes.

"One more thing, got any more rum?"
Selene teleported from her seat over to the cupboard, taking one more bottle of rum and two more bottles of wine.
Teleporting back, she moved the bottles into the middle of the table before passing one to me with her magic.
"The rum goes between you and cranky pants soldier stallion here, this wine for us and that one for Cherry."

Astonishment was the only emotion I could feel as she said that, they were so free and friendly with us, not at all how alicorns had usually been. True, they weren't hostile on sight, though they had the tendency to be rather frigid at the slightest of things.

"Do you want anything in return for all this, Selene? I mean, it's such a generous offer."
"You're helping this revolution, are you not? Besides, we have not had this much fun in quite a long time, we enjoy this fun."
Crimson smiled with glee as he opened up the bottle and poured himself another shot before passing the bottle to Titan.
In the sweetest little voice he could muster, as though he were a child, Crimson said a soft thank you to the alicorns.

Another round began. Titan began the betting as we looked at our cards.
"Subject I'd like to know about is something personal."
One by one the alicorns agreed that they could think of something to ask and were happy being asked anything if they lost.
In his confident tone, Crimson accepted. "Sure, hit at me, old buck."
With a nod, I did too. "Sure, why not."

The round went smoothly, I had a pair of nines and there was a queen high card on my side.
Crimson didn't try to bluff this round and he hadn't been betting high, so I assumed he'd nothing to try win with and nothing of physical value to gain.
The three mares each did their usual poker face routine, they were damned good at it too.
Titan was the only one who didn't have a poker face, instead, he couldn't help but show tell-tale little signs of when he was happy, even if they were subtle.

The last card overturned, I'd still only had a pair and high card, drat.
Crimson had nothing, like I'd predicted. The mares all had nothing too, but Titan had a pair of kings.

"Okay." I began. "Who do you want to ask and what?"
"You."
"Me?"
"Yeah, you. What do you see in Crimson? I've seen you two travelling together since Coltshire Town, yet you've both proven to be different in so many ways. He's happy to go and end violence with violence, even if it is for a good cause. You? You've shown yourself to be the type who would like to get through life avoiding it in any other way possible, if possible. What is it that you see in him, that means this difference doesn't tear you two apart?"

Titan had a good point there, me and Crimson were indeed different. I watched Crimson's face casually look towards me as I took a breath and collected my thoughts, now was my chance to try and give back to him all the effort he'd given to me.

"Well, I'm really not good with words and expressing exactly how I feel and why I feel that way, sometimes. However, I can tell you that the reason I stick with Crimson so closely is more then duty. It may be my job that initially had me shadowing him, but the way he's treated me like a true mare... the way he gave me so much attention from the very start, even after getting what he wanted."

Titan looked at me with a raised eyebrow at that. "Getting what he wanted?"
"Well uhm... I hadn't had any... fun... in quite some time and uh... well..."
"And so I gave her just that." Crimson replied for me. "Of course, it was something for myself, too. I mean, how could I not want to try my luck with someone as beautiful as she is?"
My heart melted as he leant in and kissed me, one hoof on my cheek. Just like how he had when we first kissed, only this time, with a lot more tender passion in it rather than the heat of the moment.
My eyes fell shut and only opened again once the kiss broke off, my top lip quivering for yet another as he pulled away.

"That... that is why. Oh Celestia, he makes me feel so...alive and wanted and special."
Looking down at me with a smile, he kissed me again before kissing me between the eyes.
"That's because you are special."
Once more I melted, literally spreading out onto the floor in pure bliss.
Two of the alicorns giggled away, but I couldn't care.
Between the alcohol and the way Crimson was, my heart pounded heavily in joy.

Once more blood rushed to my cheeks.
"When I met Crimson personally, not as the special ops soldier but as any other pony, I'd been feeling a little lonely after having spent so long without somepony to care about. Crimson changed that, from the start he made me laugh and brought me a gift and made me happy. That's why even though we're so different in some ways, it doesn't matter. I honestly believe he loves me, and I love him."

Gazing upon his face, I could see the pink of his blushing cheeks as he looked down towards his hooves, going shy. It wasn't easy to make him shy, though I presumed part of it to be the alcohol in his system, something told me that he very much enjoyed hearing what I thought about him.
After a quick kiss to Crimson's cheek and another moment of nuzzling into one another, we got back to the game.

Selene shuffled the cards and passed them out to us before laying out the five 'stable' cards.
Taking a quick look at my hoof, I liked the odds. A pair of eights would do me plenty fine.
Crimson, looking at his pair, pushed them away from himself, which came as a shock to me.

"You're backing out of this round?" I asked.
"Yeah, don't like the cards I got. Gut feeling, tells me to drink some more rum instead."
I shook my head and laughed as he smirked while Storm passed him up his glass and he downed another shot, not letting it touch his tongue as it flew down his throat.
Really, I couldn't understand the point in drinking if you weren't even going to spend a moment tasting it!

Selene also backed out with Helios following her in doing so, though Titan and Eos were game for it.
Titan looked at us both before nodding for the first two cards to be revealed. "Only myself, Eos and you huh, Cherry? I'm fine with that, got something I could ask either one of you."
"Oh, is that so?" Eos began. "What could you ask of me?"
"You'll hear it when I win, don't worry."
Psh, he was cocky. "You sure about that?" I began to ask before taking another sip of wine. "I mean, you're far from victory yet, mister."

Another card revealed itself, we all nodded in silence and another came to be shown.
Now I was starting to worry, I'd still only had my pair of eights with nothing more to prop me up for a win, at this rate perhaps Titan would win.

With a voice confident in itself, Eos looked up from her hoof to smile at Titan. "I say, Titan, that it will be I that is asking you a question."
"Nuh uh!"
"Uh huh!"
"Nope!"
"Yep!"

Staring at the pair, I was in utter shock. Never in all my time had I seen a alicorn so laid back and... happy? Hell, never in my time had I ever seen a Alicorn drinking alcohol and playing cards, so something had to be going on here that I wasn't aware of.

The fourth card revealed itself, another eight! This one was in the bag for me! Three of a kind was a sure winner!
With only one more card to go, I was feeling damned confident and jumping straight into okaying the last card to be revealed...
...To which Titan smirked and began to chuckle upon its showing.

My ears perked up in curiosity as I couldn't help but raise my brow at him. "What's got you so happy, mister cranky hooves?"
His smirk grew larger as he answered. "I get to ask Eos why she's changed so much so recently."
Eos' raised her brow in disbelief until Titan showed his hoof... four of a kind.
My ears flopped to the side of my head in disappointment. Four of a kind did indeed beat my three, even if all he held were twos.

With a voice as smooth as sandpaper, Titan began his question. "So Eos," His eyes casually glazing over as he smiled with intent. "What has happened to you, to all of you three, but you in particular, to change the way you act? You never were so open with yourselves to anyone but me until very recently. Why is that?"
Before Eos could respond, Helios spoke up. "The reason we have changed is... a significant one. However, we do not yet feel ready to speak of the experience, though I assure you, none of the ponies here have harmed us in any way."

Titan sighed upon hearing the response, knowing pushing the subject would get him nowhere and possibly ruining the fun of the night.
"Okay, I understand. I won't ask again."

In the corner of my eye, I saw Crimson slyly smiling himself silly as he had another shot poured out for him by Storm.
That little colt really needed to stop being so adorable as he poured Crimson out those shots, he was going to give Crimson one hell of a headache at the end of this night.
I just thanked Celestia that the bottle was almost finished.

At this point, we all took a five minute break to use the little ponies' rooms and stretch our legs, though Crimson stretched his a little too far once or twice, resulting in him falling over and laughing at the result.
Storm laughed his little head off too and Crimson seemed unhurt so all was fine, it seemed.

Another round of cards began as we all settled ourselves back down.
Crimson had ever so generously given the last shot of rum to Storm, though the reaction of his face when he tasted the drink was beyond hilarious.
"EUGHHH, HOW THE... WHY DO YOU LIKE THIS SO MUCH?" His little voice cried out.

Crimson just chuckled as he finished what little was in the glass.
"Easy, kid. I just do. The kickback is harsh at first, especially when you're new to it, but once you've had a few you don't notice it at all and it gets you messy, fast."
With a teasing smile, I nodded. "With the way you were all over the floor back then? Yeah, you're messy alright. Won't be getting messy with me tonight though, not in that state."

Crimson swung his head to me, pouting like there was no tomorrow.
"but... but... awh, Cherry! Please?"
"Nope!" Shaking my head, making my point set in stone. "You're too far out of it, your performance would be terrible and you wouldn't even be able to remember it tomorrow, so you can wait."
Crimson just huffed as he crossed his hooves, groaning some inaudible nonsense before I gave him another kiss on the cheek to perk him up. Silly pony.

The round of cards had almost come to a close, I was on a sure win with a straight. Everypony had stayed in this time, though I knew exactly what I was going to ask of who.
As the last card was upturned, my victory was almost sealed. I just had to know what everyone else had, make sure there was no tricksters out there waiting to outdo me.

Without any warning, Crimson blurted out something that none of us expected to hear. "Anyone got a two?"
In a moment of quick thinking, I responded. "Go fish."
"Awh! Such a buzzkill babe! I was gonna win with another two!"
Giggling my head off, I waved my hoof at him. "No you weren't, a pair doesn't beat my straight."
Crimson paused as he looked at me and making a foalish voice. "...Awh, screw you then! I don't love you any more!"
"Yes you do." I countered.
"Yeah, you're right. I really do, I do I do I do do do!"
Now even Titan couldn't help but chuckle as Crimson grinned at me, leaning over the table.

"Anyone got any better hooves then my straight?"
One by one, the others shook the heads. In that case...
"Crimson?"
"Hmm?"
"Why do you love me? We've heard why I love you, but why do you love me? What makes me different than another notch on your post?"
In a flat, sarcastic tone of voice, Crimson immediately responded.
"Oh no... not that question! I'd backed out of the last round just to avoid that! Oh no..."

As I pushed him, Crimson fell back into his chair, recovering instantly before putting one hoof up to his chin and began making a humming sound.
The pout came across my face before I could help it. "Oh, is it really that hard to tell me why?"
"Not hard, no. I just want to find the right words to explain, though that's hard enough sober, seeing as there are no words that could ever truly explain what you mean to me."
My lower lip quivered upon this alone until I steeled myself once more and continued to pout.
"And while being drunk? Makes it a little harder... but..."
Crimson took a deep breath before continuing to speak.

"Cherry, you already know that I feel from the very moment we met, that there was something different about you. Something about the way you looked and talked, the way you challenged and teased me for more. Your beauty is astounding and yet you act as if you were any other pony. Something about how you're so humble and how you're so lovingly gentle."
He took another breath as he looked into my eyes and put a hoof to my cheek again.

"You make me feel different than the others did. Everypony else was always just the bit of fun to be had, somepony to sleep with for relief, or at times, bragging rights. There was nothing like that with you though. The fact we went to bed the first time we met on a personal level doesn't change that. There was always something different about you for me. From the first night together, the first gift I gave you and how you accepted it, to the way you treat me and how you've been there for me through so much."
At this point, he gave me a soft kiss that only lasted a moment but left me wishing it had been an eternity.

"My heart longs for you, I've never felt this way for anypony else, not like this. I love my mother, I love my late father, I love Melony and a few other ponies back in the stable as friends, but I've never loved a pony like I love you. I've never felt like any other pony has been a special somepony to me, let alone being the pony I hope to be my very special somepony. Every moment that passes, I hope you'll be that very special somepony for me. I can't explain the way I feel for you because like I say, there are no words that can compare to you. I could spend all day calling you stunning, beautiful, humble, amazing, exhilarating, wonderful, alluring, enchanting and more... but none of those cut it. The only way I could ever show you what you mean to me and why, is to be faithful to you forever and always and do my best to be all you could ever want."

My heart pounded as I felt my knees tremble, he was really making it hard one me now. Tears began to well up in my eyes as he spoke further.

"Cherry, all I ask in return is that you carry on being yourself and that you trust me when I tell you that you are different, that I do love you. You mean more to me then I could've ever realised before I met you, you're not even close to being just another notch on the post, you make me want to remove the post entirely because you're all I need. All I want."

The tears were now well and truly running down my cheeks with full force, I'd never had any stallion be so caring and sweet towards me, it all felt like too much, like I didn't deserve it... yet I still loved every moment of it and let him lavish me with every word that came out of his mouth.
I may not have deserved all that, but it made me feel too good to reject.

Before I could do a thing, his hooves were around me, pulling me close to his chest and he stroked my mane and rubbed his cheek on my ear.
I'd never thought that he was lying about how he felt, though this only reinforced my curiosity as to why he would love somepony like myself like he did.
No, that was a lie, it also made me feel like I was special, like I was somepony worth something, like he really did feel that way. Did I trust him? How could I not? What would he gain by lying?

Placing his hoof on my chin and raising my head up ever so slightly, I felt his tongue slip into my mouth as I welcomed it with my own, The warm after-taste of rum on his tongue made it all the more exciting as the world around me melted.
There was nothing else to me right now, just his embrace and the kiss we shared. If I could've had this moment kept forever, I would.

Once the moment of utter bliss had come to a end, as unfortunate as it was, we got back into the game, which the others had decided to continue on without us.
Helios won the round, asking Titan something that I couldn't quite catch, though I doubted it was anything that would be of any importance to me.

Now a new round started back up, and we were all back in the game.
"Augh! No! My rum! I'm out of rum!"
We all looked at Crimson as he held the empty bottle of rum sombrely, as if he'd just lost a child.
"My second bottle of rum! Why did it have to be so! Why!?!"
Eos burst into fits of laughter over it all while the rest of us all sat there in a state between amusement and confusion.

"Come on, Selene, deal already!" Titan called out.
With a roll of her eyes, the cards went out to each player. My hand was nothing worthwhile to begin with, though you never knew what it could be turned into when the cards turned over.
Titan was raring to go, the joy obvious in his face, for once. "We all good?"
"I'm in." Crimson coughed up.
"Same."
"We three are in."

Good. I liked a full game.

The cards weren't treating me nicely when the first two were overturned however, nor the third.
Titan's eagerness for the round had diminished as the cards went by, though Selene seemed pretty okay with what she had.
Crimson just sat there crying over his empty bottle of rum, which I had made sure was his last when Helios offered him some more.
No more rum for Crimson tonight, that was for sure.

The fourth and then fifth cards turned over. I had nothing, sadly. No matter how much I hoped that the next card was going to give me even two pairs, the only thing I had was a pair of fours and I knew that was going to do absolutely nothing.
Titan had given up by this point, put his cards down for the round and given in, the coward.
The alicorns were all game still, though I could tell that Helios had nothing and Eos didn't have a particularly strong hand either, by the way she acted.
Selene could've had something, though as for Crimson? I couldn't tell what he had, he was STILL feeling sorry for himself over the bottle of rum rather than paying attention to the cards on the table.
At least it kept Storm amused to see him acting so ridiculously.

Selene looked down at her cards with a smile before laying them out before us. "So, Cherry. Got anything to beat a straight?"
Showing my pair of fours, I shrugged as I spoke. "Nope."
"Crimson?"
"M... my bottle of ruuuum!"
"Cards?"
Suddenly Crimson stopped acting as if he had just suffered a major loss and put on the straightest face I'd ever seen him wear as he spoke with a eerily still moment of clarity. "Oh, yeah. Straight flush, read it and weep."

I was taken aback as the charcoal tinted buck sat there, grinning splitting from side to side, proud over his win and ability to hide such a hoof of cards from us all this time.

"You... you cheeky buck!" I cried out. "You put that whole act on just so you wouldn't laugh or cry out of joy!"
He nodded. "Yep. I knew it was too good to be true, had to distract you all somehow and make it seem like I was more interested in my rum... oh, my poor poor rum."
I knew he had the devils tongue, but damn that was clever even for him!

Laughing away, Crimson pointed towards Eos.
"Eos, mind answering a question for me?"
"Well, you did win, with the strongest hand possible. I don't see why not, what would you ask, Crimson?"
"You're probably going to say no to this... but..." Crimson paused as he took a breath, making the sentence feel more tense. "Would you please, please tell me what has happened to you? I would like to hear, not for myself, but for you. You've been there for me, I want to return the favour."

Eos looked at him in shock before lowering her head. The other two alicorns looked to one another before giving a big sigh almost in perfect unison.
Slowly, Eos raised her foreleg and began to speak.
"Before I can answer you that, I must ask one thing of you first, Crimson. Not that you tell me something, but instead, that you do something for me."

Tilting his head in momentary confusion, Crimson urged her to continue.
"I would ask... if it is fine with Cherry, that you..."
"That I what, Eos?" He asked in return.
"That... you hold me, as I held you. I feel immense pain just thinking about it, and would like to feel the comfort of-"

Before Eos could even finish her sentence, Crimson had already gotten out of his seat and sat down next to the large alicorn, nuzzling his head up under her chin before wrapping one of his wings around her the best he could and using the other to tenderly lead her face towards his chest.
He hadn't asked my permission, but he didn't need it for something like this. After all, this was a part of why I loved him, he was always so very capable of handling situations like this, something I never was any good at, despite how I tried.

With a soothing whisper and gentle hum, Crimson spoke. "It's okay, I'm here for you. You saved my life once and saved my soul once more. Of course I'll be here for you and let you rest into me. Feel free to compose yourself before you tell me."
Eos sat there, almost laying upon Crimson when she decided that laying would indeed be easier, and spread herself out across him as she began to cry.
The tears running down her face spoke volumes of how terrible the experience must've been, for to see an alicorn show any emotion besides anger and slight happiness was unheard of for me until tonight.

"Crimson, thank you." She whispered. "It's... it's something that happened to us alicorns."
Crimson just nodded in understanding, allowing her to speak and be uninterrupted.
Titan sat closer to hear what she was saying better as the other two just lowered their heads in obvious emotional pain.

Starting again after a moment to regain composure, Eos continued.
"We once were connected in something we called Unity. Unity was a place unlike any other, for it was not physical nor mental, but spiritual. The souls of almost every alicorn were stored in unity, our memories and experiences with them. It was a part of the process that made us what we are... what we were. To understand Unity, it was simply a pool of our own essence, with myself and my two sisters being some of the very few exceptions."

Crimson gently stroked her mane with a hoof as she nuzzled against his chest, making me feel the tiniest bit jealous, but only because I knew how soothing listening to his heartbeat was after a horrible experience.

"Amongst us all in Unity, was an overarching presence known as The Goddess. She was once a pony, who become The Goddess by being the first successful pony to transform. Her power over us all was absolute, if she so chose. For most alicorns, she held almost absolute control. Though they could walk and talk freely, if there was ever an issue she would immediately take control over as many as needed and resolve any situation, by any means necessary."

And that explained the actions of the alicorns, I supposed, no wonder they were always all so alike...

"Though myself, Helios and Selene were exceptions to the rule, along with one other whom we knew, Lacunae being one of the very few others."
Titan interrupted at this point, putting his hoof into the air like a school foal.
"Excuse me, but do you mean to say there's a fourth of your kind here?"
"No... no, she resides in the region of Hoofington, do not fret." Eos said before letting out a sigh. "Though I am away from the point now, trying to avoid the pain it brings."

Crimson soothed her once more, though this time it took her a minute before she was ready to speak once more.
"Then, in the last few days, our Goddess was attacked by The Destroyer, the one known as the Stable Dweller to many. She planted a balefire egg below The Goddess and detonated it with herself in the vicinity. When The Goddess had realised, she screamed in fear unlike we have ever known. The..."

Eos broke down once more, unable to continue. Instead, Helios spoke up in her place.
"The pain of hearing our Goddess in such distress was unimaginable. This had been the pony whom we all entrusted our lives to, the pony whom we had to thank for being as powerful as we were, for being alive, perhaps. Many of us would have died without her Unity. The Goddess was somepony who never knew fear, never let us feel the terror even as we were attacked with the worst the wasteland could dare throw at us."

Eos sniffled as Helios stopped, looking as if she was ready to speak again.
"Though we could have never been ready for that loss. We could have never been ready for the sheer terror we all felt, the pain and harrowing feeling of imminent chaos as she realised what was going to happen. She was unable to get away, so she made sure we all were as far gone as possible in order to save as many of us as she could. The indescribable feelings of her last moments shattered us, we felt true loss and pain when she died. Unity is now gone from us, we are unsure of what is going to happen, though us three seem unaffected, perhaps we only had our own souls within us at the time? I do not know, I could not know. What will happen to our powers is beyond us."

Crimson held Eos closer as she sobbed into him, one of her hooves wrapping around his waist holding him close.
The experience of Unity alone perplexed me, though the idea of having a single force that could control all, guide all, be all, care for all... the idea of losing that so abruptly.
Now I understood why she needed Crimson to hold her, such an experience was surely beyond my comprehension, though I could see clear as day that this troubled her greatly.

Twenty minutes had passed since, and Crimson was still soothing Eos as she wept. Helios and Selene answered our questions about Unity and The Goddess, though one thing seemed to trouble Titan more than any.
"Helios, or Selene, either or. May I ask why you are here in the first place? Why you want to revolt against the current system, to rebuild? You had Unity, why try change Coltchester?"

The two of them looked at one another for a moment until Eos began to answer the question for him.

"We had been tasked with going to Coltchester and finding out what the situation was. For the longest of times, none of our kin had ventured out this way, our needs never demanded it to be so. This was before the days of the DZC, you see, before Stable 78 opened, before the scouts came from the lands beyond the sea. At first she saw nothing but the ruins and the poor ponies clinging to them for life, not deeming the city worth trifling with due to the state of the ponies. Few would live the travel to unification, there was no cause for concern with what there was."

In a soft voice, Crimson spoke to her as he kissed her ear. "What happened? To change all that, I mean."
"The Stable opened, the scouts arrived. While it had initially been a slow change, there was a change in Coltchester. Piece by piece, the mines and farms began to work and grow again. We came back to watch it change into what could be a new power in the wasteland, to which The Goddess would have been very interested to see happen, especially if it had meant our own benefit. Instead of our benefit though, the DZC soon came to be, spreading like wildfire, taking power from those who had been able to restart the fires of civilisation by coercion or force, it didn't matter which. At this point, The Goddess assigned us three to try and change this, to keep an eye on the situation and do what we could to stop it, if possible."

Titan spoke now, nodding his head in understanding. "And so, you started the revolution."
"Indeed."
"Why not simply use force?"
"Against a small army? No. We may have magical abilities that surpass any normal unicorn, though we are not without physical weakness like any other."

Quizzically, Titan slowly began to ask something more. "So, what now that The Goddess is no longer around? Do you plan to stick around?"
Eos nodded. "If we were going to leave just because of that, we would have done so sooner. The Goddess never took full control of us out here, she simply maintained contact with us instead. She entrusted the duty onto us and we still feel honour-bound by both her wishes and the peoples of Coltchester, to try make this a better place. The wasteland is a dark place to live, we do not wish for it to continue to be so when we may help."

At this point, we all understood. Eos sighed once more as she closed her eyes and presumably listened to Crimson's heartbeat. The other two alicorns nuzzled him briefly in appreciation before getting up and walking off to their own quarters, though Titan stuck around at the table with us.
Storm had fallen asleep on my lap, my hooves gently holding him against me as he gently nuzzled against me unconsciously.

"Titan?" I asked.
"Yeah?"
"Can we talk about some stuff still? Without having to win a game of poker, I mean."
Taking a moment to reflect, he nodded. "Sure, information trade, sign of trust, yeah?"
I nodded and Crimson murmured to the affirmative.
"Okay, so what do you want to ask? I'll let you go first, seeing as Crimson managed to get that out of the alicorns."

Thinking about it, there was something in particular that Titan hadn't answered me earlier in the day.
"I know you said it's your past and you don't want to talk about it." I began in the sweetest voice I could. "But with what Eos just went through and admitted to, I'm hoping you can do the same."
"Projects Steelpony and Iron Giant, right?"
I nodded.

Titan sighed before looking down at the table, then back up to me.
"Project Steelpony is, was, a government program to integrate cybernetic parts into ponies to help with the war effort. My eye? Steelpony. I was one of the very first volunteers to the program, offering my body over to the surgeons to improve after losing a lot of focus in my right eye after a bit of explosive fragment flew into it. The procedure was a success, I could see in total clarity in both eyes once more. As time went on, they offered me an experimental upgrade, to prove that cybernetic parts could be replaced if damaged, not that mine was. Again, a complete success, thus, my night vision and thermal vision. The technology was supposed to be implemented into all power armour, though that proved too costly to refurb old units, and thus only the newer, experimental units received such treatment."

Crimson nodded his head in utter awe of it all, and I had to admit even I was a little astonished at the idea of cybernetic implants being so easy to add and change about once integrated.

"Now, before I tell you of Iron Giant, I ask that you tell me about Four Ridges. Specifically, what population and security do you have?"

Crimson eyed Titan warily for a moment before slowly nodding.
"Population? We have, well, let me figure out roughly... hmmm... carry the two... add another three of those... somewhere akin to one thousand three hundred and fifty ponies with twenty brahmin, roughly. Over five different portions."
"Five?"
"Angel, Tank, Gummy, Opal and of course, the Stable. Five."
"What about the security?"

With this, Crimson tapped his hoof to his nose. "You answer the second half of Cherry's question, I'll let her answer the second half of yours. After all, she's just as qualified to answer that one as I am."
I looked at him in shock, was he really going to trust me to let out such important information? Then it hit me... yes, yes he was. He trusted me, he really did trust me.

"Fine." Titan grunted. "Iron Giant is what came before Steelpony. Before the cybernetic implants were tested on anypony, they were tested on another race. Sentient beings, not the griffins or zebras, though. Not even diamond dogs came first. Something else, something far bigger... supposedly. I don't know for sure, but I heard rumours That's all I know though, I was never a part of that, so that could be a lie for all I know."

Scouring Titan's face with my eye for detail, I could tell he was bluffing, holding back something, but it wasn't worth pushing for. He'd answered with enough honesty and perhaps he was telling the truth, perhaps he'd not trusted his memory for something from so long ago.
With that, I nodded, he'd answered the question and now it was my turn.

"Four Ridges is guarded by the Tank Mercenary Group, an elite band of mercenaries who all come from Tank. We're highly trained and well armed. The Stable also has it's own security force which again, is well trained and armed for any kind of emergency from mutiny to large scale invasion, though the perimeter is surrounded by a large, thick security wall making invasion... practically impossible. It's not within the best interests of Four Ridges to give you exact details of numbers or the area itself, though to say we are wholly capable of holding off over one hundred and fifty raiders in a single large scale assault is something we can pride ourselves to."

"One hundred and fifty raiders in a single assault? What kind of force were you going up against to have an army that large? Who had you pissed off?"
"An organised foe, to be sure. They'd been terrorising the west-south-west villages and so we managed to lure them into a trap, to attack Four Ridges head on."
Titan nodded in one part amusement and two parts understanding. Though death had never been something enjoyable, there was something about precise military planning that just felt... good.

With that though, Titan stood up as he yawned. "Well, I'm off for a quick nap. An old buck like me needs some rest, even if it is only a little, being a ghoul and all. Do you both know your way to the residential rooms yet?"
Myself and Crimson nodded, we'd been shown where they were a little earlier when we had our break and I remembered the way, if Crimson didn't.

"Well, I'll leave you all to it. As for Eos? You might want to wake her up, if you want to want Crimson to get some sleep in a bed, that is."
Crimson shook his head in response. "She needs me right now, even though she sleeps. Even if I have to go to sleep with her like this, I would prefer that she know I'm here for her and appreciate what she's done for me, it's my turn to pay her back."

"Okay." I said, sleepily myself as I slowly lifted Storm with my magic. "I'll take Storm to bed with me then, let him sleep next to me tonight instead. I'll leave all your gear by your medical bed still, no point in making a big noise moving that while everypony is asleep. Have a good night, Crimson."

As I got up, Crimson quietly called over to me. "Wait, one second Cherry."
"Hm?"
"Come over here a sec."
Trotting over to him to see what he wanted, he slipped his tongue into my mouth for the last time of the night. Staying in that position, we enjoyed the kiss as quietly as we could.
A smile broke out on my face as it ended.
"I love you, Cherry."
"I love you too, Crimson." I said back. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight."

With that, I made my way off into the hallways and down to the residential area with Storm across my back, to the room I'd been told we could have.
Ah sleep, how I needed thee.

---o---o---o---

As promised, I'm going to keep advertising the fact that the head picture came from WavemasterRyx, who can be found:http://ask-the-waves.tumblr.com/ !

First of all, I'm ever so sorry that this chapter has taken me so long to write & release. Most of the work (practically all of it) has been done over the last two or three days, but I've just been so damn unorganised and unmotivated to write that it's slowed me down horrifically.
The good news is, I've gotten myself organised fro the next chapter and I already have four or five pages of my notebook written out for it -- which is as much in notes as I do for most chapters, yet I'll be writing more notes tomorrow, I think.

So yes, with any luck, chapter fifteen won't take more then a week if I can keep myself writing.

Secondly... If anyone has any comments about this chapter being boring, too long or too filler, PLEASE let me know. Seriously! All feedback is welcomed, I'm really sorry if I ever pushed anyone away from wanting to give feedback. It means a lot to me when I do get it as it lets me know my story is good enough for a response of some kind. Even if you only say it was good / bad / could've been better, just something to encourage me is always loved.

If there are any grammar or spelling errors or incoherent pieces, again, let me know. I've written the majority of this over two stints and there is BOUND to be something that I've completely overlooked, despite the best of my ability to not just fix any errors in my mind as I go along. (A common problem with self editing, your mind knows what it's supposed to say so you don't even realise the error to begin with.)

Thirdly, thank you for following me. It's all of you that makes this story what it is, that keeps me from simply saying that it's a dream I'll never be able to realise, because it's all you that make me see that this dream CAN come true.
The story has a long way to go and I want to make it special for all of you, with it's highs and lows.
The story and characters themselves are what makes me want to do it, but you're the reason I can bring myself to make it so.

Lastly, as usual, my greatest thanks to Kkat for writing the original FoE and giving me something to focus my life on while I was going through some rough times and for giving birth to the universe.
Also, my greatest thanks also goes to Somber who inspired me to write my own story with his story. Project Horizons kept me alive when FoE by itself wasn't enough during those rough times. It's been a long time since those, but even still,. Horizons means a lot to me.
Good luck with the job you've just got, Somber. I know you don't read this, but you did well.

Thank you everyone, and goodnight.

Chapter 16: Healing wounds

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds
By Kippershy

Chapter Sixteen: Healing wounds

"How long do I need to lie here? I've got things to do!
Well that all depends on your recovery, but I'd say a few days minimum."

Cherry stood there looking at me in horror as I slowly limped down the corridor towards her, my hooves barely able to support me as I swayed with each step.
Immediately she rushed out towards me, her voice already straining to remain stable as she whispered to herself about how it couldn't be happening again.

Looking at her worried face only made me feel weaker as I collapsed, only to be caught by her magic and then her hooves as she threw herself under me.
"Crimson." She whispered with a sad undertone. "What... what happened to you?"

Titan kicked his hooves to the ground and looked up at us both before breathing in and not letting go of his breath as if he were to blame.
"He got into a fight... two even. The first fight was fine, he wasn't harmed in it though it wasn't the smartest idea all the same. He spared a zebra and told them to alert the rest of his group."

Cherry looked with a mixture of confusion and what looked to be pride in her features, though the look quickly slipped away as she allowed me to stand on my own once more. "You... spared a zebra and told him to alert the rest of his unit?"

Nodding my head, I just groaned as she let me down onto my own hooves. Looking at my side, the blood had stopped dripping down my side. Still, it was moist enough to make a mess if brushed against, so I was glad that I wouldn't risk the new dress she was wearing.
"Yeah." I began, the pain making my voice crack and cough as I spoke. "Thought it would be... an act of mercy... and intimidation."

Upon the commotion, Eos walked out of her room and saw me as I slumped up against the wall as my breathing became more laboured and my muscles weaker. I just needed some place to rest was all.
"Crimson!" She shouted in shock. "What? How? When?!" She too was worried, everypony seemed to be right now, though I couldn't tell why any more.

Closing my eyes, the world became darker and heavier as the moments passed, the voices sounding more and more distant with every second.

"He's passing out! Get him to medical immediately!" Somepony shouted, though I couldn't tell who... it was too late to tell who.

When I came back around, all I saw was the grey ceiling of the medical room of Stable 58... no, this wasn't the Stable.
Looking to my side, I saw the three alicorns and a particular ghoul standing around as Cherry sat on a chair nearby with Maisy and Prince Snugglebums... heh. Prince Snugglebums, I'd never really thought about the name too much, but right now it seemed hilarious.
Snugglebums ran and hopped around as Maisy patiently watched, a resigned look in her eye as if she'd finally come to accept that she was never going to eat him.

The thought made me roar with laughter which soon turned into a coughing fit and a pain in my side as everypony approached.
Cherry leant out and touched my muzzle with her hoof before throwing herself around me and holding me tight.

"Crimson... you... eugh! You can't even go one day without doing something, can you?!"
The tears ran down her eyes as she stood over me, her lips trembling as she slowly drew her breath.
Pulling back, she made way so that Titan could approach and speak to me freely.

With a tone of voice that exaggerated how tired he was, Titan wearily began to speak. "Crimson, I'm heading off out with Helios and Selene. I'm beaten pretty badly and need the radiation, I won't heal without it. Don't worry about me though, Helios can provide shields and Selene will teleport us there. You rest up here and take care of those two... or be taken care of these two, it seems."
Titan didn't look at me after that, he just turned around and trotted up to the dark purple alicorn before disappearing with a flash, leaving Eos behind with me and Cherry.

"So..." I began curiously. "You didn't want to go with them?"
Eos just shook her head in response, giving no verbal communication. Instead, she just sighed before walking off to be alone.
Watching as she did so, I wondered why she seemed so... down. Surely she didn't feel alienated by us, did she?

Looking to Cherry I let out a fresh smile as I looked at her in awe of how beautiful she looked in her dress.
Crisp, clean greens stood out against her coat as she stood there with specks of tears in her eyes as she looked down at me, laying in the hospital bed.
Reaching out towards her, she came to my side and wrapped her hooves around me, holding me tight.

With a trembling top lip she began to speak softly, her eyes closing again as she did.
"Every time... every time you go out there, you get hurt. Every time you go out there, I've not been able to protect you properly."

Protect me properly? What? I went to speak but instead I found her hoof on my lips before I could say a thing.

"I'm meant to be here for your protection, Crimson. It's why I signed up to this whole ordeal, it's my job... and more."
More? She let out a soft whimper as she rubbed her muzzle against my neck and began to whisper.
"I'm your marefriend, Crimson. I care about you more than anyone other than your mother. I love you because you make me feel... safe. Even though you're weaker and not as strong as I am, the way you're so confident and the way you treat me. It makes me feel safe, it makes me feel that you aren't going to just... fly away and leave me alone, I lost my parents when I was young and I lost my last buckfriend when he decided he'd rather try it on with my sister than wait for me to return from a mission."

Her hoof slipped from my mouth as she climbed up onto the bed and let herself down, pressing against my chest against as she lay atop of me. Slowly, her hooves slid beside my head as she cuddled up with me and closed one eye while still watching me with the other.

I was absolutely shocked! "You have a sister? And he tried it on with her?"

She nodded with a sad sigh. "Yeah, he tried it on with her. She turned him down, of course, though the fact that he tried anything with her despite being with me... just because I was away. Didn't help him any that she just happened to be a big name, either. Quite hard to keep it a secret if everypony knows you hit on and failed to get with someone whose well known."

Well known? Now I was curious. I hadn't kept up too much with the ins and outs of relationships back in Four Ridges, I had the more pressing matters of politics, schooling and making a name for myself as a stand-up pony to worry about instead of who was screwing who... unless it was me screwing around with them, of course.

"Limoncello you heard of her?"

"Limoncello?!" I exclaimed in utter esteem. "Your sister is Limoncello!?"
Cherry rolled her eyes at me as I gasped in delight. "You're... oh my princesses! She makes the most heavenly drinks! And Sundaes!"
Cherry just looked at me flatly as I giggled like a young filly. "Mmm. It's been so long since I last had one of her creations, I think the last time was when I turned twenty! Knocked me off my ass that did."

Letting out a small smile, Cherry spoke once more. "Yeah, I remember that. Took us quite the while to coax you down from the skies before you hurt yourself. I was wondering how the hell I was meant to do my job properly if you weren't going to come down."
I gave her a small look of confusion, to which she noticed and continued. "Oh, you don't remember? You were too far gone to I suppose. Yeah, you were off your ass and into the skies before anypony could stop you.

Now I was really confused. She had explained some things, but others completely baffled me. "Wait. If that's true, why don't I remember having seen you before? I mean, a mare of your beauty? Even with how I found my entertainment and things to do during my free time, I haven't gotten to the point where I can't remember who I've been with so I don't see why I would forget such a beautiful mare like you."

With that she blushed and let out a small smile as she sniffled, looking up at me as she did.
"I was always too... nervous? No, not nervous. Shy perhaps? I suppose. I was always too shy to let you see me. You were always 'the overmare's son, my designated target to protect'. Not somepony I should've been introducing myself to."

"Why did you introduce yourself to me then?" I asked. "In the end, I mean."
Cherry blushed and pulled away a little more with that, until I pulled her face back up to mine with my hoof that was.

"It was because you spotted me before I could hide again, actually. Using my magic takes a lot of effort to go truly invisible, so I use one of my other spells that simply makes my coat and mane into the same colour and pattern as something I want to blend with... only that's no use when the backdrop is the sky and not the security wall. So yeah, I had no time to hide from you, as silly as that sounds. Then you called me beautiful and I was taken back by it all and... let myself go with the moment."

Sheepishly she grinned at me, the tears were gone now though the pain in her eyes still lingered as she smiled.
Instead of moving, we continued to hold one another, as I laid there on the bed, feeling exhausted despite the fact I must have had some amount of rest between collapsing and now.

At this point, one of the ghoul nurses walked around the corner with Eos and Storm in tow.
Instinctively my heart pounded as I watched the child stand next to the nurse, though the fact that Eos was by his side calmed me enough to avoid a scene.
With the energy only a child seemed capable of mustering, Storm jumped into the air upon sight of Cherry and ran towards us with esteem.

"Cherry! Cherry!" He cried out in excitement as he jumped onto the chair next to us and throw his front hooves onto the side of the bed.
"Look who I have!" His smile grew larger as Prince Snugglebums jumped up onto his shoulders and balanced his front paws on the top of Storms mane.
Cherry let out a affectionate giggle and I couldn't help but bust a smile and chuckle myself.
"I think he likes me!"

Cherry nodded and continued to giggle, but now with Eos in the background I found myself too distracted to join in.
Standing there silently she gazed upon us as if a part of herself was missing with our joy.
Looking past Cherry, I spoke to her. "Want to come and join in on the hug?"
Her face upon those words flushed red as she looked away, making me frown. I didn't want her to be upset, she was a good mare damn it! I wanted her to be happy.

As if read my thoughts, Storm looked at Eos and jumped down, running to her feet before getting under her hooves and trying his best to move them towards us.
"Come on, join in!" He happily beckoned as he continued to push her towards us.

Letting out a small sigh, Eos gave in and walked over to us, though didn't join in the embrace proper, choosing to simply stand by our side instead.
Giving her a small pout, she still refused, seeming nervous more than anything.

Looking at Cherry, I formulated a plan. If she wasn't going to join in the hug willingly, I'd make her!
Without taking my eyes off Eos I lowered my head down to Cherry's ear and whispered my plan, though she seemed shocked upon hearing it.

In shock she stared at me as she spoke. "I'm not doing THAT Crimson!"

Sullenly I looked at her and pouted. "Why not?"

"Because... no! That's disrespectful!"

"If you don't, I will." I responded as a smile cracked on my face and a worried look on Eos'.

Cherry stuttered as she stared at me. "You wouldn't... no, you would, wouldn't you?"
A groan came from her lips as she rolled her eyes at me. "Go on then."

That was it, all I needed. Eos looked even more worried with every passing moment, but now it was too late.
As swiftly as I could, I threw myself at her, wrapping my hooves around her neck, throwing her down onto the nearby sofa in the process.
Before even a moment had passed Storm had burst into laughter and jumped onto us both to join the hug before Cherry strolled over herself and carefully found somewhere to perch herself onto and joined in with us and joined in what had become a big laughing ball of ponies.

Now more than ever, Eos' cheeks burned red with the blood that rushed to them, though the smile on her face spoke volumes of how she enjoyed the sudden burst of affection.
Slowly our laughter subsided as we continued to hold one another,

"Told you I'd do it." I sleepily remarked with yet another grin.

With that, I just nuzzled against everyone closed my eyes to rest once more.

The sound of a certain child's laughter woke me gradually as my eyes slowly opened to see Storm chasing Prince Snugglebums in circles before the roles reversed and he found he was being chased himself.
Cherry sat by my side, her laughter at the whole situation nowhere near as energetic as the youngsters but no less sincere.
Looking around, I could no longer see Eos. Had she left?
Sighing, I presumed she had. She was a lovely mare and a super soft pillow to lay my head on, damn it!
Laughing at my own thoughts, Cherry turned her head to me and smiled more.

With a voice demure and eloquent and a smile on her face that was honest and without strain, she spoke to me.
"You're awake now then Crimson? I was wondering when you'd be returning to the land of Equestria with the rest of us, though I didn't expect you to be awake so soon. How're you feeling mister?"

How was I feeling? That was a good question. Groaning before I spoke, I didn't much feel like hiding it all away like I would usually at least try to do, I wanted some sympathy.
"Well, my legs feel heavy though at least none of them are fractured like they were last time I came back here. My wing still hurts from when the spear went through it, though that seems to be getting a little bit better I suppose. My ribs damn well hurt though, getting kicked about wasn't fun in the least. I mean, really, I'm the son of the Overmare! I'm not supposed to be kicked about!"

Cherry gave me a very 'what the fuck' look as she stared at me and though I could've continued, something told me she was about to speak and I wasn't going to get off lightly.

"Crimson?" She started with a voice like velvet. "Sweetie, can I speak to you for a second? About something serious? Or are you going to tell me that you're too concerned with how sleepy you must be and the healing drugs you've got in you right now?"

The guilt game! Damn it! Damn her! I wasn't going to say no anyway, but by the look in her eyes she knew she had me cornered and knew that I knew it too. Without any reluctance however, I nodded.
"Sure, what is it you'd like to talk about?"

Cherry looked towards Storm and cleared her throat. "Sandstorm? Sandstorm?"

With care free movements, Storm looked at her. "Yes miss Cherry?"

She rolled her eyes and pulled him in with her magic to give him a hug. "Silly colt, you know you don't have to call me miss. Now, Sandstorm, do you mind just going off to play with Prince Snugglebums in another room for a moment? I need to speak to Crimson in private for a second."

His eyes went wide and tears began to form as he heard those words. "Y... you're not going to abandon me, are you?"
Already the sniffles had begun as he looked at us both, swapping his focus from between us before we could even react.
Shaking my head I didn't need to say a word as Cherry quickly reassured him that it wasn't something he'd done, or hadn't done, and that she just needed to speak to me about something that I had done instead.
With another large hug from Cherry he wiped away his own tears and nodded before chasing Snugglebums out of the room.

Taking a gulp as she looked back towards me after closing the door with her magic, I knew I was going to be in trouble now and not even Storm busting in suddenly could save me... could it?
Looking in Cherry's eyes once more, no it couldn't. This was something she was adamant about, whatever it was.

Taking a deep breath, Cherry prepared herself for what she had to say. Instead of raising her voice however, I was taken back by the fact she had actually lowered it and spoke softly... almost as if she was scared.

"Crimson." She paused, holding her breath for a moment that felt like forever. "Crimson, I love you. I love you but..."
The trembling in her voice was extremely unnerving.
What was going to happen? I... I hadn't done... I hadn't done anything to break her heart, had I? I hadn't cheated, I hadn't betrayed her or physically hurt her, right? So why was she so afraid to say what she was about to? Why was she so upset?
But what?
My world felt as if it was crumbling already as she began her sentence. I hadn't been with Cherry for long, but she was my Cherry Sundae, the mare who I had fallen in love with, the very first mare I'd ever fallen in love with.

"But I can't continue with things how they are right now. You want to help, I know, and I love that about you. I love that you're out here because you feel it's your place, that you have to ensure the safety of Four Ridges' needs. But... you're hurting yourself too much in such unnecessary ways. When it was out in Coltshire it was fine, the only time you really put yourself in danger you were surrounded by other ponies with guns who were on the same side, other ponies who we had built a wall for. You were kept safe by them, the wall, Maisy and me."

Putting my hoof out in attempt to tell her that I still had Titan around, she cut me off before I could even try.
"When I hurt you, that was my fault and though I didn't show it to you, I was reeling in regret of being so hard with my hit. You were fine however, you just had a bit of concussion and we had a medic nearby who wouldn't hesitate to help you, given what we'd done for them. Now however, you're no longer in Coltshire, you're in Coltchester Crimson, remember that. Yes we're friendly with the revolutionary forces here, but if you keep knocking nurses over and making snide comments under your breath about how they're ghouls, how long are they going to be friendly?"

I lowered my head in shame, she was right. I mean... they were dirty and disgusting, but they were friendly enough to give us somewhere to stay, food to eat and having patched us both up, me twice now.

"Crimson, I love you, but if you're going to keep throwing yourself in harms way when you don't even have the proper back-up to keep you safe, I don't know how I'm going to continue without having an emotional breakdown and giving up on what we have."
The tears ran down her face as she spoke, slowly at first though gradually her speech was being more and more interrupted with the small sniffles as she continued.
"I'm constantly worried that you're going to go out there and not come back, that you'll start a fight that you can't handle and that because you haven't got me or Maisy with you..."

Leaning my face close to hers I wiped the tears away with my wings and pressed my lips against hers softly before looking her in the eyes.

"Cherry, I..."

"No Crimson!" She countered. "There is no two ways about it! You can't protect yourself from all the dangers of the world, you can't. You can try your best but there will always be that one pony who has the better shot, the lucky angle, the quicker reflexes, the tougher hide. You can't assure me that you alone are going to keep you safe. That's why I worry, because it's my job to."

"As my bodyguard?" I asked with displeasure, wondering if her reasons for acting this way were only professional.

"No. Well, yes, but no. As your marefriend, Crimson. For you, for me. I mean... Augh! Why!?" She almost demanded.

"Why what?" I asked in confusion.

"Why is it that you have no trouble finding the right words whenever you need to sweet talk or charm or barter or anything! You can simply speak and ponies follow you... then there's me, I want to tell you how much you mean to me and why I'm so afraid and I can't even do that!"

Tears of frustration ran down her face in equal amounts to the sadness, I could tell in the way she looked at me and then the floor. Lifting her face with a hoof, I gave her the closest thing I could to a smile with how awful I felt.
"Shh. It's okay." I cooed. "You've just not got the same sort of skill as me, but that's fine, because you've got other things that make me love you, and no, that's not just your looks. Now, breathe deep and take a moment to collect your thoughts, spend as long as you need to. It doesn't need to be poetic."

Upon that, she took my advice and nuzzled into my neck before drawing deep breaths and going silent for a minute. As she felt strong enough again, she spoke once more.
"Yes, I might be your bodyguard. Yes, my job of keeping you alive is important to me and yes, it would be highly damaging to my psych to lose you while you're supposed to be under my protection. However, what makes it all the worse is that I love you, you're my buckfriend and you mean a lot to me, Crimson. I lost my parents when I was just a little filly, there was nothing I could do to save them. My sister was the only thing that kept me alive, knowing I had her to look after instead of simply running out into the wastes to try and take revenge on the raiders who got my parents."

Looking at her in shock, I'd always wondered but never thought to ask. Some buckfriend I was.
Before I could really continue to kick myself she continued to speak though.

"From that point on, I've always felt the fear of abandonment. The fear of losing the ones I love the most. It's why I've only ever been with one buck before you, why it hurt me so much when he betrayed me. He might not have ran off literally or died, but he abandoned me all the same by breaking my trust. Please, Crimson, please don't do the same."

Cherry had a point, a damn fine point. If she'd lost her parents like that and her previous buckfriend tried to cheat on her, I could utterly understand the fear of abandonment. It wasn't something I'd felt before the night of terror that had been the cause of my hate for ghouls, but I now understood how terrible it felt.
My heart ached as I imagined how much pain she must have gone through all these years and how lonely she must have been, even if she hid it from herself as she seemed like she tried to.

"That's why I couldn't stand to lose you, Crimson. That's why I want you to promise me that from now on, you won't go out without me. We might have to go without Titan from time to time, I don't know, but if that's ever the case we're going to need Maisy as backup. I can't sit in here and be worried about you because you've left during the middle of the night without giving me any kind of clue where you're going until some jenny comes and gives me a dress and wakes me up in the process. Promise me, you won't go out without me, please."

Getting down onto my knees I took one of her forelegs into mine and looked up into her eyes to express how much she meant to me and to show I was willing to submit to her request. If this is what it took to stay with her, I would gladly agree to such a condition.
"Okay Cherry. I promise that I will no longer go out without you, upon our relationship does this lay, my word shall not be broken."

She looked down at me, shock in her eyes. "Just like that? No counter-arguments? No whining about it?"

"Just like that." I smiled as I looked at her, there was no way I was going to question her desire to keep me safe and her request that I travelled with a bit more protection than I had previously been doing so.
With that, she kissed my forehead and sighed a little, sniffling once more as she wrapped her hooves around my shoulders and pulled me up so she could nuzzle against me yet again.

"I love you, Crimson." I heard her whimper.

"I love you too, Cherry." I whispered back,
Looking at her now, though she had been crying her eyes out and revealing deep, painful secrets about her past, Cherry seemed a lot happier in herself. It was like she'd dropped a lot of the stress she was carrying with me having made that promise.

Stepping back, I took more time to notice just how beautiful she looked in her dress, despite having previously having had a gaze. I couldn't help myself, the way it caressed her curves and stood out against the tones of her coat were simply stunning.

With a cheeky grin across her face as she noticed where my focus was, she pouted at me and started to speak in the most teasing voice she could. "You like this dress?"

"I love it, though I think it's the way you make it look that makes it so awesome."

"Oh?" She gasped, raising an eyebrow. "Is that so?"
Nodding my head in approval, she slowly walked around me in a circle, wiggling her hips as she looked back at me. "You like this dress huh? The way it hangs on me?"
Biting my lower lip, I nodded even more enthusiastically than before. She was becoming the right kind of tease, but damn it was devilish of her to do this!
She trotted on closer to me, climbing up onto my lap and looking at me, eye to eye. Slowly her head lowered down slightly yet she kept eye contact as I held my breath.

"Do you want this?" She asked in the most confident voice she could.
Of course, my answer was obvious. "Yes. Yes please."
Then... she giggled as she pushed me down and trotted off and did a little dance as she did.
"Well, you've got to try harder, mister Wings! You've got to earn the prize, and with you being all beaten and bruised, I don't think you deserve it until you heal up and keep to your word."

Looking at her in shock, she really surprised me with that. Sure, I should've maybe expected something like this, but... that was unfair! Tempting me with my favourite thing to do and then denying me.
Damn harsh, though it definitely got her point across.
"You're just evil, you know that?"

Nodding her head, she agreed before walking back towards me and kissing my cheek and pulling my hoof out towards her.
"Yup. Now, seeing as you won't be leaving this base for a little while..." At this point, she gave me a sure smile and I nodded acceptingly.
"Good. Seeing as you won't be leaving this base for a little while then, I vote that we open communications with everyone else to see how things are going."

Before I could even respond, she used her magic to go through my pipbuck and activate the broadcaster.
Wait... she had a broadcaster too! "Why aren't you using yours Cherry?" I asked with a huff.

She just looked at me and smiled. "Because you've got more status and anyway, you like me touching your... stuff." And with a wink, I found myself grinning as well as the images conjured in my mind.
Giving in, I let her do as she pleased without resistance.
"Okay, who to contact first? Let's see... Stable 58? Hmmm... not yet. Tank Mercenary Group? No, had enough of Mayor Sunburn for now after the last incident. Temporary group A?"

"Hmmm. A, that was Custard Tarts if I recall rightly. B was Gaze and we were travelling with C."

"So, check with group B first then? He'll be more likely to have a definite answer, being that he was going to Tenpony, right?"
She didn't even wait for me to say sure, she'd already begun to make the connection, causing me to laugh a little.

At first there was no response, though Cherry tried the line once more.

In annoyance, Cherry began growling at the broadcaster as if that would make all the difference. "Grr. Come on Bravo team! Answer!"
Within seconds, the line filled with static silence. Somepony had hijacked the communication stream but weren't saying anything, it seemed.
I looked at the broadcaster then at Cherry in equal amounts of shock and worry.

"Cherry... who... who the hell can hijack into my communication streams? That's not Lemon Gaze."
From the broadcaster came another sound though, that banished the silence and left my jaw agape and Cherry the same.

"No.. no this isn't Gaze. This is Grinder."

"Grinder?!" Cherry shouted in shock. "But... you're Bravo! Who else is with you? I only called upon the rest of Alpha..."

"Echo squad. Delta wanted to come too, but they've been reassigned to protection of the VIPs Alpha, Charlie and Delta to supplement Alpha squad while we're away."

"Wait, who is VIP delta? I don't remember a fourth VIP before I came out on this mission."

In a moment of pause, the 'hmm' was audible in the background of the call as the operative tried to think about his answer, before coming to a loss. "Not sure, though they reached VIP status around the same time as Crimson returned. Know anything about that?"

Cherry gasped. "Cherished! She's a VIP now? I mean... I wouldn't have it any other way, but... Wow!"

"Cherished? I was speaking about his return and kicking the crap out of the Mayor, heh. Still, glad to hear you know the new VIP then."
At this point, I couldn't help but laugh as he spoke about that fight with the Mayor. Of course I'd already told Cherry so she wasn't shocked, but it was still hilarious to hear other ponies speaking about me. That was when he started speaking to me directly.
"And you, VIP 'Bravo'... We're coming for you. We will find you, there is no escape."
Gulping at the sudden tone he'd taken, I began to worry a little. Telling me there was no escape was a little... scary.
"And then we'll protect you with our lives."
And then I let go of my breath, not having realised I was holding it in the first place.

Trying my best to laugh it off, I nervously chuckled. "Damn you for making me worried like that, you damn bastard."

He laughed along too. "Got you good though, right? Anyway, yeah. You've got two squads coming for you, so that's an extra seven ponies for your protection, sir. Before you say anything, your mother knows and personally green lighted the op even against the mayors wishes. She wants to make sure you'll be safe and so do we."

"So, when do you think you'll arrive?" Cherry asked happily. "Before you left, ETA was a few days time. Still looking like that?"

The buck on the other side chucked. "Hah, yeah, right. No."

Cherry's ears dropped as she heard that and her smile began to fade. "Longer?"

"Tonight. Tomorrow morning at the latest."
Both of us gasped in shock once again, tonight or tomorrow? Awesome! I would love the extra support and judging by the smile that struck Cherry, she'd appreciate it too.

"Where are you now?" I asked.

"Old Coltchester."

My heart dropped. Old Coltchester? Before I knew it, I was shouting my head off. "KILL THEM ALL. DON'T LET A SINGLE ONE LIVE, KILL THE FUCKERS! KILL THEM-"
At that point Cherry punched me around the face, knocking me out of my phase, before covering my mouth with her hoof and looking at me sadly.

"Don't get into any more trouble than you have to, Grinder. Crimson... we had a run in with some feral ghouls out there and Crimson got the worst of it. I won't say what happened over this, we can speak face to face about it or something. Anyway, he now hates feral ghouls with a passion and he doesn't seem to be able to control his reactions too well... might be a case of PTSD, seems so."

"Well, okay. We'll keep on track and take out anything that gets in our way with hostile intent, but I'll make sure we don't go straying off the path. We'll contact you via your own pipbuck when we can, okay?"

Cherry smiled at that as I still rubbed my head from the shock of the blow. "Yeah, sounds good. Speak to you later Grinder, and send my regards to Archangel will you?"

"Sure thing, Treetop. Seeya soon."

With that, the connection cut and I grumbled about the pain, groaning as I spoke. "Why did you have to hit me, again?"

"Because you were going into a state of shock and that's the most effective way to break you out of it. Besides, I'm sure you liked it deep down."

Looking at her blankly, she just smirked at me as I continued to touch my sore jaw. Hmph.
Even if I did like it a little... there was no excuse for it being that hard.
She just waved her hoof dismissively and kissed my cheek.
"Oh, you'll get over it Crimson." She muttered.

As soon as she said that, the door opened and Eos ran through, a frantic look upon her face.
Hoofsteps followed up behind her before I could say a thing, though they sounded smaller than an adult.
Not a moment later, Sandstorm chased after her as if his very life depended on it. His eyes wide and his panting heavy as he chased the elegant mare with Prince Snugglebums in tow.

"I'm going to get you!" He cried between quick, shallow breaths. I couldn't tell what was going on, though I doubted it was anything too serious.
"Grab her! Grab her!" He called, to me and Cherry I presumed.
Looking at the pair in the surreal moment, I did nothing. I was in no state to do anything, and Cherry seemed too curious of what was going on to react.

Within seconds it was all over. Eos lost her footing and fell to her side as she went to turn a corner, slamming her majestic body onto the floor.
Instinctively I threw myself off of the bed I was laid upon and Cherry rushed to her side too as Sandstorm jumped atop of her and held her flank tight.

"Got you!" He cried out before blushing at the way myself and Cherry looked at him with grimace.
Turning my head back to Eos, I did my best to try make sense of all that had just happened.

"Are you okay, Eos? Are you hurt at all?" I asked worriedly.

"Uh...Mm. Mhm." She mumbled as she raised her hoof to her head and rubbed the side of it. "Yeah. Just a little game gone wrong is all."
A game? I peered curiously at Sandstorm as he looked on at the alicorn before him.
"We were playing tag, it started after he pulled on my mane and ran off. At first I was annoyed, but then seeing his smile made me feel warm inside and I decided it might be... fun."
Looking back at Sandstorm, he did indeed have a cheeky grin that could tempt just about any friendly pony into a game.

Getting back up onto her hooves, Eos shook her head before looking at Sandstorm.
"Okay young one, you win this one. I think I shall leave the fun games for now. Crimson, Cherry, do you mind if I spend some more time around you two?"

Well... that was strange to hear, even for me. I couldn't help but be taken back by how strange it was to be asked by the leader of the group we were supposed to be helping asking if she could spend some time with us.
Naturally, I had no issues with it. Looking at Cherry, she just shrugged with a smile. I supposed if there was anything else she wanted to say to me, she'd say it later.
For now though, I nodded to Eos, who smiled happily upon seeing us having no issue with her sticking around.

Spreading her wings before she sat on the sofa, I felt a little bit envious due to the fact my flight was still out of action.

"So, I really hope you don't mind me asking this, but why is it that the other two went away with Titan and you were left here again?" Cherry enquired. The large blue mare drew a breath and used her magic to lift Sandstorm up to her side before responding.

"There needs to be one of us here for the ponies to come to if there's an issue. If we all leave, it seems like we're abandoning the peoples of Coltchester as a whole. Usually the three of us are going all around the base, speaking to the ponies we have here and giving words of encouragement to them. We don't go out often, but when we do, it's only ever two of us at a time. It's also a matter of security."

Noticing my questioning looks, she continued.
"If all three of us were to leave the base at once, there would be nopony around to call the shots on a high end level. Sure, there's Titan, but he's the militaristic side of the leadership here at the PLAC. Chances are that if the base were ever to be assaulted, he would already be in the thick of the fighting, or worse, dead. We'd need somepony with authority to organise and carry out a lockdown across all areas possible. My sister Helios, she can protect herself both in defensive and aggressive means with her shielding magic. Selene can teleport, meaning she can both teleport herself or anyone, or anything else. If there's any trouble, Helios could produce a shield and Selene could teleport them all out. As you know, I can turn invisible. All three of us have talents that are good for this purpose, though teleporting to your location makes things easiest, wouldn't you agree?"

Looking at my bandaged wing, I nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I get ya. Not being able to fly right now has messed my combat effectiveness up, that's for sure. It's also so annoying having to walk everywhere like a normal pony."

Pulling on my cheeks in grief over the matter, Cherry giggled at me and pushed me over with ease.
"Oh get over it you big fluffball. If you're supposedly tough enough to take down the mayor in a hoof to hoof fight, you're tough enough to get over the fact you can't have the easy ride all the time, mister son of the Overmare."
I was shocked! She... she just! Crossing my hooves and huffing, I proceeded to pout at her to no use.
"Oh, don't give me that!" She sniggered. "I still love you but you do need to stop being such a pillow if you're going to roll with my bucks.

Huffing, I turned to Eos and reached out my neck to her, nuzzling into her side before she'd realised and startling her.
The look upon her face was priceless as she realised what was happening. Cherry didn't find it too funny though, hooking her hoof around my neck and pulling me off into her chest and stroking my mane.

"You mister, you come to me for affection. Don't think me telling you that you need to toughen up and stop being a pillow is me saying I don't like that about you. I do like that about you, it gives me somepony to feel like I don't have to be keeping up the whole tough chic routine with. It's a part of why I fell for you so fast, you let me relax."
Nuzzling closer into her chest, I felt her kiss press against the top of my head as she scratched me behind the ears.
"You make me feel like things can get better... somehow. So yeah, don't change really. I love you just the way you are. Besides, you're mine and I'm the one you show affection to, got it?"

The smirk on her face as I looked up at her told me she knew I only loved her, that I only showed affection to others because it's how I naturally was and nothing more. To care for those around me was my job, but also who I was as a pony.
Murmuring to the affirmative, she moaned a short, happy sound.

The day passed by with little to do but enjoy the embrace in Cherry's hooves. Eos stuck by our side as ponies had come in and spoke to her, though at no point did she walk off to do any other duties or speak to other ponies.
Part of me liked to think that she was sticking around because she enjoyed being around us, that it wasn't something she had to do but something she enjoyed doing because she wouldn't have to act proper all the time.

Burps interrupting small discussions and generally being 'uncouth' as one of the ghoul nurses had put it taken up our time, and we all loved every moment of simple relaxing.
Sandstorm did his thing, snuggling into everyone for comfort. Part of me noticed he was getting particularly nervous whenever none of us were in sight, though now that we were all in the same room he seemed to be doing fine, despite all he'd been through.

"Hey, Sandstorm. You doin' okay?" I asked, to his surprise.

In return, he looked at me with a confused stare. "M- me? Uh, sure. Why?"

"Everything you've had to go through lately... ya'know? It was never easy for me, or Cherry. Can't be easy for you either, I'm betting."

Instead of responding he just looked away sullenly. Too far Crimson, too far too soon.
Sighing at upsetting the poor colt, I reached out for him and brought him closer to my chest so I could hold him tight and try to undo the damage I'd just done, as if it were possible to do so.

In a moment of brilliance, Cherry avoided the chance of the situation going awkward by moving the topic completely.
"Crimson, do you mind if I use the broadcaster again? Perhaps I'll be able to make contact with the other trade caravans now. Group B should be at Tenpony by now, easily and I don't reckon A will be far from The Society. Sound like a plan?"
I nodded happily, any distraction from the tense moment prior to her request was welcomed.
Holding out my hoof, she began to play with the dials once more as she went to make contact.

"This is Cherry Sundae attempting to make contact with group A, repeat, this is Cherry Sundae trying to make contact with group A. Do you read me?"

Static and silence filled the airwaves as we wait, no response came.

"Group A, can you hear me? Custard Tarts? Sweep sight? Iron mane? Can anypony hear me?"

We looked at each other in worry, we both knew that the travel to Hoofington could be dangerous and the city itself even more so, but the plan was for them to simply avoid the city itself by skirting around the edge of the region.

"Is there some way we could track them Cherry?" I asked, I knew it was a longshot but it it turned out there was, it would make me very happy to find out. I'd once heard my mother saying something about me never being able to be truly lost, though I couldn't remember exactly why.

"No. Very few ponies have the tracking beacons activated on their pipbucks, unfortunately. We've kept that feature activated for anypony in the special forces, the mayors and anypony critical for things like the Stable however. None of the ponies out on the other two groups are specialists, though. I'm with you because of your status, of course, while the other two groups don't have anypony of such high need."

Frowning in response, I felt a little bit guilty over that. I really did have it somewhat easy, huh? This meant that I couldn't even run off somewhere within Coltchester without being found, not that I'd want to. Still, it made me feel bad because while I was unable to hide, these ponies were unable to be found, no matter how much they might want to be if they were in trouble.
Right now we didn't know if they were okay or not, where they were or anything of the sort and none of us could do a damn thing to change that unless they turned out to be okay and contacted us.
Fuck.

Looking at Cherry, it did make me worry about her though. I never wanted to lose her in such a way, I would dedicate my life to finding her and getting her back safe if it meant doing so.
"Hey Cherry, you say specialists have a tracking beacon too, right?"

Giving me a curious look, she slowly nodded. "Yeah, why?"

"Give me yours."

"What?"

"Could you give me your tracking beacon details, please. I don't want to lose you, ever. I don't mean to say I'd harass you with it if the worst ever came to be, I mean I can't stand the thought of you going missing and me being unable to find you, especially with your ability to go invisible."

Realising what I'd meant, she blushed and smiled at me before giving a quick nod and putting in her details to my pipbuck, labelling herself 'my heart'. I giggled a little at that before giving her a kiss on the cheek. She was right though, she really was in possession of my heart.
"Thank you." I whispered into her ear and she smiled back at me, nuzzling against my cheek for a moment.

Turning back to my pipbuck, I turned the broadcaster back on myself.
"Group A of Four Ridges, this is Crimson Wings, can you hear me? Repeat, this is Crimson Wings. If you are alive out there, if you can hear me, please respond."

Again, there was nothing but silence. I sighed as the worst of my fears emerged from the bottom of my stomach yet again. I really hoped we hadn't sent those ponies off to their deaths like we had Kingcakes and Pocket Change, along with the others whom I hadn't known by name.

"What about group B?" Cherry asked. "They went to Tenpony, they should be alive and well, right? How about we contact them?"

Smiling at her attempt to lift my spirits, I agreed. Tenpony Tower was one of the safer places to go in all of the equestrian wasteland, perhaps they would have had more luck than us? Who knew.
Cherry fussed with the pipbuck again before making a connection to the other group.

"Four Ridges group B, Four Ridges group B. This is Cherry Sundae and Crimson Wings, do you copy?"

At first we heard nothing on their end too, the same static filled the room like it had before and our ears dropped. Perhaps the broadcaster on my piece was damaged? Perhaps the worst had happened... perhaps the Enclave had moved onto Tenpony after Friendship City? My fears became rampant before the sounds of hoofsteps crackled around us, though it didn't sound as if it was from within the base.

"Can you repeat? Over."

My face lit up in joy as we heard that voice. It was Lemon Gaze! He was alive and he sounded healthy!

"Lemon Gaze, this is Crimson Wings. I've got Cherry Sundae by my side, so she's the other voice you'll hear."

"Who is Lemon Gaze?" Eos asked loudly with a grin upon her face.

"Yeah! Who is it, fluffy!?" Sandstorm shouted before high-hoofing Eos.

Cracking up, I couldn't help but burst into laughter at the two. Damn them for that.

"Uh, Crimson? You said there was only Cherry by her side, neither of those voices was her. Who were they?"

"Ha, sorry about that. The first voice is an alicorn I've come into contact with, called Eos and-" That was all I could get off before he interrupted me.

"An alicorn!?! Crimson, fuck! Get out of there! They're dangerous!"

Eos pouted at me, looking hurt upon hearing those words. I reached out and stroked her mane bringing a small smile back to her face before responding to Lemon.
"Don't worry about it, Gaze. She may well be dangerous in her own right, but she's friendly to me. She's protected me when somepony was going to kill me and been there for me when I needed it most. She's fine, trust me. Besides, she's absolutely adorable and can I keep her? Can I can I can I?"

Grinning, I turned to both of the mares beside me. Cherry pouted almost sourly while Eos blushed. Giving Cherry a quick kiss, she nodded and muttered 'that's better' before smiling again.

"As for the other voice, that was Sandstorm. He's a brave young colt who lost everything he had. Cherry took him in whilst she was out and about and he's been in the recovery room with me most of the time since. He's got spunk, that's for sure. Calling me fluffy of all things, the little rascal he is."
He grinned up at me and I held him close. He really was absolutely beyond a doubt, the most precious little colt I'd seen in a long time.

As the cuddle ended, I went back to the conversation. "Anyway, the reason we're contacting you is two things. Have you heard from group A as of late? We just tried making contact with them but we got absolutely no response whatsoever, We're worried about them."

Lemon Gaze made a worried sound and took a deep breath. "I... I'm sorry Crimson. I think they were ambushed. They had been mentioning something called the seekers who were after a 'Security' mare. Some cyborg pony who had her limbs chopped off before being brought back to life over here in Tenpony, no less."

My eyes went wide. Security? Somehow that name rang a bell but... then it hit me, the raider! The one I'd executed! Didn't he say he...
Lemon Gaze had initially carried on talking, but I interrupted him not having heard a word he was saying.

"Go back one sec, Security. Do you know anything more about her?"

"Uh, Security? Yeah, apparently she was done up pretty bad, rumour has it she was raped. Rumour also has it she cheated on her marefriend, but I really don't know for sure with that one since, well, yeah. Why? Did you know her?"

Cherry looked at me and her eyes went wide. "You... that raider? You think that raider was the same pony?"

"It doesn't matter now, though. He's dead. It sounds like the same one, the name sounds familiar and the story matches... but it really doesn't matter. Sorry Gaze, I just had to know was all. Carry on."

"Okay. Well as I was saying, I think they were ambushed by these seekers. They kept mentioning the fact the seekers would notice they had pipbucks and were well armed, though hadn't previously mentioned them being hostile about it - just overly curious. For all I know, they could be alive and well and there is just issues with the broadcasters out around Hoofington, I'm not sure. My focus is too much on what's happening here though."

Cherry pipped up now, curiosity filled her face. "So, what is happening there then?"

"Well, after the attack on Friendship City, the Enclave had taken control over Tenpony Tower. Their organisation has fallen through though as their leadership has been beaten. There was some massive fight going on between the Enclave and Steel Rangers and there was sunshine and everything, Crimson. It was utter chaos. Anyway, their leadership fell through but most of them stayed here, unsure what else to do. They went from a controlling force to being homeless so the ones who weren't assholes were taken pity on, I suppose."

That was... strange. Tenpony residents not being uptight about everything and just throwing them out on their asses? Guess there had to be a first for everything.

"It's so damn strange, I'm seeing a lot of power armoured pegasus ponies walking around asking if there's anything they can do to help just so they have something to do while they wait for some news or direction. The local radio DJ has gone into hiding. I heard all these stories about how they were being assholes and trashing the place, but that doesn't seem to be what they're doing in the least right now. As well as that, there's this one particular one..."

Sensing the nervous tone of voice and the meaning behind it, I started chuckling to myself as I spoke up. "Ohhhh, somepony has a crush on a pegasus? I'm flattered, but I'm taken."
Looking to Cherry, she couldn't help but giggle as Gaze stumbled over his words.

"N-No! Not you! It's a mare, a pegasus mare whose been stationed here. I wasn't sure what to think of her, or any of the Enclave at first. Then I saw her helping out some foals and giving them some sweets after they'd fell over and scraped their knees and realised even if she is with the Enclave, she's still just like anypony else. Then she caught me looking at her a lot and uh... yeah, I dunno what to do Crimson. Is there something you pegasai like that I can do for her?"

Looking at the broadcaster on my hoof in bewilderment, a smile slowly returned to my face.
"Well, uh, sure. Ask really politely if she'll do some aerial tricks for you. I'm sure it would flatter her if you were to show her the kind of wonderment most ponies show to me. Especially if she's not the best of fliers, you'd still find it amazing, right? So she'd feel special for it. Aside from that, if you two get close enough that she'll allow you to massage her, the roots of her wings are a really good place to rub. Feels awesome to have a hoof massaging there."

As soon as I said that, I regretted it as Cherry pushed me down onto my chest and pressed her hooves against my back. My eyes closed out of bliss as she rubbed.

"Oh, like this Crimson? Hehe! You weren't joking were you?!" Cherry jollily pronounced. "Hey Gaze! It really does work! He's like putty in my hooves now!"
Wincing in embarrassment, there was nothing I could do, it felt too good to resist.

"So, ask her to show off her flying ability and be totally impressed no matter what and offer her a massage and rub around the roots of her wings? Got it. Thanks Crimson, thanks Cherry! I mean, I know this isn't the point of me being out here, but she really has got a hold on me and... well, you know how it is. If you find somepony you like, you gotta try your best, right?"

"Right." Cherry responded with a happy smile and cheer in her tone as I continued to lay in bliss by her hooves.

"Okay, speaking of the mission, I have an update for you. Tenpony Tower hasn't got any spare water talismans themselves as the ones they did have were sold off to refugees from Friendship City. However, they are willing to sell us clean water if we can provide the necessary means to transport it. I've not been able to get ahold of the Stable to inform them of the proposal yet however, so that's something you might want to do seeing as you'll have more luck than me."

"Do you know how much, how often and at what price?" I asked. I knew that buying water itself wasn't the ideal solution as it meant constant danger for caravans and could in the long run cost us a lot more than a talisman, but if we had no choice it would still bolster our reserves in a big way.

"No clue, not myself anyway. I said I'd contact the Stable and see what they think before agreeing to anything. They understood and the offer is up for as long as we need it though, they said."

Smiling, I decided we'd bugged him enough. We'd gotten the information we wanted and while it wasn't the best of news, it was still good.
"Okay Gaze, thanks for the update. Good luck with whoever she is, hope you get lucky."

Cherry slapped the tip of my ear and Gaze laughed.
"Yeah, thanks Crimson. Her name is Cloud Prancer by the way."

"Oh? Well tell Cloud Prancer that Crimson Wings says hello and challenges her to a race some time. I'd love to kick back with another pegasus again. I miss the old days. Anyway, have a good night, Lemon. Enjoy yourself."

"You too, Crimson. You too."

With that, the call ended and I rolled onto my back so I could look up at Cherry.
"So, slap my ear will you?"

She looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "Telling Lemon Gaze that you hope he gets lucky some time soon? Of course I'll playfully slap you. That shouldn't be his focus ya'know."

"Oh yeah, like it totally wasn't yours to get me into your bed... uh-huh."

Smirking up at her as her cheeks burned, she gasped and huffed at the same time.
"It was so not! I... you! You!"

"Charmed you into it?"

"Yes! It wasn't my goal, you just..."

"Was too good for you to pass up?" I muttered with my grin growing larger with every response.

She looked at me and huffed, crossing her hooves before looking to Sandstorm and then pointing to him.
"Well, we're not supposed to be talking about this in earshot of children, let alone right next to them. What we did was private and special to me, so there. Case closed it doesn't matter what I did, you shouldn't be encouraging him to be a mindless slave to sex."

Sighing, I pulled her hoof to my mouth and kissed it before speaking. "I didn't mean that, my dear. I simply meant that I hope that he can win her over and yes, enjoy himself, but allow her to enjoy herself too at the same time. We both know he wouldn't hurt anypony in that way so if she gives in to his advances, they both win, right?"

Smiling at me once more, she nodded. "I suppose. Anyway, off that topic, let's speak to the Overmare."
Nodding in agreement, I held out my hoof for her to continue playing away with my pipbuck. She could've used her own or I could've done it, but watching her play with my stuff and the way she focused so happily on it as she did was too sweet to miss out on.

As the connection began, I waited for my mother to begin speaking. "Hello?" She asked.

Putting on the most fake voice I possibly could, I responded. "Excuse me madam, is this Graceful Skies? I'm afraid that your son, Cromsoon Wangs had a terrible flying accident and is no longer with you."

Everyone in the room gave me a deadpan look of confusion in unison as silence met me on the other end, slowly though, my mothers inane muttering of confusion turned into laughter like none other.
"Crimson Wings! You really must stop this prank calling business, it really isn't befitting of somepony of your status. On the other hoof however, it is hilarious. I love you so much Wingsy. Now, what are you calling your old mother for at this time of day anyway?"

"Mrs Overmare." Cherry began.

"Please, call me Grace. I would prefer anypony close to my son do so." Mum interrupted.

"Uh, okay." Cherry quickly blurted out in embarrassment and inability to believe such a gesture. "As I was going to say, Mrs Grace. We have not found a water talisman yet, though we are in the middle of a task that will hopefully get us one. As you would know, the third group was attacked and for the most part, killed over in Coltshire Town. However, Crimson and myself carried on towards Coltchester when given a lead. That lead has led us to offering our support to a resistance uprising that promises to take us to somewhere we will find a water talisman and hand it over to us in repayment."

"I see, and you feel you can trust this group to hold true to their end of the bargain? Remember, Mayor Sunburn would not allow for this course of action to be taken, as the Tank Mercenary Group are not to interfere with settlements politics - only raiders and general protection."

That was where I came in. "Ah, true that, mum. However, there's a catch to this one. Not only must I insist that we do indeed follow our current course of action on the basis that we have not much other choice, that as dad always said, the needs of the many must always outweigh the few - but also on the basis that this isn't just any political fight."

"Oh? How is that so, Crimson?" Her tone of voice spoke more than her words as she said that, I could tell she was judging me now and my answer would either be reprimanded or praised according to how well I could convince her that this was necessary.

"Well, for one, the city of Coltchester is ruled by a group of raiders."

"And you can prove this?"

"They attacked both Coltshire Commons and Coltshire Town. They were the cause of the deaths of Kingcakes, Pocket Change and the others whom I did not learn the names of, as much as it shames me to admit. My time with them was too limited and they kept to themselves a lot. Their reasons for attacking, in their own words, was because they had failed to pay protection tribute to the rulers of Coltchester. On top of that, I have confirmed the gang to be from Coltchester by their armour matching some of that which is worn by the guards here. As well as that, the peoples of Coltchester are oppressed and treated poorly. I have a child by my side whose parents were murdered in front of him simply for failing to afford a market tax, I'm told."

My mothers gasp was audible against the background silence, her breathing noticeably shorter and more shallow then before. It was abundantly clear she was feeling the shock and horror from even the idea of something like that happening.
Slowly as she came back to, I heard her voice straining as she tried to remain calm and confident.

"If this is the case, do what you shall. As you may or may not already know, Alpha and Bravo team are en route to you for your protection. I cannot dedicate any more than just without just cause, however, as you would know."

"I understand. It would take some act of aggression towards Four Ridges itself or any town under our protection to allow for the full mobilisation of our forces. I wouldn't suggest such an act at this stage anyway. Until the city has a new government waiting in line with the backing of the majority of the dwellers, it would only cause chaos to remove any leadership and possibly do more damage than good."

Her response was filled with the tone of appreciation. "I'm glad you understand, you're really showing me that you absolutely do understand the lessons I'm trying to teach you, Crimson. I'm really glad. Is there anything more you'd like to speak to me about? Or was this it?"

Without even a moments thought, Cherry added herself into the conversation once more.
"Actually, yes there was. I'm sorry to interrupt, but yes. We've spoken to the group whom went to Tenpony before contacting you and they have news. While Tenpony Tower does not have any spare talismans, they can provide us clean water for a price if we can provide the means to transport it. We don't know the prices, quantity, how often or how long they could do this though. Still, we both felt it would be best to leave in your hooves to decide."

"Thank you, Cherry." My mum asserted. "This information is actually very good news, as it's still a choice to consider and most likely, take up upon. I shall contact the officials at Tenpony Tower tomorrow when it isn't so late. Is there nothing more now? I apologise for seeming in a rush, it's just that Cherished Chance has yet to have her bedtime feed and I know if she's anything like my Crimson was, she'll get cranky without it."

Me? Cranky without my bedtime feed? I blushed as I could feel that even behind a broadcaster, she knew I was doing so as I heard the light chortle that followed.
"Oh, I understand. Infact, I think my mister is getting cranky without his bedtime food right now, so yes. That's all, Mrs Grace. Thank you. Oh, and send all my love to my Chance. Though I've yet to meet her I have no doubt in my mind of how I will love her when I do."

"Will do, goodbye Cherry. Goodbye Crimson. I love you."

"I love you too, mum." I responded, still embarrassed by what was just discussed. Damn mother dearest.

Some time after the call, our food was prepared and ready. Everypony in the base gathered around in the canteen as we all ate. Jokes were shared between guards and banter filled the room.
There wasn't too many ponies in the facility, nothing like the Stable had been, but it still surprised me to see there was at least fifty odd ponies and seven zebras.

The food for us had been what we cooked ourselves, but it was still nice just to be around the others. Watching them approach Eos and thank her for the protection she provided at the base was amazing, it truly stunned me that they were so eager to come up and show their appreciation for her despite the fact we hadn't seen her walking the streets of Coltchester like Titan had, thus far anyway.
Though I supposed it hadn't come as such a shock, especially not for somepony like me who dealt with the same back home. I guessed it was just something that some ponies did. Who knew, who knew.

After the meal everypony went back to their quarters and guards to their posts. I watched as the guards who were previously doing duty had went back to their quarters while others came out. It seemed like they had a chance to eat and relax before taking up their shift, seemed fair.

All the same, I was more interested in making sure Maisy, Sandstorm, Prince Snugglebums and Cherry were fed before even thinking about hitting the hay and going to sleep. Maisy and Sandstorm had no problem chowing down but Cherry refused to eat until Sandstorm had and Sandstorm refused until I promised he could sleep in the same room as us if he did.
What a night I was destined for, huh?

Thankfully, before we knew it everyone was happy, stomachs were full and our eyes shut one by one.

"Goodnight Sandstorm." I whispered. There was no response from him, the moment he laid down his eyes were shut and locked tight, deep in his dreams. I couldn't help but smile at the sight of him in his bed on the other side of the room as us. Though he wasn't our child, he certainly did grow on me.
Turning to Cherry, I kissed one of her cheeks while brushing the other with my hoof. "Goodnight Cherry, I love you."

"I love you too, Crimson. Goodnight."

I really had wished I had a chance for some fun, but with her telling me there'd be none of that earlier on and Sandstorm in the same room as us, I hadn't even thought of trying. There would always be tomorrow, right? Ha.
Closing my eyes, I fell asleep before I knew it.

Alarms rang loud, forcing me from dreamless sleep. Jumping out of my skin and to my hooves, I opened the door in confusion before I had even known what was happening, my brain still not having had the time to wake up properly.
"What's going on? What's with all the loud alarms?" I groaned as somepony rushed past me.

"No time! Gotta prepare!" Was all I got out of him before he as gone round the corner.
Eos ran up to me a moment later, a frantic look upon her face.

"Crimson! Please! You've got to help me!"

"Help you? I don't even know what's going on! What's with the alarm, what's happening?" I asked, worried about whatever it could be causing all this.

Eos' words were rushed and panicked as she spoke, her eyes jolting left to right. "The base is going into emergency lockdown, I've had to. Titan... my sisters... Oh princesses...."

Looking into her eyes, I put both of my hooves on her shoulders and stared at her.
"What is going on? What happened? What about them?"

Her lip quivered. "A scout just came running back to base with important news. Selene has been hit."

---o---o---o---

So, chapter sixteen. It's taken me over a month to release after all the different distractions I've had to deal with.
For those of you who haven't seen / don't know why, the short version is this:

-back pains threw me off the mood for writing at first.
-cold & flu stuffed up my head, no good for writing.
-dip in confidence after no writing in what seemed like such a long time made me reluctant to write because confidence issues.
-a friend then decided she'd try to commit suicide and it befell on me to try prevent it.
-failing to talk her out of it, only for her to come back and then depend on me to try keep her stable this whole time.
-focus issues in general

So yes, it's taken me a long time and I apologise for that. I've had so many issues and felt absolutely terrible for letting you all down, but now it's done and I can feel better again.
The next chapter will make up for it all, I promise.

Big thank you's to everyone who gave me their support when I needed it most and to everyone who kept faith in me.
You're all amazing, no matter what.
Again, special thanks to Joey for being absolutely amazing as always and doing my grammar / spelling check. I really should do it myself but it's so easy to miss your own mistakes.
What I should REALLY do is make him a pre-reader, but I hate the idea of holding out on completed chapters, ha. I'm terrible, I know.

My biggest thanks goes out to Kkat and Somber, as always. Kkat who wrote Fallout Equestria in the first place and taught me that not all fanfiction has to be what I used to think it was -- and Somber for raising the bar of quality even higher and inadvertently inspiring me to write my own story.
Broken Bonds is my child, my focus in life and I want to give you all a piece of who I am through it. I want to make you happy, sad and most importantly, like you've spent your time doing something worth-while.

Without those two, I would have never thought the story up and I would've never had something to really focus my life on like I do with Broken Bonds. (Because I'm ALWAYS thinking about something for it, it seems.)

So again, as always, thank you to all you - my readers / followers and thank you to the two who inspired me to write at all.
I love each and every one of you for giving me this chance. Thank you.

Chapter 17: Another bad mistake

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds
By Kippershy

Chapter Seventeen: A bad mistake

"Keep trying, Twilight Sparkle. Maybe the magic of friendship can help you. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some chaos to wreak."

Eos stood there, frantically looking at me as I tried to make sense of what she had just said.
"So, wait up. You're telling me Selene has-"

"Been hit! Yes! You... you need to go rescue her, please Crimson!"

My eyes widened as it struck me, the one of the leaders of this revolution was in a dire situation and it was upon me to help them out, lest they die and thus, the revolution with it. "Fuck. You're shitting me, right? Titan didn't have his gun, did he?"

Almost screaming at me in panic, Eos made it more than obvious she wasn't kidding at all. Her breathing was panicked as she looked from one end of the hallway to the other, making sure every other pony was getting ready as fast as they could. "No, no he didn't! Please, you need to go there right now and save them! Please! Crimson, please!"

Before she could continue, I put my hoof to her mouth in an effort to calm her as I nodded. "Of course."

With all the noise, Cherry had woken up and walked up to my side, rubbing her eyes in confusion. "What.. what's going on Crimson?" Her voice was tired and she didn't seem too happy to be woken up so early, but there was no anger.

"Selene was hit while out with Titan. Word got back she's wounded and they all need our help, it's a rescue mission."

"Fuck! Let me guess, I suppose your plan is to rush out now when you can't even fly yet and somehow save the day, huh?" She asked with a heavy sigh following it up. I could tell she wasn't liking the idea of it at all right now, but there was no other choice in my mind, we had to do this.

"Yeah, pretty much. They need us to go out there and save them. What else are we supposed to do? Sit back and do nothing while they die on the spot or get caught and executed a little while later? I'm not letting that happen if I can stop it."

"What about your promise to me, Crimson? What if I tell you I'm not going to let you go? You need more rest, you can't fly yet can you?"

"That doesn't matter, I'll get there somehow all the same. Besides, I've had to fight on my hooves without flight and succeeded in the past, I can do it again."

Cherry gasped in shock and looked angrily at me. "You have not! Sure, you didn't die, but you were rescued by Maisy and some strange sword wielding pony! How can you tell me that's you 'succeeding' if you're coming back in a state that's next to death?!" Her glare tried to pierce through me, but now wasn't the time. If this had been some other matter, if it had been something like just going out for public relations... but no, this was too important to give in on.

Without a moments pause, I gave her my response hoping it would disarm her. "I still lived, didn't I? Besides, Maisy will be there the whole time now. With both of you by my side, I'm sure as hell we'll make it work and do better."

At this point, Eos tried to speak but Cherry cut her off before she could begin to do so. A sour tone of voice came from her lips as she spoke, showing her dislike of the idea from that alone. "I won't be. You need to heal."

Eos stamped onto the ground, staring down at us both. Looking back at her in sudden shock, I found myself speechless as she stood confident.
"We have a shot of hydra you can have. Looking at the state of your wings, it'll be enough to get you flying again, but don't expect to carry anything more than your armour and weapons. Maisy will have to carry Cherry, though Styx will have to be left behind. I just hope that Titan can hold out without his gun."

Looking at Cherry, I smirked. Now she had nothing she could use to argue with. "So, now I'll have my wings back, what's stopping me from going out and doing what I need to do, what we need to do?"

She looked at me defiantly as she considered everything, still showing disapproval in her face. "Oh, so much of a difference. You still can't go out without me, Crimson. You promised. You'd still need rest! A shot of hydra would heal your wing, sure. However, that doesn't change the fact you only came back yesterday on the verge of death."

"I was on the verge of death? My ass I was. I was battered and beaten, sure, but I hadn't been wearing my armour. Nor had Titan been wearing his, or using his gun. If we were properly equipped, we would have been fine back there so now we're prepared, we'll be fine. Besides, are you saying you won't go out with me? They need us."

Turning her face back to Eos, Cherry pouted and whined. She was clearly losing this argument and she knew it, but she still tried to deny the fact all the same. "Can't you send anypony else? Please?"

Eos shook her head. "I'm sorry, but everypony I can possibly send is already en route or preparing right this second to leave as soon as they can. Everypony. I didn't just rush to you and think you two alone would be enough to handle the situation, nor would I dream of asking just the two of you. The difference is that we have to ask you two as a favour to us, not as a command."

At this point, Cherry huffed and then looked back at us both as if she'd just had an idea. "Well, do you even know their exact location? Without knowing where we're heading, I refuse. I'm not walking out into the city with no clue of where I'm going only to get lost and walk into an ambush... even if Maisy will be flying us there."

Upon this, Eos bowed her head and began to sob, quietly admitting she didn't know.

Turning my whole body to Cherry, I looked at her with disappointment for how she was acting. This was far from the kind of behaviour I had expected from a special forces soldier of the Tank Mercenary Group. "Cherry, they need you. Now get your ass in gear and get prepped, we're heading out."

Cherry looked at me before looking down at the floor and mumbling. "No."

"Cherry," I began. "That wasn't a request. This is an order as the son of the Overmare and your target of protection, I hereby no longer insist, but demand you accompany me for my own safety, if nothing else."

Breaking down into sobs, Cherry replied. "I just want you to stay safe Crimson! I don't want you to get hurt! Every time you've been out in Coltchester you've come back badly hurt, how do I know this time won't be the same? How do I know it won't be worse?! I know what we've got to do is important... but you're important to me Crimson! You're important to me."

Her response made me sigh and frown, I could understand her worry. It wasn't easy to let somepony you cared about go off into the danger zone, but that was life out in the equestrian wasteland. Lifting her face up gently, I wiped her tears away with a wing before pulling her to my chest and whispering into her ear. "Cherry, I love you and I promise you, I won't be as long as you're with me. We need to go out though, we need to protect the others. Like Eos said, she has a shot of hydra I can use. We'll be fine, but the others won't be unless we help them now."

Embracing me tightly, she whispered her apologies for being so stubborn.

"It's okay, I promise. Now let's get ready and head out, yeah?"

With another quiet sob, she whispered an almost inaudible 'yeah'.
Taking her close to my side, I kissed the top of her head and brushed her cheek with the tips of my feathers, causing a small smile to creep up on her face.
Looking back to Eos, I gave a nod. It wasn't just my turn to be the pony who came over the hill with the firepower and gear required to save the day, no. It was my duty.

"You go get the medical supplies, all that you can spare, including the hydra for me. Me and Cherry will be getting geared up and we'll meet in the main entrance, okay?"
A glimpse of hope and happiness filled Eos' worried eyes as she walked off down the hallway with a rushed pace, no doubt thankful that I'd finally convinced Cherry we would do this.
As she turned off into the medical wing, I smiled. With any luck, she'd pack some extra med-x too... just in case.

Turning back to Cherry, I was surprised to see my armour already floating in front of me.
Standing there with a determined look upon her face, Cherry used her magic to slide my armour on for me, careful to avoid tugging at my still tender wing.

"So, what's got you putting my armour on for me?" I asked, curious as to why. "I mean, you've never put my armour on me before."

"I'm just trying to take care of you, Crimmy. Besides, isn't it a little more intimate when I do it for you, help you out?"

Her soft smile as she looked at me was filled with nothing but love and worry about my safety, the second I could tell from the wrinkles in her eyes. Still, it was very intimate having her put my armour on for me. Carefully she pulled on the straps, making sure it sat tight on my body before giving it a small hit to be sure it wasn't moving anywhere.
While the hit hadn't moved my armour from my body, it was enough to knock me off balance and into the wall.

"Hey!" I complained suddenly in the confusion of the moment. "What the hell was that for?"

"Just testing it was tight enough." She said with an angelic look on her face. "You know, got to be sure that it won't go flying off if you get hit in hoof to hoof combat and all."

Frowning as I regained balance, I watched her strap her own reinforced barding on. "Was it really necessary to hit me that hard though? Really?"
Turning to me, she had a very matter of fact expression on her face before she nodded and mouthed the word 'yes'.
Sighing, I shook my head as she smiled back at me.

"Besides." She said while smirking. "If I don't make it a realistic hit, how am I to be sure it'll do the job when it comes to being hit even harder?"
Having no comeback for that, I gave up and let her win this one, much to her approval.

Just as we were getting our weapons together and counting what little ammunition we had left for them, something we'd have to see to after the fight I supposed, Sandstorm woke up and got out of bed.
Walking up and opening the door, he looked at us both in horror.

"W... w... where are you... where are you going?" He asked, his eyes already starting to fill with sparkles from the oncoming tears that I just knew were coming.

"We're going on a rescue mission, Storm." Cherry confidently announced to the child. "We're needed elsewhere."

Sandstorm shook his head in disbelief, fear etched in his expression. "But... I need you! I need you though!"

"I'm sorry." I gingerly motioned for him to come to my chest before the waterworks could go into full flow. "We're needed elsewhere right now. You remember Titan? The alicorns? They need our help, we can't let them down."

"But... if you go, I'll have nopony... again."

'Oh no, shit' went through my mind at that precise moment. We must've seemed like right assholes at this moment, saving the poor colt only to then disappear off somewhere.
Before a moment could pass, the thought of Eos flickered into my head and I'd remembered how close they had seemingly grown already.
Brushing my hoof through his mane, I spoke to him once more.

"I'm sorry that we have to go, there's just no choice for us. However, I promise we'll both be back, promise. In the mean time, Eos is still around, I know she's going to be stressed out like anything right now, but if you're a good pony and promise to her that you won't expect to play any games, I'm sure she wouldn't mind spending some time with you."

"Yeah, Crimson is right. We'll both be back before you know it, Storm. Like he said, Eos is still here, perhaps she'd appreciate somepony to spend some time with as much as you would?"

Looking up at his with his big, sparkling eyes, Sandstorm broke out a small croaking whisper of a voice as he tried to hold back the tears. "You... you promise you'll be back for me soon?"

"We promise." Cherry and myself said in union, a small smile filled my face as I held her hoof with mine.

"And Eos will let me sit on her lap?"

I chuckled a little at that one, though I knew I shouldn't have. "Well, I can't promise you that one, but you can always ask. I know she enjoys spending time with you, so maybe. Maybe."
With energy that only a child could truly muster, he pushed himself off my lap and bolted out the doorway before either of us could say another word, calling out for Eos in his hopeful little voice.

Walking off into Maisy's 'quarters' now we were fully suited and booted for combat, I carefully walked up to her and stroked her impressive mane as Cherry waited in the doorway.
"Come on, baby. Maisy baby" I cooed. "It's time to wake up Maisy baby. Come on girl, we've gotta go somewhere."
Slowly the lumbering beast that was Maisy got up from her sleeping position and yawned, bearing her sharp teeth for all to see.

"Whoa, that's a scary sight. Quite the pet you have there - Crimson was it?"

Turning around to see the pony whose voice I didn't recognise, I saw a soft yellow earth buck with flame orange hair leaning up against the wall, two large light machine guns strapped to either side of him with the use of a battlesaddle.

"Yeah, that's me. May I ask who you are? Don't think we've been introduced."

"No, no we haven't. Not you to me, anyway. My name is Dawnstar, my friend behind me is Umbra. I'm Titan's lieutenant."

Raising my brow, I looked at him with curiosity and disbelief. "So, if you're his lieutenant, why aren't you already out there, rushing to his aide?"

The pony whom I presumed to be Umbra stepped toward me before Dawnstar reached out with his hoof.
"It's fine, Umbra, it's a valid question. As for why we aren't out on the frontline already, we were only told just now. We needed time to prepare just like you have. Which on that note, I've been told you'll want some more tens and twelve's for your pistol and shotgun respectively, right?"

"If you've got any, we could also do with some nine millies for Cherry's SMG. How much this gonna cost?"

"For you? Nothing. Titan's orders were always clear that if there were ever a situation like this to arise, ammo is handed out freely to all combatants going out on the mission. My last job before heading out the door was to let you explicitly know and give you some of what we have. Titan said good things about you, said you're a sure shot and despite not being the toughest, you're a good fighter. If that's what boss says, I'll believe it. Now, the satchel that Umbra is carrying holds the ammo, take what you need and leave the satchel somewhere before you go out the door, please."

Taking the pack from Umbra, I couldn't even get a second look at the pony I just spoke to before he'd already started galloping down the hallway, issuing a command for all prepared units to follow his lead.
Looking into the pack I saw the ammo he'd given us, just like he'd said. It was filled with all sorts of types, but thankfully it was organised enough to not be an issue.
Poking my head around the corner, I called out a thanks to him. No reply came back however, too far away to hear I reckoned.

With the others gone, my focus returned to Maisy who was now looking at me with a smile on her face as Cherry stroked her ear with a hoof.
"You two look all set, you've told Maisy of what's about to happen or something?" I asked.
Before Cherry could even answer, Maisy herself nodded and unsheathed her claws as if to show me she was ready for action. Without a word, I nodded back in acknowledgement.

As we took what ammo we needed out of the saddlebags that now sat on the floor, Eos walked up to me and lowered a second set of saddlebags onto my back before strapping them tight with her magic.
Was it me or was it 'everypony go and put Crimson's gear on for him' day today?

"Those saddlebags have all the medical supplies we can stand to spare. It should contain enough to get Titan, Helios and Selene back on their feet no matter what's happened to any of them, even if they've all been hit by the time you arrive. It also has enough supplies for a field medic to do the job."

"Has anypony whose going out there got any medical skills besides me then?"

A surprised look struck her face, shocked at what she just heard. "No. Wait, you have medical skills? You're a leader though?"

Grinning was all I could do at this point. "A leader has to know how to handle themselves and the ponies around them, right? Besides, it's never too late to learn and I got a medical textbook not that long ago, gave me some more idea of what to do. I mean, I'm no medical doctor or anything, but I've been taught enough to handle the majority of injuries occurred out on the battlefield. Also helps I got some one to one training with Doc Dirtyhooves back in Coltshire while looking after Cherry."

Without the blink of an eye, I lowered my head down into the bag and picked out the hydra as if to prove a point. Placing it in my hooves as I lowered myself to the floor with my back against the wall, I stretched out a limb as I held the needle in my mouth, popping off the cap so I could inject it.
Cherry gave me an inquisitive look as I instinctively ran the cold metal against my coat, finding the perfect place for it to be inserted. Slowly and surely, like always, I found the spot.

Without any hesitation, I pushed the needle into my foreleg and bit on the end, injecting the strange concoction deep into my veins, speeding through my system. The feeling was strange, very strange. Instead of the warm fuzzy feeling a shot of med-x gave me, this gave a cold feeling of pure energy like a healing potion but stronger, much stronger.
Within a matter of seconds I felt my wing moving, repairing itself before our very eyes. It didn't feel 'right' to have it change so much within so little time, but it wasn't bad.
Before I knew it, the damage to my wing was patched up completely, good as new. Without a second thought, I put the empty syringe back into the bag and closed it up again.

"Okay, well be careful. If you think you're trained enough, feel free to be the one whom patches my sister. Now, please hurry, I fear for every moment that she is not receiving the aid she so desperately needs."

"Okay. Stay safe Eos, and don't worry, we'll rescue them, all of them. Just keep an eye on Sandstorm for me, keep somepony with him, he needs it right now and so do you, by the looks of things. Now, mind giving me some clue as to where we're going? You never did say. I know you don't know exactly where they are, but you must have some idea of where they could be? Coltchester is a city after all, too much to search randomly."

Facehooving in pure embarrassment with her cheeks burning red, Eos shied away from me for a moment. "Oh yes, of course Crimson. Here, lend me your pipbuck and I'll mark the locations."

Raising my eyebrow, I began to ask slowly. "Locations?"

"Yes." She replied. "Locations. There's five major radiation hotspots in 'Industrial', which is the south-east side of Coltchester. The whole south-east side of Coltchester is in itself, radioactive to a small extent, though it won't make you sick to stay there for even a few hours. It's the water that's dangerous to a normal pony such as yourself, it carries the radiation a lot stronger than the air. In Industrial, there's five key points where we feel safe enough to bathe in the warm fuzzy glow and become stronger thanks to our unnatural... trait. I don't know which they went to however, so the best I can do is to mark on your pipbuck the location of each and ask you check them."

Taking it all in the best I could, I watched as she plotted the locations on my map. They were a fair distance away, but I knew we could make it in time. We had to make it in time because there was no choice to do anything but make it in time.
I wasn't going to let this be another Platinum, not another screw up that cost so many precious lives. Not again.

Then she looked up to me, a new look on her face. Her eyes were deep with worry, but something was different about it this time. She was still worried about Titan, I could tell, but there was more to it all now.
"Crimson?" She asked quietly, not waiting for my response before she spoke again however. "There's... just one more thing. Industrial? It... it's home to a lot of ghouls. Try not to hurt them, they're good ponies still, just like Titan is."

Without another word said, I motioned for Cherry and Maisy to head off towards the front door. I gave Eos a look, a look that told her all she needed to know. She gulped as she looked into my eyes, practically pleading with me to be just without a word said. I was prepared, ready to kick some fucking ass.

*** *** ***

"Maisy!" I called out as I sped through the sky, her wings beating near mine. The force of the gusts made me feel a little off balance, making me so very glad she was carrying Cherry and not me. "When we get close, I want you to find a nice suitable rooftop for Cherry to sit atop of. Failing a rooftop, see if there's any high-rise buildings in the area and put her on the best platform you can. Just make sure she's somewhere safe, got it?"

Turning her face to mine, she gave a small roar and nod that told me she understood and would do that. I couldn't have been any more thankful to have such a wonderful pet, such a wonderful friend. "Thanks Maisy. Love you."

"Hey!" Cherry shouted. "You're supposed to say that to me!"

Grinning from ear to ear, I blew her a kiss the best I could while still flying as fast as I could without losing Maisy. Despite the size and power of her wings, my build was still a lot more agile and made for speed but even then I had to make sure I didn't fall behind.

"That still doesn't cut it, Crimson!"

Rolling my eyes as I laughed, I turned my head to her once again. "Oh, okay. If you're oh so insistent on hearing those words I've told you so, so many times before..."

"Don't be sarcastic!" She snapped back as I chuckled.

"I love you, Cherry. You are my heart and you know it. You're the first and only pony I've ever opened up my heart to, whom I've shown who I am willing to let in and the only pony who will ever see every side of me. I'd do anything to give you all that you want. You know I'm just teasing with the rest of what I said and I know you do. Now, mind on the mission. Is there anything else we can do to help ourselves, you reckon?"

With a moments pause Cherry thought about my question, before obviously getting a bright idea. Her face lit up as she leant in closer to me, still hugging tight on Maisy's back.
"Yeah, actually. Seeing as you have more control than me, do you mind using your broadcaster to transmit to Alpha and Bravo? I don't know how close they'll be yet, but they said they should be around some time in the morning. Might be good to check if they could be any assistance, even if they arrive late to the party."

Looking at at her beautiful face, I couldn't help but appreciate what a brilliant idea she'd just had. Smart, sweet and stunning all in one, how was she single before me, I wondered.
Bringing up my left foreleg to mess around with my pipbuck as I continued to fly along, I messed with the dials to get an encrypted message to the special operative groups.

"Alpha, Bravo!" I shouted down the pipbuck, hoping they could hear me over the sound of the wind that flushed between my body and leg. "This is Crimson, I've got Cherry and my manticore Maisy with me, but we might need some assistance from you. What's your status?"

Despite it being the early hours of the morning, a response came back from my pipbuck only moments later, a confident nod from Cherry as it did.
"Crimson, this is Freight Train of Alpha. We read you loud and clear. What's going on? I don't hear any gunshots from your end?"

Shaking my head instinctively, despite the fact it couldn't be seen, I began to reply. "No, no gunshots yet. There will be soon however, very soon. Shit has gone down, our source for a water talisman is in danger. We're required over at Industrial which is on the south-east of Coltchester, think you can make it there any time soon?"

"South-east side you say?" Freight train mused. "Hm. Okay Crimson, you get to your location and give us some kind of signal, we'll be there double time."

At this point I heard the sound of "Freight train's" hoof hitting the ground as he began to command his troops. "Listen up!" he began, a strong and confident voice bellowed through the pipbuck, even though that wasn't his intention. "Cherry is going to be in danger, we've got to go and secure the area she'll be in. Remember, we don't screw up when it comes to our own. To make things even more pressing, Crimson is going to be there too, so we have to make sure he doesn't get hurt. Double fucking time it, colts. South-east side of Coltchester, now!"

A loud 'Sir yes sir' followed after from multiple voices, and the sound of a pony about to speak came through again.
"Okay Crimson, we're set and we'll be there as soon as we possibly can be. Don't worry, we're not far out."

Knowing that we had the two groups moving on our position was highly comforting and I could tell Cherry felt the same way from the look upon her face.

Flying towards the region of Industrial, I could begin to see it in the distance. Smoke filled the air both from factories put back into use but also from what looked to be fires that lit the morning streets.
Some of the fires were intentional, contained in unused coal carts for the poorest ponies, zebras and donkeys that lived below. Others were wildly spreading, however. At one point, a whole group of houses were burning down as the bodies of the dead lay at their steps.

Cherry gave a grimace every time we came upon such a location, though as we travelled it became apparent that it wasn't unintentional or even one sided.
From what I could tell at the height we were at, both civilians and coalition forces had experienced losses as fighting had erupted amongst the chaos.

"Crimson." Cherry began in a very upset voice. "What do you think caused all this? Surely they've not just gone house to house... right? They... no-one would do that! No-one who is trying to rule the place, anyway. It just doesn't make sense. Why would anyone attack randomly?"

"I don't know," I began, trying my best to soothe her. "but I have a feeling it wasn't unarmed. I didn't just see normal ponies and zebras down there... I saw some in uniform too."

Her eyes snapped to me. "You saw it too? I mean, I saw the uniforms but I didn't know what to make of it. I just thought that they'd have died from the odd pony who shot back or something, nothing organised."

My focus swept back down to the floor as she said that, taking note of the bodies. That was when it hit me and I looked at her with a sinister grin upon my face. She was right! These ponies, zebras, even donkey's weren't organised... they were disorganised!
Without a moment's thought, I pulled my forehoof up and began to mess around with my pipbuck again, much to Cherry's confusion.

"This is an open broadcast to all frequencies, intended for the region of Coltchester." I began, the smug look on my face growing with each and every moments pass. "There is a coalition force in Industrial, killing civilians and burning down property. I am urging all ponies, zebras and donkeys who are fed up of the DZC to come to Industrial and kick some fucking ass. Repeat, the DZC are indiscriminately attacking anyone. This is beyond acceptance, we cannot stand by as we watch our neighbours be killed and wonder if we will be next! Stand up for yourselves, if you have any combat skills, fight!" I let the communication pause for a moment as I smiled at Cherry. "And if you want a reason to risk your life? If you want to know who I am to ask your help? I am The Executioner."

"Crimson!" Cherry shouted at me almost instantly after having finished the broadcast. "What the hell is going through your mind? You're calling everyone to their slaughter!?"

"No, I'm calling all willing and able bodies to join the fight against the aggression of the coalition against the citizens of Coltchester. Remember the Anarchists you saw, the ones I've been told about? Well, if all they care about is fucking up the coalition, they have their chance now. Besides, we're going to need every hoof helping us out that we can possibly get for this rescue. The more attention that goes elsewhere, the better, right?"

"Yes..." Cherry looked at me, a serious tone of voice as a new worry was etched into her eyes. "But we'll also have to deal with increased soldiers now, if there wasn't already. Leaders of the Peoples Liberation Army of Coltchester and The Executioner in the same place? That's a high stakes target, Crimson."

Thinking about what she had said, she had a point. Just as I was about to refute her point however, a shot sped past me flying up into the air. Looking down at the ground, I saw a pair of zebras with a rifle each who were dressed in the uniform the zebras seemed to prefer.
Before I could take it in, another shot whisked past and threw my focus from moving fast onto full combat mode.

"MAISY, FLY AHEAD. I'LL CATCH UP!" I screamed before slipping on my helmet, now was the time for the fun to really begin.
Maisy didn't respond in any physical way, but followed my command all the same. Cherry began to freak out, but there was no time. It was only two zebras. Two zebras and one of me... I didn't like them odds, it was too one sided. There was no chance for them.

"YOU JUST FUCKED UP, FUCKERS!" I screamed through the helmet, their death was imminent as I swooped down towards them, pulling out my shotgun from the side holster as I did.

"Kill the monster! Get The Executioner!" One of them cried as he tried to aim his rifle. Thankfully it seemed like they had single shot capability only, though even then I didn't fancy being shot up too much.

Dodging the best I could in presumption that he was about to fire again, another shot sped past me, narrowly missing my side as I swept back in for a clean angle. These fuckers had the balls to go for me while I was airborne, they were too stupid to live it seemed.

"GOODBYE!" I shouted as I toggled S.A.T.S and plotted two shots straight for the heads of my targets. As the computerised aiming system confirmed the targets and gave me a good chance of hitting, I went back into reality.
The beat of my wings hit once more before I was within optimum range, barely over a ponies distance away from the pair.
The sudden speed I'd reached them at must have shocked them both because neither seemed prepared for what had just happened, though it was too late now.
The first shot hit its mark perfectly, blowing the face off the first zebra with ease. Within a split second I was holding the shotgun between my hooves and aiming for the second soldier, firing instinctively.

The second shot hadn't been as lucky as the first however, skimming past the face of my target and instead taking out the rifle he held with both hooves and his mouth. 'Shit' I thought to myself, realising that he'd now had enough time to react, and react he did.

With the nimbleness I'd only seen zebras pull off with ease that they did, he was already turned towards me before I could think about my next move. As fast as a flash of lightning, his hoof came smashing against my shotgun, dazing me as my weapon fell to the floor out of reach. Again another hoof flew at me, hitting my shoulder plate and bouncing off, both of us having been mildly hurt by the blow.
Looking at the foe who now stood on his hind hooves, I quickly made a mad dash for my shotgun. Instead of reaching it however, I fell to the ground under the weight of the zebra who'd jumped atop of me.

Instinct told me to roll, roll and get out from under the attacker. However, as I tried, he stomped on my chest plate as fast as he could, knocking some of the wind out of me. Again he climbed atop of me, though this time I was face up. There was no way I was going to do this without help, so I hit into S.A.T.S to try and figure out a weak spot on my opponent.

Looking down at my forelegs, I saw Forgiveness, still securely attached to my right hoof. However, with the way he had me pinned down and one hoof to the side of my head, there was no chance I'd be able to grab it and slice him in any meaningful way before he could stomp on my head and do some real damage.
My pistol on the other hoof was again, useless. The close range of the encounter and time it would have taken to get a shot meant the same outcome, perhaps worse even. No, there had to be something else I could do to avoid getting a slamming to the face.

That was when I noticed the one fatally poor misfortune he had, the one weakness in his armour that gave me all I needed to have.
I plotted the strike and slipped back out of S.A.T.S, pulling my legs back.
Time went back to normal as my perception was no longer augmented, but it was all over for him.
As the zebra raised his hoof for a critical strike, I kicked my legs for the same cause. Thankfully, I was faster than him.

His body fell limp onto mine, his cries of agony loud as his hooves sped towards his groin, my hooves returning to their normal position. Quickly I rolled him off, next to his dead friend.
Instead of going straight to my gun, I took the moment to catch my breath and consider what had just happened. I'd felt sorry for the zebra in a way, though he had been the one to seal his own fate after all. His groin was just an unfortunate price to pay in the remaining seconds of his life.

Without the immediate threat of hoof to hoof combat taking up my attention, I took a lot more care in how I executed my attack. The zebra still lay there on the ground, gently rocking from side to side as I stood above him, victorious as I was.
There was only one thing I could do for him now, and that was to give him mercy from the crippling pain he felt. Without hesitation, I drew my blade from its sheath and prepared for the killing blow.

The hilt of my weapon cracked against the side of his skull with the sudden force, his body falling limply to the ground without a sound coming out of his mouth. No longer he cried in pain, only the silence of merciful death remain as the blood gushed onto the concrete below.

Unfortunately for me though, my victory was short lived as I felt a bullet smash against my side. Thankfully it was too low a calibre to pierce through that time, though it was still enough to knock me off balance and onto the floor as I wondered what had just happened.

"FUCK! WHO DID THAT?!" I cried out in confusion and anger. Nopony should creep up on me! I was meant to get off scot free from fights!

As I poked my head up, another bullet came flying past over me, causing me to drop back down. My shotgun was now on the floor on the other side of the two bodies as I used them for cover as grotesque as it was, the blood pouring out of them rapidly as I laid beside them. Just as I went to poke my head up again, a large crack came from above and with a heavy thud, another body hit the floor.
Looking up, Maisy slowly circled over me with Cherry's rifle slung off her side.
Love, that was what I felt for that wonderful mare right now. Always there to save my ass when I needed it most - and I loved her for it.

Trotting over to my shotgun, I picked it up and reattached it to my side holster once more before spreading my wings and taking flight. Hovering just in the area for a moment, I looked at the other zebras in the area, none of them wearing the armour that marked allegiance to the coalition however.

"THAT, MY ZEBRA FRIENDS." I shouted, thanks to the helmet. "IS WHY YOU DON'T FUCK WITH THE EXECUTIONER. NOW I MUST GO, MY PEOPLE NEED ME."

With that, I took flight again and made my way up towards Cherry and Maisy who waited for me above.
Within a matter of seconds, I was up alongside the pair as I looked at Cherry's disapproving face as she frowned.
"Was that really necessary, Crimson? To kill him despite the fact you'd already incapacitated him?"

Taking my helmet off before I spoke, I gave a slow nod. "Yeah, it was. He was in terrible agony, it was relief for him. Why, would you rather have another enemy around so when you think you're safe and out of trouble, there's some zebra waiting around the corner just waiting to take a shot at me or even you as revenge for me having smashed his bollocks to nothingness?"

"Well, you make a point. Still. I don't like the idea of it. Every life taken is a life that can't do better, that can't heal the wasteland and repair it." Cherry said with a sigh, reluctantly accepting what had just happened. It was obvious she would never let her ideals die and I held deep admiration for that. Being able to feel that way about the people who ran this place...

"Well, look." I retorted, trying to remove the glum look that stained her face. "If we find someone who isn't wholly hostile, we can try work things out with them. If we can reason with them and make them see what they're doing is wrong and hurting so many, we can hope they'll change. However, that zebra down there fired on us unprovoked. All I was doing was protecting myself and protecting you, both of you."

Cherry pouted as Maisy began to fly forward again, towards our objective as we spoke. "I know. It just feels like we should try harder."

"We can in the future, I promise." The sincerity in my voice was clear and true. I really did want to help Coltchester, but nit-picking about every single soldier we would have to kill on the way would get us nowhere. "Tell you what, if we get the water talisman somehow and Four Ridges is secure, we'll see about helping out Coltchester with proper support, okay?"

Cherry blinked in shock at me, a small smile across her face. "You mean it?"

"Of course." I smiled back as her face lit up, a beautiful sight to behold. "No matter what."

Her eyes darted back and forth however, thoughts running faster through her mind than I could even imagine. "But, Mayor Sunburn would never allow for it... protocol is that we never go aggressive on a settlement unless it's known to be a raider settlement."

Raising my eyebrows, I looked back at her. "And the attacks on Coltshire Commons and Town weren't raiding party attacks?"

"We'd need more than that though, we can't simply police the whole of the equestrian wasteland simply because some small village attacked another one, we'd end up attempting to wipe the majority of settlements off the map based off rumours and small mistaken identity skirmishes. We'd need a reason." She retorted, the frown slowly working its way back upon her face.

"Kingcakes, Pocket Change and the others aren't a reason?" I asked in return, her eyes lighting up as I said it. "Like I say, no matter what. I will find a way, as long as I survive. My cutie mark may be my wings, for good reason too, but if it wasn't them I'm damned sure it would be something to do with the fact I'm capable of talking to just about anypony around and getting them at least somewhat agreeable. No matter what, we will help Coltchester, somehow."
Cherry smiled at me and said nothing more after that, choosing instead to focus on what was immediately ahead of us.

As we continued to make progress, the sights we came across got worse and worse. Though the residential homes were now becoming scarce as we put what had become known as Slumside behind us, there was still signs of battling forces having clashed in the streets below.
Spears, pipes and even the occasional gun littered the streets, small fires occasionally lighting up the streets, otherwise only lit up by what little rays came with the dawn of the day.

In the distance the near constant sound of an ongoing gunfight was becoming clearer with each passing minute as we came closer to the first of our targets.

Suddenly with no warning, my pipbuck came to life with the sounds of intense firefight over the radio which I'd kept active since my broadcasting, just in case we'd needed to hear anything from the squads.
"-peat, this is Titan, calling all units to converge on my p-"

"Whoa, did you just hear that, Cherry?" I asked quickly.

"Yeah, doesn't sound good. Do you think you could tune your pipbuck to hear that more clearly?" She asked with an uneasy look on her face.

"I doubt it." I replied. "I could try, but I think it's more an issue on his end. My radio has been turned on and waiting this whole time, I doubt that it would have cut off both ends like that if it was my end."
A frown grew on my face as the reality that things were getting more and more dire with each passing moment dawned on me. We had to get down there and help out as fast as we could.

Before Cherry could respond, a burst of shots came up at us and drew our attention away. We were very close to the first target as it was so I supposed this might have been the assaulting force.
"Maisy!" I screamed at her in shock before looking at the layout of the factories below us looking for a good position. "Get Cherry on that rooftop and get down there! I'm going in now!"

Another burst of fire skimmed past me as I grabbed my helmet and put it back on, preparing for the fight ahead. Trying to take note of what was around us, I saw at least ten of them. A mixture of ponies and donkeys fought against a small ragtag force that held the loading-bay door to a factory. My best guess was that the assaulting force was DZC by the look of their armour and defending force was PLAC.

Sweeping down for a better look and to be sure before I dedicated any of my fire onto one side, another burst of assault rifle fire clipped my armour and knocked me out of the sky and through a window of a nearby factory.
Smashing through the intact glass had hurt to be sure, but thankfully my armour protected me from any further harm from jagged shards.

Picking myself off the metal walkway that hung above a lot of machinery and back onto my hooves, I knew who the enemy was now. No PLAC member would've shot at the one with wings, though the DZC sure as hell had a hatred for me by now it seemed.
Looking back through the window, I noticed a small banner being held by one of the donkey fighters in heavy armour that looked exactly like one I'd seen previously while fighting zebras. Now there was no way I couldn't be sure, my sights were set upon that group.

Without warning however, a whole slew of bullets flew past me, hitting into the brickwork below and some passing through the window and into the metal roof above. Ducking as fast as I could, I knew they were trying to suppress me and prevent me from firing back, smart.
Quickly I rushed to another window while crouching out of sight of the enemy to peer through to see their location, though only moments after I did the firing changed from the first window to my new one.
Damn fuckers had a keen eye, that was for sure.

Moving back, I hid between the two windows where the wall had no sight on me and hoped they weren't hiding some high explosive heavy weaponry from view.
Taking a moment to think about where I was at and what I could do, I assessed my choices. Trying to sneak up to other windows had proved to be a useless endeavour as the enemy would quickly catch onto where I'd moved up to, especially if I began to fire.
Looking around the room I saw a pair of windows on the opposite side, though I guessed that if I simply crashed through those and went over the building they would just focus fire on me once more.
No, that was no option to me. There had to be something else.
Grenades would have been wonderful here, easily thrown either by my wings or tail I could've snuck up under a window and simply blind-thrown it out towards the enemy, though I'd already burnt through my whole supply.

Down below the sounds of fighting ravaged, the friendly forces being pushed back inside with me as they kicked the door below me open and ran inside, taking cover round the corner. Instinctively I aimed my weapon down at them and began to talk.

I barked at the sudden intruders, hoping they were the friendly force and not the DZC having made a dash for the door.
"WHO GOES THERE!?"

"Fuck, someone is in here! We're Anarchist forces. Who are you?" One pony replied with fright riddled in her voice.

Taking my helmet off so I could talk normally, I addressed the scared ponies below. "Anarchist? I'm Crimson Wings, The Executioner. Looks like we're all trapped in here now. You got a plan to get out of here alive?"

"We... no, we don't. We were hoping this place would provide us cover, perhaps an alternative escape route. We were on route to the main fighting spots when we were caught by the patrols."

"Patrols?" I asked in curiosity. "You mean this is more than one group?"

"It was." She replied between shots, though she was a unicorn and kept her gun in her magic, her focus went to shooting back as she could. "One patrol noticed us, called in for help. Another came, though we've wiped their worth out. What's left is a mix of the two, what remains. Trouble is, we lost most of our personal gang in the process, which is why they've continued to push on us. We're down to four now."

"Have any of you got smoke grenades?" I asked expectantly. Usually the Anarchists had some of them, from my experience.

"Not any more, sorry. We used what we had to cover our retreat, which was when we got pinned down here. Did you have a plan?"

Looking at the solider down below with a deadpan expression on my face, I sighed. "Well, I would have. If one were to go off in here, no doubt they'd move on up and allow for some real damage to be done with a double surprise attack. Never mind. I'll see what else I can organise, you lot just keep their focus for a moment, will you?"

"Uh, what?!" Another shouted back. "I don't like this idea! I'm not a bullet sponge and nor am I some throwaway! I have a life to live!"

Rolling my eyes, I stared down at him from above as I stood as confidently as I could. "Don't fuck this up and you'll continue to live the life you want to lead. Now, keep their focus on yourselves but don't get reckless. Give me one moment and be ready to draw their attention on my signal."

"But!" He shouted back, frustration full in his voice showing just how unsure he was of what was going on

"Just shut it and do as he says, Clay. If he has a plan, it's better than what we have. Now get back to shooting back at those fuckers!" The female screamed back at him. I smiled and nodded to her as she looked up to me with a small smile before pulling up my pipbuck and selecting an encrypted connection to Cherry's pipbuck.

"Cherry, you ready for a big bit of target practice?" I said coolly as I peered out of the window slightly before ducking again.

In her unsure voice, she spoke back to me. "Sure, but I can't get a clean shot of them just yet. You'd have to drag them out into the open slightly, somehow. I suppose you have a plan?"

"I do and that's fine, send Maisy down to the floor just as soon as this message ends. I'm relying on you both here."

"Okay, well I'm set up and Maisy is by my side, she's heard every word and looks ready for the task. I just hope you know what you're doing, Crimson."

With a confident chuckle, I gave her my reassurance. "I do... trust me."

Slipping on my helmet, I spoke.
"NOW!"

The ponies below me looked up in shock for a moment before taking the hint and jumping into the doorway, firing with all their guns at once. The squeal of somepony getting hit was heard on the other side of the road as I prepared myself... and flew straight through the window on the other side of the building. Gunfire came back at the crew inside the building and though I couldn't see them, I hoped they'd all gotten into cover already.
With a bloodlust filled roar as she moved in for the attack, I caught Maisy speed down to the ground in the corner of my eye before I turned around.

The zebras in heavy armour were now running towards the doorway where the Anarchist forces hid, fleeing from the sight that stand before them.
With a loud crack, the first skidded down to the floor and tripped the other over under his dead body while Maisy turned her focus to the lightly armoured ponies who started at her, shaking and frozen in place.

Going as fast as I could, I flew over the building and up to the now recovering second donkey.
It was too late for him though, for as soon as he picked himself off the floor my shotgun was pointed between his eyes.

"GOODNIGHT." Was the last thing he heard before blood sprayed against my helmet and onto the floor behind. His body crumpled under the weight almost immediately, another one dead. Another threat gone.

With a large swipe, an enemy pony was thrown against the wall. Blood began gushing from three large incisions across his chest, staining the leather armour he wore to a deep red while the others began to finally shoot back at her.
Without fear, Maisy leapt forward from the dying pony below her, attempting to strike at another before narrowly missing as he rolled out of the way.

Galloping forward with my shotgun hanging in my mouth, I charged across the road towards the next hostile. Bullets began to spray across the floor in front of me, though I leapt up into the air while spreading my wings and began flying towards the target. I wasn't going to make this easy on them.
Behind me the Anarchists began their last push, running out of the factory and firing wildly at the retreating opposition.

Another loud crack from above, another body dropped. Shooting to my side and a swipe from the other side. There was only two left now and within seconds, it would be all over. I wasn't going to have that let me slack however, as I chased after the last two ponies running for their lives.
Putting away my shotgun in favour for my pistol, I took aim by going into S.A.T.S.
One clean shot to the back of the head was lined up and as I came back out, I fired with precision that I couldn't normally achieve otherwise.
The bullet flew with what seemed almost to be Celestia's blessing as it hit the target perfectly, throwing his body face first down to the ground, dead.

The last enemy was nothing of my concern any longer, the Anarchist's would take him out.
Instead, I turned to Maisy and gave her a big hug for the help she'd given. At first she was taken back by the fact somepony had just walked up to her and gripped her, but then she realised it was me and wrapped an arm around me in return.
Looking up at her after taking my helmet off yet again, I whispered a thank you into her ear before ending the embrace.

"Watch over here for a moment longer, will you? I really do doubt Titan is here, but I've got to be sure." I muttered before putting my helmet back on before heading off to check the factory.
The sound of her wings lifting up filled the air and I knew she wouldn't go far, she just didn't want to be a sitting target was all. Who could blame her?

As I walked into the industrial building, I looked around. There was no signs of Titan or anypony else, much like I'd figured. Still, there was no harm in spending a mere few seconds just to check the building for anything of value, right?
Large machines that did things that I had no clue of filled the large room I'd just been in, it looked like it was a production line of sorts.
Glancing over the rest of the room, there was a few terminals, but none of them seemed to be powered on and I sure as hell wasn't going to waste time with further exploration and trying to make centuries old technology power on if I had no clue what purpose it had. I was on a mission to save Titan, Selene and Helios. That came first and foremost.

Stepping out of the factory, I gave a quick nod. "Nothing here, Maisy. Go and pick up Cherry, I'll be up there with you in a moment."
Immediately she followed orders, flying off to where Cherry had been sniping from. She really was too good to be true, sometimes.

"So, where do we head off to next?" Cherry asked as she flicked the hair out of her eyes, the cutest look upon her face as she did.

"Well, the closest place from here on the map seems to be the marker on the building labelled 'Dumb-Bell Steelworks' on the map. Aside from that, we have 'Macintosh Armoury', 'Icy Robotic Industries' and 'Orion Offices'. You feeling lucky about anywhere in particular on that list?"

"Well, seeing as the closest place from here is the steelworks, I suppose the best place to check out would be there first. Right?"
Nodding in approval, I agreed. The steelworks probably wasn't the right place, knowing our luck, but it was a good choice all the same. At least it was close, which meant that we wouldn't have to worry about going too far to reach it, hit or miss.

With that, we continued our journey to try and find Titan. I'd attempted to get radio contact from him again, but there was nothing but static coming through at this point. Whatever was causing it was also slightly messing around with the tracking systems of my pipbuck too, though there was no time to worry about that. We had to focus on finding him instead of why we couldn't get proper contact with him.

Making haste, we went into the direction of Dumb-Bell Steelworks, hoping for the best.

*** *** ***

"FUCK!" I shouted as the bullets sprang past the top of my head, the zebra narrowly missing me.
"YOU CAN'T JUST LET US IN PEACE, CAN YOU? I found myself screaming at the zebra ahead, his eyes squinting at me as he tried to aim his rifle again.
With skill and agility, I jumped into the air only to purposefully fall down to the ground, entering a roll as I did. The fucker hadn't expected that now, had he!

"CHERRY, ANY CHANCE FOR SOME COVERING FIRE?" I asked frantically, hoping for some support.

"None! Sorry Crimson! The risk of hitting you or Maisy is too big! Besides, I've got my own issues right now!" She shouted back to me as she ran from cover to cover, hoping not to get shot at herself. This really, really wasn't ideal.

Sighing, I ducked behind another piece of concrete moments before the shot was made, harmlessly ricocheting off.

"Mortem ad intrusor!"
"[Death to the intruder!]"

With all the rage inside of me, I found myself suddenly bursting out in frustration.
"LOOK, STRIPE. I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU. COME OUT INTO THE OPEN SO I CAN BUST YOUR SKULL, AND FOR THE LOVE OF CELESTIA, SPEAK EQUESTRIAN!"

Upon this, the zebra fumed and raved back, obviously extremely pissed that I'd insulted him during a shoot-out. "FINE, YOU DIRTY PONY SCUM. YOU WANT ME TO SPEAK EQUESTRIAN? I'LL SPEAK YOUR DIRTY LANGUAGE SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND ME AS I KILL YOU."

It was then that I noticed it might give Cherry a chance to give me the support I needed if he would come out into the open, "YEAH, YOU FUCKIN' WANNA, COME AT ME YOU CUNT. I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU SHITS SHOOTING ME THIS MORNING.

With blind rage the zebra erupted, throwing his rifle to the side after unloading every bullet in my direction. "RIGHT PONY, HOOF TO HOOF TIME. IF YOU'RE A COWARD AND HIDE FROM BULLETS, LET'S SEE YOU HIDE FROM HOOVES."

Now was the time.
"CHERRY? SHOOT NOW!

"I can't! I just can't! I'm sorry Crimson but the ones focusing on me just aren't letting up! I've got too much heat to snipe right now!" She cried out with a touch of shame in her voice. Damn I would have loved her help in this right now! The sound of her 9mm SMG ripping through thin metal to punctuate her point as she ran around another corner, chased by two zebras.

Taking the shotgun off my side, I began to reload it as fast as I could, though the zebra was quickly approaching and there wasn't much room to fly around with all the walkways. Instead of being able to fully load the gun, I was only able to get two shells in it before he was upon me.
Looking straight into the eyes of my foe, I jumped out of my cover as he went to buck, hitting the wall instead.

"Ha! Good move, pony. Cowardly move, loading your gun! Well I say no more!" He shouted in response to my evasion, a grin across his face. "It will be by my hoof that you are captured, that your reign of terror and uprising shall fall!"

He was right about something, it would indeed be by his own hoof that something should fall, but I was certain it wouldn't be me. Running down the hallway made of machines and wall flanking me on each side, I began my preparation... I just needed the right moment.
Like expected, he followed me, chasing after me like a hellhound going for a radbit. I had to admit, he was quick and it was hard, but I managed to stay just ahead of him despite his best effort.

"Stop running, fight me like a stallion!" He called. I ignored him however... I was almost there.

Turning the next corner, I found myself staring at the other two zebras. A pair of females stood before me, previously having been intent with going for Cherry, now they stared back at me, a grin upon one of their faces as she ran towards me from across the hall. That wasn't planned, that wasn't planned at all!
Instead of panicking however, I did the ballsiest thing I could imagine. I ran at her.

The smile upon her face dropped as she noticed the shotgun pointing right at her, the grin on my face making it all too obvious just what I had planned. Instead of giving her a chance to react though, I sprinted towards her and then purposefully fell onto my back as I reached where she stood, sliding along.
Two shotgun blasts ripped through her, one shooting into her stomach and the other between her legs as she stood on her hindhooves in horror and pain.
Falling down onto her face, she bled profusely from the new holes in her body. That however, meant I no longer had any shells loaded into my shotgun and we still had one opponent each for myself and Cherry.

"You... you monster! You truly are a sickening monster! What stallion would shoot a mare... there!?" The male cried out, obviously feeling empathetic towards his female counterpart in fear for his own biology. "You shall suffer for your sickening act!"

Suffer? I didn't think so. Not until I found myself unable to free my legs immediately after having them slide under some machinery, anyway.
That was when shit hit the fan and I realised how much trouble I was in... or thought so.
Within seconds, something began to come to life on the other side of the room.

"Dumb-Bell security system, reactivated. Initialising protocol..."

The security system! However on earth that had been tripped, I didn't know, but thank Celestia it did. Looking back above me however, I realised time was too short. The zebra stood above me, an evil smirk across his face.

"Trapped, pony? Good. Wouldn't want to you to miss out on getting your punishment for what you did to Sharikaa."

Gulping in fear, there was nothing I could do in time. A hoof struck down onto my helmet, dazing me as my head crashed against the floor through the metal covering. Thankfully, the helmet was designed to take such hits by the look of things as I was still alive and awake with the zebra buck recoiling in pain.

Trying to pull my legs free was useless right now, I just wasn't going anywhere no matter how hard I tried. Instead, I focused on pulling out my pistol, though my aim was completely off as his strike had left me dizzy and the single shot I had managed to fire harmlessly hit the light above before the gun was kicked out of my mouth.

"Stupid, stupid pony. I told you, hoof to hoof. Now you die."

With barely enough time, I rushed my forehooves to cover my face as his blows struck down repeatedly. Time and time again he hit me though through a mix of my armour and legs, I was at least protected somewhat. Still, with each blow I found the pain excruciating.

"CHERRY, HELP!" I cried out, partially in agony and partially in desperation. I wasn't going to survive without something saving me now.

Something came, something by the name of the security robot which had reactivated only moments before.
"Security breach detected in Factory Floor A. Striped intruder detected. Use of lethal force: encouraged. Equestrian Army personnel detected, protect the Equestrian Army personnel at all costs. Alerting all military units in the region of security threat level high alert status. Calling backup to extinguish traitorous forces."
With that, the zebra turned around to see a flash of red light blasting at him, going straight into his eye.

In pure reaction, I recoiled in disgust at the bloody mess that fell to the floor, the zebra squirming as he screamed in absolute pain, his eye having been disintegrated by the blast. Before I could do anything more, another set of blasts came from the robots gun that protruded from its chest, firing straight into the head of the crying zebra repeatedly until he no longer moved.

Looking at the machine in a mixture of horror and admiration, I did nothing.
The robot had killed my attacker, put him out of his misery too, but it hadn't even the tiniest bit of empathy for the way it simply killed. Now I began to understand Cherry's ideals a little better.
Killing somepony, or some zebra in this case, without any touch of personal regret or thought was an act only a machine or monster could do. Despite it's words, the machine had shown no true emotion, it was simply an automation that ran on the code which told it what to do and nothing more.
Still, I couldn't find it in myself to hate what the robot had done or feel anything like that. It was doing it's job and the performance of the machine was superb.

Rolling on towards me, the robot gripped me in its claws and gingerly pulled me out from under the machines, to which I was extremely grateful for.
Taking off my helmet so I could speak normally, I began to thank the robot.

"Thank you, security robot. You really saved my life just now." I blushed after having said that, realising how silly I must have looked and sounded. Instead of responding, the robot began to spin around.

"Immediate threat detected. Danger levels high. Another intruder remai-zzzz" That was all the robot managed to say, not even being able to fully rotate before it fell to the floor, smoking.
The lights on its faceplate went out with a dying sound emitting from the unit.
Above stood the other female zebra, rage clear in her face.

"You... you kill Shamai with the use of a robot and... and leave Sharikaa for dead, bleeding from her marehood? May there be no peace in your death, vile being. YOU WILL SUFFER WHAT SHE DID!"

With that, I found myself thrown against the wall with a powerful kick, my head smashing into it first and causing me to momentarily black out, waking up with the mare kicking both hooves into my chest, causing me to double over and writhe in agony.
Unable to move, I was rolled onto my back where the zebra stood at my hooves, raised up on her hind legs.
A truly demonic look upon her face as she began to spit her anger at me. "Now... now you feel the pain she felt."

Instead of crushing me under her hoof however, her eyes went wide as blood began to squirt from her throat, an invisible blade turning red as it began to be covered in blood.
The body of the zebra mare collapsed down atop of me all the same, but no longer with the force of an intentional blow but instead, limp from the lifeless body having no support.
Blood covered my face and made its way into my eyes, stinging me sorely as I continued to find myself unable to move under how my chest burned from her strikes.

Only a moment later, the body was rolled off of mine, Cherry looking at me with wide, crying eyes.

"CRIMSON!" She cried out fearfully, the tears dropping on the floor as she looked at me. "Oh Crimson! Oh no! Are you okay my love? Speak to me! Please tell me you're okay!"

Coughing up a mixture of blood and phlegm, I slowly nodded my head. I couldn't be sure whose blood it was with how much had already poured onto and into me, but from how I felt, I couldn't be sure it wasn't at least partially mine.
With what effort I could muster, I spoke through the pain I felt. "I... I'm f... fi..."

"You're not fine!" She cried out. "You're so covered in blood and I can't even tell how much of it is yours! You can barely speak! Oh shit... quick, where's the healing potions in your bag?" She rapidly exclaimed.
With both her magic and her muzzle she searched all my bags at once until she found a healing potion, quickly unscrewing the top and pouring it down my throat without giving me a chance to object.

Slowly a warm feeling filled my throat and my aches and pains felt somewhat better and my ability to breathe became a lot easier, though it was still harder than it should have been. Still, that would get better as time went on and gave the potion a chance to really work it's magic, I knew.
Looking up at the love of my life, I reached out my hoof. Without any need to say a word, she threw her head against my chest and began to sob, my grasp around the back of her head holding her close.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Crimson. I should have been faster, I should have protected you better. I almost lost you there, all because I was too careless!" She quietly muttered between sobs. "It's my fault, I'm sorry."

I shook my head and spoke the best I could as the healing magic continued to help me. "No." I began, interrupted by a cough. "It's not your fault. You did well, you did what you needed to. I made a mistake, it was my fault."
Looking at her, I realised just how much she didn't want to lose me. I didn't want to lose her either, but right now, it seemed almost like this had been some kind of personal demon to her.
"I'm alive still, aren't I?" I muttered, trying my best to counter her tears. "Don't mourn my death until it really happens, I couldn't bare to lose you while I'm still alive."

Wiping away her tears with my wings, she sniffled at me and looked down at my bag. "You've still got another seven potions, do you think you'll want another for this?"

I considered that, did I? The pain was terrible and I wouldn't be able to fly, perhaps not even walk right now. However, the medical supplies were supposed to be for Selene and the rest if they needed them, not wasted on me.
Before I could tell her that they would be best saved for somepony else though, Cherry had already begun to unscrew another cap, gingerly pouring it down into my mouth before leaving a small drop in the bottle and taking it away from my lips.
As I looked at her in confusion, she took the bottle and poured what was left into her mouth before leaning in and kissing me, exchanging a mix of our saliva and healing potion.

My heart pounded as her tongue rubbed against mine, the sensation healing us both, both physically and emotionally.
The tender touch of her hoof against my cheek made them burn but my face leant in closer, begging for more of the moment as we sat on the floor, up against the wall.
As she pulled back, I looked into her eyes and watched her lids flutter as she blushed herself and before either of us knew it, another passionate kiss was shared.

Feeling my body grow stronger, there was certainly something else that grew tougher as our lips met and tongues ran alongside one another. Looking at her like this, in this environment, I knew what I wanted deep down, and I knew it was wrong.
Right or wrong, that didn't stop me from wanting it though, slowly I wrapped my forelegs around her and rolled her onto a clean patch on the floor, though I still wasn't at my full strength. It was obvious the same thoughts were running through her mind too, the glint in her eye as she lovingly looked up at me, eyelids barely open. This was no place nor time for such an act, but our bodies begged for it.

Passionately I leant in for another kiss, this time along down her neck. Cherry's gasp of pleasure whispered into my ear along with her soft moaning, only succeeding in making my passionate fires burn hotter.
Looking down at her as she looked up at me, we both wanted this. We both needed this.

Instead, Maisy gave a roar, peering at us expectantly through some windows high above. She was right, this was no time to give in to our primal urges. We had to go and rescue Titan and the crew, no matter how much we wanted to spend even fifteen minutes making love beside the bodies of two zebras who'd tried to kill me only minutes before.

"You, me, as soon as we get back to the HQ?" Cherry began to whisper into my ear.

"Yeah, sounds nice." I replied, a huge grin on my face.

Her eyes rolled at me before she gave me an extremely serious look, then began stroking my cheek with her hoof while giving me bedroom eyes. "Oh, that wasn't a question, or an offer. That was me telling you."

Maisy gave us another roar before flying down to the main door and began to wait for us, impatiently it seemed. Stepping off to the side, I allowed Cherry the chance to get up with my hoof as a help off the floor. With a kiss to my cheek, she sealed the deal before trotting up to Maisy and wiping her cheeks completely before looking back to me.

"I'll just be one sec, babe. The pain is quite bad and I think I'm going to need a med-x to get through this even after all that. You don't mind waiting a moment, do you?"

She wrinkled her nose up for a split second before nodding and smiling back at me, her graces granted to let me feel the wonderful relief of my beloved med-x.
Rummaging through my bags, I found a syringe of what I was after and quickly located a good spot to insert the needle. Within seconds I was biting down and feeling the rush of fuzzy love flowing inside of me as the world seemed just a little bit brighter, lighter and easier to handle. My aches and worries began to wash away as my body regained its full potential.

Feeling somewhat revitalised, I trotted back over to Maisy after having put the empty syringe back into the bag and recollecting my guns.
The steelworks had turned out to be completely empty of any sign of Titan, making me regret us having even bothered to check it. However, it was still a point of interest we'd needed to be sure to tick off our metaphorical list and at least we had done it now. On the bright side, at least I would be getting sex as soon as we got back!

As Cherry climbed onto Maisy's back, I began to question how lucky I'd been though. "Cherry?"

She looked back at me and muttered in response. "Mmm?"

"Do you know what caused that security robot to reactivate at that critical moment? I mean, that seemed a little too good to be true, there's nothing I can think of that would have triggered that... unless me sliding under the machinery somehow damaged it and set off a proximity scan for hostile intent? We'd been going at the gunfight for too long for it to simply be that, I think."

"Oh!" She now happily responded. "That was me! I saw a big 'press if in case of security breach' button but I wasn't capable of stopping to press it until after you took down the first zebra mare, seeing as I was being chased and stopping would've gotten me surrounded. You taking down that first one gave me the chance I needed to take the gamble of it still working properly... and it paid off."

Laughing to myself, I gave a small nod. "I can see why you're a special operations force member. You get the job done however you can without being reckless and you care about the ponies around you. As soon as we get back home, after all this is done? I am making you mine, for good. I can't let somepony like you slip away."

"Somepony like me?" She asked with a massive grin on her face as she blushed.

"As in, there is nopony else like you that I've ever known of, ever." I replied with an even bigger smile on my own face.
Before anything more could be said, Maisy pushed off and flew up into the air, leaving me to play catch up.

*** *** ***

We were getting closer and closer to the third point now, though it was getting creepy. In the last two points, there had been smoke coming from the areas of interest, just like this one - that wasn't the issue though.
On the way to the previous two locations, there had been ponies, zebras or donkeys shooting at us along the route.
In the previous two locations, there had been gunfire to go along with the smoke and fire.
In the previous two locations, there had been dead bodies littering the local area too. However, instead of just a few dead bodies like before, there was... unbelievable amounts. Bodies of Anarchists, PLAC members and DZC soldiers littered the street ahead of the Orion offices.

Looking at the sight ahead of us, I had an extremely uneasy feeling about it all. This wasn't right at all. Surely there'd be something... someone... but instead, there was nothing but death.
The lack of noise was disturbing, as weird as it sounded. In the background there was faint mechanical sounds of what sounded like rolling wheels, but I couldn't be sure.

"Cherry, what do you make of this?" I asked, unsure of my own perception. She'd always seemed to have a more keen eye.

"I don't know, Crimson. You're right if it strikes you as odd, which I'm sure it does. I've seen things like this before and usually it's an ambush... but if it is, well, there's no signs of an ambush."

I looked at her in confusion, slowly muttering what she'd said. "Signs... of an... ambush? Wait, what?"

She nodded and proceeded to explain. "Yeah, signs of an ambush. Look, trust me on this one. I've set up my share of ambushes and foiled just as many. There's always some kind of sign... something that doesn't feel right but still tries to be inviting. This? This doesn't feel right nor does it feel inviting. It feels wrong and cold. It feels empty. It doesn't feel like an ambush, but it doesn't feel good either."

"Are you sure?" I asked, confused about her logic but choosing to trust her anyway. She was the one with field experience and if she was sure, I'd put my trust in her.

"Yeah, certain. You thinking of checking it out then?" She asked, quickly adding the second half on.

"Yeah." I simply muttered before looking both ways before stepping closer, expecting something to happen.
Instead of anything happening though, there was just the continued sound of machinery and... something moving about. It didn't sound organic however, so I assumed it to be something like a busted terminal in need of maintenance or some such.

As I entered the building, I saw it was spectacularly clean. There was very little furniture around and even less rubbish strewn across the floor, causing me great cause for concern. Cherry was right, this couldn't have been an ambush because no ambush party would take care to clean up a building for their set up. Most buildings in the wasteland were already wrecks that were collapsing on themselves anyway, so to clean it up would defeat the point in trying to hide anything different about it.

Slowly a strange sound of what resembled air being forced through a mechanical set-up grew closer and closer in origin as Cherry stepped into the building with me.
Maisy waited outside once more, her frame again too large to fit through the doors which were just that little bit too narrow for her. With a whine, she sat down on the ground outside.

"Don't worry, Maisy baby." I tried to soothe her. "I promise we'll be in and out really quickly, by the looks of things. It doesn't look like there's a lot to check here, so it should be a quick one."
Again she whined, but accepted the fact she couldn't do anything else and instead, took guard of the front entrance.
That made me feel a lot more comfortable, knowing at least we wouldn't have anyone sneak up from behind us.

Looking through the hallways, the rooms were filled with pristine rows of computers attached to the desks, all turned on and functioning properly. Walking into the first room, I spared a glance at one of the screens. There was a lot of internal mail messages between the foyer and 'back room' computers, though none of them seemed all that important. However, there was one thing in particular that caught my attention.

">Message to all staff:

>Please remember, as a member of Orion Offices Official, you are required to wear your nametag at all times! Please remind visitors to remain in the main reception room until addressed and given a 'visitor' badge.

>Please remember that visitors are not to exceed the ground floor unless granted permission to go into the higher levels by the floor manager from above. Please remind visitors that they are not to attempt to exceed past their 'unlocked zones' for both their own personal safety and the safety of our work.

>Please remember that under no circumstances are visitors or non essential staff (Grade III and higher) ever to attempt to gain access the basement.

>Please remember, your work with us is helping the war effort and top secret! Speaking about your tasks to anyone outside of the company will have you fired and reported if you are caught. You have been warned.

>Please remember... to have a good day!"

"Wow" I found myself saying aloud. "That... is a weird set of rules. Huh. Wonder what's down the basement?"

"Want to find out?" Cherry asked, a lockpick levitating inside a doors lock that had a sign on it reading; 'Basement, no unauthorised access.'
Looking at her in a confusion, I gave her a glance as if to say 'why'.

Picking up on my expression, she bit her lip and looked at me in a very sultry, alluring manner. "Oh, I was just thinking... I don't think I could wait until we get back for some fun... not at least without a small little bit of relief. Just... a touch? A lick? Please?"

Grinning from ear to ear, I gave in. "Oh, okay. If you're up to giving in return, then yes."

She looked at me, shooting a surprised expression on her face. "Giving in return? I was thinking about tasting you, but if you want to give me a service first..." And with a wink from her as she smiled, I found myself trotting at a speed what was almost galloping as the door opened up.

Turning her face back to the door and down the stairs that followed, she froze. Her body trembled before she span on the spot and began to scream at me. "RUN! GO GO GO, FUCKING RUN!"
Before I could understand why, she was already passing me and grabbing me around the neck with her magic as she did. Not even seconds later, the sound of a minigun beginning to spin filled the air from the direction of the stairwell.

Without a thought, I chased after Cherry. Whatever could freak her out like that definitely wasn't good, but I didn't get what it could've been.
Initially my thought went to Titan with the sound, but then I realised... Titan didn't have Styx with him.
Cherry sped out towards the foyer to find it filled with three robots floating in the middle, all looking towards us with glowing plasma pistol attachments readily aimed and prepared to fire.

At once, they opened up on us. Thankfully however, plasma turned out to be a lot easier to avoid than a laser seemed to be, leaving me with little doubt that we would have been fucked if it had been the red lasers like the robot before. Still, as one of the blasts skimmed my metal armour it left a burning sensation as it suddenly found itself superheated from the plasma burst, burning my side momentarily.

"GET OUTSIDE CHERRY!" I screamed at her. "I'M RIGHT BEHIND YOU. JUST GET OUTSIDE!" I continued.
She did. She ran outside and got behind a piece of cover from what I could tell, to which I was thankful. However, unluckily for me, the door slammed shut with a thick piece of metal barring my exit moments later, blocking my escape route.

"CRIMSON!" I heard her cry from the other side.

"DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME, I'LL FIND A WAY OUT... SOMEHOW!" I bellowed in return, hoping it would calm her down even the slightest bit. I knew she was worried about me and I knew it wouldn't really help, but it was an attempt all the same.

"Sentinel defence unit: online. Government intruder detected. Government spies have attempted to access high level security systems, purpose unknown." A large, intimidating voice called from down the hallway from where the mingun sound came from. "Protocol... exterminate government officials: active."

"Oh, FUCK!" I shouted, ducking to dodge another blast of plasma that came my way as one of the floaters made their way through finally. I tried to reason with the AI systems, hoping it would override their security protocols. "All I wanted was to have a quickie with my marefriend! I don't want your secrets!"
Unfortunately, it seemed to make no difference if I just wanted to have a quickie or steal all their pre-war secrets and bits. Cherry had activated their security measures and that meant their primary directive was now... to kill me.
Great, just great.

Looking around the room as fast as I could, I saw that there was no obvious escape from the trap I'd just managed to get myself into. Thankfully however, I did recall seeing windows on the upper floors and if I was lucky, they wouldn't be locked down like the front door was. There was only one issue... my E.F.S was now filled with blue and red bars.
With no other option, I ran towards my right, away from the impeding death of minigun and plasma bolts.

Making my way across the empty stretch as fast as I could was one of the scariest things I'd ever done as plasma blasts were fired in my direction, barely missing me each time. Again I couldn't be anything but glad that least they weren't using lasers.
Behind me, the minigun of the larger robot began to fire, strafing the room. Immediately I dived for cover behind a metallic desk, looking for my next piece of cover once I had the chance to move once more.

"Any and all Equestrian Army officials will be exterminated. Please stand still and await your time." The robotic voice called out, hoping I'd simply give up.

Me? Give up? No fucking way! The very fact that the fucker had even dared to consider saying such a thing irritated me to the point of giving me enough reckless courage to get up and out of cover.
"You want me to go easy? I'll go easy on you!" I screamed out before popping my head up to take a shot at the oncoming floating robots.

I didn't need S.A.T.S for this, the floaters were close enough that with my shotgun it wasn't an issue. Six shots went into each of them.
With the first three shots, I found their body armour was too strong for conventional attacks to do much use, however, attacking the parts that made them float seemed to be a whole lot more destructive towards them.

The first robot took all six shots before it fell, the second took four but I added an extra two just to be certain it wouldn't continue to chase me. I had more than enough to worry about with the sentinel, if what I'd previously seen on sentinels was enough to go by.
Turning back to the hallway, I began to run yet again before the monstrosity could catch up and pepper my location with bullets once more.

Speeding towards the door ahead of me, I turned and bucked it as hard as I could, breaking the locks on it without much hassle. Thank Celestia, I thought.
Running up the stairs as fast as I could manage, I came to a door.

'Level I personnel and authorised visitors only.'

"Authorised visitors only huh?" I began to mutter. "How about you authorise my fucking hooves!"
With that, I gave the door a kick... and another kick... and another.
This time, I wasn't so lucky. The door didn't budge and down below I could hear the mechanical beast looking for me, searching the rooms below.
Time was running short and I needed to get in there, fast.

"If there's anypony in there, I'd advise you let me in right now before I fucking blow this door down!" I called, hoping for some kind of response... perhaps there would be some maintenance robots who would let me in?
There had been blue bars around the area, after all.

"Password, please." Then a new, raspy voice asked from the other side of the door.

"You what?" I asked in shock, not having expected to be asked for a password.

"Password, please?" The voice repeated itself, a more empathetic tone leaked through the raspy sound.

"I don't need no fucking password, let me in! Otherwise you'll have more than just me to deal with, you'll have this fucking sentinel too!" I barked, hoping that maybe it would win over the source of the sound on the other door.
This time there was no response however, the voice remained quiet. Moments passed and the sound of the sentinel grew closer and closer, I knew there was only seconds left before it looked up the stairs here.

Slowly yet suddenly, the door began to open. Before I'd even had a chance to look inside and have even some idea if I was walking into some kind of trap, I jumped through the door and slammed it back shut behind me.
Taking a moment to breathe, I saw what had helped me... it was disgusting.
Beside me stood a ghoul, his face rotten and falling apart, strips of flesh peeling off or completely missing. An extreme odour I somehow hadn't noticed before emanated from his disturbing body, his mane completely missing.

"You tripped the security system, Officer?" He asked with what I guessed was supposed to be a small smile, though I could hardly tell by looking at him, not that I'd wanted to.

"Yeah, well, my marefriend did. We saw this place was empty and we were desperate for a quickie. This place seemed the safest place to go."

"Despite all the bodies outside?" He asked before letting out a chuckle. I grimaced as one of his teeth fell out as he did, causing him to laugh harder before slotting it back into where it sat.
Now THAT was fucking gross and completely uncalled for.

"Yes..." I groaned as I looked at the walking corpse before me. "Even despite all the other corpses. We saw how clean the building is and assumed nopony had been in it for at least a century."

"More than that, young'un. Anyway, now you've ticked off the security... well, you're screwed without some real support coming. That won't stop until you're dead now, me too now that I've helped you, I'd think."

Looking away from the ghoul and out towards the corridors ahead of me, I noticed how unclean they were. A stark contrast between the floor below and this one. Though, I shouldn't have been surprised seeing as I'd actually met something other than robots on this one.

"If you're looking to get out of here, you'll have to work your way up the building to find the fire hatch on the roof... or jump out of a window. Though being the pegasus you are, that's not so much an issue for you, is it now?"

"No, no it's not." I replied slowly. "Now, tell me where I go to get out of this place."

"Get out?" He laughed again. "Kid, I just told you. As for the route to go? Oh, I would tell you, but more robots await down that route... and my old colleagues. I stay here as a guardian, preventing them from getting loose. My job as the janitor, see? And unless you're going to tell me that you won't be giving any of them an escape route with you, I can't take that risk."

I looked at the pony, his ragged blue overalls did certainly look the part for a janitor. Still, none of that mattered. What mattered more was why he was acting like this.

"What's your stake in all of this? What reason do you have to stay here and make sure they don't get out, huh?" I spat at him, what could be his motivation?

"Oh, that's easy." He calmly chided, before being interrupted by the loud crunching sound of the stairs behind the door as the robot began to climb. "But it'll have to wait for a moment. You want to live? Fine, I'll help you live, but you've got to either kill all the feral ones along the way or I refuse to grant you access to higher levels."

Kill the feral ghouls, gain access to the roof, get out? Sounded like a mother fucking plan to me! With joy, I nodded.
"Sure, anything else I should know?"

"Yeah. You'll also have to kill the robots, all the non maintenance ones. I've got the maintenance ones under my hoof, but the rule enforcers? They're dangerous and they'll shoot me on sight if they know I'm helping you... which as soon as we pass any security camera, they will. So, guns ready, pegasus?"

"Wings, and oh yeah. My pistol should do fine for the moment."

Now the ghoul began to run, at a surprisingly quick pace which I hadn't expected from something so old and damaged. Bare bones were exposed at his ribcage and ankles, yet he still managed a quickened pace that would put any normal old age pony to shame. The radiation had a large part to play in that I guessed, as my ticker clicked at me and warned me of my increasing intake. I would definitely need to down a rad-away after all this was done, no doubt about that.

"So, any feral fucks on this floor we need to take care of?" I asked, trying my best to sound casual while saying it but knowing that there was nothing at all casual about the way I said it.
Despite my attitude, which even I knew wasn't the best to have right now, the janitor shook his head. "None, nor combat bots, thankfully. The threat is all on the next two floors."

Impatiently, I looked at the ghoul in front of me. "Well if that's the case, how about we hurry the fuck up head on upstairs then? Besides, like I asked before, what is your slice in all of this? Why prevent the feral ghouls from getting out if you're a ghoul yourself?"

"Because." He began, but immediately paused as we rushed along, trying to find the next staircase. "I've watched them rip apart those who hadn't turned insane. I've seen them killing the others and eating the bodies of the dead. I don't want to unleash that on anypony. I had a hard enough time facing the guilt when I didn't rescue the ponies I used to work with, when I was too scared and instead chose to hide in my locked room. I don't want to have to face that guilt all over again over somepony who I don't even know. The ponies in this place mistreated me badly, but the ponies outside? They didn't cause the war, they didn't end the war. They simply live because it's our nature to reproduce no matter what state the world around us is in."

Thinking about what he'd just said, I supposed he wasn't so bad. It still didn't mean that I liked him, he had just admitted to letting ponies die despite the chance of being able to help them, after all. Still, he had enough respect for the truly living not to risk the damage they could do on the local populace and I had to give him some credit for that. Though the fact he was helping me stay alive was my biggest reason to trust him... for now.

"Now, what might your reason be for hating us ghouls so much?" He asked with a questioning tone. "Just bigotry or do you have some sad story to tell?"

"Long story short?" I replied. "Not even weeks ago I found a group of children being led away from here by a mare who was trying to do the best thing for them. Before they could find safety however, they were targeted by a group of feral ghouls. One was raped by the fuckers, in front of my fucking eyes. In front of my very fucking eyes. Now, you want to imagine why the FUCK I would hate the bastards?" I found myself catching my breath after the outburst, a saddened look in the eyes of the janitor.

"I... I'm sorry to hear that, Wings." He slowly mumbled in response as he slid the key into the door and began his ascent up the stairwell.

"Yeah, well, won't change a thing but thanks all the same." I replied with reluctance. I didn't like thinking about that incident, not one bit. Still, I couldn't change the fact it had happened and that it had changed me, I just had to deal with it was all.

Making my way up the stairs, I heard faint growling sounds as I reached the top. The janitor nervously took one look at me before beginning to ask a question. "Now, before we go any further, are you absolutely sure you're okay to do this? You can turn back and try to find another way out if you need to, but I don't think I know of any other ways, though I know there was always a lot of secret passages in this place. There's a chance you'd be able to find one and maybe get out, but I won't make any promises on that one."

Loading my shotgun in the moments of peace I had, I nodded back at him. "Ready as I'll ever be." I pronounced confidently. "How many do you think I'm looking to go up against?"

Taking a moment to think, he rolled his eyes to the top of his head as he muttered to himself, counting. "Four combat rule enforcers, twenty odd feral ghouls on this floor, There shouldn't be any more than one, perhaps two ferals on the top floor and I know that there's only one robot up there. The reason why there's so little up there is because the top floor was access only for the elites in the company, though I managed to fool the system with a executives badge that I'm an all-access member of staff."

"Okay, well, lets do this."

With that, he swiped the card and the door opened. Staring at me were the faces of three feral ghouls, jaws hanging as they waited for our arrival. Before any of them could make the slightest of movements in reaction to the door having opened, I was already in S.A.T.S taking the putrid sight in.
Their teeth were cracked and broken, ribs showing clearly and their heads covered in bite marks, one with its eye pierced open and having stayed that way ever since.

Three shots were lined up, my trusty pistol in my mouth already just waiting for me to finish confirming the plan on how I would blow each and every last of the fuckers brains out across the wall behind them.
As S.A.T.S came to a close, it was all done before the blink of an eye.
BANG BANG BANG.
Blood stained the walls, the three bodies crumpling under their own weight, one having even been thrown back by the sudden force, leaving the messed up sight of her genitals on show.

Normally I'd never shied away from looking at genitalia unless it was on a filly or foal. Normally it had never been an issue however it looked, it was all the same more or less and as long as it was clean, it was good for some fun.
Now though? Now as I glanced down at what was on show of the dead body, I felt revolted and the physical urge to be sick filled my stomach.
Quickly I moved on around the corner, happy to be away from what I'd just seen.

In the distance, five more ghouls ran at us as my 'friend' stared at them with wide eyes and shook in fear.
He was going to be useless as a combatant, I could tell. Reluctantly, I threw a hoof around him and pushed him behind me, extending my wings to block him off from the ferals.

Without grace they charged at me, barking their anger as a wild dog would've. It was sickening to watch what used to be ponies reduced to what they were now... what they had become.
With the best of my ability, I lined up my shots on the moving targets, shooting as fast as I could manage to line up another shot.
The first two shots dropped two with ease, though the third shot slammed into the chest of one and did little to slow him while the fourth and fifth shots completely missed the target.
With a sixth shot another one dropped but it had failed to kill the bastard as it smashed through one of her hind legs, ripping the bottom half off completely.

Before I could get a seventh shot off though, I was forced to roll as one of them came within hoofs reach.
Little more than my natural agility and the fact they were walking skeletons kept me safe as I went under their legs, confusing the wild animals. Quickly I put my gun back into its holster and drew Forgiveness, not that these monsters had any concept of any such ideal.

With a growl, one of the larger of the pack jumped towards me. Crouching down I held the knife in my mouth waiting for the most opportune moment... then it came.
Just as it came within range, I lunged at the beast with my knife securely cracking into the skull, spilling blood and brains everywhere.
Getting some over me, I tried not to shudder and instead focus on the rest of the fight. Another hit me as hard as it could, smacking me to the floor.

Looking up at the face that stared back down at me, I sliced its jaw apart instinctively, removing most of the threat that it was.
Without even realising that it no longer had a jaw, it attempted to bite me only to find that the worst it could do was lick me and give me some disgusting flavours of odour on my face... right before my hoof penetrated into its ribcage and threw it down onto the floor away from me.

Now it began to get dangerous however, really dangerous, as one of the four robots had joined the party with another three feral ghouls in tow. Admittedly, the robot was blasting away at them in response to their attacks to its joints. Deciding I'd had enough of the zombies and robots, I pulled myself off the floor and behind a desk, I grabbed my shotgun and peeked around the corner.

Three... two... one... I jumped round the corner once more, blasting away with the shotgun. Five shots in, the first robot fell down onto of one of the feral ghouls, crushing its skull to nothing and another had fallen with the blast to the face.
With that, two of the other robots turned to face me, one charging its plasma pistol and the other it's razor saw spinning fast enough to slice through a pony with ease.

Recoiling in fear of the blade, I fell back on my haunches. Looking at the oncoming horde of enemies, I felt weak and helpless. There was no way, no way I'd manage to fight all them now. My guns were going to need reloading any moment now and with the robots around...
I looked around the room, desperate for another answer. I knew I couldn't fight back against these odds, I'd finally gotten myself into the deep end way too far and nothing could save me now.
I was trapped.

Falling into a pit of despair, I didn't know what to do. The robot advanced as I stared at it, lost in my own thoughts, when suddenly a feral ghoul jumped into it with full force, knocking it off balance onto the floor. I didn't know why the feral ghoul would do that, perhaps it thought it could eat the metal, but it didn't matter now.
I'd lost and as much as I had thought it before, I really was going to die as I couldn't see any other way out but through... then it happened.

With lightning speed, a pair of feral ghouls had spotted me hiding in the corner behind the desk and jumped atop of me. Before I could even react, they began beating their heads into my armour, trying to bite me. Struggling under the weight of two of them combined, one pinned me under all of his hooves and bit on my uncovered ear, causing me to scream in pain as his teeth pierced through the skin. His hips bashing against mine as he tried to attack me further... my mind broke.

Visions of Platinum in this very same position and situation filled my mind... and before I knew it, I'd rolled over and crushed the skull of the beast below me.
My eyes wide, my breathing heavy... there was only one thought left in my mind.

"I AM NOT PLATINUM!"

Dashing towards the first robot, I grabbed its plasma gun and kicked the machine as it jolted around, trying to shake me off it's side. Blast after blast splattered into the faces and hides of the monsters that plagued my nightmares.
Rage swelled up inside me as I watched them scream, the plasma wasn't enough. Using all my strength, I threw the robot down to the ground using my hooves, cracking the body armour and killing the machine as it crumpled into itself.
A battle-cry of my own came out without having even thought about it as I smashed my hoof into the face of the first ghoul, sending my limb through its skull.

Turning around, I saw the last remaining robot fighting the fuckers off with its saw blade before I ran up to it, ripping the weakened machines arm off completely. Somehow the blade kept spinning though, still somewhat connected to the robot. It didn't matter how, what mattered to me was that blood was spilt. Three more ghouls ran at me seeking blood, only to meet a swipe across all of their faces at once.
That wasn't enough though, they weren't in pieces yet, I thought.
Using the blade while I could, I slammed it into a ribcage of one the vile monsters before completely slicing the head off the next. The last I tore the front two legs and horn off of before something forced me back down to the ground.

When it screamed at me, I bucked it off of my chest and pulled out my knife, aiming straight between the eyes with a lunge. Instead of hitting between the eyes, I had managed to lodge my knife straight through the socket, jamming it in tightly.
Moving onto my next weapon, I pulled out the shotgun and ended the robot properly before turning back to blasting the remaining fuckers in the face. My grunts of anger getting louder with each blast, with each one falling to the floor until I ran out of ammo, simply dropping my shotgun.
Pulling out the pistol, I unloaded what few bullets I had left in it. Two zombies left, I thought to myself.
Two zombies and no bullets loaded.

Spinning on my hooves as the last zombie charged me, I bucked it against the wall. The fragile frame of the zombies and my enraged state lending a hand, its still live body slammed against the wall with force enough to cause a great snapping sound.
Speeding up to it, I gave myself no chance to find out what it was. Instead, I bucked it once more with a clean hit to the face, causing its skull to explode between my hoof and the wall.
Now there was only one.
Only. One.
And it sat at the edge of the stairwell, in terror.

Yes, I thought., The last one would die with ease, seeing as it was immobile from the fight. I could take my time and savour this kill.
Savour this kill? ...That... that wasn't me, I thought. I didn't kill for joy, did I?
Closing my eyes for a moment, I opened them back up before going into S.A.T.S and examining the last remaining soul.
Slowly as the anger drifted away from me, I came to realise... no, that wasn't a feral ghoul at all.
It was immobile out of fear and feral ghouls knew no fear... that was the janitor.

Killing all the robots and feral ghouls was a necessity, but the janitor? Sure he'd made his mistakes, but he...
...He didn't deserve to die.
He was willing to help me, he offered to take me through to safety, the only escape route he'd known. If I'd killed him then I could no longer class myself as any better than any of the leaders of the DZC, could I?
Not if I killed him no reason, I couldn't.

Coming out of S.A.T.S, I sighed before walking over to my dropped weapons, slowly picking them up and surveying the area around me. What had previously been simply a little disorganised was now looking as if a whole raider army had passed through, desks upturned and all over the place, pieces of robot and pony strewn across the floor like some kind of sick decoration, and at the head of it all sat a pony too frightened to move.
A pony, not a mindless beast. A pony.

"I'm sorry." I muttered, slowly regaining composure. "I... I was forced to relive the event that traumatised me, but instead of watching it it felt like I was living it myself... in her place."
The buck frowned before slowly walking over to me and placing a hoof on my shoulder. "It's okay. You didn't hurt me and you somehow managed to take them all out, despite the odds. As scared as I am, I'm still living and right now, so are you. You ready to get out of here then?"

Nodding as I reloaded my guns in preparation, I took another deep breath before sighing again. "Yeah, sounds like a damn good idea. I don't want to be here any more. Not around all this, not with what I just..."

"Turned into?" The old buck asked in the friendliest way I he could.

"I was going to say done." I retorted. "But yeah, that."

Carefully stepping over the mess I'd left behind on the floor, we slowly made our way over to the final door. He opened it with ease and began to walk up the final flight of stairs, before turning to face me half way up.

"There's just one thing you ought to know... when we get into this next room? Don't try fight the robot, you won't win."

Looking at the ghoul in a questioning manner and raising my eyebrow, I spoke slowly. "Why? What is so tough about that robot that I could take down four of them, but not this one?"

He gulped as he looked at me, rubbing his front hooves together and then began to look down at the ground. "The truth is, I know more about the tunnel system than I let on. I'm not a janitor as such... not in the way I may have made it seem. I'm a mechanic, so instead of cleaning up the floor I'm the one who would be fixing up the robots and ensuring all the secret lifts were working at all times, just in case."

Looking at the old pony with my brows furrowed, I couldn't help but feel slightly agitated with him that he hadn't been wholly honest about his previous occupation, though I supposed it was still close enough. "Go on, what of it though." I asked, irritation clear in my voice.

"And... the sentinel... the one you were running from?" He took another gulp after he spoke, he looked as if sweat would be gushing from his face if he were any normal pony right now.

"Yes...?" I asked, increasingly impatient with his ability to stagger his answer.

"As soon as we open this door, it will know. Not only that, but it will use a special tunnel lift designed for the executives to hide in the basement where there's a small, under equipped miniature Stable built in the foundations. Well, I say Stable, in reality it's more of a vault. It's where all the databases were kept too, and that sentinel was guarding it all. As soon as we enter through this door, we've got less than a minute to run through, find the escape hatch and begin getting out before I reckon it'll be in here. Two minutes if we're lucky, but my guess is it has moved back to the vault by now and that location is exactly where the lift is..."

Facehooving, I didn't know what else to say. "Oh fucking great. So you're telling me that we're going to enter a room where the robot may or may not be waiting for us to open the door as it is, but that even if it's not there straight away, we have to find the escape route before it arrives in the room with us? And you say it could take a minute if we're unlucky?"

"Well, actually." He nervously spat out. "A minute is my optimistic hoping that some of the systems will have rusted and cause the lift to move slower, that or the weight of the robot is enough to slow it down. Back in the day, I had it running so it could take five ponies no more than forty-seven seconds from basement... to here."

Looking at him flatly, I guessed we had no choice. "Okay, great. Just fucking great." I spat out. "Go on then, swipe the card, open the door and be ready to run. Any idea where to look for the escape hatch?"

"None at all."

Could this day get ANY better for me?
With that, he swiped the card and opened the door... only to find... no.
Letting out a breath of hesitation, the robot wasn't waiting for us, thankfully.

Immediately I ran out and looked around, hoping to find the hatch. Then I turned around once more after having caught something out of the corner of my eye.
There it stood, silently waiting.

My eyes widened suddenly as I looked at it, the reality dawning on me as fast as it possibly could. There was only one reaction other than turning around and running that I could do, and I did it. "OH SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!"

The old buck turned to me shouting 'What?!' before a missile flew past our faces and into the wall behind us.
Running as fast as I could, I made as much distance as I had available before turning the corner to begin a game of cat and mouse. There was no way I could take that robot down alone, it would've required Maisy's claws or perhaps Cherry's anti-machine rifle, but Maisy was frightened of robots as it was and Cherry wasn't here.
Instead, I had to... "RUN!"

Bullets began to spray the walls, clanging against the metal reinforcements it seemed to have. The fact that the missile hadn't even managed to make even a small hole told me that breaking a new hole was out of the question on those, but the windows probably weren't half as strong... hopefully. Celestia I hoped they hadn't any magical talismans protecting the windows or something.

"WHAT DO WE DO, WINGS?" The old buck screamed out, too frightened to think for himself as rolling death followed behind us not too far away.

"I'VE GOT A PLAN!" I screamed in return, trying not to run out of breath as I did. "BUT IT RISKS ONE OF OUR LIVES AND MIGHT NOT WORK!"

Running around the corner, I found myself face to face with my accomplice, his whole body shaking and eyes almost falling out of their socket in pure terror. He looked at me and gulped before quickly blurting out what he had to say. "Look, I've lived long enough and if I die, this will be my redemption. Not just for this, but for everything. What is it?"

"These windows, are they especially protected? Magic wards or such?"

"No, no. Not that I'm aware of. They're bulletproof to small arms fire though... why?"

Looking at him straight in the eyes, I wasn't sure if I was about to say this or not. As he looked back at me however, I could tell he was a stallion of conviction and he was being honest about being willing to risk his life for this chance. No doubt we would only have one shot at it.

"One of us needs to stand in front of the window... and wait."

"Wait?!" He shouted in surprise. "What?!"

"Yes, wait. Wait until the robot either shoots a missile or opens up with its minigun. Just long enough to smash the windows but not get hit. The real trick is getting out of the hole it makes without getting hurt after." I said hurriedly, hearing the wheels turn around the corner. We had less than seconds to decide.
With a breath, he stepped out into the open, no longer behind the wall we had taken to hiding behind. Looking straight at the robot, he spoke slowly.

"Missile test, activation code H-3-X-0-R."

The robot stopped in its tracks before lowering its minigun and powering it down, only to raise up its other limb and begin speaking to itself.
"Missile test code, accepted. Targeting systems, online. Weapon preparation systems, online. Missile reloading systems, online. All systems nominal. Testing missile, now."

Looking at the stallion, his eyes were closed. A loud sound emanated from the robots arm and a missile began to fire. My whole world seemed to slow down as it did, the ghoul... no, the stallion standing there, unflinching. Opening his eyes, he looked to me, confidently. Realising he was giving up his life to ensure that the missile hit its target, I didn't know what to do. Perhaps this building was all he had and leaving it would be taking his whole world away... perhaps he didn't want to give up what little left he had of the old world. Instead, I chose to believe that despite his affliction, perhaps he was doing this for me. Perhaps.

A second later, he was gone. Glass flew everywhere, spewing onto the street below. Taking no time to mourn his loss, I made my way out through the gap he'd created for me, making sure his death wasn't in vain.
Slicing through the air, I looked at the building I'd just managed to escape from... something that wouldn't have been possible without the help of that ghoul. Without the sacrifice of that pony.
Letting out a sigh as I looked at the building, it was never meant to be that. We were never meant to get anyone killed in there, we'd just gone looking for Titan and the other two.
I knew it was wrong to think it that way, but now I hated the Goddess damned Donkey fucking Zebra Coalition even more than ever. They'd been the ones who ultimately led to this. They'd been the ones.

Before I could continue with my self pity party mixed in with regret however, I found myself regretting something new! Bullets swept through the air barely missing me as I hovered in one space, reminding me that the sentinel was still around and still very, very angry with me!
Flying to the front of the building over the top, I finally had the bright idea to put my helmet on.

"Cherry, are you still there?" I called out, hoping on my life she would be. If she wasn't, I didn't know what I'd do.

"Huh, Crimson?! Is that you Crimson!?" I heard her sweet, sweet voice call out. Damn I was glad to hear her voice.

Hoping she'd be my saviour, I begged for her aid the best I could while wearing the helmet. "I'm going to need some support, Cherry. Be ready to shoot your rifle! I NEED SUPPORT!"

With that she laughed hysterically, though I could tell there was a pinch of nervousness in it all, Still, why the hell was she laughing about this? "Support? Don't worry, we've got you covered." We? Maisy was scared of robots though?

Flying over the top of the building as fast as I could, I saw what she meant. Behind her stood what seemed like army of sentinels for all the firepower they were carrying.
Instead of simply having their limbs carry their weaponry, they also had shoulder ports that now had even more extensive weaponry attached.
Looking closer, I began to realise. These were the ones I'd met before, the ones whom were having a picnic.
Gulping between terror and amazement, I glided down to my lover before looking at the robots up close in astonishment.

"Lieutenant Colonel Wings. For your raid on the zebra forces whom had taken encampment at the steelworks and for your single hoovedly assaulting the suspected zebra sympathisers of Orion Offices, our crusader mainframe has seen fit to promote you to Colonel. Wear your new title with pride, Colonel."
With that, all of the robots saluted me just like before and a surreal sense of pride washed over me.
Then the sound of the offices front door security shut out locks hissed as the metal barricades rose again, revealing the sentinel rolling down the hallway to exit the building.
Looking on in fear, I began to shake.

With a booming voice, the robot next to me who'd just informed me of my 'promotion' began to call out orders for his unit. "Never stand down troops. For we are Ultra Sentinel Hunters!"
Not even seconds later, the sounds of their weapons arming filled the air.
Stupidly the rogue sentinel continued its charge, revving up the minigun attached to its arm.
Before it managed to fire even a single bullet however, eight missiles and countless lasers flew towards the mech, causing the whole room to fill with black smoke. Even still, despite the damage done, the robots continued to fire their lasers into the doorway, causing a fire moments later before finally stopping their attack.

Turning to me, they spoke as one. "Celestia provides, Luna protects."

Repeating the phrase, we all saluted as they began to roll into the building. I didn't question what they were going to do, I didn't want to question what they were going to do. I just wanted to get as far away as possible, to try and forget all but the heroic sacrifice that made it possible for me to live.

Taking off my helmet, I turned to Cherry. "So... where did Maisy go?"

It had turned out that Maisy had flown off somewhere upon sight of the heavily armed sentinels. Part of me couldn't blame her for it either. Admittedly she had seen them before, but I guessed that robots didn't look all that individual to her and the fact they were more heavily armed than before made a big difference, friendly or not.
I'd never been able to get the story of why she was so afraid of robots out of anyone in Coltshire Commons, though it really didn't matter right now. Fact of the matter was she was hiding somewhere again and with how drained I felt after all that, it meant that we were walking no matter what.

Cherry looked sad that she'd been unable to help me during my time trapped in the building, but it was for the best. A small part of me felt guilty that I had lost all control in there, though another part of me wouldn't have had it any other way. Killing those things in such a mindless way was liberating for me, being truly able to take out my rage. On the other hoof, it was also disappointing that I would give in.
If I couldn't control myself, how was I supposed to be the leader Four Ridges deserved?
Letting out a sigh, my lovely Cherry Sundae stroked my cheek with a hoof before stopping me and wrapping herself around me.

"Crimson, it's okay. I don't know what went on in there and with the way you're acting, I won't ask. I know you had a fight, the blood, the gore... there was so much of it on you, that must have been something horrible in there."
Her eyes pleaded with me to open up, but I had no idea if she'd still love me if I told her.
She hadn't been around the last time I'd lost my mind and she hadn't been around this time... but I was scared what she would do if she had known.

"I'm sorry." I muttered as I looked down to the ground in shame. "I just... I don't want to lose you, I'm scared I would."

"Crimson." She murmured sadly. "I love you, you wouldn't lose me. It would take you mindlessly killing innocent ponies with no regret or care to lose me and I refuse to believe that's what happened in there. If there was raiders and you went a little overboard, I'd be upset, but you wouldn't lose me. Come on, you trust me, right?"

Giving out a little nod and taking a deep breath, I prepared myself and was about to tell her. As soon as I opened my mouth though, the words failed to come out and I was struck unable to say a thing. Letting out another sigh, I didn't try again.
Her face filled with defeat, my own with shame.

A few minutes later, I spoke once more.
"I'm worried, with all that just happened, all the places we've been... how do we know Titan is still alive? It's been so long and I don't feel like I physically have the energy to carry us both right now. I'm sure I could try, but with how I'm feeling so low and drained... that's even if he is still okay." I gave a little pause, looking down at my pipbuck as I did. "I haven't even heard anything over the radio from him since that disrupted broadcast."

Cherry shook her head. "I know, I'm worried too. We can't give up though, he's counting on us. Selene, Helios, Eos, all of Coltchester even. They're all counting on us, Crimson. I'm not going to give up, you got me to see that I was being selfish before and now it's my turn to make you see how stupid you're being if you're thinking of just giving up on them. We've still got two locations to check, remember?"

"I know, I know." I muttered. "It's just that every place we've checked so far has been worthless. It feels like a lost cause. I-"
With that, I was interrupted suddenly by the sound of my radio coming to life. The crackling static and gunfire in the background filled our ears as a broadcast began.

"This is Titan, again, this is Titan! I'm calling all P.L.A.C members to the Macintosh Armoury! Repeat, I'm calling ALL P.L.A.C members to the Macintosh Armoury! I'm in need of immediate assistance!"

My eyes shot wide as I looked at Cherry. Titan was alive!
The smile on her face grew larger as I regained my confidence almost instantly as I looked at the map, we weren't even all that far away! Still, we had to be quick. If Titan was in dire circumstances, he couldn't be waiting around for us any more than he had to.
Immediately she brought her hoof up and began to play with her pipbuck before speaking into it.

"Bucks, you hear that broadcast? Macintosh Armoury, get there, now!"

There was no response from the other end, but the smile on her face told me she didn't need one. She obviously had enough confidence in the rest of her squad to not worry over a formality like that.
She turned to me again and looked me in the eyes before giving me a small kiss, much to my pleasure.
"You ready?" She asked. I nodded in return, ready as could be now. With that, she set the pace as she galloped ahead.

Finally, the armoury was in sight and I couldn't help but smile at Cherry as she smiled back at me, we were going to make it in time! Suddenly, a cracking sound came from my left side, closer to Cherry than myself. Immediately we both skidded across the ground, myself jumping into the air to see what had just happened when another shot rang past, barely missing Cherry as she ran for cover.

Spotting the pony levitating a hunting rifle, I called out a warning to Cherry. "Rifle on the roof of that building!"
Looking down at him, he turned his aim to me as I pulled out my pistol. Sweeping through the air I dodged another shot only to be stuck on the chest by a follow-up shot. My armour deflected the blow but still it knocked me from the air down to the ground in shock. Med-x continued to flow through my veins, making the pain a lot more bearable however.

As I stood up, another shot pierced into my side, causing my rump to begin bleeding. The shooter was a damn fine shot, but now it was time to die. Before I could get back into the air though, a dark figure flew high above me, slamming down onto the rooftop above.
There stood Maisy, ferocious as always as she began tearing the pony limb from limb, literally.
Blood and guts came flying from the roof and with what caused me both disgust and worry, she flew down with a leg in her mouth before swallowing it without a care.
Now I was really glad she was so damn loyal to me as I realised just how little chance I would've had in fighting her all that time ago.
Still, she was on our side and with her help, I now felt even more confident we could do this.

Cherry ran out from behind the corner of a wall and climbed back atop of Maisy's back and gave me a salute. "Airborne sniper patrol at the ready, sir!"
The way she'd said it couldn't help but make me giggle slightly, despite the sight I'd just witnessed. It was a good thing she hadn't seen it, a damn good thing.

Jumping into the air, I led the charge with Maisy on my wing. Though we were within sight of the armoury, we still had to travel some distance. Occasionally somepony or donkey would shoot at us - some of them would immediately stop among realising we weren't DZC though others would continue, trying to take Maisy down when I would dodge.
That was always their mistake, for Cherry or myself would always end their lives with a clean bullet to the face before they'd have a real chance.
Maisy had taken her fair share of hits, but amazingly never flinched nor falter in her mission of escorting Cherry.

As we reached the complex, Maisy flew up high and placed Cherry on a tower next to the complex that had unprecedented view of the battlefield. Flying down to the fortified entrance, I opened the doors and walked in.

[Song: The man with a harmonica - Muse]

Entering the foyer, the place was filled with bodies and blood. Dead ponies bearing rifles aimed towards the door looked determined even in the last seconds of their life, that dedication etched in their faces as one last 'fuck you' to the DZC.
Though I hadn't been with them long, I noticed that I had come to recognise one or two faces, though I wouldn't have been able to recall their names had I even known at all.
Nevertheless, they were brave ponies who had stood their ground until the very last breath, courageous to the moment that they were no more.

My heart wept as I walked along solemnly, the sobering moment drew me back as I whispered my apologies for breaking their peace. If Cherry had been here with me, seen this sight... I wouldn't know what to tell her. I didn't know what she would do.
Instead, it was just me. The sounds of gunfire raged outside still and Maisy's call of anger ripped through the air as she found herself in another fight, no doubt. Instead of going out to see though, I had to continue, deeper into the facility.
Titan had called us all here, the odds were that he would've retreated for a more dependable position for going on the defensive with.

Taking what I could in, I finally noticed a blood trail of drips moving from a pool of water where a smaller pool of blood lay on the ground, growing cold.
Without hesitation, I put my helmet on and began to run alongside the blood trail, following where-ever it would lead to. My hopes were that Selene was still okay, still alive.

As I followed the trail I was led into a hallway, doors either side were busted down and broken in half. Gunshots had scarred the walls, a fire-fight had been here not long before from the still potent smell of the rounds used. Rushing up to the doorway ahead, I heard voices, voices of zebras speaking in harsh tones.
In response, I crept up to the door and pushed it further ajar, looking through.

There three zebras stood, two looking exhausted as they continued to try kick a door open, another one standing in the open and impatiently ordering them to get it open faster. They all wore the mark... the mark of their very deaths.
Using my wings to hover lightly off the ground, I made my way to the commanding zebra and pulled my pistol from its holster before pushing it to the back of the zebras head.
Before he could react, his blood was splattered on my face, I didn't care.
As his body hit the ground, the two other zebras stopped their attacks on the door and slowly looked up at me in fright. There I stood on my hind hooves, my pistol in my mouth and my shotgun in my hooves.

I didn't even need S.A.T.S for this, the range was so close that I could hear their whimpering clearly. Without hesitation, I shot my pistol, the bullet going through the eye of the first zebra and dropping them instantly.
Then my shotgun rang out. Once, twice, three times. On the fourth, the second one dropped dead, their chest looking as if a small explosive charge had been attached to it.

Standing there as I put my guns away, the door opened slowly. A green glow came from the room behind and slowly dropped as they looked at me, the wounded alicorn laying on the ground panting softly and Titan looking nearly beaten himself. They all stared at me in shock before a small grin came across Titan's face.
Standing there I took my helmet off slowly and dropped it to the ground as they watched me in awe. Their cavalry had come to save the day.

"You came." He whispered.

"Of course I did." I muttered back. "You're all too important, I couldn't let you down."

Without another word, I ducked into the medical back and pulled out a healing potion before throwing it over to Titan.
Before it could reach his hooves, a green glow encapsulated it and unscrewed the top, assisting him in getting the drink down his throat.
Looking at Helios, I smiled before rushing over to her sisters side and pulled out a bandage.

Assessing the damage she'd taken, I was shocked. She'd been hit through the side of the neck, though it looked like despite being critical, she could hold stable. Still, there was no time to lose. Wrapping the bandage around her neck I pulled it as tight as I could without hurting her or cutting the circulation too much.
Then I put my head back into the bag as Helios began to speak.

"Is she going to be okay? Can you save her? Oh Goddess, please be able to save her."

I didn't answer. Instead, I pulled out a pair of syringes. First of all I put the hydra into her and squeezed hard once the needle pierced through her thick hide, it was tougher than usual but that wasn't enough to stop me from doing it. Squeezing hard, I felt her tense as the cold fluid worked its way into her system, hopefully repairing the damage.
Putting the syringe into the bag once more I looked at the next one... med-x. A part of me wanted more of it, especially for the annoying burning pain that I felt in my rear.

Dismissing the temptation, I shook my head and picked it up in my mouth before stroking Selene's cheek, causing Titan a visible amount of discomfort that I would do such a thing.
Slowly her eye opened up and focused on me as I prepared to slide the next needle into her, another tensing in pain as it did.
A sigh of relief as she shuddered came from Selene's lips as I pushed the next injection into her, the painkiller numbing what I could only assume was extreme agony from the way she was before.
For how she handled it, she was a brave mare. She was a brave mare indeed.

Once again she opened up her eye as I stroked her mane gently, causing yet more displeasure to appear in Titan's eyes though he said nothing. As she focused up at me, she smiled and began to whisper something that I couldn't make out. Moving my head down closer, I tried to hear her.

Now I was close enough to feel her breath against my cheek, her scent in my nostrils and almost taste her neck. Again she spoke, this time I could hear it. "Thh.. Thankkk you."

Pulling back my head and looking down at her with a smile, I whispered back. "You're welcome. Now, you want to get back to the pool of radiation or something? I heard my pipbuck clicking back there. Radiation is good for you, right?"
She gave a small nod, but nothing much else.

Suddenly a large explosion rang outside and hoofsteps filled the air, rapidly approaching.

"TITAN!" A voice called out. "TITAN! THEY'RE BREACHING!"

Looking at him, he hadn't even got a gun or even his armour and even still he wasn't at his best. He went to move forward but fell down as he began to walk. Swearing under his breath, I could see him struggling, trying to get back up.

"No." I commanded.
He gave me a defiant look and tried to stand up again, only to struggle to hold himself up before falling back down. A look of shame filled his eyes.
"You are not going anywhere Titan. Not past that radioactive pool, anyway. Stay here, I will defend us."

Moments later, a whole crew of ponies rushed in. My shotgun was raised up at them until I noticed they didn't wear armour of the coalition, but instead wore whatever they could find. Looking at me, they bowed their heads.
Lowering my gun, I smiled. "Okay, what's the situation?"

One looked back up at me and noticed my guns were no longer aiming at him, only then she began to speak. "Mister Wings? Is Titan okay? What of the goddess alicorns?"

I nodded. "They're fine but they won't be if we're not prepared. Now, what is the situation? How long do we have until they're rushing in here?"

Looking at me nervously, she began to think about it before blurting her answer out. "Five minutes or so, I reckon. There's more of us and and and..." She began to stutter before I held a hoof up, her friend continued for her.

"And there's a lot of reinforcements of ours and theirs coming. Scouts have said heavy donkey fighters are coming, which means we're fucked without something special planned though. They'll take a while to get here, their armour slows them down a lot... thank Celestia."

"How armoured are we talking about?" I asked in return.

"About as armoured as a full Steel Ranger, sir. They have their own suits of power armour that was specifically developed for them. They're not that different really, they just don't have big explosive weapons is all. That was a pony only feature and the only time they'd be using that is if they managed to capture a suit of it."

Armoured as a Steel Ranger huh? That would cause issues. I thought about our odds and without some serious back-up, we'd be screwed before long. There had to be something else we could do.
Bringing up the broadcaster of my pipbuck, I called the squads yet again.

"Alpha, Bravo. I need a sitrep on your ETA until you reach the armoury. Can you comply?"

A moment passed with no response before a reply came through. "Crimson, we're about ten minutes out. Perhaps fifteen, how copy?"

Ten to fifteen minutes? Better than half an hour I supposed. I just wish they were capable of fulfilling that tmeframe for certain. "Solid copy, see you then, stallions. Meet you on the battleground."

As the call ended, I opened broadcast with Cherry. "Cherry, what's the situation out there? How long do we have until reinforcements from both sides arrive?"

"From what I can see, we've got a lot fewer forces moving from our side, but they're a lot closer than the coalition soldiers. They've got a lot of forces though and the trail goes on for quite a distance. Just a good thing that they're moving in formation, not freely. I'm not sure about this, Crimson. I think our best chance is to get out while we can, if we can."

Grunting in frustration, I looked over my shoulder at the wounded Selene and battered Titan on the floor behind me. Helios by herself wouldn't be enough to get the two of them out of here, we really needed Selene or Titan to get their strength back first. "Not an option, I'm afraid. Selene is wounded badly but stable now, it'll take her some time before the medical care I've given will really kick in properly. As for Titan, he can't even stand up properly right now, let alone flee. We're in this one for the long term."
Thinking about our options, an idea came to my mind. "What about Maisy, is she still doing fine?"

"Yeah, she's still going strong. She's been patrolling the perimeter, caused a few fights to break out and ended a few more. She's been hit some more though, Crimson. I'm not sure how much more punishment she's going to simply be able to shrug off before she starts really getting hurt."

Damn, that wasn't a good idea. If we lost all our heavy support we'd be screwed... wait... heavy support! Another idea came into my head, I was on fire!
"How are you doing, Cherry? Can you cope up there?"

"I've had to move from where Maisy originally left me into a apartment complex, the tower just didn't have any proper cover. Thankfully Maisy gave me a lift there, so I'm doing fine for the moment. The building seems secure and I can't imagine that I'll be of any issue. So don't worry about me, I'll be able to handle myself. You good?"

"Yeah, I'm good. Okay, I've gotta go. See you after the battle, babe."

With a chirp in her voice, she ended the conversation. "Seeya Crimson."

There was one last thing I had to do... going into my broadcasting system, I made another broadcast... this time to the military network of Coltchester.

"This is Colonel Wings. Calling all active support units to the Macintosh Armoury. Repeat, calling all active support units to the Macintosh Armoury. Your assistance in pushing back a zebra legion attack is required."

Titan looked at me in confusion as I finished the broadcast, slowly picking himself off the floor and managing to stay off it this time. Never before had I seen his grey coat like this. The muscles straining but slowly getting stronger as he walked up to me carefully.
The look in his eye told me he was with great appreciation for what I was doing.
"Colonel now, huh? I thought you told me you were a Lieutenant Colonel. There is a difference, you know."

Looking back at him with a smug smile, I informed him of my promotion. His jaw dropped as I told him of the shortened details, leaving me feeling quite proud.

"You... well, the sentinels took out another sentinel for you?"

"Yup." I gleamed back happily. "It was damn exhausting and intense, I was sure I was going to die."

He rolled his eyes at me, letting out a small chuckle. "Anypony else and they would have. You've got a knack for getting lucky, it seems."

"Yeah, now you get to the radioactive pool of water before-"
I was too late. I was about to say before anyone else arrives, but as I began my sentence the shouting of the DZC forces began.
My face scrunched up as I put my helmet back on, anger filled my veins. No matter what, they would not be getting past me.

Two soldiers busted in, guns at their sides. They were wearing armour. They were also breathing. They were breathing, anyway.
As soon as they entered the door, two blasts from my shotgun rang out, they hadn't even seen it coming.
Stepping outside, I saw the rest of them.
Eight soldiers stood there, wondering what was happening as they spoke amongst themselves. I could see them but through the darkness they couldn't see me.
Wiping my muzzle on the dead soldiers wounds for effect, I walked out of the doorway, blood dripping from my face.

Before any of them could raise their guns, a familiar loud crack rang out from a nearby building, piercing through the skull of one soldier and zipping through the side of another as it passed with ease, taking out two of them with ease. Six remained.
Hitting into S.A.T.S, I planned six shots with my pistol.

The first shot fired, slicing into the brain of another soldier. They began to panic as their numbers dwindled so suddenly, though it was no use. Another shot from my pistol bounced off the helmet of my next target, but still proved enough to knock the zebra onto his haunches, stopping him from being a threat for a moment. The next two shots missed as the zebras began to react, but the last two hit into the lungs of my fifth target and neck of the sixth.
Not even a second later, the zebra who sitting on his haunches had his head explode as Cherry fired again, two remaining.

Now they had the time to react, I had to dive out of the open doorway as they fired wildly in my direction, trying to find cover from the 'mysterious shooter' to their side who hadn't been me.
For a moment the firing stopped, though I hadn't heard Cherry fire so I knew they must have both been around somewhere.
Poking my head from around the corner, a bullet screamed past and smashed into the wall, barely missing me.
In pure reaction I pulled my head back, trying not to get shot.

Again, there was silence. A stand-off had begun as the enemies sat behind cover, watching my position. Cherry didn't seem capable of hitting them from her angle and I couldn't see them without risking taking a bullet to the head, something I didn't want to risk in the slightest. Now it was a waiting game, it seemed.
...Or not, as suddenly a grenade rolled my way.
Noticing the threat that posed, I used my tail to throw it back in the direction it came from, causing screaming from the unwitting zebras who obviously hadn't cooked it.

With the sound of their fleeing, I turned back around the corner and opened fire, most of my shots missing but one cracking into the back of a mares legs and breaking her bone with ease.
Seconds later, the grenade exploded next to her, killing her outright. The other zebra had been close enough that the shockwave should have killed him too, but I wasn't going to take chances.

Flying out from my cover, I saw the wounded soldier on the ground pointing his SMG at me.
Spraying up into the air with no care about where he was targeting, I found myself quickly evading stray bullets as most of them went completely wide.
Quickly he ran out of ammo for the gun, his time was up.
Landing next to him, I sliced his throat as not to waste ammo.

Looking up from the now deceased corpse, I noticed it. An army, but it wasn't my reinforcements. It was more coalition.
Rushing as quickly as I could to find cover, bullets clanged against the floor below me where I had been only a split second ago.
Getting behind some concrete rubble, I found a moment of safety from the large force.

"FLANK! FLANK!" They called, my heart pumped as hard as it had when I was trapped with the sentinel.
Five ponies ran off to my left, another five across the street to go to my right. Ten donkeys in standard armour rushed forwards. Without a better place to hide, I'd be dead in seconds.

Looking back at the facility I'd just exited, I considered my options. Out here I had the open space and though I had to be more aware of my situation, I could also have more freedom of movement and line of sight.
Inside I would find more cover, though I would also be stuck in hallways which meant that fire would be focused on me with much more ease.
Just as I was about to make my decision, I heard screaming from both sides.

From what seemed like nowhere, smoke poured out and filled the streets. Ponies rushed from where the coalition soldiers had gone to, but they weren't the same ponies from before. Instead, they wore rag tag armour or nothing at all. Instead, they were zebras. Instead, they were friendly.
A bloodbath erupted in the middle of the street as a chaotic mixture of coalition, Zebras United, Anarchists and PLAC soldiers fought.

Grenades flew past from end to end, explosions filling the air and smoke making it thick and hard to breathe. Where the hell all these reinforcements had just come from, I wasn't sure, but I was extremely glad they had.
Flying into the air to get a scope of just what was happening, I began to see how truly large this battle was going to become.
The news that the leaders of the PLAC must have hit every corner, because everyone armed with a weapon seemed to be either here or on their way!

Fear filled my stomach as I was forced to swerve bullets being aimed at me as usual. Sweeping down to a rooftop, I began to watch it all unfold.
The coalition army marched its forces down the highway that connected all of Coltchester together while insurgent forces streamed in from all directions, including from under the coalition forces.
Looking around, I saw Maisy on the front, leading the charge against the weaker armed coalition forces.

No longer could I sit up here, watching the others fight and die for me. I had been the reason they came here in many cases, I couldn't be the type of leader who would let them die so I could remain safe.
While that was an option for the alicorns, it wasn't for me.
Getting back up onto my hooves, I sped down to the floor and used the momentum to fly as fast as I could as quickly as I could.

Pressing my wings to take me faster, I screamed past the last line of defence and went straight up towards the front line which had now been pushing the coalition back towards where the highway met the industrial zone. As I came close, I pulled out my shotgun and prepared to fire.
Using S.A.T.S was a waste here, my speed to fast and I wouldn't have had the time or focus to check my shots anyway.
Instead, I manoeuvred around the air in as many different ways as I could manage before making strafing runs with my shotgun, hoping that the thick concentration of coalition soldiers would allow for some hits as I passed overhead.

Missiles began to fly from the back of the coalition lines, scaring the shit out of me as they left trails in their wake.
Smashing into buildings either side of the insurgent forces, it did little good however. The buildings had been built to withstand what the war could throw at them and though the walls themselves fell apart, the reinforced structuring behind them held strong.

Still, where the hell had they managed to get that kind of fire-power?! I climbed into the air to get another clear view of what was to come, only to notice that the armoured donkeys that were previously mentioned were coming, and they were carrying wagons with them which held portable missile launchers!
Looking at the weapons, I knew they had to be taken down before they could do any real damage... but how?
None of our troops seemed to have any heavy weapons to counter such a thing, they were going to be ripped up out there!

Despite the fact it would reveal my location, I decided it would be best to warn everyone about the presence of such a threat.
"INSURGENTS, BE YOU PONY, ZEBRA OR DONKEY. BE YOU P.L.A.C, Z.U.C OR ANARCHIST. THE COALITION HAVE MOBILE MISSILE LAUNCHER PLATFORMS EN ROUTE, FALL BACK AND FIGURE SOME WAY TO TAKE THEM DOWN!"

It was no good though, the battle raged on. Instead of taking heed of my warning, the insurgent forces continued to fight, continued to die, continued to kill. Some of the coalition soldiers not actively fighting on the front line took shots at me, though after having dived down once more and rolling through the sky as erratically as I could, I'd managed to lose them behind a large industrial complex along the road.
Landing to take a breath, I closed my eyes for a moment.

As I opened my eyes once more, I found a group of zebras staring at me, shocked and shaking as they held their gun up. My muscles tensed, unsure what to do until I realised they weren't wearing coalition armour. Were they scouts sent to infiltrate I wondered? I couldn't be sure, though the fact they hadn't shot at me had been a good thing so far.
Slowly, they lowered their weapons.

"You.. you're The Executioner, right?" One asked. I nodded in return, causing the young zebra to calm even more.
"Good. We're a part of the ZUC, which usually means we're not allied with you. That doesn't mean we're against you though, and if we can work together to throw a punch at the DZC, we will."

Taking my helmet off to speak, I paused for a moment before I did. Taking in their faces, I smiled at the group.
"Thank you, I appreciate that. Truth be told, I'm not particularly aligned with any group per se, I'm just working with the PLAC to get something I need - and no, it isn't any part of Coltchester under my control or such. It's something much, much different."

"Well, as long as you're not here to take what is ours, we have no issue with you. Now, you said there was incoming mobile missile launchers, right? Are they on the highway still?" I nodded, needing no verbal answer.
"Okay. Our plan is to blow the struts... but if that doesn't work, what do you think about dropping some C4 onto the top of them?"

Looking at the young zebra in shock, I was... astounded. "C4? You seriously have some fucking C4?"

He shot me back a look of disapproval. "What did you expect us to have, little filly bubblegum sticks? Smoke grenades like them Anarchists? Of course not. We've been saving this for the opportune moment, and this seems like it. We might not be hitting their fancy schmancy hotel, but we'll be fucking them over all the same. You in or not?"

The sound of the missile launchers began to scream and the tops of buildings began to crumble, avalanching down to the ground and causing mass panic down on the main road where the majority of the fighting was going on. Looking back at the missile launchers, they had to be taken out and these kids had the best plan going. Reluctantly, I was now listening to their plans and taking orders from them, it seemed.
"Okay, I give in. Let's do this. What do you want me to do?"

The brave colt looked back at me, a smile across his face. "I need you to distract them, keep the coalition away from us. We'll be sneaking around, looking for the best place to place the charges. Trouble is, none of us are experienced in this... so thinking about it, are you?"

Thinking about it indeed, nor did I. Though I did know somepony in particular who knew explosives...

Speaking to Cherry, the topic had gone down a route I didn't enjoy but knew had to be explored.
"Look, I don't like the idea any more than you do but there's no other alternative!" I pleaded, hoping she would see sense.

"You can't trust a load of kids with C4 Crimson! It's too dangerous! And what about you, what if they accidentally blow you up mid air because they think you've dropped the C4 when there's still some on you? It just won't work either way, they wouldn't know the fracture points like someone with experience would. It would have to be somepony like me handling them to make that work!"

My mind paused and the conversation went quiet... suddenly, she realised what was going through my head.
"You want me to go do it now, don't you?"

"What!?" I recoiled in horror. Admittedly the thought had passed through my head, but I would never have asked it of her.

"I know what you're thinking, I know it's essential we stop that barrage. Look, I'm not all that safe sitting in a building right now. If that missile barrage commander notices where I'm at, I'll quickly become a sitting duck. You need to come and pick me up, take me to where the stash is and defend me while I do this. Maisy is too large, she'd make it obvious."

"What about you though! That... that's a damn dangerous proposition!" I didn't like the sounds of this at all.

"Who would you rather trust, Crimson? A bunch of kids who admit to having no experience with this kind of situation, or a full grown mare who you have seen destroy an entire mountain face and sculpt it to her needs with ease? Crimson, you have no choice but to come pick me up because if you don't, I'll be making my way to where you're at right now on hoof."

Nervously, I began to disagree. "No... you wouldn't! You couldn't! I haven't even told you where I am!"

A sense of confidence that only a mare who'd just won an argument was conveyed in her tone as she spoke, putting dread into my heart as she did. "Crimson, are you an idiot or something? Don't answer that, I know you can be at times. Anyway, have you already forgotten I've been tracking your location for years now? I know exactly where you are, it's on my map."

Looking down at my pipbuck, I realised she was right. Sighing in defeat, I had no choice. She was right. The colts hadn't the proper training to pull this off and I couldn't have let them risk their lives to attempt it anyway. Instead, I looked at them in the eyes as I spoke.

"I'll be right back, you lot stay here. Cherry is right, she'll be able to make sure the job gets done and on top of that, her magic can hide her a hell of a lot better than any of you can. I'll be back in a moment. If you need to go, leave the C4 hidden in the bushes there, got it?"
In unison, the colts nodded. Spreading my wings, I rose up into the air.

Flying through the sky above the battlefield, insurgent forces were really getting their asses kicked now. One of the buildings had been entirely toppled, turning what was previously a clean road into a messy mountain of scrap metal, concrete and broken glass. The environment they were fighting in had entirely changed but that now began to suit the insurgent forces some more.
Slowly the coalition climbed up the heaps onto to have sharp-shooters pick them off one by one and firebombs thrown at entire squads.
The battle raged and dead bodies littered the ground on both sides. No matter what happened today and what outcome this would be, everyone had lost.

As I approached Cherry's building, the crack of her rifle sounded loud. I couldn't see the battleground she was aiming at, it was behind me now, but I had no doubt she would have hit her target.
Hovering up to the floor I'd seen her rifle poking from, I took off my helmet and called her name.
"Cherry, Cherry, you there?"

"Yeah, give me one second.. there's one more..."

A near deafening roar emanated from nearby as she fired again. Only then did she run towards me and point to the ceiling, shouting something about the roof.
Flying up to the roof, the ringing in my ears began to fade and I heard someone running up the stairwell. Seconds later, she busted the door open and looked at me with a smile.

"Sorry, all good now." She muttered as she kissed my cheek and climbed on top of my back before calling out her battlecry. "NOW, CHARGE MY STEED!"
Her steed? I'd give her my seed in a minute if she said something like that again, I thought.

Flight was a lot harder now I had the extra added weight of Cherry on my back, but I still did my best. As we were half way along, some bastard fired a rifle at me, hitting my chest and causing us to drop into a dive as the pain took over.
As we plummeted towards the ground, I felt Cherry's grip tighten around my neck as she stifled a scream of horror.

No. I was not going to let my marefriend die because of me, especially not like this.
Doing my best to ignore the pain, I regained control and gained some speed because of it, using that to fly away from the battleground and towards our mark instead.
As we reached there, I saw three adult zebras wearing coalition armour where the kids were previously waiting.
Their guns were raised, and looking where they were pointing, the children ran for their lives.
My eyes went wide and I sped towards them, but Cherry stroked my mane and whispered into my ear. "They're mine." She said.

Blowing the anger through my nostrils, I let her have this chance. If she wanted it, she could have it. Dropping her just before the zebras ahead, I flew up and hid atop of the building like I had before.
Watching from above, I was close enough that I could see and hear them laughing about what they were doing, my blood boiled with righteous fury. I wanted them to suffer for daring to shoot children.

Crouching as she made her way over to them, Cherry snuck up to the offending zebras. In a move that I didn't expect from her, she pulled out her SMG and called out their attention, my eyes went even wider than before as she began to spray at them as they turned. Their bodies hit the floor with a communal pool of blood quickly building up, they had got the best they could have deserved.
Jumping on down to where she was, I looked at her, still shocked.

"You... you normally..." I began, unable to think straight.

"They were shooting kids, Crimson. You're right, there's times for mercy and there's times for justice. Some acts just don't deserve anything but justice. This is one of them."
Nodding in agreement, there was nothing else I could say. She was right, this did deserve nothing but justice. I just supposed that what I saw as fit for justice and what she saw was different.

Quickly grabbing the C4, I loaded her up. "Now what?" I asked, needing to see what she had planned.
Instead of answering straight away, she looked out at the highway and it's supports. Rubbing her chin with her hoof before muttering something to herself, I could tell she was working away inside her head to figure out the best plan of action.

Slowly she turned to me, nodding to herself. "You need to guard me at that location." She then pointed to one of the struts, far away from where the road met the ground but just before where the missiles were planted down at. "That's the best point to blow up, probably the weakest too seeing as it curves there. So, I'll go plant the C4, you stick around, I'll tell you once I'm done and it'll be set to blow after thirty seconds. That makes enough time for us to head out, doesn't matter where to, just get going. Got it?"

I nodded. "Okay, let's do this!"

The approach to the strut had surprisingly been free of trouble, though we still kept our wits about us and travelled slower than usual. I had offered another lift, but she declined on the basis that I'd need every ounce of strength I could muster to get away in time and being worn out from carrying her would only risk my life.
Still, as I watched out for as many directions as I could, Cherry got to work.

"Almost done, just a second longer Crimson." She murmured to me, focused in her work. "Got it. Pressing the charge now, Crimson. GO!"
Wait... why was she already passing me? To my surprise, she'd already managed to bolt away from the demolition and ran as fast as she could. Getting my act in gear, I began to do the same in the direction I was already facing.

Running between piles of rubble that covered the road, I began to wonder how long I had and if I was a safe distance away. Seeing a building, I decided to be behind it was probably the best idea.
Or not... as I went around the corner, a group of coalition soldiers armed with melee weapons looked at me.

"GET HIM!" One of them screamed as they all turned towards me, angry looks upon their faces.

Shit.
Turning on my hooves, I made for the other direction, back out in the open blast zone of the demolition. Damn did I hope I was far enough away from the-

The blast from the charges blew Crimson from his hooves, onto the ground a few feet away. Fortunately for him, so had the coalition soldiers been in the blast radius.

Slowly my eyes opened, I was being dragged away by something... the world seemed dark and my vision was blurred, my head pulsing heavily. It was a struggle to stay awake and my eyes shut once more as I passed out.

Again I woke up, what had only felt like seconds later but must have been minutes. I saw the battleground, it was moving away from me. Familiar voices from back home filled my ears, but I couldn't tell who.
Instead, I just knew that I wasn't dead. I didn't know why though, I didn't know where I was going or who was dragging me.
It didn't matter, my eyes shut once more. The battle was over for me.

---o---o---o---

Footnote:
Level up!
Perk unlocked! Military Commander!
Military robots will now come to your aid if they are in the nearby vicinity, this applies to all government approved security robots as well.

50 Medicine attained.
(73 Small guns attained)

Footnote:
Cherry Sundae level up!
Perk unlocked! BOOM!
Your ability with explosives is beyond uncanny, it's unnatural! You can tell where is the best place to use planted explosives and thrown explosives do more damage.

50 Explosives attained.

Footnote:
Maisy level up!
Perk unlocked! CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP!
You can (quite disgustingly) eat just about anything that's organic and smaller than you! This restores some health, but may make anyone who sees you do this (to their species) hostile to you if they see you doing this.

:|
Thirty... fucking... thousand.
Thirty thousand words and then a little.

Do you realise how much effort I put into this chapter? God, I hope you do. I'm not trying to make anyone feel bad with this, not at all. I'm just saying is all. I'm surprised it lasted this long.
A standard Project Horizons chapter is 21,700 words.
The longest PH chapter I can recall was 28,752 words without commentary, this is 30,739.
No, I'm not saying the quality is anywhere near that of Horizons. However, this marks a personal achievement for me in that I managed to write a single chapter that's so long.

I tried to make the combat different than usual. I tried to kick Crimson's ass at times. I tried. I swear I tried.
If you want, berate me. If you think I've done awful, let me know and I promise I won't try something like this again.
However, if you think this chapter is amazing in any way, PLEASE let me know. PLEASE.
Be it your first time commenting or that you comment regularly, the amount of effort I've put into this is insane.

I don't know how people like Somber or the guy who writes Murky do it all the time with such frequency.

Well, it's coming up to Christmas and I can promise you there won't even be a whisper of an update until after then. I'll do a little writing before, maybe, but nothing will be released aside from my blog, so I'll say it here too:
Merry Christmas and happy new year if I make no news before then.
I hope you've all had a wonderful year and I wish you another good one.

I'd like to dedicate this chapter to Arcus Audicus for being such an amazing fan and friend,
I'd also like to dedicate this chapter to Katarn for being my go-to guy with anything I need to talk about involving the story.
I'd ALSO like to dedicate this chapter to Joey for being my unofficial editor who lets me know of grammar issues he finds.
Heh heh heh. Try this one on for size, Joey.

Anyway, as well as that, people of note: Camobadger for reading from chapters 11-16 in a single weekend to catch up with my story! He's a great guy and a great author, you should check him out!

Also of note, Epic doughnut, regolit and Noakwolf for always being so free about chatting with me. I'd honestly love it if everyone felt they could.

Lastly, I dedicate this chapter to everyone who reads Broken Bonds.

THIS HAS BEEN KIPPERSHY, YOU'VE BEEN READING BROKEN BONDS.
HAVE A GOOD NIGHT EVERYPONY!

Chapter 18: There will be blood

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds
By Kippershy

Chapter Eighteen: There will be blood

"It doesn't matter what you say, all that matters is what you do. I swear that upon my own life, I will have my just revenge. There will be blood."

Running away as fast as I could, the firefight continued behind me as the unsuspecting opponents stood on the highway.
Looking to my left, I saw a small group of coalition soldiers swarming to the struts for cover as bullets pounded into the ground around them, closer to the explosives that were due to go off in mere seconds.
There was no time for them to defuse the explosive if they had noticed it, though I could only hope they would die outright, for the agony of surviving the blast at that distance would be too intense for anyone to endure.
Still, that was no longer my concern. I had to get a little further from the blast.

What grass had managed to grow between the cracks in the road sloshed against my hooves as I made my way for cover, a nearby house that seemed sturdy enough to hide behind. With only seconds to go, there was no time to be sure, it would have to do.

With a large resounding boom, the explosives began to go off. A large cracking sound filled the air as the strut was demolished and the highway began to bear the weight of the army upon it with much lessened structural integrity. Part of the roadway cracked, sending small chunks of rubble down below, crushing the bodies of the soldiers who had hid there for safety.
The irony wasn't lost on me, though I couldn't feel joy even if they were already dead. It did the job, but there was no need to take pleasure.

Screaming from the confused army came from above as the first section of the highway began to collapse properly, sending down the towed missile launchers. What I hadn't expected however, was the smoke that began to plume from those very launchers as they fell, more missiles being fired.
The barrage of explosives smashed against the underside of the highway, causing immense damage to another strut.
Before my very eyes, another two sections of the highway fell down one after the other, leaving only the rear end where the army had come from and the start where it ramped up to meet.

The blast of air pushed me back onto my haunches as I looked up in amazement. This was... astonishing.
What had been planned was nothing compared to what I had just inadvertently caused and a small part of me felt pride.
I didn't feel proud over the loss of life, no.
Instead, I felt proud that with such a small amount of explosives, I'd managed to completely and utterly extinguish any chance of reinforcements and resupply to the now stranded army below. Their heavy weapons lay scrapped at the floor, blown apart by their own power.
I had managed to cause an action that would hopefully turn the tide of this battle and save many, many lives.

In the distance, ponies, zebras and donkeys cheered as the coalition began to panic. Their forces were severely severed apart, broken and confused. I couldn't see how it had looked from the insurgents side of the fight, though from the thunderous sound of a stampeding force, it seemed that the morale had suddenly sky-rocketed.

Looking around, I couldn't see Crimson. I'd known he'd gone a different way to me, all I could hope for now was that he was safe on the other side of the battlefield, outside the range of the blast and away from the soldiers.
No doubt he'd either come looking for me or assume we'd meet back up where Titan, Helios and Selene were.
Pulling up my Pipbuck to try make radio contact with him, there was too much static to get any signal at all.

The missiles must have filled the air with interference somehow, that or the soldiers were jamming up the airwaves with their own distress signals. I didn't know, I couldn't know. Science was never my forte, sneaking was.
And now it seemed I would have to do just that as my most direct route was filled with rubble and masses of soldiers looking for the cause to the sudden interruption to their presumed victory.

Sighing, I began to make my way towards the back of the highway. There was only one way out of this mess now, and it was deeper into the abyss before I could come out from the side.
Checking I still had all my gear, everything seemed fine. I took my SMG in my magic and made sure it was somewhere easy to handle should I come across any ambushes.
Running down the road, the tarmac clunked against my hooves as I went into the darkness of under the highway. Screams of terror still filled the air from above and I could hear movement following in the same direction as me.
Turning back, no-one was following me, it had to be retreating from above. Smiling, I continued to make my way.

It was a good fifteen minutes before I found anywhere to turn to, to change direction to hopefully split away from the road and get back to the industrial hive. Unfortunately for me however, it also seemed that there was a run-off from the highway up ahead in the distance too, meaning the fight wasn't over just yet.
No doubt the soldiers above would quickly make their way down and rush back to the frontline, though there was nothing I could do about that now.

The overwhelming amount of them meant that if they did that, they would quickly outnumber me and rush towards my location even if I did find a good hiding spot to take them out as they came down.
Blowing the exit wasn't an option either, I had no more explosives that would do the job. No, instead, I had to carry on course.

Turning to my left, I saw that I'd actually managed to slip up behind a group of enemies. They were unaware of my presence as they moved on up, presumably having the same idea as myself in moving to the frontline.
Biting my lip, I considered my options. The chances were that if I turned around and looked for another way around, there'd be someone else doing the same thing.
I had the drop on them, there was no better option than to go this way. The trouble was, did I want to try take down eight zebras all at once? No, I didn't.
Looking for a way around, I noticed that the factory we stood beside had taken enough damage over the years that there was a hole punched in the side, big enough for me to fit through.

Slipping through the gap, I made my way into the abandoned building. Industrial walkways and staircases filled my view, though there was nothing all that interesting inside. More importantly, there was nothing to be seen in terms of anyone else. That brought a smile to my face as I made my way across before moving on up, looking for a vantage point to overlook and assess the situation. If I could make my way to the roof, I'd be able to work my way across from roof to roof, I hoped.

The metal walkways clanged below me as I continued to run along, confident that it was okay for me to make some noise while travelling in here. In the heat of a battle, who as seriously going to check out a small amount of movement inside a building?
Well, okay, that wasn't quite the best idea now I thought about it seeing as I had checked out buildings with small movement in them while in fights before and it had proved to be a good idea many times. Still, I had to make my way back however I could right now and this seemed like the best option to take.

As I moved across from walkway to walkway, slipping my head through doorways however, I wondered if entering the building was the brilliant idea it seemed at the time. All the rooms were scarcely filled with broken tables and smashed up terminals in the higher office rooms while the lower part had been all steel girders and not much else.
Still, I had to keep looking.

Rushing around the corridors kept giving me the same results. Occasionally there would be empty vending machines, their face completely smashed apart in many cases to get the bottles of sparkle cola and snacks.
Turning to my left, that was when I saw it, the access doorway to the roof!
With a small cheer of glee, I pulled down on the handle... to find it was locked. No trouble, I had plenty of bobby pins and my screwdriver that my dad had given me.
Sliding the pin into the lock and turning it with the screwdriver, I began to proceed with my duty to unlock everything I came across for the greater good of ponykind.
I laughed to myself as I mumbled that aloud, the crazy things my dad had said always cheered me up.

With a small 'chink' the door unlocked and my smile grew a little larger. Now I opened up the door... and found that the floor had collapsed upon itself and left a gap that felt probably a little too large to jump from a standing position.
Looking at it though, I reckoned with a good run up that I might've been able to make it.
Going back a fair distance, I took another glance at the task ahead. It wouldn't be easy, but I prayed that Celestia would allow me to make this.

Putting my hooves firmly onto the floor below, I stretched my legs ready. 'Three... two... one...' I muttered to myself in preparation.
With power and determination, I pushed myself from my mark and ran to my target, ready to leap.
If Crimson were here, he'd have it all too easy, I thought to myself.
As I reached the ledge, I pushed off and jumped as far as I could manage.
I was going to make it!
No, I wasn't.

My barding caught on a hook from the side of the wall, throwing me off balance in mid-air. Now I flew through the air and reached the end, but only my forehooves reached their target. Frantically I scrambled for a hold of something as I looked up, my eyes wide in fear. Slowly I began to slip, though slowly soon turned to quickly and quickly soon turned to falling off.
Falling down the hole, I began to scream in fear. Below me was a walkway, but I feared how far down it really was.

As I fell, one of my rear hooves smashed into the railing of the walkway below, causing me to scream out in pain as I heard what sounded a lot like the breaking of my leg. Immediately after, my head smashed against the walkway, causing my eyes to shut and become dizzy. A sense of sickness filled my stomach as I groaned in pain after having failed my manoeuvre.
Suddenly, the supports for the walkway began to groan louder than I was, causing me to open my eyes and look up in horror.
One support snapped, closest to the wall of the building. Pulling myself up, I found I couldn't put any weight on my right rear hoof or I felt an overwhelming urge to scream. Definitely broken, it seemed.

Without any chance for me to do a thing, the groaning of the supports grew ever louder, my eyes went wider than before. I didn't know what to do, there was nowhere to run to that I could reach in time it seemed. If it was anything like that last support, I had only a matter of moments and that wasn't long enough to make it to either end.
With that, the groaning became louder and another snap sound cracked through the air. I hated being right.

Instinctively screaming in fear, I felt myself slide down the walkway as it began to fall, smashing through a window. Grabbing onto one of the side-rail supports, I held myself as tightly to it as I could manage. If I let go now, I would be dead for sure. If I managed to stick onto it, perhaps something would happen. Perhaps not.
Even still, I didn't want to die like that and held onto the only source of hope I had.
With my magic, I frantically scrolled through my pipbuck to bring up the broadcaster, attempting to contact anyone who could hear me. I didn't bother trying to make it direct, there was no time to look and it didn't matter anyway.

"Crimson!" I cried out in vain, "Please, Crimson!"
Tears fell down my cheeks as I waited for something to happen, but nothing did. Slowly I felt myself slipping, unable to continue holding on. I had to stay strong though, I had to keep myself going.
With another groan of the twisted metal, the walkway began to detach itself from the wall now, I could see it beginning to slide down.
This was it for me, this was how I would go out.

"Crimson... please forgive me. I'm sorry, I don't mean to leave you. I love you, Crimson. Please don't let me go like this." I muttered to myself uselessly. I'd been in situations where my life was at risk before, but I'd never felt like this. Death was knocking upon my door, I could feel it in my body. It pulled at me, made me weak.
"I'm sorry, Limoncello."

The walkway fell, smashing through the window below. From the sudden force of the collision I found my grip letting go and my body sliding down to damnation.
Screaming once more, I fell out of the factory. Immediately below me was a ventilation shaft, however. As I hit that, a large thud sound screamed from the metal supports and that now began to fall off, too.
Today was not going good, death was teasing me now.
With that, the vent had me sliding down onto a rooftop down below where I rolled down, unable to control myself as I felt the burning pain every time I rolled onto it.

As I slid off the side, I vied for the chance to hold on, but there was nothing to grasp. Instead, I was thrown off once more.
Falling down, I landed onto the roof of a wagon before rolling off in agony, my eyes barely able to open let alone see straight through the blood that covered them and pain that filled my body.
Looking down at the floor, I could hear voices.

"Well, that was... uh, interesting. What do you say, captain?"

"Let me go check her over. She's still squirming around so be ready to shoot if need be. Doesn't look like she'll be a threat to us however, not after that fall. Still, stay sharp."

I heard the hoofsteps of someone approaching, but my head hurt too bad now. I struggled to move but found I no longer had the energy. Closing my eyes, I gave up trying.
In my last moments, I heard him speak again.

"Holy... she's... you. Get her onto the extraction kit, I want her alive."

"What?! Why?!" Another voice called.

"Just do it, private. I'm the captain here, I call the shots. You and Two Tonne get her out've here, she's coming with us."

Letting out my final breath, I gave in and closed my eyes once more as my muscles felt weak. My head continued to spin and my leg ache beyond what I was used to, though I never had gone through the displeasure of breaking one of my own bones before. Now I knew what it felt like, though I couldn't bring myself to care as I slipped in and out of consciousness until I finally gave up.

*** *** ***

Dark clouds filled the sky above like a river of dark murky infection as they blocked out the light, bringing only the worst of the world out to shine in the grim, crimson shaded ground below.
Across in the distance, the sound of water clashing against concrete tore my attention to itself, the sea was in sight.
Much akin to the clouds, the violent waves of the ocean brought nothing but dreary feelings of hopelessness, the environment around me was scorched and angry over what had happened all those years ago.

Beside me was a city, a city I had now begun to familiarise myself with. Grey towers of concrete and steel rose from the ground before sliding into one another, toppling down to the ground as the time went on, one by one by one.
White lights shining down in the streets. speckles of purity grabbing my attention just as they had last time I saw this world.
Just as they had last time, they came to gather in the city, amassing slowly yet surely.
A small yellow light appeared from an area I had never been to before, and slowly the yellow lights mixed with the white. The skies began to brighten and a warmth covered me, a pleasant feeling flowed through my veins as I looked down on the lights intermixing, coexisting.

With another great crash, the shores drew my attention back to their direction and a streak of brown light slid its way over to the city, cursing the ground where-ever it went and spreading its own influence as it moved.
Initially upon reaching the city, it waited. Moments passing as they had, it struck. White lights dimmed and died as the brown approached and the yellow quickly moved to form a protective barrier around what they could.
It was useless, however.

White dots fled away from the brown as it encapsulated the yellow, corrupting the beauty and turning it to the same sickening colour. Before long, the source of the yellow burned black before turning brown as well. Slowly, the city grew darker and darker.
As the stench and darkness grew from the core of the city, small green dots popped up in small places, though these were quickly extinguished.

Without warning, a large explosion filled my entire eyesight. To the north now there was now a a sickly green glow in a place that strangely felt like home, somehow. The skies grew darker yet until the clouds were as black as the night had ever been during pre-war skies, a coldness ran over me.
Just as the dread began to take its toll on me, a light shining in the darkness came from the west. A brilliant golden glow swept from a place I couldn't focus on, a place I had never seen before.

Within moments, what had once been an unimportant looking group of flickering white lights beamed with that beautiful revitalising golden shine as walls came from nowhere.
Then that golden light looked at me, and what I saw shook me.
That golden light had been me, and now it stormed across the wasteland in my direction, a determined look in my eyes as I moved.

As soon as I watched my hooves touch the city, green lights I had previously thought were dying began to rejuvenate and shine brighter than they ever had before. A sense of hope and righteousness filled my body, strength pulling me back up to stand strong, to stand taller than I had ever realised I could stand before.

~ ~ ~

As my eyes slowly began to open, the look of a certain blue mare's eyes was quickly becoming familiar to me.
Instead of looking over me this time, they looked into my own as she laid next to me, her horn still pressed against my head, a soft smile on her lips.
As I groaned to wake, her smile grew larger and her lip trembled as she did so.
"It's nice to see that you're finally awake. We were worried about you, Crimson." Her soft voice chimed.

"Wha... where?" I stumbled over my words slowly, my mind still not firing on all cylinders as I tried to comprehend what was going on.

"You're at the base, Crimson. You were knocked out again, we were all worried about you. I'm so glad you're okay though." Her reassuring tone of voice told me that it was okay, that I was safe. Still, something seemed different.

"Why can't...." I groaned in pain and confusion, my head hurt more than it did before. "I remember?"

"Why can't you remember what, Crimson?" She asked, a worried look in her eyes as she continued to gaze at me.

Slowly my coherence came back to me as my eyes flickered open and closed repeatedly, my mind beginning to reawaken after my body had decided to do so. "Why... what knocked me out? What happened? What was with that dream?"

"The dream," Eos blushed before she continued to speak, slower than before with a much quieter tone. "is about what has happened, what... well, uh." She stuttered on her own words, blushing more than she had before as I continued to look to her, confused.
"Is about what I think you can do for us... what you have done for us... what I think of you."

As I looked into her eyes, I really couldn't figure out what was happening right now. My mind still felt like there was something wrong with scene and my focus was shot to hell with the searing pain I felt at the back of my head, yet I still knew there was something.
"Okay, I don't really get that, but what about why I'm here? I don't remember coming here."

"What's the last thing you remember, Crimson?" She asked, a much more serious tone of voice now as the joy left her eyes.

Wincing in pain, I tried to think. It was still eluding me... what had been the last thing I could remember?
I clearly remembered going out with Cherry to try find Titan. I could remember the sacrifice of the ghoul who had given his life so I could exit the office building. Now it began to come back to me, slowly the murky memories of what had happened were being recalled in my mind.
"Uh, there was some kind of big fight... right?"

Selene trotted over, her movements were slow and deliberate but she seemed a lot healthier now. That was another thing I now remembered, the state she was in.
As she sat down next to us, she looked to her sister before beginning to ask how I was in a curious voice.
"So, how is he? I see you've got him to wake now."

"Yes, but he seems to have some kind of amnesia. I'm not sure how bad it is, though he seems to be remembering things now." Eos stated in return, briefly taking her eyes off of me as she spoke.

"Does he remember the explosion?" She asked with a tone of concern.

Looking up at the pair, my eyes shot wide and my head flew up. As soon as my body raised, all I could see was a blinding white light and a large ringing in my ears, causing me extreme agony. Screaming in pain, I fell back down to the bed, shuddering as I whimpered from the lasting ill fortune of my movement.

Through the ringing, I could hear somepony screaming in sudden shock and distress. The sound of hooves rushed around me until a moment later when a cold, metallic feeling pierced through my side and began to squeeze a soothing formula into my body. With a gasp of relief, I felt the med-x rush to my head and begin to soothe me of the pain.
Almost instantly the ringing subsided and my ability to see shapes and then colours returned.
It was a good minute before I was back to how I was before but now I knew, no sudden movements.

"Crimson. Please, please please please don't do that!" Eos begged. "Please. Seeing you in such pain..."

"The explosion." I groaned lazily, the med-x reducing my energy and making me feel so sleepy again.

"Yes? Do you remember the explosion now?"

"Yes. We... we caused the explosion. What happened? Where is..." I couldn't finish my sentence, my head wouldn't let me. Instead, all that came from my mouth was incoherent babble as my eyes slipped closed once more and I felt myself falling asleep yet again.

*** *** ***

"Crimson." A sweet voice slipped into my mind, calling from the darkness of my slumber. "Crimson, please wake up."

With gargantuan effort, I opened one of my eyes only to see a blinding white light shine down upon me. Attempting to pull one of my hooves up to block it from my sight was beyond my capability however as I found my hooves were simply too heavy to lift.
Slowly I began to notice how my whole body felt weak and my head disorientated, incapable of normal movement.

"Crimson, you're waking? Please don't struggle, we've had to drug you with med-x so you wouldn't move while we did what we needed to do."

"What..." I found myself asking without any thought to the matter, without any idea of what was going on. "What do you mean?"

"Crimson, we've had to operate on you. Your skull was fractured, it looked like prolonged damage that you've sustained somewhat recently that just wasn't healing properly as it should. It wasn't a big operation, we just needed to focus on your skull itself. We also had to plate it, though nopony will notice."
'Plate it'? My skull? What where they on about? Before I could bring myself to speak however, the voice continued.
"As for why you might not be able to see right now, we've got a blindfold on you so that the operating room lights don't hurt your eyes. I wanted you awake though for..." The voice sighed.

"For what?" My tired voice spoke softly, barely able to make any sound at all. Now I recognised the feeling for that of a strong dose of med-x and understood why everything was so hard for me. In any other situation I had no doubt it would've been pleasant, but right now it only seemed to be overwhelmingly required, thus taking the pleasure of it away.

"I..." Was all she could manage to say before pressing her oversized head against my chest, rubbing what felt like her muzzle against my neck. "I just wanted to thank you for saving them, my sisters and Titan. You put your own life at risk for them at such short notice without questioning it. You have no idea how much this means to me."

With not even a moments notice I felt her presence lift off of my body. As I went to speak, to ask where she was going and what had been going on with my head, a pair of lips were pressed against mine. Shock filled my mind as the warm, wet and passionate kiss that ensued instinctively caused a deep moment of pleasure that overwhelmed me before our lips parted away again, leaving me in confusion over what had just happened.
Without my sight and with all the painkiller that was flowing through my body at that very moment, everything felt too surreal to truly understand.

A moment of silence passed us and a part of my mind envisioned Eos' face looking down upon me, though if this was the case or not was completely beyond me. Still, I could recognise her voice and unless she was using her sneaky stealth magic, I hadn't heard her leave my side just yet.

A minute passed with nothing being said, just silence as I laid there with nothing I could do apart from try my best to figure out what exactly had happened to me as if it was some kind of puzzle that needed piecing together. Something still felt missing, I just couldn't figure it out through all my confusion.
As I was trying to do that, Eos finally spoke again with a voice that shook as she tried to keep it composed. "Crimson?"

"Yes?" I murmured as I continued to try my best to think clearly, a task a lot harder with how my head was feeling.

"Can I... well... lay beside you? I just... I just want to feel like someone cares. I mean, sure my sisters care about me, Titan too, but not the same way I feel when you're touching me." A moment of pause passed her lips as she breathed deeply and quickly rushed out hurried words. "The way you make me feel normal, I mean. You touching me makes me feel like a normal pony."

The nervousness of the particular deep blue mare struck out to me, she genuinely meant every word and I really could feel her desire to feel like she wasn't just a status symbol, not just a leader.
Smiling, there was no way I could turn down her request. Especially not right now when I had no real choice about it anyway. Besides, I thought to myself, feeling her fuzzy chest and fluffy wings was always soothing for me.
"Yeah, sure. As long as you'll find somewhere comfortable to lay down first and put me down after you. You know, you being bigger and all."
A cuddle sounded nice right about now.

Quickly she made her way around the room, no doubt looking for the best place to go. Her hooves clopped against the tiled floor with a calming resonance until she finally sat herself down and wrapped me in her magic, slowly levitating me over to herself before placing me upon her chest.
Forehooves wrapped themselves over my shoulders and pressed down my chest, wings extending and wrapping themselves around me.
Nuzzling my head in, it was too comfortable for me as I laid there, still blindfolded.

The sound of hooves moving through the corridor outside every so often, ranging from large ones to small ones, judging from the sounds they made. Not having my eyes available to me meant I was focusing on all my other senses to try and judge my surroundings, though there was no way for me to be able to judge time as I laid in a hazy world of warn darkness.
The gentle breeze of Eos' breath occasionally blew on the tip of my mane, always causing me to giggle slightly as it tickled.

The time passed on when suddenly the door opened, with what sounded like a large group of ponies walked in.
With hesitation, one of the voices spoke. "...Eos?"

The mare embracing me startled upon hearing her name, sending me jolting and causing me some discomfort as she did. "Oh, oh. Sorry."

"Eos, what did we tell you? He's not a rag doll, you can't keep pulling him about while he's asleep, he needs to heal! Besides, it's quite rude to be holding him like this without his consent."

...Without my consent? While I'm asleep? I sighed, my voice barely audible alongside the others.
"Don't worry about it, she's fine." Interrupting my speech, a yawn slipped from my mouth with my neck extending as I stretched. "I've no issue with affection, affection is wonderful. Doesn't matter who it's from as long as they have decent hygiene."

"So... you wouldn't mind if we jumped onto you and Eos then, huh? 'Cos if she gets to have a hug, we don't see why we don't get to show you how much we appreciate you saving our lives. That was hardly something small, after all."

Before I could say a thing, the sound of Eos gasping filled the room and two bodies lunged at me, causing me to feel a little winded by the sudden impact of the mares who had jumped in near unison.
Coughing as I laughed, I tried my best to catch my breath. "So uh, you don't mind removing the blindfold so I can see, do you?"

Without a word, my vision returned to me slowly. At first all I could see was blobs of colour, but my eyes quickly refocused to see the three beautiful alicorn mares staring down at me with a smile each.
Selene still had a wound on her neck, though she looked a lot better now than she had done before.
With grace, the two other mares simultaneously rubbed their cheeks against my own, causing me to blush somewhat. I hadn't expected this much appreciation!

"You're right Eos." Selene muttered. "He really is soft, isn't he?"

With that, Helios rubbed my mane. "Oooh! I wonder what he does to make his mane so amazing to touch. What do you do, Crimson?"

Looking at the three, I couldn't believe what was happening. They had gone from telling Eos that I wasn't a play toy to... this?
Still, there was no complaints from me. Attention was no stranger to my world and I couldn't say that I didn't enjoy every last bit of it.

Titan now stood in the doorway, fully armoured bar his head. I'd wondered if he had plans of going out or just didn't feel safe not wearing any armour at all times after the last encounter. Shaking his head at the sight, he let out a sigh to which the mares all giggled and poked their tongues out at him in play.

Still, I had wondered one thing that hadn't been able to slip my mind, especially now I could see again. "Hey, girls. Where is Cherry?"
The room went silent, everypony's eyes went wide as they looked at me, the smiles gone from their faces.
From in the doorway, Titan lowered his head and simply backed away slowly, out of sight.
As for the alicorns who had been embracing into me, they now too climbed off and backed off by a few steps, bar Eos whom I laid upon. Though they didn't leave the area like Titan had, I could tell they were uncomfortable with my question and that made me almost as nervous as they now looked.

Breathing in before I spoke at them, my face was stern. "Where is Cherry." I commanded, no longer asking in naive curiosity but now knowing what was wrong all along. I hadn't picked up on it earlier because I was blindfolded and the drugs were too strong, but now they began to wear down and I could see my environment, I knew exactly what was different to usual.

Helios and Selene looked away, down to the floor. Their lips trembled, hesitant to say anything to me.
Turning my neck round, I could see that Eos had a guilty look upon her face as she continued to withhold the information from me, though I could tell it was because she was too scared rather than trying to be hurtful. That didn't matter however, they knew something I didn't and I wanted to know what that was.

Impatiently I lowered the tone of my voice as I watched the trio, growing tired of what I saw. "So, is anyone going to answer me?"

"I'm sorry" Eos whispered, tears now filling the corners of her eyes.

That was enough, it was all I needed to hear. Closing my eyes and thinking of Cherry, I let out a small sniffle with a mix of anger and sorrow. She wasn't here and they weren't going to tell me where she was, if they could at all.
Rolling out of Eos' embrace, I fell to the floor and hurt my jaw as I landed against the floor, causing her to gasp in horror as I had. It didn't matter, she wasn't going to tell me what I wanted to know so I wasn't willing to be her source of affection.

"Crimson!" Selene pleaded, a dire tone in her voice. "You need to rest. You can't get up and just go walking about, you'll hurt yourself."

Grunting in response, I didn't care right now. There was enough med-x running through me still that even if I was injured, I couldn't feel it. Spreading out my wings to help keep balance and alleviate the amount of weight I was putting on my hooves, I began to flap them softly as I walked, making my way out of the room.

"Where are you going?" Helios asked, concern in her shaken voice.

"I don't know, I don't care. I'm going to find out where Cherry is though, that's all I care about right now."

As I walked out of the door one of the mares went to speak, only to have another stop her as she began. It was the best thing to do, I didn't want to speak to any of them right now unless they were going to answer my questions.
I didn't know where I was going to go, but I needed to be away from the recovery room at the very least.

*** *** ***

Sitting on the bed we'd been given, holding the dress I'd bought for her, with my head pressed against the pillow she slept on and my other hoof touching a half eaten apple she'd had as a late night snack some time before, my mind was filled with one thing and one thing only. Cherry Sundae, the mare who had taken my heart by storm from the very first moment we'd truly met and filled my head with wonderful thoughts ever since.

Cherry Sundae, where art thou my dearest Cherry Sundae. Tears filled my eyes all over again as I began to sob once more, my longing to have the fresh scent of berries filling my nose as I would press my head against hers. The taste of her lips teasing my senses as phantom memories filled my mind as if they were really there, only to disappear upon opening my eyes again.

Sure I still had my mission to save Four Ridges by finding a new water talisman, but nopony in the entirety of Four Ridges would be able to make up for her loss. To remove the pain I felt upon realising that she was lost, gone, possibly, probably, dead.
Life would never be the same for me if I could never see her again, even more so if I couldn't at least give her my last respects if the worst had come to be.

Cherry... Cherry was quickly becoming everything I wanted. If things got to the point where I had to choose one day between the position of power and her, I would choose having her by my side and her love in my heart if that's what it would take to feel the way I do about her.
Now... now that chance might never be.
"Oh Cherry" I whined through my tears. "Cherry... I'm sorry. I failed you. I'm so..." My tears came hard and heavy, my breathing quickened and interrupted my words. "I'm sorry."

A slow, heavy knocking came from the door, a purposeful bang to the tempo of a cautious request to see me.
Looking up and then towards the door, I tried to contain the sorrow I felt though it wasn't much use, I was a mess.
Breathing in deeply and slowly, I prepared to see the face of Titan, perhaps one of the alicorns. Still, I doubted it would be one of those three, their weary looks were completely avoiding me earlier.

As I picked myself up off of the bed, the knocking stopped and the sounds of hooves slowly made their way away from the door. "Wait, wait. I'm coming." I called out with as little emotion as I could release.
With that, the hooves stopped as I approached the door and opened it up to a sight I hadn't expected at all.
Before me stood a buck twice my build in terms of muscle and only a tiny bit shorter than myself, wearing a darkened suit of combat armour and hoof protectors.

"Sir?" He spoke softly despite his deep voice, concern resounding from the way he spoke.

Looking back at him in confusion, I rubbed my eyes with a forehoof as I tried my best to gain some composure. "Sir? I'm sorry, I don't recognise you."

"Sir, I am Freight Train of Alpha team. Remember me now?" The bulky buck gave me a small smile before going back to the static look of concern he had been wearing before, his eyes showing worry and wear around the corners.

Looking at him, I gave a small nod. I recognised the name and I had indeed seen him around from time to time, but I was never too involved in the militaristic side of things up until very recently. I really needed to change that and learn the names of all the most important ponies, it seemed.
"Yeah, I remember. What's up?" I asked, sighing after I spoke. I really doubted he had much to say that could lift my spirits now.

"Sir, I have something you need to hear. Titan came and spoke to us all about you... about Treetop."

"Treetop?" I asked with a confused look on my face , I didn't need this right now.

"Cherry Sundae. Treetop is her codename." My eyes shot wide as I looked at him, a small grin came across his face as he noticed my ears perking up to hear every word he spoke as if my life depended on it. To me, it almost felt like it had.
With a small but confident half chuckle, he began to speak once more.
"Well, word is that she was the one who blew the bridge, completely routing the opponents missile launchers and defeating their main force by removing their main supply route."

Was that it? Is that all he had to say to me? Stuff I had already known, already could have figured out on my own? I turned my head away, this wasn't news to me and I didn't know why he was so certain I needed to hear it. I grunted in response, not knowing what else to do right now.
Sure, that wasn't the proper way to behave if I was going to be a leader, but right now I was a pony who had just lost his lover.

"That isn't half of it, Crimson." He reaffirmed, regaining my attention. "Oh, no. Not at all. She's alive."

My head turned back to him before even I could have known it. My eyes now hurt with how wide they were, almost threatening to explode out from their sockets as I focused on him. My ears stiffened toward him and my heart sped up in anticipation of what he was going to say and from shock of what he had just said.
My lip quivered and my jaw hung loose as I watched him smile at me, a whisper leaking from my throat. "She's... alive?"

With that, he nodded confidently. "Come with me, we'll go speak about it to the rest of the teams."
Teams? Oh, of course. Alpha and Bravo were on their way. Thanks mum, you're a lifesaver, literally.

"Crimson, this is Alpha, Bravo and Echo. Well, technically not quite so much of Echo. Half their team has been temporarily absorbed into Alpha and Bravo for the mission." He paused momentarily. "Would you rather I introduce everyone first, or would you like me to go straight to the news first, then introductions?"

I took a moment to look at all of them in the eye first. It surprised me how much variation there was in some respects, while in others they were all similar.
There was another female in their group, which I hadn't quite expected. What also surprised me was while half of them were unicorns with three earth ponies, there was even a zebra amongst them!
The zebra being surprising seeing as I didn't realise we had more than five of them in total count of Four Ridges.
Some of them were built like Freight train while others were slim like myself.

"Go on, introduce me. I'd rather give you all the respect you deserve and make you feel like you're appreciated in being out here, a part of my team, rather than choosing to have my own selfish desires settled first. Besides, it won't take you lot a minute, right?"

Freight train nodded and smiled at me before ordering everyone into rank and file. Lining up and saluting, the soldiers held a perfect posture as they looked onward.
"Alpha team, step forth." With that, one pony stepped forth, a thin female who wore an accurate looking single shot rifle and an SMG on her side. Her mane and lower half of her face was concealed with a black wrap though her eyes were clearly visible with determination burning strong.
"Tsunami, reporting for duty, sir."

"Bravo team, step forth."

Three ponies now stepped up as Tsunami stepped back. The three bulky ponies took a step towards me and for a moment I felt extremely intimidated by the combined size of not only their weaponry, but also by their muscles. Two of them were tall with one of those being more-so than myself, while the third was an average height. Even still, it was more than impressive to see.

One began to speak, a voice I could've sworn I heard before. "I'm Grinder, Bravo leader. My weapon will grind any opposing force to a pulp, as you would ask."
Looking at him, he wasn't lying. The fearsome minigun that sat strapped to his combat armour was simply astounding, the weight it must have been and yet he showed no sign of struggling to hold it.

Taking another step forth, the pony in the middle of the trio nodded at me. His height too was taller than most, though I had a small amount on him it seemed. "While his minigun suppresses the opposing force, my missile launcher shall make rubble out of their cover and dust out of that rubble. Iron Wall, reporting for duty."

Now Iron Wall stepped back, allowing the third to speak. "Brick, reporting in. Though my assault rifle may seem like nothing next to these two, it provides the necessary edge in conventional fighting. These two are good for the support role, I'm good for the charging role. My ability to ignore pain is my defining trait and if my assault rifle won't destroy you, my sledgehammer will. We are what takes down the enemies' emplacements, sir."
Nodding at Brick, he nodded back and stepped back into line with the others.

"Lastly, Echo team. Step forth." Freight Train now called and the last two members stepped forth, the zebra and one more unicorn.

"Deadlight here." The zebra spoke with a heavy accent, his deep voice booming into the free space of the room. "I specialise in stealth, like Treetop but more about evasive techniques than her magic act. I only carry a silenced pistol, knife and flashbangs. They're all I need."

Lastly the final member stepped up, a average looking unicorn with just an assault rifle to show. Looking at him, he nodded his head at me. I nodded back and looked at him expectantly, though he said nothing at first he quickly changed that with little notice..
"Shockwave. I do assault rifle work. I'm quick, I'm quiet and you won't ever find a faster twitch shooter than me with an aim as accurate as my own. I flank things."

At once, they all saluted me and bowed their heads one by one. It was good to know the ponies who were backing me up and now I'd met Alpha, Bravo and what I had of Echo, I felt a lot more confident. The seven of them would definitely make the difference in the fight, I could tell already. The only issue now was getting around would require it to be on hoof and no longer just flying around, even with Maisy's help.

"Now, as for what we can tell you of Treetop. That's what you want to hear most of all, isn't it?"

Taking a deep breath, I tried to ready myself for any news he might have. Looking down at the floor, I perked my ears up but couldn't truly bring myself to look at him while he spoke, not yet. "Please."

"She's alive and, we assume, well enough. She's had movement."
Now that was enough to get my eyes up to meet his. Movement? Movement was brilliant news!
"Trouble is, we don't have a map of Coltchester to assess where she's moved to. Sure, we could scan a map of the region, but we've found most maps don't detail the majority of the central sector of Coltchester, we suspect this is to do with the military history and not wanting to leak details to the Zebricans back in the day of the war."

Approaching me from behind, Titan stepped closer. "And that is where I come in. Freight Train has spoke to me about the issue, knowing that me being a ghoul and wearing this armour makes it likely that I would have the intimate knowledge of the zone. Guess what? I do. Guess what, also? After what you did, what you managed to pull off, I'm more than happy to provide you all the information and help required to pull off a rescue mission. See, the issue is that she's in the central zone, ex-military. Guess who controls that?"

Turning to look at him, I sighed before taking my guess. "Donkey Zebra Coalition?"

"Correct. Looking at the co-ordinates on their trackers, cross referencing it with my old maps and memory... I'm going to hazard a guess that she's locked up in the barracks. Now, there's something interesting about that, too. Again, care to guess what?" His voice had an amount of enthusiasm in it as if that was a good thing.

"Barracks... no, nothing that..." My speech slowed as my brain began to work. "Wait." I paused, really considering what he had just said and sifting through my memory.. "Didn't Neon say that our prisoner friends were being held at the barracks?!"

Titan smiled at me come this point, nodding away. "Yeah, that's precisely where he said they were. He also said they only had light guarding at the moment, though that's likely to have changed since the events of this morning."

Looking down at my pipbuck, I had to send her a message. I had to let her know that she wasn't alone.
My eyes steeled themselves as I looked upon my pipbuck and then back up to the crew in front of me. "Look, I'm going to contact her via my broadcaster. If any of you think it's a bad idea, say now and I'll tell you that I love her and I don't give a fuck how bad of an idea it is. I love her and I need her to know I'll be coming for her... she needs to know she's not been forgotten."

With that, Titan spoke. "You think they won't increase security at the facility if they realise she's important?"

Turning round to face him, I genuinely smiled for the first time since believing she was gone for good. "Oh, of course they will. It's what I'm counting on, actually. Let them. Better if they do, even. Why? Look behind me. Look at the ponies and zebra behind me, and tell me they aren't ready for this. This is what they do, what their jobs are. We don't fucking leave anyone behind, Titan. NO-ONE. OKAY?!"

After I found myself shouting at him I had a sour look on my face. I could tell how my face was scrunched up though it didn't matter. Looking down to the floor, I continued.
"I refuse to let her rot in a cell. Especially not in a DZC cell. Let them throw whatever the fuck they want to defend her... they'll only learn too late that nothing will stop me from saving my Cherry Sundae when the time comes. Nothing. Even if it would mean I would have to kill every DZC fucker in the whole city to keep her safe, I would."
Looking back at my team for confirmation, they all nodded to me. They were happy to back me up it seemed.

"Okay, what about getting into the military part of the city anyway? What plans do you have? Getting there was never easy, even as a member of the military back in the day you had to go through checkpoints. I don't know what kind of infrastructure is still around today or what security they're using, but it can't be nothing."

Pulling out my broadcaster, I switched to a different name than I had originally planned to contact. Titan tried to argue his point across to me again, though I quickly showed him the contact I was now choosing to contact. Neon.

"Neon, this is Wings. Don't worry about responding to this, just do one thing for me. Come to the place we met last time, tomorrow, midday. You can name your price come then."

Titan looked at me with a smirk across his face. "You cheeky bugger. A genius answer to finding out the information you need to know, I suppose. I had half been expecting you to tell me that you'd simply fly overhead and hope that no-one spotted you until you've already broken into the complex or something."

Looking up at him, I smiled. Now I had part of the plan already done. His smile dropped as he realised what I was thinking and facehooved. "I didn't mean you should, Crimson! Eugh. Still, I suppose it could work if you had your crew down below distracting the.... no, you know what? That could work. If you had your troops move in from below, taking out the guard posts silently and then redirecting fire upon themselves while keeping out of danger as much as possible, you might just be able to slip through the cloud cover and dive down into the barracks zone. You'd be in a high risk situation by doing that, but if you were to do it at night, I've seen you be fairly stealthy at night."

Now we had the whole plan laid out ahead of us, all we needed to know was the exact details of the guard system - where they go with their patrols, where the checkpoints are, where they're weakest and where they're strongest. Lastly, how many of them there was. Neon could provide us that information, my crew could handle the mainstay of the operation and if we got lucky, perhaps the rebellion would do me a favour.
Now we had a plan.

Getting on the broadcaster once more, I began to attempt to contact my love.
"Cherry, Cherry, can you hear me?" I asked in anticipation.
There was no response. "Cherry? ...Cherry? Please, Cherry?"
Looking down at the device on my wrist, I began to worry as the moments passed and there was no response.
"Cherry? Oh princesses, please say you're okay. Please. Cherry? I need you to be okay, please."

Yet more time passed, nothing. Just as some of the team began to lower their heads in sorrow, a crackling noise came from my pipbuck.
"Crimson? Is... is that you?"

Flying into the air with joy, she was alive! She was alive she was alive she was fucking alive!
"Cherry!" I shouted overjoyed. "You're alive! Oh my word, I was so fucking afraid that I had lost you. Oh goddesses, I'm so sorry Cherry. Oh so sorry. I really, really am. I was knocked out from the blast, I think, and the next thing I know, I'm here at the HQ."

"You're safe? Good. I've missed you, but look, you really shouldn't-" With that, she paused. a hesitation in her voice. "No, I won't tell you!"

"Cherry? What's going on?"

"Fine. Yes, yes it is. Happy now? Good, keep your end of the bargain though. What?! Hm. Fine." I could hear something on the other end of the line, but the source of whatever she was talking to wasn't close enough to pick up anything intelligible through the static until a moment later when the sound grew louder and clearer.
"Okay, okay. Just let me tell him first, okay?"
"Okay." The second voice said in a cool, collected tone, I wondered what the hell was going on.

"Look, Crimson. I've been captured by the DZC. However, the pony whom captured me is somepony who I've ran into before. We spared each-others lives then and he's decided to spare my life now. I'm being treated admirably though I have been locked up, as you might assume. Captain Blueheart would like to speak to you, Crimson. Be polite, okay? For me?"

Sighing, I agreed. There wasn't anything I could really do right now so I supposed it would be in her best interest to agree.

"Hello, Mister Wings. My name is Blueheart, I am a captain of the Coalition's Slumside regiment. I've heard a lot about you, Executioner."

"Excuse me, but how do you know my name, both of them in fact?"

"Oh, come now." The captain began. "You really didn't think that a threat to the coalition such as yourself could simply waltz on into Coltchester, cause such a stir as to punch my commanders wife in the face and then execute one of the Zebrican patrols, cause chaos in the streets and then remain anonymous, did you? And the latest and greatest feat of blowing up the highway? You were spotted reclaiming the C4 that we assume did the job, after all."

"You have a point. I suppose me being a pegasus by the name of Wings doesn't help much either." I retorted.

"Quite. Quite. Anyhow, here's what I have to say to you... but first, may I ask if this communication is encrypted?"

Blinking in surprise, I was taken back by that question. Why would it matter? Nevertheless, I answered truthfully. "Yeah, it is. Why does it matter to you?"

"Because to be quite honest with you... there are things I disapprove of in how the Coalition works. Right now, my orders are to execute your Cherry Sundae as an act of revenge for your interferences."

Execution as revenge?! My blood boiled and I lost control over the volume of my voice. "YOU FUCKING WHAT? IF ANYPONY LAYS A FUCKING HOOF ON HER."

"Of course, of course." His calm demeanour remaining constant despite my outburst. "I do not believe that it would be a wise idea, personally. Nor do I agree with such an act on the very principals of it. Instead, I do believe that if we talk, we can settle this like grown ups."

Grown ups in the wasteland? That was a first to me, outside of the more civilised zones anyway. Breathing deeply, I let go of my anger momentarily. "Okay, you've got my attention and I apologise for my outburst. Now, what do you propose?"

With a hint of shock, the captain responded kindly. "You apologise? Well, that's... not something I expected. I'm glad I'm talking to another gentlecolt. I understand that you might be very emotional about the thought of that, Cherry speaks highly of you as her buckfriend. Love gets the best of all of us, at times. Now, as for what I propose, I propose this: You have two of our members in your hooves. Specifically, you have two of my squad in your hooves. A mare and a buck. I would assume they are captives, correct?"

Looking at Titan, I shrugged. "Do we have two captives of the DZC?"

He gave me a puzzled look in return, scrunching his face as he thought before looking back to me as if he'd just had a revelation. Speaking into my broadcaster, he responded to the captain.
"Excuse me, Captain Blueheart. This is Titan, leader of the PLAC. I do believe you are referring to a couple, are you not?"
The captain paused as he gave a low humming sound, only to confirm this moments later.
"Well, we do indeed have those two in our care at the moment. The female remains in our medical bay, recovering from injuries sustained during an Anarchist attack on their number. What is your request?"

"Simply that you keep them well fed, well looked after and medically treated, for now. I won't lie to you, I didn't join the DZC because I believe in the cause. I joined because I wanted to protect my brother and his wife, whom are the ones you have in your establishment. If I'm honest, I would prefer nothing more than peace. For now though, please keep hold of them until they are well, at the very least. As for Cherry, I assure you both that she is going to receive decent treatment and will not be harmed while under my care. I am a member of the honour-guard, my word is my life because my word is my honour and my honour is my life. You have my word, I will not harm her."

"So, your word is your honour, and that is your life, is it?" I asked.

"Yes. it is." He replied.

"And you promise that she won't be harmed under your care, do you?"

"That I do."

Looking down at the floor in frustration, I unleashed my only warning to him. "Just make sure that she doesn't get touched in any way that you know I wouldn't approve of, because I will end anypony who does harm her in any way. It doesn't matter what you say, all that matters is what you do. I swear that upon my own life, I will have my just revenge. There will be blood. If you do her no harm and treat her well, I won't harm a single hair on your body. Hell, if you stay true to your word I'd be liable to buy you a drink in a pub if ever given the chance... but if she gets hurt, from those responsible... there will be blood."

For a moment, the captain seemed startled by my almost calm warning of the danger anyone would be in if they hurt her. As the seconds passed however, he spoke again. "Duly noted, and agreed. As a member of the honour guard, I accept. I might even tell you the same about my brother and his wife. Do we have a deal?"

Smiling despite the fact he couldn't see it, I hoped he could sense it in some weird way. "Yeah, sounds like a deal. If I find anyone harming your brother or his wife in any way, I will personally do the job for you if it means Cherry is safe."

"Now this broadcast must end, I fear how long the others will be away for. If you wish to speak to Cherry again, you have half hour from ten pm to do so without anyone realising that's what is happening. Same time every night. May you stay well, Crimson."

Surprised by the new information, I was taken back. "Thank you, and you too, Blueheart." I murmured back, still amazed he would allow me to know such a thing. Such a precious, precious thing as to knowing when I could talk to my sweetheart without issue was beyond a small gesture - and I treasured that greatly.

Looking back to Titan as the call ended, I let out a small smile as I made my way to the makeshift lounge, gesturing for the others to follow me.
As he gave me a questioning look, I just muttered. "I need a drink, care for one yourself?" and with a laugh, he nodded back and followed me through.
By the look of it, a drink sounded good to everyone as they all followed us through one by one.

As we sat across the various sofas that had been collected across the years and put into the place, three particular alicorns slowly made their way into the room. One by one, Selene and Helios made their way over to me and apologised to me with a sincere look in their faces for being unable to bring themselves to speak about Cherry.
Now I knew that she was okay, I found it a lot easier to forgive the two of them. They hadn't wanted to upset me, I understood that and they were only trying to protect me from myself, I guessed.
Still, one large blue mare stood at the end of the room, sourly looking at me.

Upon the return of her sisters from where she stood, she hesitated until finally convinced to come and see me. Making her way past everypony else, I saw her timid movement straight in my direction. Rather than waiting for her to reach my chair however, I stood up and hovered across the room, out towards a doorway so that I could stare into the nothingness that it led to.

I could tell this disheartened her as her head drooped, but I tried not to think about it or to make it obvious I was still watching out of the corner of my eye.
Turning her head back to her sisters, she went to return until they called her to go over to me. If she did, I wouldn't fly off again, this would be my test I supposed.
Seconds past and it seemed like she would be too timid at first, scoring me an annoyed look from Titan. However, as her sisters kept telling her to, she eventually made her way over to where I now stood.

Stepping closer, I could begin to feel the tip of her mane brushing against my coat as she lowered her head next to mine cautiously, a small whimper coming from her lips that I could barely hear even from the close distance that she now was.
"C... Crimson?" Her voice mousy as she swallowed after speaking, gulping down the fear.

"What is it?" I asked with no particular emotion being conveyed, instead just wanting to hear what she had to say for herself.

The fear was obvious in her voice, barely capable of holding herself together. "I... I'm sorry. I'm awfully sorry for not telling you, Crimson. I didn't know if she was okay or not, I just knew she wasn't here and that it wasn't good news. That it wasn't a good thing."

"You're right, it wasn't a good thing. I'm hurt, Eos. I'm hurt by the fact you wouldn't tell me, I'm hurt by the fact you thought of yourself before me. I'm hurt by the fact you thought you could squeeze all of the affection possible out of me before letting me hear that... as if I wouldn't end up wanting my hooves around you to try and comfort myself while she's gone."

I stepped into the empty doorway where rocks had collapsed through the walkway and brought a small amount of fresh air into the complex from above. The slight chill caused me to shudder, but it felt comforting in a strange way.
Looking back at Eos, her face now flushed with embarrassment.

"You... you'd want your hooves around me, to comfort you?" The strain in her voice becoming less as she spoke now, a small smile on her face. "What would it take for you to... forgive me?"

"You can start by getting me a drink, bringing it out here and sitting down with me. We'll talk and sort things out, okay?"

With an increasing smile upon her face, Eos made her way out. It wasn't long before she came back with not only a bottle of Wild Pegasus whiskey but also a sofa just large enough for the two of us to sit upon in tow, with the help of her sisters who had their own smiles, no doubt being now that Eos would be made happy once again with the chance to reconcile and make amends.

Uncapping the top, I took a swig of the whiskey before sitting down on the sofa and thanking the lovely mares for bringing it out here for us. They thanked me for giving Eos' the chance to make up for her mistake and walked back into the main room where the rest remained.
As Eos approached, she had a slightly guilty look upon her face still as she looked at me with pleading eyes and then down next to me.

Before she could ask, I answered her question. "Of course you can. Come on, sit next to me then and once you say sorry again, you can rest your head on me. Deal?"

With the smile like a filly, she nodded. "Deal. I'm so sorry Crimson, I should have told you. I just... I wanted to make you happy. I didn't want to be the one who hurt you, but doing that ended up with me hurting you the most it seems."

"It's fine. She's alive and well, though there's nothing I can do about that just yet. I'll have to collect information about when the best time to strike and recover her from captivity is before I can do it, but I will do it. Mark my words, the DZC have no idea what they're fucking in for. They thought they'd seen what I'd do, but they've not seen anything yet. Want a swig?"

Looking down at the bottle, she nodded. Though instead of simply taking it in her magic, she looked at me with those big doughy eyes. "D... do you think you could... pour it for me?" She bit her lip as she asked, causing me to raise an eyebrow.

"Sure, but we have no glasses?"

"Oh, I don't mean into a glass."

That right there set the tone for the rest of the night. Drinking with an alicorn to wish away the pain of not having my beloved around. We spoke about the things that meant a lot to us, about the city and the peoples that were living in it. She asked about Four Ridges, I asked about The Goddess. None of it was greatly secretive stuff either way, though it was nice to just be talking about anything different to pass the time and relax.

Spending time with Eos like this was calming, it took my mind off what I had to do, what I'd already done... especially off all the things I'd already done. I hadn't realised it before, but the lives I'd taken had taken a toll on me and my spirit, causing me a little more anger and frustration each and every time.
Simply talking and drinking about things seemed to make me realise that and took the burden off my shoulders as I spoke about it.
Now I understood how Cherry felt, though I still felt it was a better idea to protect by active judgement and aggressive action than to simply hope somepony would change.

As the time went on, I noticed it had just gone past ten at night, the one chance I had to speak freely with Cherry had arrived.
Reaching out for my broadcaster, I was careful not to jolt around as Eos' head now rested upon my chest, drifting off to sleep through the alcohol she had ingested being completely too much for her to handle, it seemed.

"Cherry... Cherry, it's me." I began, a tired yawn coming from my liquor soaked lips as I tried not to slur my speech. "I just want to let you know... I love you. I'm sorry I wasn't there to keep you safe, to get you back here. I'm sorry I couldn't do better."

"It's okay, I'm sorry too." Her soft voice spoke out to me as I paused, causing my lips to curl into a faint smile. "I'm sorry I didn't stay with you, to keep you safe. You're the more important of us two, I should have done my job better. Nevermind, we're both alive. I love you too, Crimson."

"Cherry?" I paused again, she gave a small murmur of confirmation to that she was listening. "Remember that.. no matter where you go - I will always stay by your side.. even if I can't be there myself, I will always be in your heart. Again, I love you. Goodnight."

---o---o---o---

So, that's Chapter eighteen: There will be blood.
The chapter deviated from plan quite a lot, though it definitely doesn't help that I planned it out before having even gotten more than I think about 4k into chapter seventeen... (which as we all know, ended up as a mega-chapter.)

Still, I'd like to think that this chapter is a worth-while one. Also, sorry Arcus, but it was needing to be done. You can stab me now.

Short credits for this chapter, not much to say. Any issues you find / have with it, please don't be afraid to let me know. I promise I won't bite your hand off like I did that one time waaay back at chapter six. That was me being stupid, childish and impatient.
Anyway, yeah. I plan to begin work on the next chapter ASAP, though how well received it will be eludes me. Still, I always think it'll be a boring / bad chapter and get told I'm wrong, so we'll see.

Cheers to both Kkat and Somber for writing the stories that inspired me. I'm actually re-reading the original Fallout Equestria right now as well as reading Horizons as it updates, of course, so if anyone ever notices that my writing style changes ever so slightly, it's probably my subconscious trying to do better by learning from the best.

That's it from me. hope you all have a wonderful time. I'll do my absolute best to have another chapter out before this story hits one year old, promise! (Which is the 27th of Feb... so should be damned easy to do.)

Thank you for reading, everyone. It means a lot to me.

Chapter 19: Caged

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds
By Kippershy

Chapter Nineteen: Caged

"Oh woe is me, whatever shall I do? Ah dirt, dirt! Get away dirt! Make it stop, make it stop!
Filthy disgusting dirt! It stings! It burns! Help! Oh somepony save me, save me!"

Through the darkness there was only pain, my body feeling the burning ache I had never known before.
My breath feeling heavy and laboured, there was something bad that had happened, I just couldn't remember what.
I laid like that for what felt like hours, trying my best to resist the heat emanating from my leg that crept up my spine, that sickening feeling that told me my body was broken.

Sounds from the area around me drew my attention, conversations were being had and someone was moving about freely while others had a strange pace that gave off the impression that they weren't even trying to go anywhere... as if they were simply moving for the sake of moving. To stir my curiosity further, their movements were all short lived and within the same area.
Finally, this was what prompted me to open my eyes, to see the world around me as it had now become.

Beige. Beige was the first thing I saw, the only thing I could see.
Beige covered the walls around me, or at the very least, what I suspected to be walls. Looking up, the ceiling was beige too. Looking down, there was no difference.
Slowly however, my vision became clearer and I began to notice details that my blurry eyes had been unable to pick up on before.
Kinking my neck to see behind myself I saw something different, a door! A door of solid steel that was grey in colour stood in my path, blocking my movement before I could even attempt to do so. Even with it blocking my path, I was thankful that it wasn't beige at least.

It was a good minute before I could see clearly again, but now I could see I recognised where I was, even if I'd never been here before. I was imprisoned.
The walls around me bore the marks of ponies who'd come before me, their scratchings on the wall about 'zebra count', 'lost ones' and 'total fuck ups from some cunt in Canterlot' bore heavy on the wall. None of them made any sense to me, though I guessed that from the Canterlot comment they must have been from the old war.

Using all the strength I could muster, I brought my forelegs down solidly onto the ground below me, pushing my chest up.
I wobbled as I tried but felt stable enough for the next step, ready to see how well I could move. Putting my rear legs against the floor I began to push, only to fall back down crying out in agony not even a second later.

Upon catching my breath after the pain and having lost the urge to throw up from the sheer sensation, I spoke to myself aloud as if it made any difference to do so. "Why... why can't I get up?"
Looking around, there was nothing above me that would prevent me. There was no wires, no obstructions, no hooves to kick me back down. That was when I remembered what had happened moments before passing out.
Looking down at my left rear leg, I could see it was heavily bandaged.
Touching the bandaging with my magic, I could feel a small rigid outline within the bandaging itself.

Upon taking a moment to think about it, I realised I must have broken my leg during my attempt to get out of the factory. Yes, I remembered the fall now. I could remember the sheer terror of helplessness, my inability to prevent my body from clashing against the metal or to stop the sequence of supports that snapped after it. I now remembered it all vividly, the fright of that fall. It was almost like the time Crimson had dropped me, what with it being through my own stupidity in both cases that caused the event. What wasn't the same however, was he wasn't there to save me this time.

No, I couldn't let thoughts like those take over me right now. If I'm trapped, if I'm imprisoned somewhere, I had to keep my morale up. Remember my training, focus on what I have left first and foremost, figure out what my situation is and then make my choice from there.
Well, taking everything and assessing the situation didn't give me a lot of hope.
I was lost, albeit in a building that seemed warm and had a proper roof over it, at the very least.
As well as that, I had a broken leg. However, whomever had taken me had been kind enough to treat it, even if the form of treatment seemed to be primitive with just magic bandages and a splint.
I didn't know medical procedures personally, only basic first aid for if somepony's been hit. Maybe they'd done more than that, maybe not though.

So, I had to admit, the situation wasn't as bad as it could have been. It could have definitely been worse, I could have simply died on the fall or fell to the ground and been eaten by radroaches or radrats. Still, it wasn't my preferred option, this definitely wasn't the PLAC base.
I still had my Pipbuck, though I no longer had any of my weapons. Much to my surprise though, my saddlebags sat in the corner of the room, close to the door.
Now I had a good reason to try pick myself back up.

Pressing down upon the floor with my front two legs, I pushed my chest back up as I had before. Pressing my rear right leg onto the floor and keeping all weight off my left, I managed to pick myself up.
Standing there with one badly hurt leg, I slowly inched my way over to the door.
Inside my bags, everything was still there! My food, my supplies, even my ammo! Now I didn't know what was going on here, who would simply leave all my gear barring my guns sitting right next to me if they were to take me somewhere?

The thought occurred to me, perhaps whomever had taken me here wasn't someone hostile to me? Perhaps it was the Anarchists, or even the zebra group... who were they again? Zebras United or some such, right?
That would make sense, perhaps it was one of those two groups.
If that was the case, perhaps the door was just closed to give me some privacy? That made sense, if my guns were taken away purely to keep everyone including myself safe, the door would be open.

Pulling my bags over my shoulder with my magic, I took a deep breath. This was it, the time of truth. Pressing the handle down with my magic I was met with resistance. Frowning, I tried again with no difference.
Perhaps the door was just rusty? Pressing my hoof on it, I tried to use force to push it open. Under the force, the door budged but hit against its own frame as the lock prevented it from opening.
Lowering myself onto my rump, that proved it. I was trapped here and given my saddlebags for some reason unbeknownst to me.

To my right, a tired sounding older voice spoke with a soft accent. "Don't even bother wasting your energy, you won't get out."

"Um, excuse me, but who are you?" I asked as cautiously as I could, not wanting to offend whomever it may have been.

"Me? I'm nopony in particular. Besides, it's best not to get to know me too well anyway. I hear their taunts loud and clear," The voice paused for a moment and breathed in before putting on a mocking expression. "'cheer up, cheer up. You won't be in there for long, as soon as we've got The Executioner we'll be having all your heads on poles next to one another. Doesn't that sound like fun?'" The pony behind the voice sighed, desperation and resignation filling the atmosphere as he did.

"The Executioner, huh?" I asked with a cocky grin upon my face, even if it couldn't be seen. "Well, too bad. My Crimson isn't going to be caught that easily, you've got some time yet."

"Your what?" Another voice asked, this one female. "Wait." She immediately blurted out right after, not even giving herself a chance to think. "Your voice... why do I get the feeling I've heard it before? That name, too. Crimson... Crimson..."

"Crimson Wings aka The Executioner, as he likes to call himself." I muttered with a roll of my eyes. "He began calling himself that after taking swift justice to a raider out in the wastes on the trail to Curvetail Junction."

The voice gasped, followed by a small squeal of delight. "Yes! I remember now! The pegasus! The one... the one who informed me..." Her voice trailed off into a sad, quiet tone that went nowhere with mutterings that made no sense.

With great curiosity, I gave the mystery mare the most caring and benevolent voice I could. "Informed you of what?"
Whatever it was, it had to be something important to her, no doubt about that. A mare doesn't just lose herself in thought like that without a good reason.

She began to whimper, sob even. Immediately I began to regret asking, but it was too late now. I tried to insist that it wasn't important for me to know, but I think we both knew that it wouldn't leave my mind if I wasn't in the know. Instead of holding onto her secret, she let it out the best she could between gentle sobs.
"He was the one who informed me... of the kids. Boulder, Rockface, Charmer, Lil' queen, Sugar Heart, Tangles and Platinum. How they died. At first when he told me, I was too shocked. I didn't register that they were gone, I was too busy being selfish and worrying about my own life and security to really think about it. Now I've been caught though, I've had all the time in the world."

Platinum? Fucking Platinum? Well fuck me, I now knew how she recognised my voice if even a little, she must have been Blessed Cradle!
"Blessed Cradle, is that you?"

"Yeah. You're Crimson's friend, right? The one who travels with him? Why would he tell me something like he did, does he not care about who he hurts?"

If I had been able to walk properly, I would've taken a step back in shock right now. Crimson not caring about who he hurts? Sure, he may be foolish at times, foalish at others and perhaps not always really thinking about what he does, but not caring?
"No, you have him down all wrong." I insisted. "He makes mistakes, but I'm sure he didn't mean to hurt you. I really, really can't imagine him saying anything about what happened to hurt you. Hell, he was in the worst state I've ever seen him over that and I've known him well enough for the last few years to know he's never been as upset as he was."

"Whatever. All I can say is that I failed to do my job of keeping the children safe. Not only that, I wasn't even there to help Misty Days when she tried to get out've dodge. Maybe if I had been there with her..."

"Things wouldn't have been any different, aside from you falling victim too." I sorrowfully added. "I don't mean to make you feel worse, but there's nothing you could've done. We tried our best."

"Don't mean to make me feel worse, huh?" She blurted out before sniffing hard between sobs. Her voice now grew spiteful and angry. "Well good job, you've only gone and upset me further. Thank you very much."

Letting out a big sigh, I felt my head droop down to the floor. Shit. I really hadn't meant to do that, maybe I should've just kept my big mouth shut. I never was good at being convincing with my speech... how the hell did Crimson do it?
Before I could mull on it for too long however, the male sparked back up.

"Oh, don't worry about her, Miss. She's been through a lot as of late, blames herself for what happened." Yeah, I could see that. "Also," The voice continued. "she seems to have become somewhat depressed over the matter, as you can tell. She's been having mood swings for the last few days. Don't take it to heart, you were just unaware. I'm Pony Joe, what's your name?"

"Pony Joe? Wait, as in the Pony Joe who runs the courier service?" I was in utter amazement! Pony Joe and Blessed Cradle In the same place! Now it was just a shame that I was in no fit or fighting condition to attempt a breakout with them.

The old buck chuckled a little, drawing in breath after his laugh to speak. "The very one. You've heard of me then? How comes?"

"I... we had a letter for you to take." I explained. "I managed to find the addressee, in the end though. Me and Titan went your shop over in Slumside and found it had been ravaged by somepony and that you weren't there. We quickly found out you were kidnapped though, even had the blame pointed on myself at one point!"

The buck laughed again. "No, I know that it wasn't you. The authorities arrested me for 'dispensing sensitive packages of highly dangerous content to known terrorists and anti-coalition fighters'. A complete set up, if you ask me. I run a courier service, what did they expect? I don't check the packages in jobs, I just transport the goods and get my caps, they knew that when I applied for my license to do so."

"So, did you do that?" I couldn't help but feel like a filly asking all these questions, but it sure as hell beat sitting on my rump and doing nothing all day while trapped in a cell somewhere I didn't know and not talking to the folks around me.

"Oh, of course." He replied heartedly.

"Knowingly?"

"Yep. In fact, I'm a close friend of Titan. All the jobs I've done for the PLAC."

My eyes crossed and I paused for a moment. Had he seriously just willingly admitted to all this without fear? "Why... would you freely say that? So care free, I mean?" I was really confused now.

"Oh, come on." He began. "Do you really expect me to get out of here alive? It doesn't matter what I admit to now, as long as I don't admit to where certain locations are. I'm a free pony, free to say whatever I like because I know that any day coming could be my last. Sort've liberating in a strange, twisted way. I mean, look at me. There's nothing left to fear because I already know it's already just waiting on one final detail so why care if they know I willingly worked alongside the rebel forces of both the PLAC and ZUC?"

Scraping my hoof against the floor, I pondered upon his point. He had a really good point it seemed.

As if wanting to catch me off guard, he interrupted my thought process with a question of his own. "So, little miss. You haven't told me your own name yet. And what's this of Crimson Wings? I thought he was that pegasus from Four Ridges"

"Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Cherry Sundae and yes, Crimson is the pegasus from Four Ridges."

With a gentle humming, the older sounding buck pondered. "Oh, but that's not all, is it?"

"What do you mean?" I asked defensively, not liking where this could go.

"Something about him being the leader, no?"

"No." I responded sharply before taking a pause before continuing. "...Future leader. He's not the leader yet, even if he likes to pretend he is with the whole 'I'm the big boss' attitude he likes to don. Besides, how do you know and why is it important?"

"Oh, it's nothing really. I'd heard some rumours here and there about him, whispers about something somepony wants to do. I'm not really sure though, it never concerned me and I hear so much gossip that it's hard to keep track of what's true and what's important. As well as that, it's good to know of major players in the bigger world around you anyway, especially when your job is to be a courier and go places."

The tone of voice he took at the end of that told me he wouldn't be handing me any of those whispers, I just had to put it beside me for now and hope none of them were bad. I wouldn't be able to work them out of this buck, that was for certain.
Still, I knew as not just his guard but also his lover that any whispers would probably either upset me or make me worry, so I tried not to think about it. I didn't need to know, that's what I kept telling myself anyway.
Instead, I needed to keep myself focused on the surroundings around me and try to really figure out what I could do to stay alive.

After the conversation died between myself and Pony Joe, I hobbled on over to the back of my cell and laid upon the bed. It wasn't overly comfortable, but it'd still do better than the floor. I was thankful for that, very much so.
Pony Joe and Blessed Cradle had begun to speak about something some time later, but I didn't listen in. I just looked at the ceiling above and tried not to concentrate on the nagging pain that ran through my leg. Instead, I thought about how I'd fucked up after blowing the intersection, how my mistake could have cost my life if I hadn't been so stupidly lucky.

As the pair were talking however, a loud banging came from outside as hooves smashed against what sounded to be metal grating, coming closer and closer to us.
The sound of an opening door was punctuated with a loud voice, leaving me confused. "You fuckers, shut the fuck up! I'm trying to spend my time in peace and all I can fucking hear is you!"

"Oh fuck off and stop being an ass" Blessed spat back, her mood quickly having swung from somewhat neutral with a tinge of sadness to anger. "I've had enough of your complaining about us speaking as if we're meant to fucking sit in here in silence or something. What you going to do about it, huh?"

"Blessed..." Pony Joe tried to assert himself, to calm her down. Instead, she ignored his attempt to try get her to focus on something else.

She spoke out again, louder this time. "No. What the fuck is he gonna do about it? What else are we meant to do huh?"
Although I couldn't see the mysterious stranger who'd I assumed to be a guard, I could tell that he was getting angry. His breathing rate increased and the sound of frustration as his hooves scraped on the floor was something I couldn't help but pick up on.
Something about the way he moved and the sounds it produced told me he was a big pony, but not too large. The weight in his steps and lack of clanging metal didn't sound like he was wearing armour however.

Pony Joe and myself both paused, aware that staying silent was a good idea right now. Blessed didn't seem to get the idea however, and began to taunt the guard.
Suddenly, a resounding stop filled the room and the guard began to shout. "I've had enough of you. We'll see whose brave enough to taunt me in a second!"

With that, he stomped his way over to her cell and the sound of the door opening filled my ears, immediately followed by a crack.
Blessed cried out in pain as another crack hit, her body falling to the floor. I now realised what was happening and worse, realised I couldn't stop it.
The sound of his hooves repeatedly smashed against the poor mare as she sputtered, cried and whelped in pain. The poor mare was taking a beating and to my horror, that wasn't the end of it.

Within moments he stopped hitting her, though now he'd began to speak in a harsh tone as she sobbed. "Open your fucking mouth and be quiet."

The young mare replied back pitifully, doing her best to stand up to him. "N... no."

Now with a sinister tone in his voice he spoke again, worry filling my mind as I felt helpless not knowing what was going on. "No?" He spat at her and with that hit her once more. "Open your mouth and be quiet otherwise I'll make this even worse on you. Don't make it worse for yourself."

The poor mare tried to resist again, tried to tell him she wouldn't. Instead of being able to get a full sentence out however, she was hit down to the floor and picked back up.
Just as she was groaning in pain from the battering, her voice became muffled and a mixture of gasping for air and her crying filled the room. My blood ran cold imagining what could be happening but his sudden grunting alongside the spluttering sounds ran a cold chill down my spine like lightning. It had dawned upon me what was happening.

Instinctively in defence of the mare, I called out to him. "Oh, a big fucking stallion are you? Fighting some defenceless fucking foalsitter who doesn't know how to fight? Forcing yourself upon her because you can't get any pleasure from anywhere else? Come on over here then! I'll fucking show you what kind of stallion you are! You're a fucking coward! Come try that with somepony who won't make it so easy on you!" I shouted in rage, not wanting to hear any more of an innocent mare being hurt so badly. Normally that would be Crimson's reaction, to encourage and engage in aggression and violence.
Now that the sick fuck had decided that he'd have his way with her however, now it was one of the few things I couldn't stand for. Crimson may have had that moment with Platinum, but that wasn't to say I would be any more tolerant of such a crime.

"What the fuck did you just say to me, meat?" The guard replied, his anger rising as he stopped abusing the mare.
The moment his appendage slipped out of her mouth she gasped and spluttered before falling to the floor as he stepped out of the cell he stood in and made his way over to my own. "I'll fucking smash your horn and do worse to you if you dare speak up again."

"Go on, fucking try it. I dare you, I double dare you! Go on! Fucking try it you cunt!" I bellowed. "You think you're oh so tough, how about you prove it?!"
Now I was snarling, I was just as angry as he was. No-one fucking threatened that shit on me! No-one fucking acted like this around me either! I may have had a broken leg but I still knew how to fight.
Adrenaline pumped through my body and made me feel stronger, tougher, bigger. It made the pain in my leg seem like nothing as my muscles tensed up readying for the lunge I'd throw. All I had to do was wait for him to open up the door.

With the moments passing the door opened and before me stood a sight I hadn't expected, a donkey with broad shoulders and a grim face stared at me. Scars down his eyes on both sides and one across his neck told me he was no stranger to fighting, most likely close range or even melee fighting. Still, I had no time to give up now. Especially not with my hoof flying at his face!

Before he could even react, my blow struck against his forehead, dazing him momentarily. I tried to throw myself forward for another swing, but the fact of my damaged leg meant I didn't have the ability to push off from the ground like I'd needed to. Instead, I found my swing falling short as I fell face first down into the ground.
Instinct got me to roll upon landing, hopefully moving out of the way of any incoming strikes aimed at me in retaliation.

As I moved my body quickly reminded me mid-roll that even despite the adrenaline coursing through me that My leg is broken or at least fractured and I couldn't expect to have full mobility. Damn it.
Still, that wasn't enough to stop me completely and despite the fact that the pain slowed me down, I'd avoided getting hit all the same.

Now the ass stared at me with an equal mixture of anger and confusion before going straight back to plain anger with having missed his reaction shot. Within a split second he was already throwing another two strikes at me which I ducked for the first attempt but the second caught my side, knocking me off balance.
Stumbling around the floor, I span around as quick as I could manage to regain my balance and bucked him to the face, sending him onto his rump in another moment of bewilderment.
"Didn't fucking expect to get hit back, did you?" I taunted the bastard before swinging for him with a strong right, colliding my hoof into his jaw.

Unfortunately for me, he took it a lot better this time and threw me down onto my back with an explosion of anger. My head bounced off the floor and dazed me momentarily as he charged.
Before I could attempt to get up he was already atop of me, smashing his hooves down into the ground either side of my head as I did my best to dodge. With my busted leg kicking his rear legs out wasn't an option, it'd only leave him in a position just as strong for him and weaker for me.
With that I attempted to hit his chest but it didn't seem to do much, there was just nowhere near the amount of room that I'd needed to use all my strength.

Upon the failure of my attack the bastard hit me back and I quickly found my face getting pummelled into the concrete below as his first, second and third series of hits landed successfully, making me reel in pain and really fucking wish I had taken more hoof to hoof combat training lessons.

Within quick succession, this fight had gone from even to me under him and in a bad way. From the look in his eyes and what he had been threatening to do to me, I didn't want to think what would happen if I couldn't bring back the tide to my side. I would not be a victim. I would not give him that chance. Trying to roll out from under him was useless as he climbed atop the moment I got free. Narrowly avoiding another hit, I decided there was only one way to get out from this situation.
Throwing my head up at him I plunged my teeth into his neck as tightly as I could, causing him to scream in pain with what little breath he could gather.
The large donkey reared up in pain and I used that to my advantage, holding onto his throat and wrapping my forelegs around his shoulders to pull myself back up off the floor and harm him further.

Without warning another powerful thump came to the side of my head, knocking me off and back down to the floor, my head landing next to my bag. My vision turned white and all sound seemed to be dominated by a ringing as colour slowly came back to the world around me.
Looking up, his face was scrunched up as he snarled something at me that I still couldn't quite make out.

"Fucking bitch!" He cried out, barely catching his breath back as he rubbed his throat. "Now I'm gonna fuck your ass with your own horn, just to make sure you scream!"
My eyes widened once more. No! No! No! He would not be getting that pleasure! I had no choice now, I had to do whatever it took to defend myself with no care about limits.
Just as he threw himself atop of me once more, I felt his hips smash against mine as he pushed his body down upon my own. I had to do something drastic.

Lunging my mouth at him again, I tore at his throat as viciously as I could before rolling his body off. I needed a way to end this fight right now and looking at my bag, I knew exactly what would make the difference.
Using my magic to probe through the items as quickly as I could, my hooves pounded into his face repeatedly to keep him occupied. It would have been a lot easier if I had been able to buck him around the room, but that was no option.
Within seconds of searching I thankfully pulled my screwdriver out of my saddlebags side pocket and quickly levitated it right to his eye, ready to stab into the squishy and easily penetrated weak spot.

Now I spoke in the most menacing tone I could between laboured breaths, trying to recoup from all the energy I'd wasted and pain I felt. "If you want to keep your eyes, genitals or life..."
He looked back at me, the screwdriver ready to plunge deep into him. He paused in hesitation and as I stopped panting I spoke in a hushed whisper to emphasise my point. "If you want to keep your eye or hell, even your life, you'll listen to me now. You will not be riding me or any other of the captives, got that? Nor will you come back because If I see you again, I will not hesitate to defend myself to any extent required. This is your one chance."

The donkey looked at me nervously for a moment, unmoving in both his placement and posture. From behind him, the sound of hoofsteps came around the corner. Before I could do a thing his head fell back and his hoof swung at me, colliding with my face. The blow caught me off guard and knocked me onto my damaged leg causing me yelp in pain before collapsing down to the ground again, throwing the screwdriver across the floor and under my bed as I fell onto my back.
My face really hurt, my leg burned in pain and I was sure I was bleeding somewhere across my forehead. Still, that wouldn't matter if whomever just came in was any of his friends. I began to shake in fright of the thought of what could happen if they were. Two versus one especially when so heavily wounded was never good odds, I would be severely outmatched.

"Private." A calm, collected voice spoke. It wasn't the tone of a question however, but of a demand.

The donkey immediately returned to a disciplined tone of voice and looked to the pony who stood before him. Something seemed familiar about the pony though I couldn't tell why as the donkey spoke. "Yes sir. I was just checking up on the prisoners, sir."

"I heard shouting, private. Two doors are open and you're in one of their cells. Care to explain yourself?"

Now the donkey began to hesitate and mutter his words, occasionally stuttering and obviously visually worried over where the topic had gone. "Well, uh, the prisoners were getting aggressive sir."

A grunt of displeasure came from Pony Joe's cell before he spoke. "That's a damned lie and you know it!" He called out, anger growing with every word. "You came in here barking orders for Blessed Cradle be quiet despite simply talking with me and when she refused, you beat her before forcing yourself upon her! When you did that, the other one called you out on being a fucking coward rapist and you went to her instead!"

The pony went to the other cell first, checking on Blessed Cradle who laid on the floor still groaning in pain before speedily trotting over to my cell and looking on in horror as I laid across the floor, blood dripping down my forehead and over my eyes, pooling across the floor slightly now that I had been immobile.
Slowly he mouthed some works I couldn't make out and turned toward the donkey.

His tone was cold now, though I couldn't have expected what was about to happen. "Private."

"Yes?" The donkey said in turn.

The sound of the crack was almost deafening in the silent room. The donkey fell to the floor, his eyes wide in shock as he went to get back up. Again he was struck by the pony who wasn't even as big as him, yet he fell back down as if he'd been hit by a collapsing building.
Strike after strike, the donkey fell down. He'd attempted to strike back at one point, but found himself gripped around the shoulders and thrown down to the floor before being kicked around in a righteous fury. Kick after kick rained down upon the donkey until his face was easily as bad as my own, his squeals for mercy left ignored under the sound of his skull and ribs being hit with immense force.

At the end of it, the pony stood panting over the body of the now heavily shaking donkey, pain overwhelming him after the beating he'd just received. Instead of trying to get up, he now laid there, submitting to the pony above him.
Slowly the pony leant in to speak, but found a hoof smash against the underside of his jaw in return and the donkey attempted to rise back up.
The pony stood in awe as he had, allowing the donkey another chance to fight back and getting knocked down for it.
Now the donkey was up and fighting again, the pony needed my help.

Using all the strength and courage I could muster, I picked myself off the floor for one last attempt to end this. I couldn't see my screwdriver so I just had to rely on normal strikes this time, but with any luck I'd be able to manage it all the same.
Hobbling over to the donkey as he pounded a few blows into the pony below, I taunted him as I got close enough for him to hear me whisper into his ear.
"Hey, fucker. Guess what?"

As he turned his face towards me, I struck with all the energy I had left in me, launching my whole body at him.
Under me he went, falling to the floor. Now it was my turn to smash hooves into someone's face. One hit, two hits, three hits, four, five.
Five hits before the donkey gave up and looked like he wasn't going to get back up any time soon. Taking a breather, I crawled back into my cell and huddled up into the corner, hoping that my action wouldn't call down any punishment upon myself. Besides, the bastard deserved it.

It took a good minute before the pony in the corner of the room had managed to pick himself back up from the floor, though he immediately kicked the donkey in the ribs as he walked past him.
As the ass groaned in pain the pony leant down and whispered something about authority into his ear, though from where I was I couldn't make out exactly what was being said and my head hurt too much to try anyway.

With the clearing of his throat, the pony spoke as he looked down upon me. There was a small smile upon his face, making me worried about what he was thinking. The moment I heard his voice, I felt strangely calm however.
"So, you again." Looking into his eyes there was a small glint of recognition, though I couldn't tell why. I just watched as he smiled and carried on. "It's been a while, hasn't it? I guess I should thank you for what you did just there, even if it is strange for a prisoner to be protecting their own captor and guard. Hah."

Looking at him, there was something strange in the way he spoke. He was acting as if he'd known me from before this yet I couldn't recognise him in the slightest. There stood this buck who while admittedly attractive, wasn't anything close enough to memorable in terms of looks... his colours were pretty mundane with his cream coat and grey mane. There had to be something that was making him act this way, but I couldn't tell what. "Excuse me, but may I ask something?"

"Of course, a question for a question. Quaint, no?"

With that he shot me a look of honest happiness as I went cross-eyed thinking about it. Who in the wasteland spoke quite like that?! Still, he'd given me permission to ask a question... I think. "Do you know who I am?"

"No, not quite." He began, his smile growing. "Don't mind telling this stallion your name, do you?"

Taking this moment and turning to to my advantage the best I could, I asked another question before answering his. "If I tell you my name, you'll tell me why you're so happy to see me?" With that, he gave a nod. "Okay, well if you want to know, my name is Cherry Sundae."

"Cherry Sundae? Ahh, well miss Sundae, it's a pleasure to meet you again. We've met before, and that's why I was so surprised to see you again. Before you ask, we met when there were some extra precautions going on to do with security. I was assigned to be the troop leader for the market, searching everyone for any illegal goods such as explosives and smoke grenades. You are the mare who threatened my life and let me live for the price of keeping control over myself."

Suddenly the realisation hit me, it was him! The leader of the small group who had almost shot Storm!
My jaw dropped in disbelief as I looked at him more closely and tried to envision him wearing his armour and helmet that he had worn that day. Looking at him, I could tell he was watching my face with every passing second, analysing my reaction.
Slowly his eyes opened up a little further and his smile loosened to a more casual state, comfort beginning to set in.

"You..." I muttered, barely audible to even myself. "Why? Why did you keep me alive after you found me? Do you want revenge for me having possibly humiliated you in front of your troops? Am I here to be hurt, tortured and suffer for what I've done?" The thoughts ran through my head, my blood running cold as I imagined the pain he may have wanted me to experience.

Instead of answering in some sadistic method though, he actually seemed quite hurt by it! That wasn't something I had expected to see, but with my question he stepped back and looked at me in shock as if I had just said the unthinkable.
"Me, hurt you? Cherry, no. I saved you so I could say thank you."

I just blinked, not muttering a word but instead letting him continue.

"You had the chance to kill me there and then. My troops might not have seen what happened there, I don't think any of them had. You could have easily killed me and either moved on to the rest of my crew or simply slipped on by. Instead, you bargained for the safety of those around you, you bargained for me to regain my cool in a moment of fear and confusion. I don't like to admit it, but that moment then was one of weakness from myself. My original orders were to imprison or exterminate any whom seem sketchy, though I wasn't willing to go and do that unless pressed. When things moved to chaos, I didn't know what else to do."

Not quite sure what to make of what I'd just been told, I tired not to sound too aggressive as I spoke. "So, you go to order your troop to fire into the crowd anyway?"

"It wasn't what I wanted to order, but think of it this way: I was in the middle of enemy territory, despite all that the Coalition likes to claim about having utter domination over all of Coltchester. I was outnumbered thirty to one, easily. Any number of ponies, zebras and donkeys could have a gun and any number of those could be anti-coalition. When the trademark smoke grenades of the Anarchist movement sparked off, I knew I was in trouble unless I could do something to cull the crowds aggression. It wasn't an easy choice for me to make and if I could have stopped you from pinning me like you did I still wouldn't have it any other way. You forced my hoof into the right decision that day."

I looked at the pony in front of me who now sat down with a humble look in his eyes, sincerity in droves filling his voice.
It took me a few moments to take in all what he had told me, but now I was beginning to understand.
"So, I made a truly meaningful impact on you, huh?"

To that he gave a small nod in response. "Of course. As a member of the honour-guard, I honestly don't know how I would have been able to cope with what it would have caused if it wasn't for your intervention."

"How do you recognise me though? Also, doesn't imprisoning me seem a little bit weird of a way to say thank you?"

"Maybe, but that's a much better way of saying thank you than to either let you die from infection and blood loss or even with a bullet to the brain, as no doubt would have happened if I hadn't picked you up. You were laying in the middle of the battleground wearing armour meant for combat, not long after a highway had been destroyed with explosives and not far from the scene of it all. Some would even go as far as to suggest you might have done it."

With that, he gave me a stare that pierced through my eyes into my very soul. The way he smiled at me told me that he was implying that himself, but I knew that if I openly admitted to such an action then my death would be imminent for the deaths and destruction I caused. Giving a small gulp, I tried to make the most convincing smile that I could while I murmured something to the effect of "oh yeah' and gave a paltry chuckle to go with it.

"Though, that doesn't matter. The other thing about me imprisoning you is that I can find out your name, age, status and what medical things you require for your leg. I've had the medics give it the once over thus far, hence the splint, but that's hardly enough. Speaking of which, I have a syringe of med-x and a healing potion for you, if you would be so kind as to tell me the rest of those."

With a cheeky grin, he bit his bottom lip in an attempt to be even more attractive. Admittedly, it worked but it made him look more cheesy and coltish than manly and seductive. With a whispered chuckle, I shook my head.
"I'm sorry, but I'm already taken. I have a special somepony and he means a lot to me for many different reasons. My age though? Mid to late twenties."

With that, his head lowered slightly and he gave a small pout. "Somepony special huh?" And with that, a sigh. "Care to speak about him? Love... is a rare thing out here, it's something that I hold dear."

Speak about Crimson? I hesitated. "Uh, I'm really sorry, That's probably not a good idea. Don't ask me why, it just isn't."

"Is that so, huh? I guess you wouldn't like to explain why either then. Well, what about your exact age?"

My age again! Did he really need to know? "You haven't even told me your name yet." I quipped back, hoping it would throw him off the scent.

"Oh, my apologies. My name is Blueheart, and as mentioned earlier I am a captain in the Coalition and one of the honour-guard. My own age is thirty one, though I daren't say that matters now you tell me you have somepony."

"That's a point, why even ask? What, am I something special to look at or something?"

Immediately he responded to my question. "Well, yes actually." I couldn't believe what I was hearing! My cheeks burnt and I looked down to the ground as I began to scuff my hoof against the floor.
"Yes, you are very beautiful, Cherry Sundae. The moment I saw your face against mine, I saw what true beauty can be. I had fantasised about meeting you again if only to look at you once more but I never thought for even a moment that I really would."

With that I spluttered in embarrassment, but not against him but out of my own low confidence on the matter. "I..what..well..uh...wellyeahokaylet'smovethetopicnow. Yeah, let's move the topic because you know, special somepony and all that."

With a sigh, Blueheart reached into his bag and handed me both the vial of healing potion and syringe of med-x. "Here, have them. I had hoped that maybe we'd be able to talk for a little longer, but I can see I'm only making you uncomfortable. If you're going to use the med-x, be sure to do it discreetly though. I told medical that we'd lie and say it was for me, though if anyone else finds out we're both going to be in a whole lot of trouble. You more so than me by a long shot. Well, I'll be going now. I wish I'd been able to learn a little more about you, but such is the way of things."

Just like that, he'd given me the medical goods and stood up before walking off towards the collapsed guard. Grabbing him around the neck he began to drag him outside.
Just as the pair had gotten through the door my broadcaster began to beep loudly, indicating a call. Now really wasn't the right time for a call from Mayor Su-.

The voice of a now very familiar buck called out to me causing me great joy and alarm at the same time. "Cherry, Cherry, can you hear me?"
Looking down at my pipbuck, I really didn't want to let Blueheart know who he was. Instead of returning the call, I tried my best to ignore it while fumbling around for some headphones so it might not attract the captains attention.

Again he called my name. "Cherry? ...Cherry? Please, Cherry?"
Well shit. Looking into the doorway the captain now turned around, his ears twitching to hear the sounds of my broadcaster better.
"Cherry? Oh princesses, please say you're okay. Please. Cherry? I need you to be okay, please."

And with that, he walked on closer and with a beaming smile, looked at me before nodding his head and sitting back down opposite me. "So, this your buckfriend?"

For a moment I paused, but it was useless to try resist now. If I lied he would know the very same second the words left my mouth, there was no choice but to tell him the honest truth. "Yes."

With the most innocent look upon his face that I had seen thus far, he asked a question of me that seemed rather redundant to ask in the first place. "Can I listen to your conversation?"

With a sigh of my own, I agreed. "Okay, but only if you stay quiet and definitely don't go and say anything that will worry him. He's foolhardy and young and if you make him worry he'll only become aggressive, no doubt. He just cares too much and thinks he's got to do the best for everyone at all times is all."

"I accept. Now, feel free to speak as you would otherwise."

Hitting the return broadcast button, I began to transmit my side of the conversation. "Crimson? Is... is that you?"
I was sure it was, but I just wanted him to really say so. There was something comforting in that.

Within a split second he began to cry out in joy at my response, reaffirming how comforting he could be even with the small things. "Cherry! You're alive! Oh my word, I was so fucking afraid that I had lost you. Oh goddesses, I'm so sorry Cherry. Oh so sorry. I really, really am. I was knocked out from the blast, I think, and the next thing I know, I'm here at the HQ."

"Knocked out from the blast, huh?" The captain mused.

Ignoring him, I focused back to Crimson. "You're safe? Good. I've missed you, but look, you really shouldn't-"
I worried that speaking too much about what happened would alert the captain, but now it was too late. He put his hoof over my broadcaster for a moment, blocking the microphone.

"Crimson? That name is extremely familiar with me. By any chance is he the one and only Crimson Wings?"

Growling at him, I had to try deny it. "No, I won't tell you!"

"Cherry? What's going on?" Crimson asked in a worried voice, the sound muffled by the captains hoof.

In a very cloaked tone, Blueheart began to lay a subtle threat upon the proverbial table. "Please, Cherry. Don't forget that I just brought you some things that by normal standards would get you in very serious trouble. Now, I'm not saying that I would alert anyone to those things, but nor would I try and hide them for you either if you keep refusing to answer some simple, harmless questions."

Seeing as my options were limited to just one, I had no other choice. "Fine. Yes, yes it is. Happy now? Good, keep your end of the bargain though." It wasn't what I had wanted to say or do, but there really wasn't any alternatives. He was right, if I was found with contraband items inside my cell there would be no telling of what the punishment would be for me and that was the last thing I needed.

Just like that, his tone turned a little friendlier once more. "Of course, of course. One more thing, I want to speak to him right now."

Right now? Was he kidding? I sat there in shock, not sure what to say for a moment. "What?! Hm. Fine."
For a moment I paused, looking down at the pipbuck again. Was this really a good idea to let the two speak? I couldn't be sure that Crimson wouldn't say something to set the captain off or that the captain wouldn't say something that would set Crimson off, but I had to give them both my trust right now.

As I thought over it all the captain sat there staring at me before leaning and whispering into my ear. "Tick tock, Cherry. May I?"

"Okay, okay. Just let me tell him first, okay?" The last thing I needed was to just throw him at Crimson and make the situation into a balefire bomb waiting to go off. It was bad enough as it was!

At this point, he pulled his hoof away from my foreleg and smiled. "Okay."

I took a moment to breathe and collect my thoughts, figure out how the hell to word what I was going to say to Crimson to try make sure this didn't get out of hoof, but again, all I could really do was trust the pair of them to play by the rules and be on their best behaviour. Still, I couldn't blame either of them if anything happened, this was a extremely stressful situation for all of us it seemed.
"Look, Crimson. I've been captured by the DZC. However, the pony whom captured me is somepony who I've ran into before. We spared each-others lives then and he's decided to spare my life now. I'm being treated admirably though I have been locked up, as you might assume." At this point I paused for a moment, hoping that he was listening. "Captain Blueheart would like to speak to you, Crimson. Be polite, okay? For me?"

All control was handed over to their pair now as I just watched the captains eyes grow softer and he smiled at me again before focusing on my pipbuck. Crimson let out an audible sigh over the waves, though that was at least a little reassuring because it meant he was giving in to my request, no doubt.

With that, the captain spoke loud and clearly. "Hello, Mister Wings. My name is Blueheart, I am a captain of the Coalition's Slumside regiment. I've heard a lot about you, Executioner."

A strong tone of apprehension was obvious in Crimson's voice as he replied. "Excuse me, but how do you know my name, both of them in fact?"

Looking at the captain in horror, he shot me another smile. He knew! He fucking knew all along! Oh, that was fucking evil of him, lying to me like that! I mean, I guessed that he thought I might be a little more responsive if I thought that maybe I wasn't known to be responsible at all, but fuck!
Catching onto my panic though, he gave me a small shushing sound as he tried to coo me back to peace which, begrudgingly, I did.

Now I really didn't like having let him in on this broadcast, but there was nothing I could do. Instead, I just had to grin and bear it and hope to Celestia and he wouldn't put me on death row any time soon.

*** *** ***

The rest of the call had gone pretty poorly from that point. The captain had mentioned about how his original orders were to kill me for suspected treason and treachery against the state of the Coalitions rule and as a way of getting back at him but then how he had been going against those and keeping me alive.
Crimson blew up into a fit of rage and I could only imagine what was going through his head as he barked out his responses, anger filling every syllable of his voice as he spoke.

Thankfully it also turned out that we had something important to the captain, his brother and sister in law.
I'd told him about how it was me who found the pair and brought them into PLAC care to get medical treatment and that won me some respect points by the look in his eyes, though I still didn't know what to think of him at all now that the conversation had ended.

Now I sat alone, waiting for the time when there would be no guards. Though there was nopony in the immediate area from the sounds of things, there was someone walking around not too far away. If the captain hadn't lied to us about their routine for shift changes, we had a small amount of time to speak to one another without issue. For that, I couldn't wait.
Crimson had annoyed me with his outburst but that was nothing, especially not with why he had the moment of anger. I couldn't blame my poor love. He was simply frustrated over my situation and I really couldn't say I wouldn't have felt the same way.

Staying awake while waiting for Crimson's call wasn't easy, but eventually I made it while laying down on my bed.
"Cherry... Cherry, it's me. I just want to let you know... I love you. I'm sorry I wasn't there to keep you safe, to get you back here. I'm sorry I couldn't do better."

Upon hearing his words my heart melted and my tired eyes closed, thinking of his face as he spoke. Holding my forelegs close to my chest, I imagined that maybe if his voice was close to my heart that I would feel like he was here, holding me. Perhaps he might have been imagining the same thing, I sure hoped that he would be. Every moment spent away from him was painful because all I wanted was to have my cheek nuzzling against his, to make me feel safe once more.
"It's okay, I'm sorry too. I'm sorry I didn't stay with you, to keep you safe. You're the more important of us two, I should have done my job better. Nevermind, we're both alive. I love you too, Crimson."

"Cherry?" Crimson paused until I gave a small murmur in confirmation. "Remember that.. no matter where you go - I will always stay by your side.. even if I can't be there myself, I will always be in your heart. Again, I love you. Goodnight."
My cheeks must have been scarlet as they burnt and my hindlegs rubbed together in pure joy as I heard his words slide into my ears and fill my heart with hope and love.

With that, the call ended. That didn't stop me from squealing to myself about how much he made me feel special though and even if he wouldn't hear it, I knew he would know what I whispered next.
"I love you too, Crimson. So very, very much."
And with that, I held my pipbuck close to my chest and closed my eyes, gradually falling asleep to the thought of Crimson holding me.

*** *** ***

As I lay there on the sofa with Eos, things were calm. I was infinitely glad to be able to speak to the apple of my eye, though it wasn't the same to do so through pipbucks as it was in the flesh.
Being unable to nuzzle into her, to taste her lips and smell her natural scent... they were experiences I really missed and vowed that the very moment we got back here, I would take full appreciation of.

Sighing to myself, I wasn't sure what to do. The sleepy alicorn still laid across my chest though I could tell she was beginning to wake up after my conversation.
Looking down at the large mare, I began to stroke her mane and tried to gently coo her back to sleep.

Instead, she just looked back up at me. "Crimson, I can't quite sleep right now. My body feels tingly all over and... well, I don't know what to say. Stay awake with me?"

Groaning in tiredness, I didn't know what to say either. "Probably the alcohol."

"Uuuuughhh.. Are you sure you can't make it better for me? My heads dizzy and I want you against me, but it's not working with me laying on you like this. Fix it----"

Chuckling to myself over her inexperience, I responded with all the sympathy I could. "I can't fix it, you have to wait it out."

Instead of responding she simply turned to me and began to nuzzle herself into my neck, planting small seductive kisses as she did. It was surprising to me and although a part of me really enjoyed the sensation, it was wrong. Instead of letting it carry on, I gave her a gentle swat on the nose. "Naughty Eos."

With that, she whined. "But... but..." Her eyes looked at me with longing, her cheeks rosy. "It feels..."

Where before I was shocked and confused, I now understood what was happening. She mustn't have been too experienced with drinking, now she was horny. Looking down upon the usually graceful mare, I didn't know whether to laugh or be serious with her.
Still, from all my time being the kind of stallion I was, I had known many mares drunk and horny.
Drunk and horny mares were only second place to drunk horny mares who were also in estrous in terms of desire.
There was only two options I had, compromise or to go with the flow.

Instead of giving in to temptation I knew that my only true option was compromise, the hurt it would've caused Cherry would be too much to bare for one night of fun. "Look," I began in a soft yet stern tone of voice as I gave her my offer. "if I give you a kiss, will that make you go to sleep? 'Cos if not, I'll call Sandstorm over and I'm sure he'd love to sleep atop of us both. Cherry means too much to me, I can't do anything further but if it gets you to sleep, I'll give you that."

For a moment she paused and thought about her options, then with a defeated sigh, agreed with a smile and gave a bout of sudden enthusiasm behind her nod. Rolling my eyes, I'd always known that mares were mysterious and complex creatures from some strange place not found in Equestria, but I could never truly get enough of how weird they were, it always made me laugh. At least it solved this problem.

Placing my lips against hers, I noticed her eyes flutter closed as I gave her what she wanted. It was only supposed to last for a moment, just enough to get her to calm down from the apparent horniness that the drink had bestowed upon her. The kiss went on for a few seconds longer than planned however as she reached out closer to me to continue as I pulled away and from the racing of my heart and heat I could feel between us, I was enjoying it a lot more than I should have.
Still, pulling away I stroked her slender neck and whispered out to her. "There. Now sleep, I'm calling Sandstorm over to make sure you get no funny business for making that kiss longer."

Again she whined but that was no defence against my stand on the matter, besides, I was protecting her from her own impulses and regrets when she realises what she would have done in the morning.
Sandstorm hadn't come the first time I called him, prompting me to go find him wrapped up in his blanket in his bed.
Looking down at the sleeping colt, I sighed softly. I really felt sorry for him, losing so much so soon and then having the pony who rescued him going missing within a day or two.
Picking him up I carefully cradled him in my hooves as I used my wings to hover me off the floor and carried him over to where Eos sat on the sofa, his eyes beginning to open as I laid myself down.

"Wh.. wha?" He muttered, still half asleep.

I just ruffled his mane softly and stroked his back. "It's fine, go back to sleep Sandstorm. I just wanted you to be close to me and Eos right now. I don't want you to be alone, you've been alone for too long."

Looking at him as his eyes welled up with tears, I felt bad for waking him up and saying something like that, especially now that he was beginning to cry. Holding him closer, I felt his hooves reach around my chest and his muzzle bury itself into me. Gently I wrapped a wing to cover him further and stroked his mane as Eos pouted before snuggling herself into the mix.
Before I could say thing to Sandstorm, he whispered to me as he closed his eyes for the night. "Thank you."
Just like before, my heart melted.

---o---o---o---

Footnote:
Cherry Sundae level up!
Perk unlocked! Toughness!
You've proven yourself capable of standing strong despite the tough conditions you're in! When you have crippled limbs you gain +1 END when you enter fights thanks to your extensive training and conditioning alongside adrenaline!

25 Unarmed attained.

So, chapter nineteen. On top of that, tomorrow (23rd, it turns out!) is Broken Bonds' 1st birthday!
One year, a whole damn year of Broken Bonds. It's come quite the way from what it used to be, huh?
I never expected the story to go anywhere near this long, chapters or chapter length. I never expected that the storyline would mutate and expand itself, making something much more deserving of the title Broken Bonds.

I know my progress over the last year has been rocky at times, I apologise. I wish I was a faster writer, but I'm not.
However, instead of focusing on that, I'm going to focus on all I have done.
230,000 words in a single year? Okay, sure that it's probably closer to only 220,000 of actual story - but that's still pretty impressive in my own opinion - maybe not like Fuzzy, but still something.

Speaking of, I'd like to thank Fuzzy this time around. He's a god damn good guy who genuinely cares about all his readers and even the people (like me) who don't read Murky Number 7. I've only tried to read it once and found it not my style, though I'll be giving it another go sooner or later thanks to how amazing he is as a person.

He gave me tips and motivation to keep myself being productive when I asked, without making me feel like I was wasting his time by doing so.
He's improved his story for the better when people saw an issue, when he saw an issue. He didn't have to, but he did it for the readers.

That's part of why (but not only why) I'm planning a rewrite on all the chapters up to the very most recent ones. It won't be anything major, but it will be improvements (I hope.)
If you want to save the originals, feel free. I have no issue with that at all, be it for comparison or simply to have them.

Also, I want to thank Kkat for being amazing in two different ways this time. First of all for the whole creating the universe and making it so lush and free to create our own content in as writers, also for taking the time to reply to me here and so graciously allow me to tackle something never covered in the original Fallout Equestria.
Before you ask - no, it's nothing like the Shattered Hoof Ridge revision that Somber wrote in his latest chapter - it's actually to do with the food supply in Fillydelphia.
You'll see it mentioned in the rewrites, though it isn't a major plot piece. Just something you may enjoy seeing.

Lastly. thank you for giving me this. Thank you for enjoying my work, for following it, for giving me the motivation to do all this.
I honestly do not know what I would have done with myself for all this time without Broken Bonds, it takes so much of my focus up when I've got nothing else to focus on (and even when I should be focusing on other things!) and I couldn't have possibly made it without all the support I've had from all of you.
I love you all, thank you ever so much.

To all those who comment, to all those who speak to me on steam, you especially. Though to you who don't comment but rather give me a like and follow the story - you too count.
Every view, every favourite, every like and every comment means a lot to me.
Thank you all.

Chapter 20: Making friends

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds
By Kippershy

Chapter Twenty: Making friends

"Alliance does not mean love, any more than war means hate."

Yawning with great tiredness before I'd even opened my eyes, I began to stretch my forelegs out stiffly as I woke up. Tiredness still overwhelmed me but opening my eyes and looking at the faces staring down at me, I knew it was time to wake up.
Pausing in a moments hesitation as my brain rushed to figure out what was happening, I looked at the smiling faces and began to recognise them as Selene, Helios, Tsunami and Shockwave. How I could remember their code names so easily I wasn't quite sure, but I was certain that was their names, anyway.

"Ooooh, aren't they so cute together?" Tsunami quietly cooed.

"Man, I know Crimson has marekiller status, but this is crazy." Shockwave said in return.

"We... did not expect this." Came from Helios' mouth as she smirked.

I just continued laying upon the sofa, my hooves now returning to the natural position of wrapping around Eos as she laid upon my chest. Looking at them in utter confusion, I let out my one and only sentiment on the matter. "What?"

"So, Crimson." Shockwave grinned more and more as he spoke now, trying to look as if he wasn't. "How was she?"

"That is our sister!" Selene pouted after her outburst at the light blue buck before turning her head back to me. "Though yes, he has a point. How was the performance?" Though now she was now snickering along with the others.

Groaning, I felt myself begin to blush. "Euuugh, what are you even on about?" I knew exactly what they were thinking had happened, but nothing did! I made sure of that.

"Oh come now Crimson. We all know that's a satisfied look she has, why would she have that look otherwise?" Tsunami blurted out with a confident smirk. "Hell, I've heard the stories about you and mares. You don't exactly leave them without having had a ride, do you? Can't say she hasn't got that look."

Looking down at the deep blue alicorn in my hooves, I noticed that her own were covering her marehood. Oh damn, now that was a hard one to explain, though I had to try. "Let me explain!" I called out instinctively. "Nothing happened, I swear it."

Tsunami chuckled. "Sure, sure. Of course nothing happened."

"I mean it! I swear! I wouldn't!" Damn it, I really needed to wake up! I couldn't find the right words while I was half asleep still. Damn it, the situation was awkward and it was looking less likely that I would be able to talk my way out of it with each passing second.

"Crimson, ain't no shame in laying an alicorn!" Shockwave retorted before giving eyes to the other two, both of whom blushed upon realising.

"No, I mean it. I'm with Cherry Sundae and I love her. Sandstorm is here! I made sure he was so Eos couldn't try it on with me."

Upon that first sentence, Tsunami's eyes went wide. "You... you're joking, right?" I shook my head in response. "So, when she told... wow, she wasn't joking? You're actually an item?"

"Yes, we are. Me and Eos? She's sweet, she's lovely, but she's not the mare I love and while I would go for it if it wasn't for Cherry, I'm taken now. I don't want to hurt Cherry, especially since she's told me what happened with her last lover and I don't want to do the same. Eos needs the emotional support, she needs the way I make her feel normal, that's all. There really isn't anything like what you think going on here."

"Well, just be sure that you keep an eye on what you're doing and watch where your hoof goes. If you mean what you say, which I don't doubt you do, you'll end up with more trouble than you'll realise."
I just nodded in response that, there was nothing to really say.

After a minute or two everypony had left and time passed with me stroking Eos' mane as I thought about it all, what did they mean by there'd be more trouble than I'd realise?
Sure, things had happened and Eos had tried to hit on me, but she was drunk and emotional. She needed somepony to be there for her, just like Sandstorm or Cherry did and all I was doing was giving her that, making her feel like she was normal.

Slowly her eyes began to flutter open, barely showing those bright blue pupils that looked back at me with such innocence and joy. Softly I spoke to her, causing her sleepy smile to grow that little bit larger.
"Hey there, Eos. Feeling better now?"

My question caused her to look at me in confusion for a moment, but slowly she nodded as she gingerly rose a hoof to press against her forehead.
"We... I... do feel somewhat better. What happened last night?"

Letting out a small chuckle that I'd tried to hold back, I informed her of the antics. "Well, we got drunk together and spent the night out here on the sofa, just staring into the darkness of this cave. Then when you woke up for the first time, you tried hitting on me."

Within an instant the blushing upon her cheeks was immense, her face quickly pulling back as she shied away into my coat. Letting out a small squeak, she spoke an apology. "I... I'm so sorry Crimson."

Shaking my head, there was nothing to be said. I just smiled down at her, continuing to brush her mane. "It's fine, really. Besides, Sandstorm appreciated being with us both, so in effect, you just ensured that he got a better nights sleep."
Pausing as I looked down at the little colt laying across Eos' chest, still sleeping. "Well, I ought to get off the sofa and over to the shower now, anyway. Be a good pony and get some more rest or something, okay?"

Eos gave me a look of shock upon my request, as if I had just given her an order and such an idea was unbelievable, though her scrunched up face didn't really mean a lot to me. To make her happy all the same though I gave her forehead a quick kiss before moving over to Sandstorm and doing the same. Hopefully the both of them would find comfort in each others hooves while I was gone.

Trotting along the hallways, I made sure to call out to my crew as I passed their designated quarters. "Alpha! Bravo! Echo! Wakey wakey time! I'm hitting up the shower, I expect all of you to be prepared and ready for mission briefing by the time I'm out!"
One buck groaned as I knocked on his door but the majority of them had already been awake and most of the way ready, much unlike myself.

"Crimson!" A rugged voice called out, that of Titan. "Crimson, wait up one second."
Turning around I gave him a small nod as he nodded back, out of his armour. Seeing his bare face still gave me a small chill down my spine, though after meeting that other ghoul whom had saved my life, I could tell I didn't feel as uneasy as I had before.
"Crimson, you're heading out already? You sure about this?"

"Yeah," I said in quick reply, looking to the side as I spoke further. "Cherry ain't going to free herself, I need to find out how the best way to do it is. Besides, I've already made the radio message for Neon, remember? The sooner I find out the information on how to get her out of captivity, the sooner I have her back in my hooves and thus I'll be able to rest happy again."

Titan let out a small nicker and scuffed the ground, looking down as he spoke. "Well, as much as I want to be able to help you Crimson, I'm still not feeling fully rested. You saw what condition I was in, how close I was to being dusted. I know I wouldn't have survived if it wasn't for you, but I don't feel fit for this one. You going to be capable of handling things by yourself out there?"

Looking at him with a small smile, I placed my hoof on his shoulder in a reassuring touch. "It's fine, really. I've got my bodyguards now, these ponies and zebra know what they're doing in a fight. Hell, they're the best of the best from Four Ridges, I have faith in them and know I'll be fine. Don't worry about it old timer, I'll be fine."

With a nod, he looked confident once more. "Yeah well, just be sure you are, okay? Dawnstar said there was some reports of some banditry going on out in Slumside. Be careful around there, okay? The market should be fine, though he said there was also more patrols since the battle. Mind you, reports have it that they're smaller in size now, just more of them. Don't get yourself in a mess with the gangs though, the last thing I need is to be sending out another rescue force so soon."

Rescue force? I laughed. "Last rescue force was to save you, not me. I can handle myself."

"Like all the other times, right?" He remarked back with a grin.

"No, now things are different. And if you don't mind me, I'm hitting up the showers."

As I began trotting off towards the bathroom, Titan called out to me one last time. "Crimson ...Good luck out there."
I smiled and nodded, appreciating the gesture. Heading up the metal lined hallways reminded me of home in an odd way. It shouldn't have been odd, really. The architecture between Stables and underground military bases seemed to be of the same basic origin and methods used and that would have made sense, though there was still something weird about it.
The doors were the biggest difference between back home and here.
Back home the doors were all pressure based systems that slid up and down. Here they swung open and closed, which I guessed to be to decrease resource use.

Still, the sound of my hooves clipping along the floor made me long just to be with Cherry, my mother and Cherished Chance. It made my desire to go back to the easy, if mundane, life I had before.
Losing myself in a world of thought reminiscing about life back home as I entered the shower, the warm water reminded me of exactly why I was here in the first place.
The water talisman.

Steam slowly began to fill the air as hot water poured down onto me and I began to worry about what was happening back home. The water talisman was still under threat back there and yet here I was, fighting for a cause I had barely taken any time to learn about before joining because of the promise of knowledge of where to find another talisman if I did. It was a strange feeling indeed, knowing that the lives of thousands of ponies at home relied on me and even more here relied partially on me and my ability to help them just enough to get what I needed.

I hadn't even heard the door open or the pony walk in when my thought was suddenly broken by a large blue mare standing next to me as I showered, causing me quite the disturbance.

"Eos! What in the name of Celestia are you doing here? I'm trying to shower."

She shrugged before rolling her eyes and turned on the shower next to me, reminding me that this was a communal shower after all. Damn I had been far too used to the privacy I had received back home and fuck my thoughts wouldn't let up about back home.
Before I could lose myself in thought once again, she began to gently scrub at my coat with some of her own bodywash, causing me to look at her in confusion and notice quite the happy smile spread from cheek to cheek.

I didn't know what to do as the alicorn smoothly coated me in her blueberry scented bodywash, though I suspected she got quite the motherly thrill out of it as she focused on getting me clean. I couldn't complain though, all I was doing was ending up losing myself in thought constantly and hardly getting any cleaner anyway.

Sighing in content, I went with the flow and let her do as she had wanted.

"Wings, mister."

Looking at Eos in confusion, I smiled. "Uh, usually I'm called mister Wings."

"No," She said with a grin in a happy tone. "your wings, present them."

Wait, what the hell did she want with my wings? Before I could question her on the topic though, her muzzle was already pulling at the tip of the wing closest to her, bringing it out into extension before carefully preening it for me.

Slowly my eyes rolled up to the back of my skull as I felt the pleasure of having a proper grooming by somepony else. I hadn't had such an experienced groom since the times of having my dad around, it felt simply amazing.
Bit by bit her mouth passed through my feathers, gently tugging at them to find the loose ones and remove them as her hooves gently massaged the bones of my appendage, causing me to lightly moan from how relaxing it was.

Time passed with me simply allowing the graceful alicorn to tend to my needs, her lips slowly making their way across the first wing before the tingling sensation of magic lifted me from where I stood and rotating me on the spot, allowing her access to the other wing.
Looking at her with a grin, I finally spoke again. "You could've asked me to simply turn around, ya know?"

With a mouthful of my wing her eyes looked up to me and she let out of a muffled giggle before pulling back. "Oh, I know. I'd just like to take care of you and leave you with no effort required."

Well, that wasn't something I could really argue against, if that was what she wanted.
Swiftly she lowered her head and went back to preening me, making quick work of the small knots in my muscles and clumps of feathers as she did.
There was something simply amazing about the way she worked my wings, flexing them in her hooves as she massaged through down to the bone and even between the pair, causing me even more pleasure.
As she continued all my worried thoughts washed away down the drain along with the last of the body wash, making me feel much better than I had done in the last few days for sure.

Grinning as I turned my head to the graceful pony, I took a moment to admire her. A part of me really wished I could just take her back home once I was done, keeping somepony like her around would make things just that little bit nicer.
Letting out a content sigh, I washed the last of my coat clean and began to walk out from the shower spot, a much happier pony indeed.

"Where do you think you're going, mister?" Her voice called out to me, a tone almost like my mothers when I'd forgotten something.

"Oh, sorry. I'm not used to preening anyone else." I blushed and lowered my head slightly in embarrassment of being so rude. I wasn't accustomed to this!

She raised an eyebrow at me and placed a hoof under my chin to gently pull my eyes up to hers. For a moment all that filled my mind was how beautiful she looked with her wet mane hanging over her eye like that. "Oh, I don't need preening. My sisters do that for me and I do it for them. No, you've forgotten something else."

"What's that?" I asked in confusion, I had just washed my coat and such, right?

Without a word she levitated another bottle over to me and began squirting it into my mane. Immediately my face dropped upon realising what she was doing.
Falling down onto my haunches I sat there as she tenderly massaged the centuries old shampoo into my mane, a wicked smile upon her face as she got it right down the roots. By the end of it, it would definitely take rolling in the dirt to get my mane to be as slick as it had been before. Alas, with having just received such a generous gesture I couldn't really do that and would have to put up with how puffy it would no doubt be at the end.

With a chuckle and gleaming joy in her voice, Eos spoke to me. "What's that scrunched up pout for, Crimson?"

"My mane goes poofy if not done just right after being washed. Seriously, only my mother seems to be capable of getting it done. It's why I avoid doing it too often."

With another giggle, she agreed. "I can tell, it's why I wouldn't let you leave. Your mane has been getting dirtier and dirtier and you've not washed it once since I first came across you. Don't worry, you'll be even more handsome than ever in a minute."

"Even more so? What you trying to do to me, Eos? I'm already as good as it gets." I retorted, a large grin across my lips. "Besides, like I say, my mane goes weird when I wash it so that's why I hadn't. Brushing it does the job plenty. Then there's the-"
Water began to stream down my face before I was able to finish the sentence, instantly causing me to close my eyes and mouth lest I want to get the suds into my either. The way Eos' hooves gently worked their way through my mane was so tender and almost motherly, her happy humming only furthering the fact she was enjoying every second of this as she cleaned me thoroughly.

With a small note of sudden curiosity, Eos playfully began to speak as she worked away. "Crimson, I have to ask. How does a pegasus such as yourself manage to get different coloured wings to their coat? I've never seen nor heard of it happening before but looking at you so closely, it isn't dyed at all, that's obvious. Actually played a part of what made me take notice of you."

I let out a small chuckle at that. My wings always got me attention, always. "To be honest with you, I really don't know. Stable doctors always said it was some weird mutation of my DNA, though that it's not the first time something like that had ever happened. We had pictures of one naval admiral with a spot over one of his eyes and on his back, so we assume it was whatever caused it in him too."

Eos let out a small content 'ahh' before getting back to her new pass-time of washing my mane. It was damned relaxing, that was for sure.

As the water conceded, I felt a kiss press between my lips and the tip of my nose and opened my eyes to see the smiling mare as she gazed upon me, her lips parting only to speak. "There we are, much better. Just as I said, you look so much more handsome!" She gave a moments pause before softly cooing to herself. "Just as you should be."
Instead of having any reply this time, I just blushed.

Pulling me into an embrace she began to stroke my mane, looking down at me before releasing me again. "Okay, you can go off now, you're all set. Remember to stay safe and come back, okay? I don't want to have cleaned you up only so some brute can go and put my work to waste."

Happily I began to trot off around the corner and out of the shower room. As I pressed my hoof to open up the door I noticed a mirror to my right and began assessing the job Eos had done. Damn, she did a good job and she wasn't wrong about it making me look better.
Everything about me did indeed look nicer, my wings more slick and even my mane had somehow been done right! That surprised me most of all, I had to find out how she managed to do it with such ease.

Turning my head back around to thank her, I spotted a sight that I really hadn't thought meant for me. There Eos sat, her wings spread out with her back to the wall and one of her hooves preoccupied. A large, open mouthed smile spread across her lips as she quietly sighted to herself, her eyes closed in pleasure by the looks of things.
Well, one thing was for sure... she was a normal pony in that respect.
And speaking of respect, it was time to give her some. Quietly I made my way out of the shower area, making as little noise as I possibly could as I did so.

On my way out, I noticed a sign hanging from the door. "Occupied, do not disturb."
Staring at the sign for a moment, somepony walked over to me as I continued to stare blankly at the sign.
It wasn't until the muzzle of that pony was pressed against me that I was broken from my trance and I looked at Selene, smiling down at me. "You smell like Eos."

"Yeah, she's in there right now." I replied, trying my best to not think about it.

Her brow lowered itself upon hearing that and gave me a questioning look. "You ignored the sign?"

I shook my head, quick to defend myself. "No, no. She came in while I was showering, decided to clean me up because I was too busy lost in thought to really do it myself. She's in there still, though I wouldn't recommend disturbing her right now... she's a little busy."

Selene rolled her eyes and giggled. "We thank you for the warning, our sister has a habit for this. No matter, we shall proceed to shower later. For now, we must thank you for saving us from that situation yesterday. We are eternally grateful for your assistance," For a moment, her smiled drooped a little. "even if it did mean destruction to Coltchester infrastructure."

"Sorry about that, though you know I wouldn't have done it had it not been necessary. Besides, it's not like I got out of there without a scratch or losing Cherry Sundae to the enemy." And just like that, the thoughts of Cherry rushed to the forefront of my mind again, wondering how she was feeling. I didn't like it, I hated it. Knowing she was somewhere in their hooves and unable to rescue her just yet. Although I didn't want to consider the possibility to her getting hurt, I know it was still there and if it turned out she was... my anger would be without limit, without mercy. I would not give justice, I would give painful death to any involved.

Just as quick as the thoughts had come, they left with the sensation of Selene holding me tight in an embrace. All my worries washed away as she held me for that moment before letting go. "Now, stay safe. We would be overwhelmed by regret if you were to fail your mission to save your home. Maybe you can tell us about it when you return?"

"Sure, sounds good. Now if you don't mind me, you're right. It is time for me to leave for now and I will be back later. Stay safe, Selene."

Without a word more, Selene nodded and carried on her way down the hallway. I couldn't help but notice the way she trotted and how her purple flank made a subtle contrast against the dark hues of the walls around us, damn those alicorns had some nice flanks.
Still, I had to stop letting that distract me and get suited and booted for another day in Coltchester.

Making my way to my room I took another glance at the doorways around me, the old pre-war signs indicating the directions to the surgery ward, armoury and mess hall were fading as time took its toll along with rust and grime. If they weren't too busy trying to win over the hearts of the people and fights against the Coalition I'd have no doubt they'd never have let it get like this.
Just another fact of living in a wasteland, I supposed.

Before me sat the two beds and my gear, neatly packed up at the side. Seeing as I sure as hell hadn't done it myself I guessed that it would have been one of the alicorns, probably Eos. It was a nice gesture, no matter whom it was from.
Looking at my armour, I inspected all the nicks and dents along with the penetration holes it had received from the recent fights. Regretfully, it would definitely require somepony skilled in metal working to repair, I would have to ask Titan if he knew anyone about that.
Still, it did the job. Sliding it on I noticed how it didn't look half as nice and remembered I'd received the long lightly armoured duster jacket back in Coltshire Commons. Lifting it up with a wing, I had to admire how good it looked.

From behind me a voice spoke suddenly, not one I was completely familiar with yet. "Mmmm, that's quite the coat you have there, Crimson. Thinking of wearing it?"

Turning around I saw the plain white mane of Tsunami, her cool cyan blue coat mostly covered up now by her lightweight barding. Still, I had already noticed that it seemed a little more substantial than the barding that Cherry wore. The way she had her rifle strapped across her back reminded me so very much of Cherry, the only real difference was that Cherry's had a large scope while Tsunami only used iron-sights, seemingly.

"Yeah, figure it'll cover up the holes in my armour and give me a little more protection. I also just like the way it looks anyway. Gives me a little character, you know?"

The mare before me began chuckling as she grinned at me, a shake of her head telling me I really had amused her. "Character, huh? Oh, of course, the only pegasus in all of Four Ridges with his distinct charcoal coat and vibrant red wings really does need more character, doesn't he? Not at all like he's distinct as it is."

Looking at her with a straight face, my lips curled up as I looked plainly at her with determination. Slowly, I began to say her name, blinking as I did. "Tsunami?"

She responded with a confident smile across her face, no doubt eagerly waiting to hear my response judging from the tone of her voice. "Yeah?"

Moving my focus down to my hooves, I spread my wings before looking back up at her and straight into her eyes. An almost worried look began to etch itself across her face as the deafening silence continued. Finally I spoke, keeping the expression I held the entire time. "Be a dear and help me put this on, seeing as you're here anyway. Besides, I'll be as conspicuous as I like, fuck the Coalition. I want them to know who I am. I want them to know I'm coming for them. I want them to be scared of me. Why? Because I will bring down their entire house if so fucking need be. The ponies of Four Ridges come first, and undermining the Coalition brings me closer to getting the water talisman."

With that I let out a great big smile as she levitated the coat with her magic and allowed me to slide my hooves in, quickly followed with adjusting my wings to comfortably sit in the coats sheath. Grabbing the rest of my gear and holstering the guns, I slapped the side of my shotgun as I spoke. "Lets rock."

"Already ahead of you. Everyone else is ready, I came out to check if you were ready yet."

True to her word, as I looked out, there stood six other ponies in similar barding. Though the bigger stallions seemed to favour heavier armour, it was obvious they were all part of the same outfit. The blackened out plating with a stylised 'TSF' across the shoulder pads that I recognised for the sign of our special forces, I had to wonder why Cherry never brought hers along too. Something we'd have to discuss later tonight.
Still, that was enough for distractions, it was time to kick ass.

Without a word, the eight of us made our way down the hallway, towards the exit.
Maisy saw us on the way out, but I waved my hoof at the half sleeping manticore. I had enough support as it was right now, no need to make it overkill. She had looked like she needed the sleep anyway.
Stepping into the exit lobby, I saw Dawnstar guarding the base.

"Going out I see, you been warned about the gangs?"

"Yeah," I croaked, not feeling like saying much. "We'll be fine."

"Good luck, Crimson. Stay safe."

"Yeah, you too."

With nothing more to say we walked out into the light, making our way through the rubble that disguised the headquarters. There was no plan in particular, just meet Neon and get him finding out what kind of patrols and defences we'd have to work through to retrieve Cherry from the mess she was in.
Past that, I had no intention of coming back without having done something else worthwhile, whatever that would end up being.

*** *** ***

Walking through the alleyways that guarded the route to the base from the main streets with so many ponies following behind me was strange, but not completely alien to me. After all, it was a part of the job I would one day inherit, though I hoped that day wouldn't have to be any time soon.

The walls around us looked a lot darker in the early morning light, almost making it hard to see the signs that guided us out. They were only small markings, meant to be unrecognisable if you had no clue of what they truly were. They worked wonderfully though, giving me just enough to remember the turns I'd take when with Titan.

Just as we came around the second to last corner, the usually quiet albeit deep voiced Deadlight spoke to me. "Crimson, you sure you know where you're going? Looks like you've been taking us in circles."

Slowly turning my head around to him, I let out a small smile. "Paying attention when being taken to the headquarters, were we?"
Before he could come out with another quip though I led the group around the corner and showed them the exit, still smiling from my previous comment. Deadlight let out a small nod in defeat and went back to his usual quietness.

Now we were out on the streets of Slumside. The view seemed to shock Tsunami and Shockwave, though Freight Train looked around and wore a mask that I understood perfectly. He had seen this situation all too many times, even if he hadn't been here before perhaps. Maybe I was wrong, maybe he had been here before or maybe he hadn't seen it at all, but the look in his eyes told me he understood the pain and suffering of the ponies and zebras around us.

That was the part that surprised me, both groups mixed in together without any issues as we had managed to come along at what seemed to be the perfect time to see the full colour of the city around us. The only thing that had astounded me was the fact that there had been so few donkeys in Slumside. All in all, I had only noticed three of them who weren't members of the Coalition's army thus far.

"What... what's with all these ponies and zebras, they weren't like this before. Where did they come from, what's going on Crimson?" Tsunami began to blurt out all her questions at once, an upset look on her face. "It wasn't like this when we came through last. There wasn't... this."
Looking down into the street, I realised what she meant. Bodies of the dead laid across the floor, I had merely thought they were sleeping initially.

Walking on over to a group of the corpses that sat propped against the buildings, I noticed something that all of them had in common. They all wore a small swath of green on their clothes, be it a bandanna or a simple rag hanging from their side. Running it through my head repeatedly, I tried to figure out what the importance of green could have been.
Surely the Coalition couldn't simply go around killing ponies for wearing green without some kind of reasoning behind it.

At this point, Brick came and gingerly sat down next to where I knelt, gently nudging my side with a hoof.
"What'dya think, Crimson? You able to think up some kind of reason as to what's happened here?"

I didn't bother responding for the first few seconds, I just sat there staring at the pained faces as their eyes bore into my soul. It was then that I realised what had happened here, what this was.
"Yeah," I began slowly, getting up as I spoke. "looks like they've taken the corpses from the battleground and put them here as a message. They know the headquarters is located somewhere around here, that's obvious. Most likely we'll keep on seeing these."

Without hesitation, Tsunami shook her head and spoke up. "But why?" Her breath was quickened momentarily as she let out a small sniff and then looked at me. "What is the point? All these bodies? For what?"

"A message."

Her face contorted as she looked away from the sight. What was it about mares and death that just didn't mix? "A message? Crimson, this is no message! This is bloody murder!"

Letting out a sigh I resisted the urge to spit at the ground in anger, out of respect for the dead. "It's a message to the rebels who fought and lived. A message that's supposed to tell them that they won't win, that the Coalition is strong where they are weak. It's a message to the families of the dead, that their loved ones died because they dared to question the authority of the Coalition... It's a-"

At that point I was suddenly interrupted by another voice from behind us. One of the Coalition patrols had managed to pass by us while we were distracted with the atrocity that had been placed out for everyone to see. Now one of them spoke. "It's also a message to 'The Executioner' as he goes by. To tell him that we will find him and kill him. Now get moving before I have to arrest you, orders are to keep everyone moving right now."

Hearing his voice made my stomach fill with anger, the bile rising up and burning my insides with hateful passion. Without saying a word I spun around and looked at him straight in the eyes, his light blue eyes. "So, that's your message, huh?"

The buck looked at me plainly and grunted. "Yeah, now get lost before I demand to see what you've got under that coat. Weapons are permitted plenty here in the city, but in times like this I've got orders to stop and search suspicious individuals for explosives and other dangerous items of the sorts, Now, I won't say it again, move."

Did... did he just tell me what to do, twice? Looking back at my crew, I took note of their agitated faces and gave them a small wave to say things were okay. Turning back to the now impatient soldier, I reached out a hoof and brushed his armour for him. "Oh, really now? Try not to be so rude next time, you'll get a lot further in life if you do. Now be a good buck and be on your way, mkay?"

Giving the soldier my most patronising smile possible was working, he was visibly disgruntled as I waved a hoof to shoo him away. In less than a split second, a hoof smashed into my face, making my mouth fill with the taste of blood.
Everyone around me looked shocked as the soldier moved on closer, barking his commands at me.

"You! Never touch a member of the DZ Coalition patrols again, got it? You're under arrest."

Before he could reach me however, Freight Train had already ran over and intercepted him. Standing in front of the patrolling soldier, he let out a single, barely audible threat that I almost had trouble making out. "Take one step further and I promise, you won't like it."

"You too! You're under arrest for disturbing the peace and disrupting a member of th-"

That was as far as the bastard had managed to say what he wanted before the powerful hoof of Freight came crashing down to his face, knocking him across the floor. With a little help from Iron Wall, I got up and brushed myself off, taking note to the fact I now had a split lip and nosebleed.

Watching Freight train pummel the ever loving shit out of the previously rowdy Coalition soldier was.... well, quite the sight.
For a moment I even felt sorry for the buck as he repeatedly tried to pull himself off the floor, spluttering in pain and attempting to speak his threats about things he never managed to say before the powerful hoof slam down to the back of his head, silencing him for a few more moments.
After a minute of the beating I called out to my comrade, happy with his work. "You've done a good job, Freight. Thanks. I want to speak to him now though."

I hadn't expected to have to do this so early into the day, but it seemed like the Coalition needed a message in return. If the buck played along with the rules I'd set him, he could live. If he was stupid enough, he would be an eye for an eye.
With grace I made my way over to the pony who held the back of his head tightly, writing in pain from the punishment.
Looking down at him as he lay there, he was pathetic as he clenched his eyes shut and wished it had never happened.
Nudging his head to get his attention, he began to look back at me as I stood confidently above him.

"What's your name, soldier?"

With a pained voice he spoke, but only after spitting out blood and a tooth onto my hoof. Dirty fucker, obviously after mercy from the pain he felt. "Fuck. You."

With a dark grin across my face, I slowly knelt down and put my head close to his ear so I could whisper to him. It's all he deserved, after what he'd just done. "Well, private 'Fuck You', you know the lesson you had for The Executioner? He hears it loud and clear and has a message for the Coalition in return. I would say sorry, but I'm really not. Spitting your blood onto his hoof wasn't the wisest of moves, was it now?"

He continued to stay as he was, motionless as his eyes widened upon the realisation of who I was.
I pulled the knife from its holster and slashed cleanly into his throat, dragging a gasp for air from him with it as I did. In less than a few seconds the light from his eyes vanished as he passed out instantly, leaving him to bleed out before anyone could do anything about it.
Carelessly pulling the corpse out into the middle of the road, I made sure to loot the healing potion from his pockets. He no longer needed it, after all.
While it was unfortunate that he didn't have anything else of value, it was something at least. I would have much preferred to have found some med-x on him, but a healing potion was still good to find.

Tsunami looked at me in awe while the others looked at what had just happened and grinned. "Crimson?" Tsunami asked.

"A message in return. You fuck with me? You fuck with the civilians? You fuck with the dead? I'll fuck with you in return. They want to send me a message of how they're going to try and kill me, I'll send them a message to remind that I successfully kill them."

"Aren't you at all worried that they'll harm Treetop in return?"

Looking at her blankly, I tried to make sense of what she had just said to me as I idly wiped my blade on the corpse and slid it back into its sheath. "Who?"

"Treetop? Cherry Sundae?"

"Oh! Cherry! Sorry, I'm still not really accustomed to her code name, that still throws me off. Besides, they know... they know that if I find she's had even a single hoof placed on her, I will end up dropping a balefire bomb on their fucking face. Mark my words, I may not have any access to balefire bombs or anything of the sort, but I would find a way to do it."

Wincing, she stepped back a little before letting out a small smile. "You... really get protective over her, don't you?"

"I love her, that's why. Tsunami, I love Cherry, she's everything I never realised I wanted until I had her. And I'm not talking about the first time in bed, it's not even the sex. If I just wanted her back because she was great in the sack, I'd go trawling through Four Ridges for another partner equal to her. It's not even because she's the most beautiful mare I've ever laid eyes upon. No, it's more than that." I paused for a moment, thinking how to best word it.

"More, huh?" Grinder added. "In what way?"

With a smile, I continued. "She's compassionate. She cares about the world around her in such a way that's rare in the wasteland. She wants it to be better for herself, for others, for future generations. She takes it into her own hooves and rather than simply whining about it, plays a role in trying to help."

Pausing for another moment as I caught my breath, I noticed how they were all very interested in hearing it all. "Then there's that she's tender and loving. When I first came across her, I had no clue what it truly was to love somepony else other than my mother and father. Because of how he left me, I didn't ever want to feel the same pain again, so all my relationships were about getting my seven minutes in heaven and leaving it at that. Cherry changed that for me. She didn't even mean to, she is just right for me and that made me realise that I wanted something more from her. Something substantial, something that she would appreciate just as much."

"So you went from Casanova to loving partner overnight for her?" Tsunami asked with a small blush on her cheeks, no doubt enticed by the thought of it all. That or embarrassed because she wanted or had previously had me, I couldn't remember any more.

"Yeah, just like that she touched my heart. That's how I knew it was for real. I know of lust, and yes, I lust after Cherry like mad. Having her under me and being able to do all those things we do, oh yeah, that's good. That's so fucking good, it drives me fucking wild when she-" After realising I was now looking down at my hooves, I looked up to see everypony grinning like crazy. Coughing and blushing from having lost myself in the moment, I grinned in embarrassment. "Back to the point though... yes I lust after her, but that's not what drives me. The way she makes my stomach crunch and heart pound, my hooves lighter than usual and my wings flutter... she's the one for me, I would do anything for her. I would do anything to see her smile, to keep her safe, to make her happy. I would do anything to win her heart and I would give my life to keep it safe."
"She is my world, my love, my everything. She's the most beautiful mare in all Equestria and more not because her skin deep beauty, but also because of who she is and the way she makes me feel."

With a smug smile, Freight Train clapped his hooves together. "I like it. I'll have to tell Treetop about all this when we get her back. I tell ya, Crimson. I wasn't sure what to think when she first told me she had feelings for you. I told her to be careful and she agreed, but then the next thing I know she's telling me you two are together. Wasn't sure what to make of it. If you're telling the truth with all this though? Which I don't doubt, by the way.... Well, I know you sure as hell don't need it, but you have my blessing all the same. I would say I just hope you make her as happy, but I know you do from what she told me."

I... didn't know what to say to that! The smile across my face was more than I could contain. The fact she would tell anypony else that I made her feel as happy as she said to me wasn't a shock, but it was an amazing feeling.
It was simply beyond words to imagine I made her feel the same way she did me. I was in love.

Without much consideration for my bliss, Shockwave finally spoke up. "As lovely as that all is, and it really is, we ought to get moving. We don't want to be seen simply hanging around a freshly killed Coalition soldier unless we're asking for a fight, right?"

Coming back to my senses, he was right. Nodding in agreement, I quickly pointed out in the direction of the market and led the way, off to see Neon should he arrive.

Walking into the marketplace was a welcome change from the harrowing streets of Lower Slumside as I had come to realised it was called, finally noticing a sign giving directions to each different district in the area as I entered the main street. Though some ponies and zebras held a very sombre mood, many others had the look of defiance in their eyes.
The fires of hatred and scorn burnt into their faces, tensions running high after the recent atrocity.

Though the bodies were seemingly long gone from the market, it was obvious that they had at least been brought through the market area before reaching the lower side of the district, the blood trail of still fresh corpses marked their route clearly upon the cracked stone ground. Maybe the Coalition had thought they were sending a message out to those who would oppose them, but as we made our way along it was clear to me that all they had managed to do was cause further dissent and cause for uprising amongst those not loyal to either cause.

The feelings of betrayal, unjustified and unforgivable action lined the air as pony and zebra alike stared at any who passed through the area, including myself and my crew.
There was nothing I could say or do though, nothing to remove what had happened here. The DZC had gone and had their way with the dead and wounded, they left them with no respect before finishing off the insult and taking what last lives were left. I could see that clearly, I could feel it even more so.

Without warning a young zebra approached me, prodding my chest as hard as he could without actually hitting me. "You! I bet you're one of those filthy Coalition scumbags, aren't you? What rank are you, huh? Some kind of investigator to make sure we're all fucking terrified?!"

My mouth hung open, shocked by the words leaving the bucks mouth. He barely seemed older than a colt yet he spoke as if he had a lifetime behind him. I guess it shouldn't have been such a surprise to me however, given the environment he lived in and if Sandstorm was anything to go by, he could have easily had that lifetime of experience.
Brick moved to get between us, but I simply waved a hoof at him to say it was okay. There was no need to guard me too closely over something like this, after all.
"Kid, I don't know who you support, but I can tell you sure as hell I ain't any kind of supporter for the Coalition."

Turning his head up at me, he shot me a questioning look. "Who I support, what makes you think I support anyone but myself? How do you think you could know that kind of stuff?"

"The look on your face says it all. You're wondering who the fuck this stallion is and why you shouldn't start a fight on him. Well, prepare to be enlightened. I am The Executioner, and I'm here to do a job."

Rolling his eyes, the zebra buck almost looked as if he wasn't paying attention to me at all. "You're not The Executioner. The Executioner was caught under the bridge and died in the blast, the Coalition bragged about it. Besides, he's was pegasus and you're a fucking dirt pony. You have no right to call yourself anything akin to him."

Amazement, utter fucking amazement. That was the only thing I could feel right there. "Those fucks have been saying The Executioner died in that blast?" I looked around at my guards slowly, a grin making its way from cheek to cheek. "Okay, well, what else about him do you know?"

"That he was brave, strong and fast. Nothing like you. Piece of shit claiming to be him. Not even dying your mane to look like him works on me, I saw him in flight and he didn't wear that coat you're wearing. Got me to join up with the Peoples Liberation Army through his actions, even if he never spoke to me. Your act is a joke, he wouldn't travel with such a large group to protect him. Go on, kill me for saying what I said. Tie me up like the others and slice me from throat to stomach, but know this; even if I die, I know it'll only feed the fire."

Raising a hoof to my chin, I began to stroke it softly. I liked this kid, he had a lot of spunk. "P.L.A.C huh? Perfer et obdura"

With those words muttered, my all of my bodyguards with the exception of Deadlight looked confused at my sudden use of Zebrican and the young zebra bucks eyes whom I had said it to widened a mile as he stuttered to respond. "Uh.. dolor hic tibi proderit olim?"

Giving him an appreciative nod, my lips curled up as he stared in awe of my wings unfurling. Gasps from onlookers taking notice of the situation were heard all around, though it didn't worry me. Right at that very moment I became both the most wanted and the most secure pony outside of the HQ. If there was any whom would have held a grudge, I had my team to protect me and from the look on the kids face, his too.

"Y-you... it really is you!" He spluttered after his gasp for air, quickly trying to regain composure after my reveal.

Playing into the moment, I gave another small nod and spoke slowly in the roughest voice I could muster without making it look like I was actually trying. "Yeah, yeah it is. Told ya, kid."

"I'm so sorry! There's been impersonators trying to root out supporters... and..." The poor mite struggled to find his words as I proudly continued to display my wings, even lifting myself off the ground and hovering with ease to prove they really were the real deal.

"Don't worry about it. Though you know, I gotta ask. Why did you decide to put your life on the line if there's been impersonators going around? Especially if the Coalition was saying I was killed in that blast I set off."

"W-wait, you set it off? You?"

"Well, sort've. I took my marefriend to set up the explosives, kept guard and made sure she had the time to set it up to blow. Only thing was as soon as she had it set up, she made like the wind and got outta there before I had a chance to follow. Next thing I knew, the bridge came down and almost got me, but wasn't enough to stop me. Especially not now."

"Why?" The young zebra asked, an honest look on his face. "What's different now?"

Before I could respond something caught my eye, a figure in the shadows. Turning my head to look at it fully, I saw the shimmer of a blade and immediately drew my pistol. Launching myself back into the air, taking a stance ready to strike with either a dive bomb or to barrel roll to avoid any charge that may come in my direction.
Precious moments passed as the rest of my crew readied their weapons instinctively, even if they hadn't known the cause.
The pregnant pause held for what seemed like minutes when in reality, it was mere seconds.

"What changed? His marefriend got captured by the Coalition. Now he'll do anything to get her back." And with that the figure walked out from the darkness, the bright green haircut immediately calming my nerves as I began to recognise the pony ahead of me and the sword he had strapped to his back.

Letting out a sigh, I lowered myself down to the ground and smiled. "Neon you sneaky bastard, don't ever try that shit again. Seriously, I know you prefer privacy, but you could've ended getting shot."

With a shrug Neon replied, a dismissive look upon his face. "I'm surprised you even saw me at all. I was sure I was concealed. Nopony in recent times has ever seemed to notice me when I'm trying to hide. How did you see me?"

I couldn't laugh, the moment of relief had passed while the adrenaline still rushed through me, preparing me for a fight. "Well when you've got to be on the look-out for anyone who might be hiding and waiting for you to reveal yourself, waiting for the most opportune moment to strike... you notice the shimmer of an unsheathed blade."

"Can't be too careful when you don't recognise the armour your followers are wearing. What does TSF even stand for?"

I looked over to Freight Train and shrugged. He stepped forward, his size intimidating Neon slightly by the looks of things. "Stands for Tank Special Forces. You don't mess with us, you don't die. Our job here is to protect Crimson at all costs, and so we shall. Now, I believe Crimson wanted to talk to you."

With that, Neon nodded. "So, Crimson. With the formalities out of the way, we'll say, what is it you're after."

"I need to know the level of defences the barracks have. You know the one, the place where they're keeping everypony including my mare."

In a sly voice, the buck spoke as if he was trying to hustle. "How much will you need to know? The more you gotta find out, the more it'll cost you."

The desire to shake my head and laugh was... beyond me. Nopony tried to barter with me and got away with it, but to actually do that would only be an insult so I did my best at holding back.
Instead, I smiled at him. "Cost, eh? Well you know, caps won't get you very far these days when bullets cost so little. Who knows, perhaps the Coalition won't even give you that when they suspect you of robbing somepony or stealing from their dead."

His face dropped, a small mumbling slithering its way from his throat. "Well.. I.. I don't mean caps actually."

|He doesn't want caps? I raised my eyebrow in curiosity and looked him dead in the eyes, evoking more stuttering from him as he spat out nothing and left me to silence him with my own words. "Go on then, tell. What is it you're after?"

"There's... well, there's something I'm after. An item. More specifically, a whole bunch of items."

With a small nod and the gesture of my hoof, I began to coax him into elaborating. "Go on."
If he didn't get to the point...

"Books. Books, magazines, newspapers. You name it, I like to read it. I enjoy reading and... yeah." At that moment, the timid buck stepped back slowly, looking away as he began to blush. "P... please don't think I'm weird. I've just had this fascination with reading since I was a colt. My mother taught me the basics of reading before she was killed, it's how I remember her. All I have left of her besides my sword."

So, I was dealing with another orphan? Coltchester really was a harsh place to grow up, it seemed. "You've got it. Anything I find, to you. That's not all though, is it? What else you after?"

The young one behind me looked at me quizzically as Neon took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah, but how did you know? I hadn't said a-"

As rude as it was, I interrupted him with my explanation. "You don't simply ask for books to read for a job like this, no matter what it means to you. You're going to do a dangerous task for me, something that would probably get you killed if you were to be caught. Espionage isn't a light duty. You need something in return, something you're not capable of."

For a moment he narrowed his eyes are me, "You..." With a few seconds hesitation, Neon paused before finally letting out a defeated sigh. "You're not wrong. I don't like admitting it, but I'm not a capable fighter like you are. Self defence I can handle, I have my blade for personal encounters and my agility and stealth for everything else. When it comes to fighting though? I have nothing I can do against an opponent with a gun who is intent on killing me from a range. Being attacked randomly is a different situation altogether to being capable of taking down a whole group of Coalition soldiers like you've proven capable of. I need you to do something for me with those skills."

"Name it."

"There's been a group of bandits roaming around Slumside for a long, long time now. At first they were only one or two kids trying to make their way in life, no-one got too badly hurt and nothing too serious happened. Sure somepony might be beaten, but there was never a threat to ones life so we dealt with it. In recent months they've been growing in both strength and activity as the general consensus came to be that the city needs a change in management. They saw themselves fit to take a slice, even if that slice was only a part of Slumside. It was a quiet operation at first, but the attacks got more frequent and more violent as time passed. They've been using the chaos of the dissenters as a guise for their own mayhem."

"I see," I stated flatly, taking in the history lesson the best I could. "and so you want me to put an end to it all?"

The pony before me replied very matter of factly before going back to his point. "Yes. It's gotten out of hand and ponies I've known and cared about have either been hurt so badly that they've even dared to volunteer for the mines and farms just to have some small level of safety from it all. Others haven't been so lucky. I've known three ponies and two zebras who were killed by the gang. I want you to do what you seem so prolific at."

With a dark tone of voice, I spoke one single word. "Justice."

Neon hadn't been capable of telling us exactly where this gangs hideout was, though he did make it obvious that if I strolled around while seemingly alone or with just the zebra friend I'd just made for long enough, we'd eventually be found by them.
I decided that keeping the new zebra by my side and my guards in all different directions was probably the best set up ready for their supposedly inevitable ambush.
If they were smart they wouldn't attack me, but when had muggers and gang members ever been smart?

Looking to the zebra by my side, I gave him a small nudge. "So, kid. What's your name?"

"Xander, my name's Xander." He let out with a proud smile.

"Xander hey? Wouldn't happen to be named after Xander the great, conqueror of the zebra lands, would you?"

The zebra buck looked at me in shock, though quickly a smile came to his face as he enthusiastically nodded. "Yeah! How did you know? I thought wasteland ponies didn't much care for zebras, let alone zebra history from long before the great war."

"Let's just say that I've been training for something special for most of my life, and that knowing the past is critical to preventing repeating it in the future. Besides, what makes you think I'm a wasteland pony?"

"You're a pegasus. No pegasai come down from their cloud layer. Also, look at you. You've got a coat that you obviously scavenged from around here or something, given all the military finds we get from time to time. Then there's your attitude, definitely not naive to how combat goes or how the world works out here. There's no way you came from above."

Raising an eyebrow, I nodded. "Okay, you got me, I didn't come from above. Why didn't you mention about below though?"

Xander stopped in his tracks there and then and began staring at me, confused. "Below?"

Lifting up my PipBuck leg, I showed him the piece of arcane technology that proved essential to my daily life now. "Stables? You hadn't considered the possibility of that maybe I came from a Stable?"

I just stood there as his face changed expression from confusion to utter bewilderment, then back to a small smile. He hadn't questioned the concept however, I could only guess as to why he didn't.
At that point, we continued to walk on. Occasionally I looked around for the signs of my guards, always noticing them somewhere close enough to be safe should we need then.

Starting up another conversation, I spoke to my new friend. "So, Xander. What made you trust me so easily back there?"

"I dunno," He shrugged as he walked, letting out a small chuckle. "something about the way you spoke. Perhaps it was the smile you had? I really don't know. I just felt convinced I had to say-"

Before he could finish his sentence, a plain white mare walked out in front of us with a very lightly coloured mane and a revolver in her mouth as she spoke. "Gimme yo' muny!"

Taking my focus from the zebra by my side to the pony in front of me, I gave her a very deadpan look as I began to speak. "Excuse me?"

With a hiss, she once again stated her demand. "Gimme yo' muny!"

Looking at her more closely, she only seemed to be holding a twenty two. Chances were that if I got hit to the forehead at this close a range, it would either cause brain damage or death. If it hit my chest or anywhere else along my armour however, I doubt it would be worse than getting hit by a hoof. Maybe a hard hit, but I couldn't imagine it penetrating it.

Deciding it wasn't worth just pulling out my gun, I played along. With a sigh, I began to lower my head as if going for my saddlebags. Swapping into S.A.T's, I took a moment to gauge my surroundings.
There was four red bars around me, one of them being the mare in front of me and another three somewhere behind her. I couldn't tell exactly where they were hiding, but it was enough for me. If I was going to do this, it would have to be pistol first then swapping over to the shotgun perhaps for the others.
Thinking about the movement I would have to do to pull it off swiftly and safely, I readied myself as I planned my attack.

Coming back out of S.A.T's, I continued to lower my head before pulling out my own pistol and diving straight for the mare ahead of me.
Immediately her eyes widened in shock and she fired, shooting well above my quickly approaching body as I came within less than a meter of her. Before she could properly react, my pistol was already placed under her jaw, the trigger pulled not even a second later.

Her blood squirted down onto me as her brains presumably came out of the top of her head and her body fell limp atop of me, weighing down upon me.
For a second I couldn't move, and now there was definitely going to be some kind of response from whomever else was around and hostile. Not even a moment later, somepony lifted the dead mare off of me and looked down at me with a smile.
Okay, so it hadn't been somepony but somezebra instead.

Cracking one of my trademark smiles, I thanked him. "Good job there, now move. We're about to be fired upon."

Instead of moving, Xander just looked at me with confusion as he seemed to wonder how the hell I could know such a thing. Out of instinct, I jumped into him as I got back up, pushing both of us back down to the ground behind an abandoned wagon.
A second later a loud crack was heard, dust and bits of brick pinging into the air as the bullet collided with the ground where we were previously. Xanders expression turned from anger to sudden fright, realising I hadn't been wrong.

"H...how the fuck?" He stammered, staring at the ground where the bullet hit still.

"PipBuck, perception, intelligence. Got a gun?"

"No." He murmured with a small shake of his head.

Letting out a groan, I thought about lending him my pistol for a moment before I thought about the corpse of the pony I'd just killed. A twenty two was indeed a weak pistol, as I had considered before. Still, it would have been something at least for the zebra beside me. He could have one of the others' guns at the end of it all.

Calling out to my crew, I gave the command they had been waiting on all this time. "Free game! Suppress the enemy and move from cover to cover, you are cleared for any hostile target!"

With the command, they came. From the alleyways, from the cracks around corners and Grinder from behind one big bit of cover. Freight Train let out a great bellow, the fire in his eyes clear for me to see. "Time to buck up and get the job done! You heard the boss, time to party!"

With that, everyone who had been standing anywhere near quickly ran for cover and away from the area, with the exception of the red bars in front of us. Now however, instead of four, there was what must have been over ten of them scrambling around in the direction of a run down hotel.

Looking at the corpse in front, I knew simply dashing for it would likely have me shot. Instead, I had a plan.
With as much power as I could get behind my voice without my helmet around, I announced my order with a roar. "Covering fire, now!"

There was no need to wait for it to start, the second I moved out of cover to grab the essential items from the body fire from every gun besides Grinder's let loose, ripping into the windows and walls where-ever movement was seen. One voice screamed out in pain and a red bar turned to blue. One neutralised.

Quickly reaching the body I took it into my hooves and began to drag it over to where Xander crouched.
It was only a small distance but with the weight of the corpse, it felt like miles as I dragged it as fast as possible. The gang tried to take aim for me, but their shots repeatedly went wide, no doubt thanks to the suppressive effect of my allies.

As I was almost back in cover, a rifle shot smashed into my side causing me to topple over in pain. "Augh! Fuck, I'm hit and that fucking hurt!"
Xander took no time in grabbing me by the collar of my armour and quickly moving me into cover before grabbing the corpse and finishing the job I hadn't managed to as I continued to lay down on the ground, bleeding and swearing under my breath.

The pain in my side was worse than anything I could have expected, the burning feeling consuming my entire side.
I didn't know what the hell had hit me, but whatever it was seemingly punched through my armour. It had to be something big and nasty to cause that much damage.
Trying to pull myself off the floor I quickly collapsed back down, making me notice the pool of blood pouring from me. I needed medical attention, quickly.

"Medic! He needs a medic!" Xander cried out, hoping to grab the attention of my crew. I was glad he tried to shout out for them, because now it hurt too much to try. Instead, I just wanted to lay there.

The sound of Grinder's gun finally poured hell onto the enemy, filling my ears with the loud whining that drummed everything out into a strange silence, the world getting a little heavier as time went on.
It felt like hours, but I knew it couldn't be. There was no way.
Closing my eyes, I continued to swear under my breath.

Seconds later, a hoof hit me across the face, causing my eyes to shoot back open as a pony stared into them with worry.
"Don't you fucking die on me!" She screamed, though I didn't know what she was on about.

I watched as she pulled out two healing potions and shoved them both into my mouth at the same time, her magic pulling out a syringe of med-x whilst the potions made my body feel weird and a little better to be in.
Sliding the syringe into my leg, I could feel her press down on the release, flooding my veins with the sweetest nectar.
It was strange that I could recognise such a thing while like this, though I didn't mind one bit.

Looking at her as the world came back to me, as my hearing became clear, I saw her pull out another pot from her bags.
"Here, Crimson. This is Buck, it'll get you back on your feet for now until we can get you to a proper medical facility to assess the damage. We need you back in the fight."

Buck? Now it was time to make some friends.

---o---o---o---

Footnote:
Level up!
Perk unlocked! Buck Up!
It's time to Buck Up and get back in the fight, soldier! When an ally is downed and you have the required cocktail of drugs [two parts healing potion, one part med-x, one part Buck] you can now revive them! Be warned, this mixture can be highly addictive and is in no way guaranteed to work!

70 Speech attained.
75 Small guns attained.
55 Medicine attained.

Author's Note

HELLO THERE! I'm so, so sorry that this chapter took me fucking forever to write!
I really am sorry. I was actually originally going to make it go on from here even, leaving it at a different cliff-hanger, but given what I just wrote... well, this one works better and does two things:

Gives me more time to think about the fight.
Releases a chapter for all you lovely people to read! After what, one day short of three months?

Now, I know it's been a long time and again, I'm sorry. I've had a lot of stuff on my mind, a lot of stuff has happened in real life and I generally needed a break from writing FOE stuff, even though my mind kept thinking about it non stop.
While I was gone I've been considering a lot of different things to do with the story long term, and I've made some changes to things and yadda yadda yadda.

If you want an explanation on it all, keep reading past the thank you part. If you don't care, I don't blame you.
Anyway; yeah, thank you's!

My first and biggest thank you goes to Brisineo for the new cover picture! He did an amazing job of it and I really am proud of it!
I'd like to thank SevenSixTwo for being a great friend to me, even if he is a new one.
Then there's CamoBadger [who writes All That Remains for being an amazing friend, reader and writer. Without his support I really don't know how I would've pulled myself back together.
Thank you to VII who has done some amazing artwork for me in the past. I promised him I'd give him a shout-out and it seems I forgot to do so sooner! My bad! I've linked his work in my blogs where relevant (I'm sure) but I forgot to give him his dues here in the story too. Good guy, good artist, deserves some attention.
And of course, Katarn, Arcus, Joey and Noakwolf for always having their little comments and reminding me that I do have fans (not trying to put anyone down here. I just seem to forget all the time.

There is of course, the rest of you too! Over 8,000 views is... amazing.

Oh, and don't let me forget Eventorizon who writes the FOE fic Ouroboros. I've not given it a proper look at just yet, but it's pretty good from what I've heard. Does something different, I'm told. (and I do plan to read it, of course.)
For without him, I wouldn't have had the amazing critique that lets me know I've got to work on describing the environment a little more. I know I've not slammed too much into this chapter, but I don't want to make it all at once all so suddenly.

So yes, thank you to everyone that reads my story. It means a lot to me and keeps me going.

Lastly, thank you to Kkat for making the entire mash-up universe and to Somber for inspiring me to write.

Now, if you want to know what made me so delayed with this chapter... well, here it is.

Initially it was the "Wow! One year old!" factor, it made me want a week or two break before writing again. I felt that I deserved a small while, as I was getting a little run down by it all. No harm in that, I needed some break to recharge because I'm simply not suited for constant writing like others (example: Fuzzy of MN7) but then that went for a little longer than planned.
At the same time, my back threw out on me again, repeatedly. Sciatica. Nasty shit, though I've found a few things that make it a lot better now, so here's to hoping it can be maintained in a healthy way.

Then came browsing the 4chan FOE threads a bit more than I should have. Their constant negativity and bitching about every little thing did me no good, though I've learnt how to drown that out now.
Still, I have to thank them because even with all the bitching, they've made some good points here and there.

Then there was chapter fifty four of Project Horizons. God how I hated that chapter, so very much. It made me question what it was all for, it made me question if I even want to continue writing myself because if that's what Somber could do, who was to say I wasn't just doing the same without realising it?
That shook my faith a hell of a lot, made me not want to continue for some time.
Thankfully, chapter fifty five was a lot better and now I'm not thinking of giving up Project Horizons and FOE because of that.

Then there's the fact my store manager committed suicide.
He had his reasons. I know some of them, guess others. I might be wrong, who knows?
Anyway, he parked up on the hard shoulder and walked an hour to the rail line where he then jumped in front of a train.
I personally am not the type to burst into tears over that stuff, been there and pushed the limits of my own mortality way too many times to be upset by others'.
Still, a bit of a shock. Completely unexpected, you wouldn't have put him as the type to do it. No-one had him as the type to do it.

Lastly, there's just that I'm a crap writer and slow as fuck. So, yeah. Sorry.
Anyway, yeah, that's chapter twenty released! I'll work on the rewrite of chapter two next, then chapter twenty one.
Thanks for reading everyone! I love you all.

Chapter 21: Responsibility

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds
By Kippershy

Chapter Twenty-one: Responsibility

"We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future."

Every breath felt heavy as it quickly came and went, my vision quickly changing between dull, saturated waves and vivid colours filling my world.
The cold, wet floor below me gave me a hard reminder of how I had fallen only to thankfully be picked back up moments later.
Slowly I began to lift my head to look into the eyes of the zebra who had dragged me to safety, a very glad smile sat upon his face as he looked back down at me.

With a glint of pride in his eyes, he proceeded to look up at the pony by my side who I had begun to take notice of once more. "He's going to be okay, right? What with that mixture you gave him and all?"

"As long as he stays still for long enough to let me bandage him up before he bleeds out, he should. He's showing signs of reacting well to the cocktail, he should be back up in about a minute. After that, we'll see how his heart handles the sudden surge."

Listening to the pair speak about me was so surreal. It wasn't uncommon for others to talk about me, I always made big impressions, but there was something different about it this time.
This time it felt strange to be watching them as they spoke about me laying on the ground, trying to figure out what Tsunami had meant about the 'surge' as she wrapped bandages around my side with her magic.

With a little help from Xander, she eventually managed to get me fully patched up and back hoisted onto my hooves, leaning me against a wall.
Panting for breath, I looked down at the ground as my vision continued to change dramatically. For some reason, the world was no longer in darker greys but now it was becoming more and more vividly coloured. My muscles felt the same, in a strange way. Where they had been tired and weak beforehand, they were now getting this upcoming wave of strength and power flow through them like a tidal wave. Lifting my head to look at the pair, I could have sworn that I had more vigour than I had before the fight even started!
Suddenly my breath became heavier with a lot more depth, making me growl without even trying. My eyes widened and my body tensed as I dusted myself off and primed my gun.

Tsunami smirked and even began to chuckle a little. "Looks like he's taken well to it. Step back Xander, he's getting the adrenaline rush of a lifetime and you don't want to be in front of him once he gives in to it."

Xander looked at me in shock before turning back to the mare behind me. "Why? What-"

Before he could finish his sentence, I had spread my wings and I was already up in the air. I needed to fly! I needed to get in there, get in close! I needed to kill! My body felt the urge for blood, the blood of others to be spilled and my revenge to be had!
Swiping my wings through the air, I began to fly faster and faster until I got to the point where I had almost never been faster in my life. Everything about my body felt perfect, like this was what it needed to be all the time.

Behind me a great call came from Freight Train's lips as he began charge from his cover. "Crimson's charging! Cover his rear, hold the flanks and give no quarter!"

At once, every other member let out a battle cry that filled me with even more confidence. "Hoo-ah!"
This day was mine! I would show those fuckers for shooting me with whatever the fuck they had! Nopony messed with The Executioner and got away with it!

The sound of their subsequent charge increased the strength of my beating heart, pushed my muscles harder as I closed the distance between myself and the enemy. With the way the drugs affected my vision, I could tell when each window became occupied, giving me the advantage and allowing to slip past the bullets that were wasted trying to hit me. The enemy had no chance as I quickly dodged and rolled through the air each time they took aim at me, pressing my natural advantage over those without wings.
Within seconds I was at the roof of the building, out of sight of the shooters.

Freight Train and the others charged into cover, taking a heavy barrage of fire in their direction as I was now out of the shooters focus. It was time to show them what I could do, time to fuck this whole scene.

"Crimson!" He called out. "We can't move, their suppressive fire is too heavy!" There was a hint of desperation in his voice as he made that statement, though it was wrapped in a much more confident layer of experience. Nopony ever lost the basic element of survival instinct, nopony without drugs flowing through their veins.

As if my body knew what I had just thought and took notice, my heart pumped harder and my breathing became much heavier, faster, more powerful. A wave of pure adrenaline washed over me and any pain I had felt before was now gone.
They needed me to break the enemies ability to concentrate fire, and that's just what I was going to do.
Taking a moment to hastily reload my shotgun and make sure my pistol was also ready, I realised I still had a single fragmentation grenade in my saddlebags. I didn't know when I had put it in, but I wasn't going to complain about it, especially with how useful it could be right now.

Taking one more breath as I looked down at my allies below, I spread me wings wide and let out a manic laughter and a grin to match. "Time for justice."

Pushing myself into the air, I swept around the roof to build up speed. For what I had planned, I would need to be faster than I would otherwise be. Taking in the rate of fire coming through the windows, I figured out which window would be the best for the grenade and which to burst through. With the constant rattling from the machine gun, I knew all I had to wait for was a lull in which the reload came, a slow process compared to the quick assault rifles.
With the pause, my time had come. Sweeping down as fast as I could, I quickly threw the grenade through the window and readied my shotgun as I passed on by, speeding past all the others before they could react to shoot me.
Doing a full turn in time for the grenade to explode, I smashed through one of the windows rear hooves first, slamming into the wall with what momentum I had.

Below me laid an unconscious pony, one I hadn't expected nor even noticed as I made my way in. She was still breathing, though badly bleeding now with a mixture of wood and glass having sliced into her face upon my impact. Taking no chances, I pressed the barrel of my weapon to her head and pulled the trigger with my tongue, spreading a red mist over my face.
I didn't care, I didn't have the time to care and even if I did, the drugs stopped me from caring. I wanted more, I wanted them all to be dead. All of them.

The only other pony in the room with me now turned to me, his gun still half hanging out of the window as he turned to look at me, knocking him off balance. Giving him no chance to correct his mistake, I rushed towards the confused buck as the realisation could be seen in the whites of his eyes. Being on top of him before he could properly react, I pulled him out from the window and stomped on his face as hard as I could. A squeal of horror and pain along with a cracking sound and the almost instant pouring of blood was my reward.
Doing the same for the buck, I placed my gun to the bottom of his chin and fired, blowing the top of his head clean off and splattering pieces of skull and brain across the room towards the doorway.

The sounds of ponies quickly making their way across towards me was alarming, I didn't want to be caught in a small room with no easy exit, so quickly I lifted the body and leant it over in the way of the door, hoping to buy myself all of a few seconds, a few critical seconds.
Rushing back to the window, a loud banging came from behind me as they tried to kick the door down. I was out before it came down, out and looking down from above the window frame, shotgun pointed directly at my target.
Hitting into S.A.T.S just as the bastards face was exposed, I lined up a single shot and fired. It wasn't enough to kill him, but from the way he recoiled and screamed I could hope I'd partially blinded him.

Making my way to the next window, the room was empty. Perfect I thought to myself. Time to go blind-side those fuckers.
Swapping out for my pistol instead, my E.F.S told me that one pony may have been on the other side of the door, with another to the right of it. That made sense in comparison to where I had shot the pony only a moment ago, so I readied myself for two more.
Opening up the door and again hitting S.A.T.S, I saw an armoured buck standing in front of me, facing the direction of his friend. This one had a flamethrower pack on his back and suddenly I was glad I had gotten out of that room.
Taking no chances, I unloaded into the pack with three shots and spent another into the face of the pony who turned to react, knocking him down to the floor dead.
Turned out his armour may have been flame retardant, but it definitely wasn't bulletproof.

The other wounded buck quickly charged me in anger, swinging a hoof with a blade attached to the end of it. His first swipe missed entirely, the second skimming off my armour but in his quick rush, the third managed to pierce into my leg.
Though I could feel the physical sensation of the slice, though I could feel my skin ripping, I felt nothing else.
Blood began to pour down me, the sensation only driving me further into my aggressive rage fuelled attack.
Dodging his fourth attack, finally, I knocked him around the head with the butt of my gun and he fell to the floor.
Just like the others, he was a sitting duck. Kicking his ribs as hard as I could to break his ability to move, I decided that this cunt deserved to die by the means he intended to kill me.

Picking Forgiveness out of its place, I knelt down next to the buck who struggled to breathe and looked him in the eyes as he stared back in fear, unable to bring himself to move. Maybe he knew it was the end, that it was pointless. Maybe he was just too winded.
Either way, it didn't matter. My knife made easy work of his throat, spilling blood across the floor with sudden urgency.
For a few seconds he gargled, though that quickly stopped as his life ended from the vital artery poured out more blood than his body could stand to lose.
Just like that, he was dead.

Taking a moment to wipe the blood off from my blade, I noticed two more enemies quickly making their way towards me. I didn't even need my E.F.S to tell how close they were this time, because I could hear them preparing to burst around the corner, talking about how they were about to fire. That was their biggest mistake.
Quickly ducking behind the most sturdy thing I could see, it turned out to be a set of cupboards that had a metal lining on one side. Exactly how long or how well it could keep me in cover for, I didn't know, but it would do.

Almost in perfect unison with when I got into cover, bullets began spraying all across the room. Quietly reloading my shotgun ready for the stand-off, that was imminent, I heard the gentle whimpers of one of the pair as they noticed what I had done to the body of their friend. "J... Jackhammer... Oh Princesses. J... Jackhammer!"
With that, a mare rushed through and crouched at the body, beginning to cry.
I put her out of her misery with a single blast to the side of the head from my shotgun, causing her to fall limply alongside 'Jackhammer'.

"He... He just shot Soft Touch dead! He killed Soft!" Somepony screamed. "T-that..."

Letting out a small laugh, I was relishing in the chaos. "The next one will be you. Come here and face your execution like the rest of them."

Instead of making it easy on me, a rush of bullets swarmed past me, barely missing my head and forcing me back into cover. "Everyone up here!" He called out, anger rising in his voice. "We're going to be making pegasus stew tonight. I'm going to make certain of it!"

The sounds of hooves making their way over to me didn't bode well. Being trapped inside a room, just like before, didn't sound like a good idea. The blood running down my leg took my focus for a moment as I realised it still hadn't stopped, indicating that it wasn't the grazing wound I had hoped it'd been.
Now I had to make a decision, trying to charge the pony in the doorway would only get me shot. Trying to swiftly get out through the window would likewise have consequence of making myself an easy target, though the reward would be that I would be good for another attack run.
The last option I had would be to bandage my wounds before they bleed too much and hope to defend myself from oncoming onslaught.

Thinking of what Cherry would have me do, I let out a little sigh and quickly dove into my saddlebags to look for a bandage. Strange as it was despite her not being next to me, she still managed to invade my mind and give me orders. Letting out a small chuckle as I wrapped myself up, I quickly came to regret not trying to book it out of the room.
Bullets pinged through my cover, bouncing off my armoured back but still hurting from the sheer impact force.
That's when it hit me... they were hurting. My leg was hurting. My side hurt from the shot earlier. My wings felt sore.
I was hurting, the drugs were wearing off and all of a sudden I noticed that my movements were beginning to become heavier again.

With a loud crash, panic ensued down below, dragging the attention of my attackers away from me and to whatever it was that caused the noise. "Silent Stoop, check out what the hell that was!"

"They're inside, they're inside!" Another called out. "They're breaking thr-" At that point, the sentence was broken by a single gunshot and the thud of a body falling down a set of stairs. More ponies scrambled to intercept the threat, but judging by my E.F.S it was too late. My squad had managed to force their way through the hail of death and were storming into the building. Now I had a little less to worry about, until another shot rang close to my head yet again.

"You're going to fucking die for this, pegasus!" My aggressor called out. "I'll fucking break your wings off!"

With that the attacker stormed closer, forcing me to move for different cover in the claustrophobic room where cover was sparse and coveted. Another series of shots rang out, but thankfully none of them came close. Preparing myself for a moments vulnerability to shoot, I swore to god that unicorns had it so much easier than any other race. It was plenty well and fine having wings until you were stuck in a situation where you couldn't fly, at least they didn't have to expose themselves to shoot around a corner!

Poking my head out, I saw him. A heavily armoured donkey, in the same type of armour that the Coalition had given to their heavy troops. This set wasn't quite like theirs however, it didn't bear the insignia nor did it look well maintained.
In fact, it resembled something closer to Titan's patchwork repaired power armour than something that would have been looked after despite it's age.
I could only be glad for that, perhaps the rust and missing plates would mean that taking down this foe wouldn't be impossible.
Letting out a series of shots, all of them hit though none of them did anything critical. Still, it was enough to stunt him for a moment as I jumped out of the way, followed by returning fire from where I had been.

His turning circle had been a lot heavier than my agile movements, though his armour obviously outclassed mine and I didn't want to be on the wrong side of his assault rifle, especially without my helmet.
Jumping out of his view, I bolted for the next piece of cover and took another shot at him from the side, pulling back away before he finished to turn and fire.
Another two bullets missed, with a third skimming past my neck leaving a grazing wound. Recoiling in the sudden shock of the force, this wasn't looking good for me at all now. Going for another shot, my shotgun revealed that it was out of ammo.

With the sound of the shotgun clicking on the empty chamber, the armoured pony threw down his rifle and laughed. "Out of ammo? Good, that makes the both of us. I'll have more fun tearing you apart with my bare hooves anyway!"

Pulling my pistol out and trying to fire, the damn thing jammed. "Fuck!" I cried out, severely worried now.
My limbs were getting heavier and heavier and the sounds of a warzone carried on strong downstairs. The Spec Ops team had killed a few without any losses so far, judging from my E.F.S, but that still left me feeling weak and trapped in a room with a donkey who now definitely had the advantage.
My unarmed attacks were no match for armour like that and I knew it. Grabbing my knife again, I would have to get lucky to take this cunt down.

Before I could prepare myself, the onslaught had come. A lot faster than I had suspected, the armoured donkey had already made his way over to me and jumped up at me, giving me barely enough time to roll out of the way. With his battle saddle thrown down to the floor, he seemed a fair amount more agile, lessening what advantage I had even further.

"Don't fucking run from me you little shitbag! It's time to die!"

Taking a deep breath as I looked at him, I screamed out my answer. "Never! Not to the filthy likes of you!"
Charging at him and attempting to swing my knife into one of his weaker spots, it proved to be a stupid, stupid mistake. He moved out of the way and managed to knock me off balance as I swung, sending me down to the floor for a moment.
Looking up at my nemesis, he laughed as he took off his helmet. With his white mane dangling down his brown, bruised face, he smiled with crooked teeth at me.

"No need for a helmet now, I want you to see my eyes as I crush you. There's nowhere to go, Wings."

Letting out a huff of anger, I picked myself back off the floor and charged at him, this time intentionally swerving out of his way at the critical moment, hoping to throw him off balance while expecting a strike. Unfortunately, the plan didn't work and he bucked at me, knocking me down to the floor again and forcing me to close my eyes as the pain rushed through my side.
The slow, heavy steps made their way over to me as I struggled to breathe properly. Before I could do a thing, he stood over me, looking down at me as I had with the others.
Perhaps he knew the face I wore when I did the same thing, perhaps it was just universal, perhaps it was just my imagination; but for a moment, I could see myself in him.

"Your luck has run out, Executioner. You should have stayed at home, back where you came from. I'm going to enjoy collecting the bounty the Coalition has on your head, right after I kill all of your friends."
Letting out a small cough turned into a coughing fit, and the donkey above me just grinned. "Oh yes, the bounty shall be oh so sweet."

"Bounty huh?" I asked weakly, hoping to throw him off focus. "How much?"

Raising an eyebrow, he looked at me suspiciously. "Huh? Oh, you're not buying me out of this one. You couldn't afford to, anyway."

"How much?" I repeated, staring him right in the eyes. I had no hope of paying him off for my own survival, but that wasn't my intention at all. The way the buck continued to look at me with uncertainty was strengthening my resolve, however. "So? How much is this bounty on my head? Alive or dead make a difference?"

Letting out a small grunt of what could have almost been called laughter, he nodded. "Sure, I'll play your game. Dead you're worth twenty-five hundred caps. Alive? Thirty-five hundred."

Looking at him in shock, the displeasure was worn across my face without any attempt to hide it. "Twenty and thirty-five hundred caps?!" He just nodded, grinning. "Is that all? Fucking... what? Seriously?"

The mules glare made me want to laugh as he choked. "Wha-what the fuck? Are you fucking kidding me? You seriously want the bounty to be higher? You think you're special?"

Giving him a smug smile, I nodded as I tried to get up, only to be hit back down. Letting out of cough of agony, I began speaking again. "Y-yeah, I am something special. If they're going to put a bounty on my head, they'd best make it worth the three hundred ponies that would come to fuck shit up in revenge. Haha, fucking twenty-five hundred is foals-play in terms of caps to Four Ridges. Seriously, what the hell were they thinking?"

"W-what? You know what, fuck it. Enough of your fucking mind games! Time to die, pegasus!"

Readying myself for one more swipe, a dodge or something to save my life, the moment never came. Just as the ass went to strike, a silent attack came from nowhere with the flash of white and black before me. At first I thought it may have been Deadlight, but then the armour wasn't to be seen. Instead, Xander stood above him, twisting himself around the aggressors neck and throwing himself down to the ground with the donkey in tow.
With one graceful movement Xander got back up almost as if he had practised the move a million times or more and then crushed the mules exposed head with one swift strike.
The cracking sound of his skull giving way made me shudder and sent chills down my spine, and with another attack, the donkey's limbs stopped twitching altogether.
Just like that, almost in the form of a real life deus ex machina, I had been saved by the young zebra.

Turning his head to me, the young stallion gave me a wicked smile. "You're not giving up just like that, are you? Get the fuck up, where's your guns?" He quickly asked.

"Not giving up, I was actually buying time hoping that somepony would either come save my ass or that I could catch him off guard. Seems I was wrong though, since I should be saying some zebra, hey?"

"Zebra, pony, it's the same to me. Look, others might take their heritage to the point of shooting you over it, but I don't. Fact is, we're all in this together so if you want to say somepony as a general statement, well the only difference between me and you is the fact I have stripes and you have wings. The whole reason I joined the Peoples Liberation Army was because it fights for all of Coltchester, not just for the ponies and not just for the other zebras like the Zebras United does. I'm tired of the us versus them attitude when it comes to races."

Looking at the buck, he was certainly wise beyond his years when it came to that. A smile slid across my face as I took a moment to appreciate just how insightful and mature his statement had just been, and by his sudden blush, it was obvious he could see my approval and respect for him. "Tell you what," I began. "once we're out of here, I'll buy you a drink. You deserve one. Got a favourite type?"

"I... I've never actually had a drink, but look, there's more in the building we gotta clean out first and while no-one has been severely hurt, Brick did take a bullet to his flank. He claims he's still good though, so don't worry too much. Come on."

"One sec, gotta unjam my pistol and reload the shotgun." I quickly announced, trying not to shout it too loud. The last thing I wanted was some enemy around the corner to hear that I was defenceless for a moment.
Quickly tending to the needs of my guns, Xander stood guard over the hallway with an assault rifle he had managed to pick up, a better primary weapon than the revolver we'd managed to scavenge for him earlier. Taking a quick glance at the weapon, it didn't even look to be in such bad condition, though it no doubt needed some proper maintenance and perhaps a replacement part. Still, in working order nonetheless.

With my guns primed for battle once more, I pulled myself off from the floor with steadily decreasing strength. Whether it was the wounds I had taken or the drugs wearing off and leaving my body with the shakes I couldn't be sure, but it definitely wasn't a good sign and meant that we had to work on ending the fight sooner rather than later.
Taking a look at my E.F.S, we had four contacts on our left, one on the right and another three up ahead. Pointing that out to Xander, he gave a small nod. "Got it."

As one, we broke out of the room with him moving to the right and me to the left. My shotgun out on point meant I could reliably hit more than one opponent if they were side by side while his assault rifle would make quick work of anypony at medium range. Thankfully, neither of us had to fire straight away, meaning the other was safe to go ahead in search of the remaining few.
The sounds of gunfire around us slowly began to become less frequent, the shouts of praise from one to another coming from my crew. We were going to do this, we had almost finished the job.

Just as my focus was lost for a second, a zebra who was neither Deadlight nor Xander came into my view. His mane worn in spikes and a small SMG in his mouth as he looked at me, both of us hesitating for the initial moment as we realised neither of us were friendly to one another.
A quick burst of fire hit into my chest and though like before none of the bullets managed to pierce through the metal plating of my armour, it sure as fuck hurt.
Aiming through the pain, I fired while trying my best to jump out of the way, knocking the zebra down to his hooves as my pellets caught his exposed legs.

Diving for cover from a second spray of bullets, I could hear Xander shout in sudden displeasure at almost being hit. "Fuck Crimson! Take him down will ya?! His bullets were getting awfully close to me just then!"

Climbing over the sofa I had used for momentary cover, I rushed over to the zebra as the firing stopped and kicked the gun out of his mouth as quickly as I could. He tried to get back up but the wounds on his forelegs must have hurt too much because he simply crumpled back down the floor as quickly as he had tried to push himself up.
Slinging my shotgun for a moment and unholstering the pistol, I finished the job with a clean shot through the top of the skull.
Once again my mind went to Cherry and how she had always wanted to avoid killing if she could do so, but I knew better about these types of ponies. They were gangers, looters, muggers. They didn't do what they did just enough to survive out in the wastes, they did it for domination and selfish desire.
If they wanted to live life, if they wanted a steady supply of food and water, they could have joined the PLAC or hell, even the Coalition. As much as I hated to admit it, at least it would have been a proper organisation and they would have been following orders.

Behind me, Xander began to fire. Quickly the firing stopped, making my heart beat faster as a body crashed down to the floor and dropped a gun by the sounds of things. Spinning my head around in sudden worry, he still stood confidently as he stared through a doorway, rifle in mouth. Letting out a sigh, I didn't even know why I was worried at all.
Catching a glimpse of me, he laughed before he spoke through the grip of the rifle. "What, you think I was the one to die there?"

Sheepishly, I let out a small smile. "Well I don't want you to be getting hurt before I've managed to get you to have a drink for the first time. Just checking is all."

From around a corner, another pony stepped forth. Raising my shotgun ready to fire, this one backed off slightly. "Friendly!"

Looking down the barrel, she was indeed. Tsunami had made her way over to me, medical bags hanging by her side. "I'm surprised you're still awake, most of the time patients are knocked out by the med-x long before this point. The fix is only meant to be a temporary fix long enough to stabilise and get the hell out of a sticky situation... how the hell are you still walking, let alone fighting?"

Looking at her with a small smirk and a yawn, I did have to admit that I was getting heavier even still and a little worn out, but I was more worried about the lack of med-x flowing through me than an abundance of it.
"I'm tougher than that." I pronounced proudly.

"Oh really?" She muttered in a questioning tone, pushing me onto my side with just a nudge. "Doesn't look like it to me. We need to get you out of here ASAP, get you back to the base and get you in the medical wing, by the looks of things."

"More med-x will do me fine. I swear, I'll be absolutely fine with tha-"

"No way." Tsunami quickly interrupted me, an extremely stern look on her face. "Most ponies can't handle that much med-x in their system, they go into shock, perhaps even a coma. Unless you..."

Looking up at her with a cocked eyebrow, I finished her sentence for her. "Are used to taking med-x on a regular basis and thus have built up a tolerance to it past what other ponies can handle?"

Slowly she stumbled on her words, unsure of what to say. Instead of speaking, she eventually nodded before looking at her bag. "You... you're experienced with med-x then?" She asked slowly, a hint of caution in her voice. "Do you feel that you need it or that you need it?"

Looking at her with uncertainty, I couldn't help myself for a moment. "What?"

With a look that only medics could seem to conjure, well, medics and my mother, she looked at me straight in the eyes. "Crimson, I'm asking whether you feel you need it for the injuries or whether you need it in general."

Taking a second to think about her question, now wasn't the time to admit that. She was a medic and would likely notice the signs, yes, but the last thing I needed was her questioning my ability to lead because of my choices in how to unwind and enjoy myself... even if they were tempting sometimes when it wasn't the right time.
Instead of trying to talk her into giving me another hit, I let out a sigh and gave up on the idea. "I'm injured, though you're right. I'd be better off using a healing potion. May I have one?"

With a small smile, she dug one out of her bags and floated it over to my lips, administering it for me using her magic.
Just like that the world began to seem a tiny little bit more bearable, colour saturating my vision once again, my wounded leg beginning to heal.
It didn't stop the shaking of the intense beating of my heart, however. Nor of the temptation looming in the back of my mind to pass out, to fade into darkness.
Still, beggars couldn't be choosers and feeling somewhat better was still preferable to the level of pain I had to endure with every step beforehand.

Without warning, some pony charged at us with a sword from one of the rooms down the corridor, making Tsunami and myself jump back, startled by the sudden threat. Falling down onto my ass, I scrambled for my pistol or shotgun before realising they were closer to the charging pony than I was.
Just as the pony ran past the stairwell, another pony flanked him and smashed his grey hide into the wall, bursting clean through it in a flash of green and black.

Rushing back onto my hooves and running to the sight, I noticed Iron Wall pounding his hooves into the would-be attacker, killing him in a mere three hits. I was completely surprised by the strength of all these ponies, able to kill another with seemingly such little effort. Though on the other hoof, I suppose they wouldn't have been Spec Ops if they weren't capable of such shows of true power or skill.

Looking down at the two ponies below, I had no words for what we had just been though. I was glad that we survived the battle, though it felt a lot tougher than it should have been, especially on myself. Stepping over to the frame of the broken doorway before leaning up beside it, I gradually gave in to the temptation to fall to my knees.
With my head down, laying on the cracked wooden floor, the world felt heavier. The adrenaline that was previously flooding my veins had now ceased to do any good as the fire of my anger died out.

Cautiously one of the group made their way over to me, gently putting their hoof on my shoulder. I couldn't tell who it was, but right now I didn't care anyway. It could have been any of them, it wouldn't have made a difference - all I wanted was for it to be Cherry to scoop me up onto her shoulders and drag me through back to the headquarters. Instead, I had to continue to face the fact that she wasn't here and wouldn't be by my side until I could manage to get her back.
Looking at the worried face, I now realised it was Tsunami as her blue eyes surrounded by her white face looked at me with compassion and slight urgency. "Crimson..." She whinnied. "You really don't look well. We need to get you back to the rebel base and into their medical wing ASAP. How the hell you've managed to stay awake let alone in combat all this time..."

Spluttering with a small cough, I wanted to disagree. I wanted to be the tough pony all the others were that could handle the punishment. I wanted to be the leader that charged in with their forces and made the difference on the frontline.
Instead, the fact was that I was weak. I couldn't take a shot like they did and I definitely couldn't handle myself in close quarters with the skill and power they had. I wanted to shake my head, but rather, I nodded.
There were times when I would argue or at least discuss and debate against giving in, but this time I didn't have the energy.
The prospect of laying down in a comfortable bed and being treated for my wounds was just too great.

"They're still fleeing!" Freight Train called out as he looked out of the window cautiously, considering the options but obviously knowing that his shotgun didn't have the range to hit the targets he saw.

"On it!" Shockwave called, quickly making his way over to the window. Lifting his rifle part-way out of the window, he began to fire. Suddenly his back leg twitched, catching my attention. As he went to move to the side, he began to talk with a sense of urgency in his voice. "I can see them! Three of them. Looks like our sniper friend tha-"

Before he could finish his sentence, the loud sound of a crack threw his body slamming backwards against the floor as blood and brains splattered against the wall.
Shards of his lightweight helmet exploded in all directions at the very same time, a sharp shard of his visor barely missing both myself and Tsunami as it flung itself off of my armour.

Everyone turned silent as the body lay between us, quickly smothering our hooves and my coat as we remained next to the fresh corpse. The only sound I could hear was the sound of my own heartbeat and others' breathing. Looking away from Shockwave and over to Freight Train, his wide eyes slowly closed as he looked away, his breathing becoming heavy.
Iron Wall began to shake, bearing his teeth viciously before taking both the assault rifle and his own missile launcher into his magical grip and aiming both out of the window.

With a deep breath, he made one announcement before the screeching of his missile launcher erupted. "You fuckers will pay for this! Mark my fucking words!"

Quickly Freight Train jumped into him, throwing the pair down to the floor away from the body of their comrade only moments before another shot rang out, this time missing its target completely and instead hitting the exterior brickwork.
"Princesses damn it, Iron Wall! Control yourself!" Freight Train quickly shouted with as much frustration as there was worry. "We don't want to be losing you too!"

Iron Wall looked up at the light brown stallion and let out a sigh, dropping his gaze down to the floor where their friend lay. For a moment he did nothing, but then as if breaking down as the anger subsided he let out a broken sigh and clamped his eyes tightly. "Sorry Sir, anger got the best of me, Sir."

"I understand, I do." Freight Train quickly responded. "Shockwave was a good soldier, a good friend. We can't let his loss go to get more of us harmed or killed however. If we ever encounter that sniper again, we'll extract our revenge, don't worry. Until then, lets keep our heads about us. We're still deep in potentially hostile territory and judging by Crimson down on the floor over there..." With that he gave another glance at me, causing me to flush in embarrassment as I proved to be the weak link. "Well, he needs to get back to some intensive medical care. Treetop wouldn't be happy with us if we pursued those threats instead of getting him to safety, nor would it be beneficial to the mission. So, Brick, you okay with carrying Shockwave back?"

From behind me, a powerful voice agreed to the request. "Of course. He died honourably and deserves nothing less than a respectful send-off. I take it we're heading back now then?"

Looking over to me, Freight Train waited for confirmation. Looking back up in shock, I was surprised to see that he would wait for me to give such orders while I was in this condition. This was his squad, his group of stallions under his command and still he turned to me for my leadership.
It was a sign of respect I couldn't argue with, a sign of true dedication that I couldn't falter. Even after my choices had caused the loss of one of his members, his friends, he still turned to me.
Giving him a small nod with what dwindling energy reserves I had left, I agreed. "No point in staying," I croaked lightly. "If anyone wants to quickly loot, do so now. Otherwise, I want out of here just like the rest of you."

With Tsunami by my side, flanked by Xander on the other to keep me standing upright as I pulled myself off of the floor, we began to descend from the top floor. Slowly we made our way down the creaking wooden stairwell, age having taken its toll on the building around us, water leaks staining the walls brown as bits of the walls crumbled entirely with age.
It was obvious that the ponies who resided in the building had made some small repairs and maintenance for the time they had used the building, but nothing could reverse the damage done by the years of neglect that came before that.

As we got down to the bottom floor, my PipBuck began to alarm me. In the distance my E.F.S warned me that multiple hostile figures were making their way towards us from the way we came, numbering us more than two to one by far.
Letting in a gulp, I stumbled over to the window and peeked out slightly, careful not to expose myself more than I had to as I looked into the street ahead.
Sure enough, a group mixed between zebras and ponies marched in formation towards us, Coalition soldiers coming to take their prise after the battle had worn us out.

"We're screwed! There's no way we can handle all those after the fight we just had to deal with!" Xander quickly began to mutter. "We're well and truly fucked!"

One by one the rest of the squad realised the foe outside, making their way to us. There was no time for reinforcements from the Peoples Liberation Army, they wouldn't arrive in time. If Cherry had been here she would've been able to take a few out from range with her rifle, but with only Tsunami having a long barrelled gun we stood little chance.
Iron Wall was still shaken by the loss of Shockwave and Brick was over-encumbered with the body of the fallen friend.
Grinder could lay down some heavy fire, but the power of a minigun was best when it had a squad to back it up and make it so the enemies couldn't focus on a single target.

We were fucked, well and truly fucked. Considering how I felt too weak to fly, I couldn't even make any dive attacks from above. Deadlight was the only one to continue looking stony faced, neither dismay nor ferocity capable of being seen through the confident visage of emotionless consideration to the situation.
Breaking the silence, I called out his name. "Deadlight. What're you thinking? What's the plan?"

Without turning his focus away from the oncoming opposition, he spoke with determination that it seemed only a zebra could muster without a song and dance to bolster confidence. "We stand our ground, fortify ourselves in the windows as the previous defenders had and hold the others away until either their confidence breaks..." and with that, he paused for a moment before letting out a crack of a smile, beaming with confidence I couldn't quite understand. "Or they join in."

Looking at him in utter confusion, wondering what the hell he meant by 'they join in', he didn't give a verbal answer. Instead, he just nodded and pointed out towards one of the smaller buildings to the side. At first I couldn't make out what the hell he was talking about, but then as I focused my vision I saw a lone figure... no, a group of figures looking down at the marching unit from the roof of a building. From above the advancing unit, zebras waited, guns holstered.

At first it worried me even more so. The thought that the Coalition had soldiers posted on the roofs of buildings meant even less chance of holding ourselves successfully, but then he pointed out something very critical on the E.F.S markers... They were blue.
Straining my eyes even harder, I realised that indeed they weren't wearing the armour that the Coalition typically gave to zebras but instead, they had ragtag armour with green ribbons attached.

Looking back at my crew, I had a renewed sense of faith. If the Anarchists or Zebras United for Coltchester had heard of what atrocities had been carried out and were seeking revenge, they were doing it at the prime time to save my ass.
"Everyone, get ready. We're going to hold this building until we get the chance to hoof it back to base. Deadlight just pointed out a critical point that will keep us alive, we just have to wait for their attack before we can press up to break through enemy ranks and push them back or remain in the building and hope they're wiped."

With a quick nod and whinny, every member of the group quickly accepted the proposal. There wasn't anything else they could have realistically done anyway, I guessed.
"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" Tsunami quickly added after, an extremely worried look on her face as she looked at me.

"Right now? No, not really. I'd love for us to have another option, but we don't. So let's make the best of what we have, right? Prepare to hold this building. No surrender!"

In unison, all of the special forces members looked at one another before banging the side of their guns with a hoof and shouting out their war cry together once again. "Hoo-ah!"
Before I knew it, Grinder quickly made his way on up a floor along with Tsunami to gain an element of height while Freight Train moved on over to the front door and waved his hoof at me to follow. Iron Wall moved over to one side of the building along with Brick who put down the body of Shockwave before setting himself up.
Finally the two zebras, Deadlight and Xander, made their way over to the other side of the bottom floor, securing as many angles as we possibly could.

Between myself and Freight Train, we would block any entrance into the front of the building with our shotguns which would easily pierce through all but the absolute toughest of armour at such a close range. Tsunami and Grinder holding onto an elevated position would no doubt give suppression with extreme confidence and defiance to cover that would otherwise block them on an equal elevation.
With the others in each end of the building on the ground, it assured the security so that nothing could simply slip through and get to the side before attacking us from within the building.
Now we were set to hold off whatever could come up against us... for now.

Almost mere seconds after we were all set and ready, the opposing force finally made their way over to the outer wall of the hotel building. Low walls didn't provide for flawless cover, especially with the pockmarks exposing the soldiers behind, proving that heavy enough fire could pierce through. This was it, the siege was about to begin and we would be put to the test yet again.

"Executioner!" One called out as he stepped out into the open, confident of his superior numbers. "Hand yourself in and the others shall be unharmed! Left to walk out of Coltchester, escorted out so they are not attacked even!"

Turning my head to look at Freight Train, I let out a small smile. "Should I give myself up?"

Rolling his eyes and letting out a small snort, he looked at me as casually as he could given the moment. "Oh, totally. Best idea of the year!"

"If you should refuse our most gracious offer, however, you will find yourself crushed alongside your comrades. We will use our superior arms, training and numbers to finally put a stop to your terrorist ways! Give up now, spare the lives of those who protect you and let them go free! Is the price of yourself not worth protecting everyone else around you?"

Again, Freight Train snorted. "Superior training? Please, he's out in the open! Even when you're confident in your situation, that's too reckless. See, a single shot from a certain marksmare..."

With that, almost as if she had been listening the whole time, a repeat of what happened to Shockwave occurred. Only instead of it being to one of us, the pony who walked out into the open to make the demands dropped dead, showing the coalition the collective response from such offers.
Just as the opponents began to cry out in mixed expressions between anger and horror, a new sound took everyone's attention with the loud crashing of wooden doors busting open.

Within a second, horror turned to terror as zebras and ponies alike stormed out of the buildings where the figures stood on top, blood-lust filled cries for revenge filling the air. Before anyone could react, green smoke surrounded the Coalition soldiers and the insurgent force continued to charge, screaming their threats as they ran towards their enemy.

In utter confusion and not wishing to harm any friendly forces, not a single shot came from our building as we waited. The screams of pain and torment filled the air, though Princesses only knew which side was winning as the thick smoke completely disrupted our field of vision. For all we knew, the insurgent forces could have quickly lost the fight and now been trapped below coalition hooves as they were quickly wiped out in melee combat.
Seconds felt like hours as we waited for the fog to dissipate, for our vision to return. Finally, our ability to see into the combat filled square increased.

Indeed, the insurgent force hadn't been able to completely wipe the Coalition force, the stronger armour and training proving to be enough to hold off the skirmisher force.
With a grunt, Freight Train gave a single order. "Attack!"

A barrage of fire and death came from our building, quickly putting the Coalition force into a pincer that they couldn't escape from as they scrambled to find cover that would protect them from both sides.
Just as one group of five soldiers tried to push into our building, a single missile screamed through the air before exploding below their feet, slinging their bloodied and mutilated corpses at least ten feet into the air from the instant pressure pressed against them.
Cries of retreat called out as remaining forces fled through sustained fire, another two soldiers dropping as they ran away from the slaughter.

Looking out at the battleground outside, I really wanted to simply drop down and give up now. Yet another exhausting experience that pushed the last of my energy and made me forget how weak I was previously feeling meant I felt even worse now.
Closing my eyes, the temptation to give up was hard to resist. It was right there in front of me, to simply close my eyes and stop trying... to close my eyes and let my body collapse, but something inside of me fought back at that. Something inside of me told me that my struggle was far from over yet and to give up now would make it all pointless. All the deaths we had caused not just today, but since the very moment I stepped out of Four Ridges on this mission would all be for nothing.
Most of all however, the thoughts of Cherry and Eos and how I would fail the both of them made me slam my hoof down to the ground and open my eyes in defiance.
I would not fall here! Not like this!

Stepping out from the doorway, Freight Train quickly rushed to my side and went to question whether it was a good idea, but from one glimpse of the look in my eyes he stopped before he even began his sentence. If the insurgent force wanted to attack us, they could have. If they wanted us dead, they would have left the Coalition to do the job and then attacked after we weakened them.
Instead, they stood with their guns holstered before nodding at me as I made my way past them with what little energy I had left.
All as one they stood around, some staring at me in silence while others looked at the death that had come to friend and foe alike. The scene was horribly sombre, a grim reminder of what life in Coltchester ultimately meant for many.

Finally as I reached the middle of the square, one spoke. There in front of me stood a female zebra, green bandanna showing proudly along with many green ribbons attached to her armour. "You. You came here with a dangerous task and yet you fought without hesitation. Why? What drives you to do these things? You are no inhabitant of this city."

"You're right," I offered weakly, unable to maintain a visage of strength. "I'm not from here."

With no sense of softness to her voice, she snapped out her response again. However, it didn't seem as if she was angry, no. If she was angry, she wouldn't have been speaking. She was interested. "So, once more I ask. Why do you choose to fight a battle that is not your own?"

"Because I have little choice. Coltchester may provide me what I need to maintain freedom and security for my peoples, I intend to find out if that is so."

"So you would come here seeking spoils from our war? You would attack while we are weak perhaps? Or perhaps you instead see yourself as a mercenary, seeking reward for your actions? What is it that you seek, mercenary. What drives the executions?" Now I could feel her stare driving down deep into my eyes, trying to figure out my motivations. Maybe she was trying to discriminate if I was about to lie to her face, but I had no desire for that. There was times that manipulation through speech was appropriate, but this was not one of those times.

Drawing a slow, deep breath. I closed my eyes for a moment as I tried to remain strong enough to stand, knees trembling under my own weight the entire time. "What I seek is water, clean water. I have been offered this for my services in weakening the Coalition but the executions began before I had even received that offer. I was directed here prior and upon seeing the poorest, I was offended. Judge a nation not by the wealth it amasses but by the way it treats its poorest, weakest and most vulnerable."
For a moment, nothing was said, but then I broke the silence once more. "The needs of the many must always outweigh the needs of the few."

My utterance was enough to change the way the zebra looked at me, her gaze seeming much softer as the weight of my words impacted her mind. Either she had seen the truth in my eyes or I must have looked pitiful, because slowly she began to smile, if only a little.
"Then if you should sacrifice your own well-being for the well-being of others, I commend you. I came to see your actions, to make sure you weren't a simple snake willing to bite into our resources with your lies only to give nothing back. You have succeeded in proving yourself... this time, Executioner."

Looking at the zebra in confusion, I couldn't understand what she was talking about. How could she have known I was going here at all? With a group large enough to fight off a unit of Coalition soldiers larger than the bandits we fought against, no less.
Over her shoulder from within one of the buildings a familiar pony strode toward me, nodding his head in acknowledgement. "A spy doesn't just work for one pony, Executioner. I have no quarrel with you and hope you have none with me for my actions here. I could not handle these bandits alone and that much is true. My allegiance is only to the betterment of Coltchester, I serve no side other than that I see as just. Zimena understands and sees my usefulness as an ally, as you seem to do also.
You have my word that causing you to fight is not within my best interests and the reason I brought her along was to make you two talk."

Looking over my shoulder, I called out to the Spec Ops team and Xander. If it was simply to talk, I didn't want Zimena to feel that I was going to be threatening her with forces ready to fire. In formation they strode from the hotel before quickly finding their place along the mess, Tsunami quick to stand by one of my sides and help me stand upright while Freight Train took place on the other side as my forces highest ranking officer. An appreciative nod came from Zimena before her smile turned sour as she noticed we too had lost a friend.

"Execution-" Neon began to say, quickly interrupted by myself.

"Crimson will do fine."

"Crimson, Executioner. What are names in times like these? Either way, I'm glad you aren't mad with me. Like I say, it's within the best interests of Coltchester that you two speak, and so it is within mine too. Please forgive me any harsh feelings."

Shaking my head wearily, I didn't hold it against him. Letting out a tired, pained sigh, I began. "I hold no ill feeling for your actions, speaking with Zimena is an honour. First of all though, may I ask what group you support? I don't seek to challenge you, purely to know."

"Likewise, I might ask you the same. I am Zimena, leader of the Zebras United for Coltchester. The name suggests we are only zebra's, though this is untrue. Instead, it's simply that our group began entirely of zebra origin and has since expanded to take what Anarchists seek organisation, despite their name. No doubt some have joined the Peoples Liberation Army, as well. But what of you? You speak of being an outsider, so why do you fight under the banner of the P.L.A.C? What is it that drives you to their cause rather than ours, for example?"

"Their leaders came to me first, told me that they could lead me in the direction of what I seek and offered me shelter and medical treatment. I'm not in Coltchester to wage war from my settlement to yours, I'm here for information and a single item that I do not intend to harm anyone by taking. If the circumstances were different, I could have ended up supporting you instead." I answered, wanting nothing more than to please Zimena and have the discussion over so I could return to the gentle nursing hooves of Eos. The thought of her tenderness in how she would treat my injuries keeping me standing as the world grew darker around the edges of my vision. My stomach began to churn in pain, though I resisted the urge to throw up the best I could.

"You speak in earnest tones, your eyes do not betray you. I believe your motives and words, the fading strength of your very own limbs only pushes you to tell the truth. Here, I have a proposition for you. For as long as you represent a part of the P.L.A the ZU promises not to oppose you in your efforts to defeat the Coalition and may very well work with you in uniting Coltchester... if you can work with us to clean the city of filth. You have proven your capability here today, now we ask you to prove your sense of responsibility and duty. Secure a peace treaty, help us when we need it as we have helped you not just today, but also in the recent battle of Northern Coltchester, and we shall not stand in your way-"
With a small sneeze and the wipe of her nose, Zimena flushed in embarrassment before continuing. "...and with that, we shall let you go. Rest up, Crimson the Executioner. Coltchester shall not be easily defeated and never shall we cease to fight until the Coalition is gone. We will call upon your services soon."

Looking back at my friends, there was nothing more to say. Our new allies all began to walk away from the scene, secure in the knowledge that peace had been brokered with us for the current time, though a part of me questioned for how long. This could be an elaborate ploy, or it could have been sincere. Either way, it didn't matter. Freight Train picked me up and threw me over his shoulders with a little help from Tsunami before carrying me back to base... to a bed and caring hooves.
Closing my eyes, I could finally let temptation take over as the sensation of being carried gently lulled me into a numbness filled with white noise.

Author's Note

So, so very sorry this chapter took me forever to write. It was unintentional, as always.
I could whine about how the weather has been killer (30c + me = horrible mix. 0c + me = happy, normal
& is a good mix.)
I could also whine about how I've not been feeling creative... but a lot of that is my own fault because when you stop for too long, it feels like such a monster to get back into and between that, laziness, bad shifts at work that leave me little time to do what I want and life in general and... but you know what? It's my fault.
So I'm sorry.

But it's released now! Thanks for having read it, by the way!
Looking at how I still get views every single day lifts my heart and my soul. I can't believe it, because I -still- look at myself and this story and go: why?
Why do you all put up with me and this story? Obviously you all enjoy it to some extent, but I still can't understand why you do. I know why I do, but that's different.

Anyway, you all mean a lot to me and I'm so, so very sorry I'm not always the most approachable. Some people have the worst timing for when they try to talk to me - just as I'm going to sleep or work. Others... I don't know. I don't want to be unapproachable, so please don't think I don't want to talk to you.

Anyway, yeah. Thank you again for reading my story, it will always mean a lot to me that you do. If there's any suggestions you have, let me know them! Any criticism or compliments? Share away!
Also, as a personal request: What does everyone think of Eos for example? I know a few of my fans adore her, but so many people are so quiet, so yeah, wondering what the general thoughts are.

Next chapter will be a Cherry chapter, 100% promise!
I'll write the next two chapters as quickly as I can without simply rushing out content to have new content out and then after that, I'll work on rewriting chapter three. Sound good? Hope so!
Love you all.

Many thanks to everyone who reads, who has supported me at any time or who has given me the confidence to write.
Many thanks to Kkat for being an amazing person and making Fallout Equestria 'a thing' and also to Somber for making me see that writing recursive fanfic isn't the devils work. I've not personally read chapter 59 yet, but I still appreciate that he led to me doing this.
Thank you all.

Chapter 22: Shards of light

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds
By Kippershy

Chapter Twenty-two: Shards of light
"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth."

Shards of light glistened through cracks in the doorway, gentle beams flowing through whatever they could find to illuminate what had become my new shelter. Stretching my shoulders apart as I yawned in an effort to wake myself for another day of captivity, I could hardly contain what little excitement I had for the concept of being stuck in a cell for even longer than I had already been in here. Patience is a virtue, but the prospect of being a prisoner was simply boring.

With the morning stretch routine out of the way and a quick reminder to myself about my broken hind leg from the dull, constant throbbing sensation, I continued to lay down on the bed. Looking up to the ceiling, I wondered how familiar I might become with the sight. Using the toilet was my only way out of the cell but even that was far from anything to keep my mind occupied. Letting out a small sigh, I could do nothing but wait and wish that my Crimson would arrive soon.

The fact that I was here and alive was something that I could take comfort in, despite the pain running through my leg as if in an act to mirror the desolate feelings running through my head. The Coalition were keeping me prisoner, but they had still provided me with medical supplies, food and water so far. To somepony like myself, it felt like punishment and truly, it was. Thinking over to the ponies out on the streets who had nowhere to call their own, no steady supply of food nor water, of anything other than the cold... it was strange to think, but to them, this would be a privilege.
I could be considered privileged by many, especially for being an enemy of the leadership that ran the very jail I was in.

As the thoughts trickled through my mind and kept me occupied, a new set of sounds suddenly took my attention as hooves walked across metal, the metal I assumed that led up to the door from the distance and from what little experience I had with this place already.
Not a moment later, the sound of an opening door confirmed my suspicions and a friendly voice called out to us prisoners as if there was nothing abnormal about that for them.

"Good morning all!" He called out, the voice of the one truly reasonable pony in the Coalition had come to visit us. "And welcome to you, Cherry Sundae. I know this is your first morning in here so the routine isn't something you're aware of, so please, I ask that you simply comply and cause no trouble. Please?"

My eyes shot wide and my head spun to the door in shock... did he just say please? He did, didn't he?
Mouth open in surprise, I stared into the distance of the door as it then slowly began to open, exposing his friendly, smiling face before he laughed at me, at my bafflement.
It wasn't a harsh and horrible laugh though, he held no malice. Instead, he had the look of subtle joy in his eyes as he smiled at me and reached out a hoof with a gentle confidence that made me feel calm.

"Are you okay? Is the pain of your leg causing you distress or is there something else the matter? Aside from being stuck in here, that is."

Quickly recomposing myself, I gave a shy little shake of my head. "N-no, I'm fine. Bored out of my mind, but honestly? I was just considering the fact that you kept me alive, that you keep me locked up despite the fact that it would be that much easier to have killed me when you found me, to just be rid of me."

"Cherry Sundae, let me tell you something. What I'm about to tell you may come as a shock, but that isn't how the Zebra-Donkey Coalition works. If you've been told that we're monsters that kill everyone we see like some kind of filthy raiders, you've been lied to. Perhaps the rule hasn't always been the kindest, but I'll be damned if you expect me to believe that anarchy is the best option."
For a moment, the strange buck stared down, away from me, towards the ground. Thoughts must have been consuming him because the look in his eyes told of a troubled soul, but quickly he regained his posture and looked back to me.
"Though that's for another time, perhaps. As I was saying, no, I do not intend on harming you. I do however intend to... use you, should you let me."

Without hesitation, I glared at him and quickly snapped back my response in an angry tone. "No! How dare you even consi-"

Before I could finish my sentence, he shook his head and looked at me in a way that made me pause. He wasn't looking at me with lust... nor with any harmful intention, not what I could tell anyway. Taking in a breath about to question him, he beat me to the next word. "I'm not intending to use you in a sexual manner, before you worry about that. As beautiful as you are, you have a stallion you love and truth be told, I'm a hopeless romantic. Old world traditions and teachings are something I believe in strongly and I could never go against those. Besides, that wouldn't have been on my agenda even if you weren't the elegant visage of beauty that you seem to be. No, my request is about your skills."

Crossing my forehooves and looking at him with a cocked eyebrow, I was curious now. The compliments definitely helped lift my mood from the sudden disgust, further put to bed by the honest tone he spoke in. Letting out another sigh, I nodded. "Go ahead, what is it you're after or want to know? Just remember I won't tell you anything that will get my love in trouble."

With a smile of appreciation, he nodded back to me. "Your weapon, you're a markspony - no two ways about it. No pony carries around a rifle of such expense in both obtaining it in the first place, maintaining it and keeping it stocked with ammo unless they have the skill to wield something of such power and destruction. You must have been trained to handle it very well, but more importantly for me, for us, to spot your opponents at range."

Looking at the Captain, I gave him a glance that confirmed his suspicions. "Okay, sure. You know my combat role and have been able to piece together something about me from it. Why is that important? What does that mean to you?"

With a grin, he looked to me as confident as could be. "What's different about my uniform today compared to yesterday?"

He asked with a tone of self assuredness, certain that he'd beat me in his little mind game. Either he wanted to see what I could remember about him or he was just trying to be mysterious, but still I gave it a moment of thought as I looked at him. Taking a moment to consider everything and notice the differences, I began listing them off.
"You're intentionally wearing your cap the other way around today, it doesn't look like it normally would judging from the way your mane isn't styled to hold it properly in its current style. You've got an extra badge on your uniform, suggesting you've either been promoted or you don't always wear every badge you own, which would be weird and generally out of place. You're wearing a pair of cuffs on your belt, you weren't carrying them yesterday. As well as that, you've got a needle in your pocket. I can tell from the outline of the bulge."

Crossing my forehooves and scrunching up my face, there was something more... one or two things more that I hadn't noticed, but there had to be something. "Turn around. Please?" With my request, he did so. A pair of binoculars. There was something more!
"Didn't have them on you yesterday either."

Chuckling as he turned back to face me, he nodded with a great smile. "I was right, you have exceptional perception. Typically a trait amongst sharpshooters, be it through training from the job or simply being made into a sharp shooter because of natural skill. Either way, it doesn't matter how you came to be a so keenly perceptive, what matters is that it can do good for the community."

"The community, huh?" I asked in return, sure that it was going to be just a job of trying to point out rebels who I had already met before. By the Princesses, I wouldn't help him for even a moment if it was anything like that.

"Please, Cherry. Before you keep getting yourself worked up, remember, I am a member of the Honour Guard. I would never request you to do something that would put those you care about at risk. I know I may be of the 'opposing side' but at the end of the day, I'm just trying to get by like anypony else. Besides, your group has my brother captive, remember? Lest I seek to see him hurt, I dare not antagonise you."

Honour guard, again with that claim. Yet clearly in my memory I could see him the first time we met... I needed to question him about that little stunt. "So, 'Honour Guard' hey? What about the time when you almost ordered the slaughter of innocent civilians? I wouldn't call that very honourable. Would you?"

Immediately, his tone dropped. Not to an angry, defensive one I had expected however, but one filled with regret.
"Indeed, you are right. I let fear get the best of me and without you, without your threat, I would have made a mistake that would have seen me stripped of my title. My rank within the Coalition would have remained, but my pride would have been destroyed. Thus, I only have you to thank, and is another reason I made sure you stayed alive despite any commands from so called superiors. It's also the reason I am giving you this chance now."

Biting back at his words, still not satisfied as the memory riled me, I gave him no quarter. "Do you even know what you could have done? Your troop were going to shoot a colt! My colt!"

"You're a mother?" He asked in sudden shock, surprised to think such things.

"Well, no." I responded limply, blushing a little at both the thought and the misunderstanding I had caused. "I mean... I didn't give birth to him, I found him. I had only found him a very short while before that even. Still, I promised him a home, I promised he could stay with me. I can't let a poor little orphan like him just live on the streets with nopony to take care of him. When I'm out of this whole mess, when I'm far away from here, back home, I'll be keeping him for my own regardless of anything other than him saying he doesn't want to be mine. I will adopt him as my son before I see him cry on his own like he was before. You almost took that from me, so unless this offer of yours is good, I'll stay here."

"Wanna discuss things over breakfast? I'll let you lean on me or even hold me around the neck for support if you'd like?" The strangely friendly pony offered, a small whisper of a smile on his lips. "Hell, I'll even let you have first dibs on where to sit and tell you about the new shiny badge you noticed if you want me to?"

Looking at him with uncertainty, his easy going attitude quickly made me give in and agree. "Sure. This better be worth it though. Don't worry about supporting my walking though, I'll handle it. I'm trained to be able to handle things like this, even if I haven't ever had to put that training to the test before."
With that, he simply walked out of the door and gestured with a hoof for me to follow... to simply follow him out of my cell as if it wasn't anything at all. That was strange.

Walking along towards the outside door, I didn't know what was happening, but he was guiding me so I guessed all I could do was trust him. The other cells were open too, surprising me even further. I had done guard duty in our own jail before, releasing prisoners like this was definitely not something we did so freely. Sure we had supervised exercise times, but this was just weird.

"Come on, this way. We'll be going to the mess hall." The Captain eagerly announced to me, his tone completely relaxed and calm.

Walking into the mess hall, I felt tense as I immediately noticed the fact that Pony Joe and Blessed Cradle along with a few others I didn't recognise were on the other side of the room in a barred off section away from the guards, though there was still easily enough room in the bars to pass food through one part and we could see one another clearly. Instead of being with them, I was with all the different guards.

Zebras dressed loosely in their usual attire salvaged from back during the great war while Donkeys mostly wore their heavy armour and ponies dressed in anything they could cobble together it seemed.
Some of the zebras looked tired and from my experience I guessed this was their dinner rather than breakfast given they typically patrolled at night and early hours of the day, where as the ponies and donkeys seemed fine if a little groggy.

"W-what's going on? Why am I in here?" I asked, certain that Captain Blueheart had led me to the wrong room. All I could do was hope it wouldn't cause me any trouble.

As if on cue, one of the zebras marched up to us and shot the captain a look. "You're bringing a prisoner to eat in here, with us?" His tone didn't sound happy in the slightest and by the look in his eye, I could tell he would have loved to correct that fact.

"It's fine, Xumy. She's here because I say so and last I checked, I have the authority to do that. Besides, I'm intent on making a proposition that'll give her rights to eat in here anyway." Captain Blueheart simply waved his hoof in a care-free manner with the end of his sentence, not at all worried about the reaction he'd get.

With a huff, 'Xumy' reared up and crossed his front legs before looking away from my new 'friend'. I had seen zebras rear up in the past but it still surprised me how they managed to maintain such a pose without any effort in the slightest. "Bah! It's Xumeh. Fine, whatever you say. Just don't go doing it for all of them." Okay, not Xumy, Xumeh.

"Come on, lets get some grub." Captain Blueheart insisted with an infectious grin that brought a smile to my own face.
I didn't know why or what it was about him, but something about the Captain made me feel like I could smile. Still, it didn't match the way Crimson made me smile with his silly little antics like pulling faces at me. With that, I giggled at my own thoughts and the Captain gave a inquisitive look.
"Oh. Uh.." I stuttered, feeling my cheeks blush hard as I realised he wanted to know why I had just laughed the way I had. "I was just..."

"Thinking about something?" He offered.

"Crimson, actually. You too. I mean-" Now I was in trouble, my cheeks were roasting with all their blood rushing to them. Hiding my face as we made out way in line, I felt a gentle nudge at my side.

"Go on, do tell. Unless it's something you really aren't comfortable with telling me, of course."

Taking a little breath in an attempt to recompose myself, I looked back up at him and felt my confidence fall back in place as I remembered Crimson's words and thought about the next thing I was about to say.
"Well, I was just thinking about how friendly you've been so far and how you make me feel okay around you. How I can smile, actually. Then I thought about how Crimson makes me smile and the faces he pulls at m-"

I wasn't able to continue the sentence, my lips curled up to my cheeks as I felt embarrassed about sharing the silly little moments me and Crimson had. Captain Blueheart let out a small chuckle of his own as he visually showed signs of trying to imagine what those faces might be and gave a small, approving shake of his head. "Humour really is the way to win a mares heart. Any ponies heart I should say, really. We're like that as a group, aren't we? Why, if I remember my history lessons, wasn't there an element of harmony that was laughter?"

"Yup!" I stated while nodding away. "Pinkie Pie was the last one for that, or, so the textbooks from the Stable told us."

"Stable?" Captain Blueheart asked curiously with a cocked brow. "You're a Stable Dweller? I should have guessed from the PipBuck, but... you don't act like-"

"I'm not." I quickly corrected him. "I just come from a settlement with deep ties to a Stable. They share their educational sources with us and we provide protection."

"Hmmmm..." The captain muttered. "Sounds just like this one place I've heard of, something along the lines of F-"

Before he could get any further, I loudly interrupted him with a worried smile and rubbing my stomach. "Ah well, maybe I'll tell you about it later. Right now I'm starving, when do we get a chance for some food hey?"

As if perfectly timed, the line moved on up and we managed to meet the chef. "What'll it be for you today?" He asked in a very orchestrated tone that told of how many times he had to say that each day. It made me wonder how boring it must be to do such a menial task, though that was definitely a better option than to be homeless with no certain way to eat each day.

Lost in my moment of thought, the Captain grabbed two bowls of food and gave me a nudge. "Come on, Cherry. Where do you want to sit? Usually I like to sit over at the window, but if you don't want to then I'll sit anywhere you like. Just one thing, you don't mind carrying these with your magic, do you? Would be a lot easier than me trying to carry the tray with my mouth is all."

Nodding before levitating the tray in my magic, I nodded to the window. It seemed as good of a place as any other to sit. As we made ourselves comfortable, I looked out into the landscape and began to understand now why he liked sitting here. From where we were we could see out clearly into the distance. It was a surprising sight, but it turned out that Coltchester wasn't built in the typical circle fashion but rather had a corridor that was nothing more than some transport networks and what might have once been nothing but green belt land. To the left was the industrial region of the city, smoke still pouring from a few roofs, though I couldn't tell if that was through production lines still active or if our recent fight had scarred the landscape so badly that it still burnt. To the right was a walled off area, almost reminiscent of the wall that surrounded Four Ridges, albeit a lot smaller and nowhere near as fortified.
It was obvious that the wall had been built in post-apocalyptic times given the use of multiple materials and its general design, this didn't retract from the beauty of what laid behind it however.

Staring out as the sprawling buildings that rose into the sky in elegant ways, Captain Blueheart gave a polite little cough to catch my attention. "I see you're admiring the view, just like I enjoy doing myself. You already know of the industrial region, as we are both fully aware. You can even see the damage to the highway if you look closely, can't you?"
Looking a little harder, I noticed it myself and gave a mute nod before he continued. "But what of the Luxury district? You've not seen that I suppose?"

"No, I haven't." I answered honestly, amazed to see such beautiful buildings standing intact in a city like this. The name 'Luxury District' made total sense give the view from here.

"Well, that's where the most affluent of ponies live and work. Even some of the more fortunate ponies from Slumside have access to there, though they are typically traders and workers who do jobs that those with caps, power and or fame do not wish to do. Typical jobs like cleaning, maintenance of the building structures, salon workers. You'd be surprised just how pleasant it is there."

Wait, what? Looking at the Captain in confusion, I couldn't quite believe him. "You're joking, right? I mean, you don't say it like you're joking, but you say that particular area has ponies living lives much like they would have before the war?"

"Oh, certainly!" He responded with a smile as he took a sip of his food, reminding me that I hadn't even began to touch mine. Eyeing the stew before me before having a taste, it was surprisingly good. "See, we even have one of the shopping centres up and running over there. Many, many shops in one building with both indoor and outdoor exposed areas dedicated to giving ponies, donkeys, zebras and all others alike a good, calm time while they shop. With its own security force, it's somewhere to rival Tenpony Tower's shops while giving Megamart's protection. Truth be told, any pony from Slumside with enough caps or a work permit can enter the Luxury District. We just make sure their intentions aren't to do harm to those who simply wish to live their lives."

Nodding my head, I understood the idea. I had to admit, their dedication to keeping a peaceful area where any could live and work without worry was a very noble idea and that, at the very least, I couldn't knock. "And I suppose that means-" I stopped mid sentence when Captain Blueheart gave me a look that said 'watch your words', I quickly blushed and then thought about what I was about to say. "-the rebels who would seek to harm that status quo, right?"

With an approving nod, the Captain smiled. "Yes, it means we want to keep it safe from being attacked. Truth behind it is that it isn't just ponies living their lives, it's also where our headquarters are..." and for a moment, he looked around as if scanning the room for something, perhaps to see if there was anyone in particular or anyone too close. "...in the tallest tower." His quietness with that last comment made me think. Why would he simply tell me something like that? He didn't want me to cause trouble yet he was letting me have information that could cause trouble? The look on his face told me he knew what he was saying and I didn't for a second believe it was a lie, but I couldn't figure out his motive for telling me.

"As I was saying however," He began again in a more normal speaking voice, obviously turning the topic back to what it was before. "It's a nice place to be. We want to keep it that way, and that's why I'm offering you a job. You'll get to go there, you'll get to do what you're good at - and if you play nice - perhaps even access to a weapon. Depends on what strings I can pull, how good you are and other circumstances."

"What of my own rifle?" I asked politely. "Where is that, may I ask?" Goddesses, I hope they hadn't given it to somepony else. I would be beyond mad if they had given away my rifle.

"That's kept in the prisoner items storage, not to be accessed by any other than whoever has some reason to be doing so. See, these facilities aren't just for rebels, they also hold any trouble makers from the Luxury District as well. To simply take away property without any ability to return it should a prisoner be released is out of question unless the items in their possession are strictly not allowed, such as high explosives. You know, the same type that could bring down a highway."

Rolling my eyes a little as I continued to eat breakfast, I took a moment to pause. "So, what's the job exactly involve?"

"There has been reports of some raiders on the outside lately who haven't been getting inside the district, but they have been harassing merchants on their way in and out. They're not our forces, they're not rebels either. For a small while we let them be so we could gather some more information about them, where they're working from. We'd much rather have a clean and quick fix to the situation by cutting the roots of their operation rather than making a mistake by stopping a single raiding party. We still don't know their exact location however, so we want you to be our eye in the sky. We'll put you on the tallest building with the best proximity and give you the best pair of binoculars we can."

"What zoom levels can I expect?" I asked as professionally as I could.

With a shocked expression, Captain Blueheart looked at me sceptically. "You accepted the offer rather quickly. Normally somepony would take a moment to consider such a proposal. Any reason?"

Looking at him straight in the eye, I decided that letting him know about myself wasn't going to hurt. "Fact is, I'm a mercenary. I'm not the type of mercenary who will do absolutely anything because there is caps involved, but a recon job like this? If there's raiders attacking traders, genuine traders, I'll accept the job. I want to see a better world and trade is one of the ways to build that better world. Trade makes communities prosper and gives us all a chance for something far better than simply hoarding what we have. If it was to stop rebels from getting into the Luxury District, I'd tell you that's your own job. Since it's protecting innocent ponies who foster growth, I'll do it in a heartbeat." Taking a moment to let it sink in to the astounded Captain, I then asked my question again. "So, what zoom levels can I expect? You think I'll actually be able to see these bandit attacks? See the attackers in enough detail to identify them?"

"Actually, yes." He confirmed with a grim look on his face. "With my promotion, it was put upon me to investigate this threat. I have my suspicions on what it is and I'm fearful that my own worst nightmares, and the nightmares of the commanders are reality. I want to be sure that I'm either right or wrong, that's why I want you to be the one with them. I don't trust my own eyes for this, I need you."

Looking him dead in the eye, I asked something I could tell he didn't want to answer. "What are your worst nightmares, Captain?"
Instead of giving me the information, he simply stared into the distance with distinct worry showing in the corner of his eyes.
Whatever it was, it was something he didn't like to think about.

*** *** ***

The rest of the morning was pretty uninteresting after that. Finishing breakfast we made sure to do our morning necessities and then geared up. I was surprised that Captain Blueheart allowed me to wear my own armour and carry the binoculars, though with my broken leg I supposed he knew I wasn't really capable of running off. Besides, where could I run to? Everywhere around us was more Coalition soldiers so there was nowhere to hide.

Hitching a ride on a wagon was a surreal experience I honestly had never expected to experience, especially not one drawn by ponies who I would in other circumstances be likely shooting at. Instead of violence, we had a peaceful ride out of the military base and towards the Luxury District. The route we took avoided travel through the Slumside area and instead took a direct path via the transport network that connected the city into one unified piece, allowing myself and Captain Blueheart a scenic view as we waited along with the others with us.

"So..." I aimlessly verbally pondered as myself and the Captain looked out to the distance ahead, the lack of mountains being something different than I had expected. "Since there's a little while before we arrive to where we're going, do you mind if we talk about things at all? Ask some questions back and forth?"

"Sure, sounds like it would pass the time. What have you got in mind?" The creamy stallion replied in a dignified manner.

"Well, first of all, I'd like to ask your name actually. When I think about you, all I can reference you as is the Captain or Captain Blueheart."

"And that's an issue because?" He replied happily, a grin on his face while he looked at me curiously.

"It feels improper." I quickly informed him, not wanting to give him the wrong idea. "I mean, perhaps you want to keep it that way to make things feel formal and official, but I like to know ponies by a more personal touch than just a title like Captain. Is there another part to your name? It's not common for ponies to use a single part for their name." With that I paused for a second, feeling the need to sneeze quickly rising and contorting my face in a fashion I hadn't intended for. Just as quick as the moment came it disappeared again in a flash, allowing me to get back to our discussion, much to the amusement of the Captain. "Back to what I was saying," I quickly added as I began to blush from the silliness of the moment. "Most ponies use two names, like for myself, it's Cherry Sundae. Or for males, names like Crimson Wings."

The stallion nodded slowly, crossing his forehooves together as he looked at me in the eye. "Indeed that's usually true, but in my case I am simply named Blueheart. I am sorry to disappoint you Cherry, I wish there was something else I could say but that would be a lie and I do not intend to lie to you. Especially not about something so trivial."
That response elicited a pout from me as the answer turned out to be a lot less interesting than I had hoped, but then he spoke again. "But if you really want to call me something that feels more personal, call me Blue."

"Blue, huh?" I asked, considering the way it sounded. It really didn't match him given his cream coat and grey mane, but that was the beginning of his full name anyway so there was still sound logic in it. "Okay, thank you, Blue."

"No no, thank you." He responded. "I'd much rather you feel comfortable as possible around me, remember? See, the thing is Cherry, I don't know how long we're going to spend together like this. Circumstances can change day by day but for as long as you are in my care, for as long as you are working alongside me, I would like to know that we can get along."
"The Coalition may not be perfect, but as I've told you before, our ultimate aim is to protect. Just like Four Ridges."

My blood chilled the moment he finished that sentence, the look on my face was obvious in his reaction. I knew he had gone to say it aloud earlier, I knew changing subject would only confirm his suspicions, but now I was worried about the possible implications it could hold for Four Ridges' citizens to have somepony like myself be captured and confirmed for such origins. Coltchester probably didn't have enough armed forces to fight both the rebels and cause trouble to Tank let alone Four Ridges as a whole, but the worry was still genuine.

"Don't worry," He began. "Nopony is holding Four Ridges accountable for the rebel forces. As a member of the Honour Guard, I have greater access to things than the standard member of the Coalition of my normal rank would have. It's all a part of our reward for what we had to endure, what we did that others could or would not. Anyway, we've known the rebel forces are home grown for a long time now and almost as soon as the pair of you walked into our fair city, we knew who he was. Four Ridges isn't without its recognition and traders often go between our two settlements. Were you aware of that? That a fair amount of weapons, armour, ammunition and even high end PipBucks were shipped to Four Ridges in the early days?"

"Actually, yes." I countered. "Not just a fair amount either, most of them in fact. The PipBuck I'm wearing right now was from Coltchester, I believe. It's hard to be sure of the exact origins, but it's a commander type PipBuck with built in radio transmitter designed for organising troops out of visual distance without the need for heavy equipment or a dedicated radio-pony. My armour was likely also from here, given the fact it's pre-war judging by the quality crafting of it."

"And as such, there is no need for Four Ridges to hold ill intention against Coltchester, and vice versa. Or, that was until you two came along. Crimson's presence and his choice to aid the rebel forces puts us at possible odds, Cherry. I won't lie, leadership doesn't like the prospect any more than you do, I'm sure, but we'd rather we come to a reasonable agreement and see you gone on peaceful terms. Still, as much as I'd love to discuss all that with you right now we're about to arrive at the checkpoint, we'll have more time to talk later. Do you remember the task credentials I've given you?"

"Yes, I am to assume spotter position and maintain over-watch on the south-east access and trail until the shift ends. If or when I spot any potential threats or issues I am to report the news to you on the designated frequency and keep track of their movement. Details you want are where they're coming from, where they head back to and any possible locations they use to ambush. Discover as much about their techniques and patterns as possible in an attempt to figure out how best to combat them."

With a smile and a nod, Blueheart looked at me happily. "Glad to hear you remember the orders, not that I had expected anything less with how professional you've been acting." With the end of his sentence, he began to rummage through his saddlebags with intent. Watching him as he looked through, I didn't say a word, I didn't really think what he was doing was anything of importance and instead began to focus on the blockade we were about to come into contact with in a few seconds time.
"Here," He added. "take this. It's a multi-pass. It'll allow you through into the Luxury District as you so pleased should you be stopped by any of the guards. That isn't to say that I want you walking around freely like a normal visitor, but I'm sure you'll occasionally need to use the restroom or perhaps grab some lunch during the day. I can't guarantee I'll always be around so it makes life easier for us both." For a moment the Captain paused, but then looked back to me after closing his bags. "Just remember that there's no sense in trying to run away, please. You'll only get yourself hurt further by trying."

"I understand and I wouldn't have tried, I promise. Like you say, I'm too injured to go very far anyway and there's no way I can manage to work my way out of this one. Sometimes the best thing to do is to accept what you're given and wait for the circumstances to change." I replied accordingly, earning a reassuring touch upon my shoulder from the Captain.

*** *** ***

From that point we managed to get through the checkpoint with absolute ease. The fact that it had been a military transport was probably a big advantage, the fact was they didn't need to be so strict about checking their own soldiers and it meant that before we knew it, we were being dropped off in the center of the district.
Tall, beautiful buildings surrounded us on all sides as if the war had never happened. Blueheart simply smirked at me as I sat on my rear staring up at the masterpieces of architecture that I hadn't expected from what time I'd spent in Coltchester.

Where Slumside was ruined from years of poor maintenance or absolute lack of any at all, the Luxury District had been taken care of to extreme levels. All of the windows that were possibly broken by time, weather or war were replaced with shining new panes of glass. A large statue of a group of ponies made of marble with obsidian eyes stood proud amongst the crowd, clean and cared for with no signs of wear or disrespect.

"The Coltchester War Memorial. Beautiful, isn't she? But unfortunately for as much beauty as the statue holds, her historic meaning is a rather dark tale, just as her eyes shine with the stunning black aura, so is her meaning something we should respect and remember. See, Coltchester was a major city by the time of the great war two hundred years ago, the largest city in the southern region of Equestria. From what records tell us, the military base you were in was the headquarters of operations in the region much like Canterlot for the heartlands, though Canterlot was ultimately the absolute headquarters of everything across Equestria anyway. This statue was designed during the early days to commemorate the Royal Guards who laid down their lives in the first conflicts, but by the time it was finished the war was in full swing and by that point it no longer about just them but everyone who had fallen."

A sadness filled my heart as I looked beside me at Blueheart, his eyes set nowhere other than the statue before us.
"I... I can't believe it came to that. I know about the rising tensions and how it all ended up happening, we were taught about all the events that just led to bigger and bigger conflict before it ended up becoming a battle of megaspells. Still, it..."
Looking down at the plaque at the base of the statue, I had expected to see some names perhaps, but instead saw something much more chilling. 'For the countless lives lost, from the Royal Guard and the brave soldiers to the last civilian, we remember you all dearly in our hearts.'
Across the whole plaque where many names could have been inscribed, there was nothing but that one sentence. The realisation that there would never be enough space to list down all of those lost to the horrors of war even before the megaspell attacks... I lost my words, feeling a tear run down my cheek as I quietly began to sob, holding what little I could inside.

"Are you okay?" Blueheart asked tenderly, wrapping one of his hooves around my shoulder.

"I'm fine." I let out with a sniffle, surprised I'd let myself break down like this so publicly. "I just... it's how many ponies and zebras died, how many good lives, innocent lives that only wanted to carry on with their daily norms... they were the ones dragged through the worst of anything. Whenever I think about just how many died through no fault of their own, how many died just because someone else decided they should, or worse, that they could."
Again the tears began, my head lowered down to the ground as the thoughts of needless death overwhelmed my feelings and made me feel a prisoner of my own stupid emotions.

"I agree." Blueheart muttered softly in a comforting tone. "It's a horrendous thought to think that someone should feel others have to die when they have done no wrongs themselves, but it's even worse for a leader to believe that some are simply worth less than others and should be used as pawns or fodder for their own purposes. Trust me, I've been there."

Looking up at him through tear filled eyes, the grimace on the Captain's face told me he wasn't lying. Meekly, I did all I could. I hiccuped as I sobbed further before wiping my tears and gave him my condolences. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay Cherry, it's okay."

After getting the sudden surge of emotion out of my system and wiping my eyes clear of all the tears, we continued our way through the district. The graceful elegance of the buildings still astounded me and Captain Blueheart was still relishing the experience of giving me a tour. Occasionally he pointed out the different buildings, showing me where the shopping centres were and other important buildings were on tourist maps that had been made since the war.
I was surprised to see it so well organised but at the same time, it didn't feel out of place somehow.
Every so often I saw a face I recognised and there was a small nod of recognition hidden as normal greeting between us, nothing that anyone else would understand but we definitely had seen one another before.

Finally as we arrived at the destination point, I looked up at the large building ahead of us. "So, large building huh?" I asked with a keen sense of dislike. "I mean, I know I've got to be high up to get the view I'll need... but..."

"Stairs?" Captain Blueheart asked with a chuckle.

"Stairs." I confirmed with a groan, not looking forward to the pain I was about to experience while trying to ascend the tall building. Once more I found myself internally cursing Crimson for being a pegasus and not having to have such worries like this. If he broke his leg he'd just fly up to the roof, but he wouldn't have broken his leg in the first place to be in this situation. Damn him and his exotic feathers.

Grumbling to myself as we made our way into the building, some of the security staff seemed a little unnerved by the sight of me, though I couldn't tell why that was for sure. As we passed by them and began to make our way up the stairwell, one of them called out from behind.
"Excuse me! Excuse me!" He shouted. "Miss?"

Turning my head to see the pony once more, I flushed a little. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realise you were calling for me. What's the matter?"

"You're not honestly going to try walk up them stairs are you?" He said in a tone that made me feel shy and wish that I wasn't there. Noticing my reaction, he immediately spoke yet again. "I- I mean, if you want to go up you could always ask for help. Gout here would be happy to help if you don't want to be shouting out in pain along the way. How high up are you going?"

"I what?" The green pony next to him responded. "Well, I will happily, but..." And with that, he let out a sigh. "What floor would you like me to carry you to?"

"The roof, please. We're heading to the roof." Captain Blueheart quickly added. "Sorry I can't carry her myself, carrying the equipment she can't and all."

Before I could react, before I could protest, before I could do a damn thing I was suddenly lifted from the ground and placed upon Gout's back. Gripping firmly without strangling the poor stallion, he proceeded to carry me to my destination.
With a content sigh, I thanked him. "Ain't nothin', Miss. A pony my size? Fact is a pony my size was made for this, meant for it even. It's what gives my life meaning, doing things like this and tasks that smaller ponies simply can't manage."

With gratitude I held on a little tighter as we went up the stairs, appreciating the gesture. "Thank you, Gout."

"Like I said," He replied happily. "ain't nothing. Big pony like me enjoys it."

In silence we climbed up the stairs, the sounds of ponies going about their daily routines around us in the other rooms. I couldn't tell exactly what the ponies were doing though, each floor having a different sound and even smell. Questioning Blueheart on it, he just nodded and explained that rather than being on specific purpose filled building, rooms or even entire floors were rented to different ponies with different needs and specialisations and as long as they paid rent and didn't damage anything, they were allowed to do anything short of murder and other criminal activities.
Even as we passed one floor that obviously had sexual activity, he went on to tell me how prostitution wasn't looked down upon because at the end of the day, if the clients were paying and those involved in the business agreed to what was asked of them to do for the caps, it was as fair trade as any other.

Nodding my head along, not really saying anything because there wasn't anything to be said, we quickly reached the top floor. "Thank you again Gout." I said politely as I climbed off, giving him a hug for his efforts. "I appreciate it, really. Celestia only knows how much pain that would have put me through to have to climb up there myself with my leg like this."

"Like I say, you're welcome, Miss. A pretty mare like yourself shouldn't have to endure climbing up all those stairs on a broken leg. Been in that situation myself so I understand just how tormenting it is. Glad I could prevent you from having to go through the same experience."

Feeling a little sorry for the poor stallion, I let out a shy little smile as he just gave a slight nod and went back down as calmly as he had brought me up. Gout was a nice pony, I really hoped he had something to enjoy at the end of every day.
As weird as it was, that was the thoughts in my head, hoping somepony I hardly knew had something they could go home to and relax with.
Making my way with 'Blue' through the final door onto the open rooftop, I felt the cool breeze of a gentle wind blow past me and remind me how high up we were. Walking over the ledge and looking down, it was a much further fall than I had taken when dropping from the factory. Gulping a little with the memory, I didn't like that idea.
Thankfully this time I wouldn't have to worry about any of that. A small wall kept the ledge from simply dropping away making me feel a little bit safer.

"Okay Cherry, look over that way, see the gate?" Blueheart asked in a commanding tone that still had respect, the way he said it didn't sound like an order but a request. Nodding to confirm, he carried on. "That's where the merchants report these attacks. So we're expecting the bandits to be somewhere along the trail that follows out from that route. Not to say that the bandits couldn't be switching up their plans of attack at all, but that's the most frequent place for reports to be made. Feel free to enjoy the view while you're up here though, I'm not expecting you to look at dirt for hours."

Looking at all the buildings from above was a weird experience, though still utterly beautiful. The hustle and bustle of the busy ponies, zebras and donkeys down below was interesting to watch as they walked the streets going about their daily lives while I watched on. For a second I almost thought I had my rifle on me and even reached for it with my magic out of habit before realising that I wasn't allowed it, of course. Letting out a small sigh of disappointment, it wasn't that I wanted to shoot any of the people below but that it had just become second nature to me and being without it felt as if I was without a piece of my own body.
So, a broken leg and no rifle. I really was out of my element more than I liked.

Looking out at the landscape, I could see the faint outline of something. Squinting my eyes to try and focus on what it was, it looked to be... a small community?
"What's that?" I asked without a thought, before levitating the high powered binoculars over to myself while the Captain tried to attach a bipod for them onto the low wall.
Looking through, I was right. Surprisingly however, it wasn't just a small community. It was a small town roughly the same size as Coltshire had been if not a little bigger. What really surprised me though was that it seemed to have a docks and... sea!

"That's White Sands," Captain Blueheart informed me between moments of clamping the stand tightly onto the wall. "White Sands of Coltchester. A pre-war seaside resort and port community. We don't know a great deal about its history, newspapers here and there say it was a nice place to stay though and one said it became a pretty important naval base during the war, even going as far as being used to restock the HMS Celestia at one point. Couldn't tell you more though unfortunately. The Coalition remains in theoretical control over it though we don't actually post any soldiers there, we allow the locals to do as they wish and they allow us to do as we need to do when we ask to do so."

"That's a strange agreement." I muttered, mostly to myself. "What with how much you're focusing on controlling the city."

"That's exactly why though," He offered, finally finished with sorting out the set-up. "we don't have anything to gain by posting soldiers there. They cause us no trouble and accept that if we were to start moving forces into the town, there would be nothing they could do about it anyway. The proximity to the city means we'd quickly overwhelm them if they tried to put up a fight but even when we first took a stake in the community there they realised the benefits of joining us and becoming unified partners was a lot better than risking the same kind of fate as other communities face when an opposing force of greater might asks for peaceful resolutions to such an issue and declines."

Rubbing a hoof against my chin, I thought about it. "So the Coalition bullied them into joining?" I wasn't keen on the idea, but then with a sigh I rolled my eyes. "I suppose that's better than bloodshed though."
Giving pause, I allowed 'Blue' to attach the binoculars to the stand as he pulled some more things out of his pack and surprisingly, wrapped a furry coat around me as I wiggled on closer to the binoculars.

"To keep you warm." He happily murmured as he stepped off of the roof and onto a contraption that I hadn't noticed before. Ropes kept it high up and I wondered what the hell he was doing before he smiled to himself and began to check through his bags for other things.

The expression on my face must have told him everything because without me needing to say a word, he quickly told me what it was. "It's a lift. To be specific, a safety lift in the event of a fire. To prevent anypony being trapped up at the top that can't simply fly away, lifts like these were implemented on most of the taller buildings around here, a safety measure. It only goes down as a security feature, which is why we couldn't just ride it up. It'll only go back up when its empty."

Nodding my head in understanding, I had to give the designers points for forethought. It was a clever idea and an equally brilliant design. Furthermore, it meant I had an easy way down when it came to the end of the job. It would just be a task climbing back up.

Looking in his pack for a few more moments before slapping his forehead, Captain Blueheart groaned in a mixture of frustration and from what I could tell, self disappointment. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I apologise for leaving so soon but I've just realised that I've forgotten to sort out any lunch for us both so I'm going to go down and get some. You can contact me on this frequency here." And with that, he scribbled on piece of paper. Putting the frequency into my PipBuck I smiled back at him as he walked back to the lift and closed the door behind him.

"Oh, and Cherry?" He called out, his tone suddenly a stark contrast to what it had been only seconds before. Now when he spoke there was something different in his eyes, his words elongated which told me this was something that deeply troubled him. Whatever it was, it was a serious issue. Finally, he spoke. "If... if you see any flags out on the horizon, specifically green flags with golden swords longways across them..." He paused, looking straight past me almost as I looked back at him. "...Tell me. Immediately."

"Of course, I promise." I said softly, not understanding why but knowing it was the only proper answer.

Just like that he shook his head and went down, leaving me to look out to the horizon and watch for anyone causing issues with the trade route.

Author's Note

So, shorter chapter than usual. Sorry for that, I've just been really wanting to get the damn thing out and I've got what I needed to done with it now.
Sorry if it was fucking boring, I know it probably was but there's not really much choice I had. "But Kipper! You're the author! You get to decide!"
Yeah, as true as it is, there's also the responsibility of having those times where you set things up and get a new dig going. I hope it's just me worrying - worrying this was a boring chapter, worrying that I've screwed up Cherry Sundae, worrying that you lot aren't going to enjoy Blueheart's characterisation being all whacky with no clear distinction yet.
I've found who he is now, I knew what role he was going to play before but I know who -he- is now.
Please, please forgive me if I've ruined anything or if this is a boring chapter like I think it is. I just hope some world building kept it somewhat interesting.
Next chapter is going to be fun, I swear it.

Big thanks goes out to anyone who reads, rates and favourites - as always. Your willingness to put up with me and my story means a lot to me and makes it worth putting the effort in even when I'm feeling like I'm worthless as a person and that it's not worth your time.
Same goes for anyone that enjoys my other 18+ story, that has seemingly brought in some more attention lately, it's good fun to write and... yeah. Just feel like saying thanks to those who read that also while I'm at it.

CamoBadger gets extra special mention as always. I know I've plugged him a few times in the past so I won't link, but I will just say that he's worth checking out as All That Remains really is an amazing story and if you've been able to put up with the things I do, you'll love how much better he pulls his own fic off. He's been second guessing himself lately [at the time of writing this] and I want to make him feel as special as I feel he is, so that's why this.
He's an amazing friend and I don't know what I'd do without him.

Regolit, you amazing bastard. I'm going to add you into this as well. All the stories you read and yet you still enjoy my crappy work. You're something alright, and I mean that in the good way. Thanks dude.

Also, Katarn. The one guy who I can go to with anything and run it by him. He's amazing and thanks for always being there for me with musical suggestions, funny pictures, bouncing ideas back and forth and generally being a great friend. I deeply appreciate it.

Much thanks to everyone who has and continues to make this possible. By this point everyone knows who they are [as in, all of you, Kkat and so on] and I hope to make you all glad that you've put up with me for so long.
We've got quite a way to go yet and we're just starting to see where this new arc is going. I hope it remains interesting for everyone who reads.
Thanks.

Chapter 23: Of mares and stories

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds
By Kippershy

Chapter Twenty-three: Of mares and stories

"From above came two figures, two beautiful figures."

Dull throbbing pain was all my body could settle upon as the world came back to me slowly. Opening up my eyes made me nauseous to see the bright light starting down onto my face, an uncomfortable sensation fighting its way through me originating from my stomach. Turning my head off to the side I let out a small groan before a vile, burning sensation worked its way up my throat and slid out of my mouth.

Almost immediately a frigid, croaking voice of a mare called out. "He's hurled again. You best come over and clean him up, I've got the others to deal with."

"Oh, Crimson, my love." A sad voice uttered. "When will this end? I would have thought the digestion problems would have stopped by now." The sentence ended with a sigh, though a gasp suddenly slipped from the mares mouth as her tone turned to shock. "Crimson! You- you're awake?!"

Coughing away before giving a gentle nod as my eyes closed, I continued to groan from the uncomfortable sensations that controlled my body. I felt like my stomach couldn't handle being in me, it was practically screaming to be released from the torment.

"Oh thank the Goddess, you're awake! I've been so worried about you, I..."

Opening my eyes once more, I saw her. Eos. Eos looked down at me with an expression of pained worry in her eyes despite the flicker of a smile on her lips as I began to recognise my surroundings, if only slowly.
Mustering what energy I had in me, I tried my best to talk. "You... shouldn't-"

Before I could even go to finish my sentence, Eos threw herself around me and held me close. My lips curled up into a small smile despite the agony I continued to feel. I was safe when Eos was holding me, she wouldn't let me come to more harm. "No. You shouldn't be talking and using all your strength. I don't know what you were about to say but-"

"You shouldn't worry about him, he says." The voice of another called out, though I was too tired to think properly of who it could have been. "He also feels safe in your hooves. Cute." With that, she let out a giggle.

"I- wai- you..." Eos quickly blurted before pausing to catch herself. "Thank you, Helios."

"You're welcome." Helios replied in turn. "His mind is just too unguarded to not hear the thoughts at the moment. Plus I like seeing you blush like you are right now, heehee!"

Yet again Eos audibly stuttered as Helios quickly pranced out of the room, or I supposed out of the room. I couldn't tell for sure, but the deeply calming effect of Eos' hooves tenderly brushing my hair meant I didn't care too much about trying to look to see if she had or not. Instead I continued to focus on the blue mare, that beautiful blue mare whose cheeks now flushed red. Helios was definitely onto something with seeing her blush.
Slowly she caught her composure and looked down at me, the worry in her eyes returning. "You, mister, really do need to rethink your plans. Of course I'm going to worry about you, Crimson. Do you even know what happened? Do you remember?"

Mumbling something that even I couldn't quite understand myself, Eos gave me a disapproving look and I let out a pained sigh. "I lost... another fight... Tsuna-"

"That's right," Eos quickly interrupted me. "you lost another fight and Tsunami had to pick you up. I'm not just talking pick you up when you've been hit, your wounds were extremely severe and it's surprising that you didn't need any hydra to repair the damage." For a moment Eos paused before grimly continuing her statement. "Crimson, from what I'm told you were on the brink of death. You definitely seemed it when you came in."

With the sound of trotting coming towards us, Eos paused. Closing my eyes and falling in the lull of the embrace, I didn't even care who it was now. I was so sleepy and the pain was tiring me out even further.
"She's right, you know. The damage done was hardly anything superficial and definitely not minor. Crimson, we've had to run you through the auto-doc's full body scan each day now."

Turning my head to the voice I opened my eyes to see Tsunami looking down at me with an unhappy look in her eyes. "...Days?" I asked.

"Crimson," Eos cooed. "you've been out for three days. You were in a shock induced coma. You came within a breath of death and if it wasn't for Tsunami being a fully trained medic with proper experience you wouldn't have survived." For a moment the room went silent as that statement began to set in, then she spoke again. "We were worried that you wouldn't even still." Eos mentioned with great sadness in her voice.

"Yeah," Tsunami continued in her own pained tone. "We were really, really worried about you Crimson. Buck Up isn't a combat drug, even if buck is. Buck Up is a cocktail designed by our own field medics, like myself, to get somepony onto their own hooves and hopefully into a position where they can receive proper medical care. Instead of falling back, you charged forward. It kept your heart going for long enough to help us, and we're damn thankful for that help, but the cocktail wasn't meant to keep you fighting. It was so you wouldn't die on us while we were pinned down, like you almost did."

Opening my mouth to speak, I couldn't find the strength to say anything more. Even the sigh that passed my lips was soft, unintentional. Eos simply looked down at me and pressed her lips to my forehead, kissing me sweetly before speaking softly. "You need more sleep, Crimson. I know you've only just woken up, but the healing process is a demanding one. Go to sleep, darling."

"I..." I muttered. "Y-y-y"

"Shhhh" Eos cooed. "It's okay, it's okay."

But it wasn't okay, not for me. With what little energy I had left I frowned as I looked at her. I didn't want to leave her side, I wanted to feel her hooves around me and for her to make me feel comfortable. More so, I wanted her to make me feel safe. I knew I was safe, but it wasn't the same without somepony to hold you tight.
I didn't want her to leave my side, and I definitely didn't want to be sleeping in the medical bay.

Just as I began to give up hope with my inability to muster the strength to speak, I noticed Eos blushing furiously as she looked down at me. For a moment I thought I could see tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes, though my vision was too blurry to be sure.
"I... I..." She muttered momentarily before nodding her head. "Yeah, you know what, you're coming with me." Turning her head away, she rubbed her cheeks swiftly before calling out for somepony else. "Tsunami? Tsunami. Think it's okay if I take Crimson out of here? I'm pretty sure he'd appreciate sleeping in a more comfortable bed."

"Uh huh." Tsunami nonchalantly replied. "As long as he's getting rest and close to the medical bay I don't really see the issue. Just make sure that you or somepony else is going to keep an eye on him, okay? It'd be bad enough if he throws up and sits in his own vomit for a while, but at least that can be cleaned. What I'm really worried about is if he has any medical issues, suddenly needs urgent attention. You don't plan to leave him unsupervised, do you?"

Gasping at such an idea, Eos quickly shook her head. "Of course not! I plan to stick with him the whole time. I'm just sure he'd appreciate it if he wasn't here. I... I mean... I can't be sure but I think..."

"You think what?" Tsunami asked questioningly in a disapproving tone. "You just said you were sure."

Taking a moment to breathe as she looked down at me, Eos spoke slowly in an uncertain tone. "I mean... I think I just heard his thoughts. I... I don't know how though. Helios is the one who is supposed to have that ability, but, I could've sworn I just heard him thinking."

With a bright flash of green, Helios appeared next to us with a confused look. "Yeah, and I could've sworn that teleportation was limited to Selene and the other purples, but I just pulled that one off! Oh, and yeah, you heard rightly about his thoughts, I heard it too. Bye!" And with another bright flash, she disappeared once more, leaving us all confused as to what had just happened.
Before I could dwell on it however, Eos scooped me into her hooves and pulled me close to her chest with a gigantic smile on her face.

"Come on, lets get you somewhere more comfortable huh?" Eos whispered. I simply smiled and nuzzled into her chest happily.

Carrying me across the room and down the hallway in her hooves was definitely a disorienting experience, made worse by my condition. Before I could come to figure out quite what she was doing or where we were going however, she stopped and I began to slowly realise that we were now in the common area. Using her magic to levitate me in mid hair and using my own hooves to grant me just enough balance, Eos spread herself along one of the sofas and pulled me atop of her so I laid face to face upon her.
Letting go of what energy I had left, I limply pushed my hooves to lay next to her neck while she wrapped me in hers. Across the room the dukebox began to play one of the most soothing songs I had ever come to hear and despite the fact that the melodies didn't match, Eos began to sing in a voice like velvet.

"Hush now quiet now, it's time to lay your sleepy head. Hush now quiet now it's time to go to bed."
"Drifting off to sleep leave the exciting day behind you, drifting off to sleep let the joy of dream land find you."

With that, I let out a tired yawn and smile as the happy, calm, wonderful thoughts of being wrapped up so lovingly overwhelmed me, the rest of Eos' song beginning to fade away.

"Hush now, quiet now. It's time to lay your head..."

*** *** ***

Stirring from my sleep, the world slowly filled around me with the high pitched noises of somepony talking. "Wake up! Wake up!"

Keeping my eyes closed despite the noise, I needed more sleep. The world was still a tiring place and my exhaustion hadn't ended. "Let him sleep... rest is cri-... Sandstorm." Regardless of my tired state, I tried to listen but still felt myself slipping in and out too much.

*** *** ***

Waking up from my slumber, I slowly opened my eyes as I let out a giant yawn before snuggling further into the mare that continued to hold me. Nuzzling into her neck for increased comfort, I definitely felt a lot better now. The world didn't feel quite as horrible now though I still had an uncomfortable feeling in my side as the pain remained a factor in the back of my mind. Still, wrapped in caring hooves it was a lot less noticeable than alone.

"Woken up have you, Crimson?" Eos' soft voice gently called to me. "Feeling any better?"

Nodding my head gently, I let out another yawn and rubbed my eyes. "Still feeling tired, but I feel strong enough to speak now. My side hurts though."

"He's awake!" A little voice called out before a sudden flash of purple and orange stormed into my vision and clasped onto my head tightly. "Please say you're okay! Don't leave me! Please don't leave me like mummy and daddy! I don't want to lose everypony I know, please don't go!"

Struggling to breathe, I had to push him off from my face after the sudden assault. The poor colts face suddenly frowned as tears began to fill his eyes but pulling him closer to my chest and away from my mouth, his little hiccups quickly subsided as soon as they began. "Sorry, Sandstorm. I just need some room to breathe, ya know? Also, try not to squeeze on my side, I still hurt more than I'd like there."

"Indeed, be careful not to suffocate him. That wouldn't do either of us any good, would it?" Eos added tenderly.

"I just missed you is all." Little Sandstorm mumbled into my chest as he nuzzled in. "Cherry disappeared and then you went out and got hurt and then you were knocked out for three days and then I wasn't sure if you were going to be okay and then I thought about my parents and then-"

"Shhhh," I gently cooed to the poor emotional colt. "it's okay, it's okay. I'm here for you. I'm sorry that Cherry is gone, we'll get her back though. I'll make sure of that, don't you worry. At least you've still had Eos, right?"

With a little sniffle and a nod he agreed. "Uh huh, and Maisy. Snugglebums too."

"Been playing nicely together without me have they?" I asked with genuine worry. Maisy definitely had the potential to eat Prince Snugglebums though I hoped that her recent 'feasts' were enough to appease her hunger. Not only that, but I could definitely see Cherry killing me herself if I let such a thing happen.

"Yeah, they've been playing nice. Prince Snugglebums likes playing with me and Maisy usually spends time around the purple alicorn."

Raising my eyebrow at the fact Sandstorm would simply refer to one of the alicorns by what they were rather than who they were, I wasn't quite sure what to think. Still, he was just a kid, couldn't hold it against him. "Selene, you mean?" I suggested.

"Uh huh!" The young colt quickly agreed with an eager nod before pouting. "...I forgot her name."

Letting out a playful sigh, I cuddled the young colt closer and looked up at Eos. "Well, you know the name of this beautiful blue one, don't you?" With that, Eos flushed red and hid behind her hooves only for me to break her defences by further nuzzling into her before turning my attention back to the young colt. "And Helios, right? Mind you, Helios would probably read your mind and tell you before you said something upsetting."

Almost as if on cue, the green alicorn flashed into the room with a giggle and look of absolute joy slapped across her face. "Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Hahaha! This is so much fun!" She exclaimed suddenly. "I really don't know why Selene doesn't do it more often!"

Breaking out into laughter at the sight, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. An alicorn having this much fun over the ability to teleport was unheard of, though a green alicorn was also unheard of from what I had been told.
Just as quickly as she came into the room, she appeared in front of us and gently poked my muzzle as I watched her in her amusement. "Boop!"
Before I could react, she was gone again.

Turning my head up and looking at Eos, she was so beautiful even when my perspective was upside down. The way she smiled down at me as she cuddled me close, her wings gently rubbing my stomach, her hooves holding me closer to her wonderful form. It was truly bliss.
Letting out another yawn as tiredness continued to strike, the warmth of her body softly cooed me to close my eyes and continue my rest regardless of how much I had already been sleeping. Then without any warning, I felt a pair of lips gently caress my own, causing me to blush and open my eyes to see the smiling alicorn looking down at me.

Whispering softly as she gazed into my eyes, Eos filled me with an overwhelming feeling of comfort that I didn't want to fight. "Sleep well, Crimson. And don't worry, I'll hold you as long as you want. I'll keep you safe and sleeping sound."
Doing as she suggested, I snuggled up closer and closed my eyes, falling asleep once more.

Waking up yet again in Eos' grip, the world felt a lot nicer now. I was still in pain, but the pain that had previously felt like being bucked to the side over and over now felt more like just the once. Still enough to be an annoyance, but nothing compared to what I had been enduring before. Opening my eyes and looking around, I could see quite a few tired ponies.
Helios and Selene sat up next to one another and chatted to one another while I could see Titan and Freight Train discussing whatever it was they were talking about while slowly drinking what looked to be whiskey.
Tsunami and the others from the special forces were all dotted around the room, out of armour and relaxed. I could see Deadlight playing around with Maisy, tickling her tummy as she let out her large giggle in response while Sandstorm chased Snugglebums around playfully.
Looking around further, I even saw Dawnstar and Umbra, both of whom were in their own corner of the room away from the others. They didn't look as if they were actively trying to avoid us, just that they weren't wanting to be in the centre of the room.

Tsunami, surprisingly, was the first to notice I had woken up. Trotting over to me before sitting down next to me with a small bag, she pressed a hoof to my forehead which in turn surprised Eos before she too realised I was now awake again.
"You're feeling hot, Crimson. Have you got any internal symptoms of illness I should be aware of? Any lurgy or tickling around the sinuses?"

Shaking my head at the white mare, she almost reminded me of Melony Love for a moment, albeit Melony was about technology and not other ponies. "Nothing that I'm aware of. Been asleep pretty much all day but I don't think I'm sick."

"Tiredness is a side effect of both the coma and your physical trauma. Your body was initially struggling just to keep the blood pumping and necessary functions going as they should while your brain went into a low energy state. If it was just coma it wouldn't have been so bad, but the physical trauma has taken its toll on your energy reserves too. Even with our medical capabilities your body still needs a fair amount of time and energy to properly recuperate. There's stories of ponies thinking that a few bandages and healing potions will keep them going no matter what. Do you know what happens in cases like that?"

Shaking my head yet again, I was now curious. "No? What happens?" I asked like a colt about to be read a bed time story.

Just as I thought that, Eos jumped and a grin overtook her face. Gently levitating me before sliding out from under me and softly placed me back on the sofa. "Sorry! Just had an idea!" She murmured before quickly trotting over to her sisters.

With a moment of pause, Tsunami watched Eos go to the others with confusion before looking back at me. "Well, as I was about to say. What happens is that those ponies grow weaker and weaker by the day if they keep it up. It's okay to do it once or twice if you absolutely need to. We can't help it if raiders are going to attack a town we're protecting and it happens, for example. However, you wouldn't want to continue doing that. The body doesn't get enough rest and grows weaker, like I say. Eventually it grows so weak that it'll either just give up and you die from exhaustion or the next time you go to heal. The body simply doesn't have the energy to regenerate from the wounds and you either die from bleeding out or succumb to infection. If you're lucky, the healing process is slower than yours is right now but you make it through if you rest. The ponies who push themselves non stop end up dead quicker than a bandit living near a large settlement."

Looking down at my hooves, she had a damn good point. Pushing myself harder and harder was making me more exhausted each and every time and now it had come to this. Sighing in defeat, I slowly looked back up at her. "You're right. I mean, of course you're right, you are the one trained in medical issues and all. I mean, you're right about how I should slow down, stop for now. Shouldn't I?"

"Yes, you should." Tsunami quickly replied, a small smile on her face. Before I could think of anything else to say, she continued. "Which I'm surprised you're admitting. You're in less pain right now than you were before yet you're not letting that big ego of yours take control, eh?"

"How can you tell?" I asked with confusion. She was right, I was feeling a lot less pain than earlier, but how could she have known?

"I gave you half a shot of med-x. Don't get too attached. You were having trouble sleeping though I doubt you'd remember it. Even managed to slap Eos in your sleep at one point from your constant twisting and turning. Don't worry though, she was shocked but not hurt, I made sure to ask. So yeah, I gave you a small dose of med-x to help you sleep and not do any further damage to yourself." For a moment she paused, slowly eying me up and down like only a doctor could. "Promise me you won't go getting yourself in trouble and I'll let you keep hold of the rest of that dose, or, whomever you go out with can have it to give you if you honestly seem like you need it."

"Wait, what?" I asked, now utterly confused beyond belief. "I hadn't-"

"I know you didn't say a word," Tsunami quickly interrupted. "but you've been out for three days. You'll want to go for a walk. I know how it is. Look, here's the deal. I have no issue with you going out for a walk to get some exercise and some fresh air at some point soon. You might find you have trouble sleeping tonight because you've slept all day. Maybe not. Still, if you do feel like doing it tonight, you're not to go out alone. Nor are you allowed to take any weapons. In fact, I expressly forbid you to carry a single weapon for the next few days. Got it?"

Nodding my head, agreeing to those terms was worth the med-x alone. There was no way I was gonna go out and look for more trouble with how I was feeling and I could see the reasoning that if I had my usual gear, I would be too tempted to pull my usual antics. Now I needed to rest though, so perhaps I needed to approach things with a little more tact... for now.
Still, getting the lead on that water talisman was my number one priority and that still meant helping out the revolutionary forces to gain the support and strength they needed to make a real difference.

Looking slyly at Tsunami, I thought about my words. "I'll happily accept your deal, though I need to know specifics. I'm not allowed to carry any weapons myself, but that doesn't mean the others I travel with have to be unarmed too, does it? I mean, going out completely defenceless would be a silly mistake to make. There's always the chance of someone causing trouble without cause. If I don't get myself involved directly, is it okay then? I mean, what's the use in resting and healing up if it leads to me dying anyway because no-one could defend themselves?"

Contorting her face as she thought about it, she slowly came to nod in agreement. "I suppose you have a point. The real issue is you mustn't go out looking for trouble, but you're right, safety in the wasteland does mean having a gun on you. Okay, deal. You have to go out with somepony who has a gun or means to defend you should the need arise."

"Maisy counts, right?" I asked with glee.

Turning her head and looking at Maisy cuddling up with Deadlight, she looked back at me as if to ask if I was serious. Giving her a nod, I was completely so. "Maisy is as dangerous as any of you, easily. I've seen her handle herself against multiple armoured enemies quite easily." Catching her attention with a small whistle, Maisy looked at me. "You can handle yourself in a fight, can't ya girl? Showed that group of nasty ponies, zebras and donkeys who's boss by eating 'em, didn't you?"

Letting out a small appreciative purr and unsheathing a set of claws, Maisy made her stance on the matter clear as day. She was dangerous, very fucking dangerous. I was all too glad to have befriended her now.

"Wait... wait... eating them? As in, eating ponies?" Tsunami looked at me with worry, a grim look on her face.

"Ahhh, only the ones I tell her that she can. She didn't try to eat Deadlight, did she now? Hell, I've had her holding me down and licking my face and I didn't mind. She just wants somepony to love her like her old master did. I know she's still relatively new to my little gang, but hey, so is Cherry and look how deeply I feel for her."

Tsunami nodded slowly, a glint in her eye. "Uh huh. Totally not why you were cuddling into Eos then, hey? Oh, I know attraction when I see it."

"Yeah, but attraction ain't a crime." I quickly retorted. "Cuddles are comforting, help me sleep. Means I rest a lot easier. Come back with that accusing tone when I've actually done something I shouldn't, like cheating, and I'll hold my hooves up and admit I'm wrong and accept what the responsibility of it is."

"Better fucking not cheat on her." Tsunami blurted. "Cherry is a wonderful mare and if you dare hurt h-"

Interrupting Tsunami before she could finish her sentence, I gave her a look as cold as iron and strong as steel. "I won't. I understand where you're coming from and I appreciate you're being a good friend, but trust me, I won't. I love Cherry and being with her feels so much different to being with any other mare I've been with in the past. Before it was always about sex, now even though the sex is amazing and I do love that about it all, there's something about the way she makes me feel and the way I want to be when I'm around her that tells me this is different. I won't lie, I am attracted to Eos, but I'm not going to ruin what I've got."

For a moment there was silence, but slowly Tsunami looked at me with a growing smile and then spoke in a soft tone of voice. "You promise? She's a great friend to me and she deserves so much."

"I promise."

Just as the moment ended, I sat back and began to relax as I spread out across the sofa and began to really appreciate our surroundings. The lounge in which we sat was definitely the most comfortable place I had seen so far here in Coltchester though it still wasn't overly decorative. Posters from pre-apocalypse times hung upon the walls, some of them even dating back to before the war by the looks of things. Posters for concerts by musicians both local and big national stars. One of the Ministry Mare Fluttershy back when she was roughly my age, doing some modelling. Even a map of Equestria with dainty representations of different cities almost as if it was a child's map.
Though I had at one point doubted the cleanliness, now I saw it for what it truly was. It was lived in, not sterile nor filthy. Simply that ponies who had access to this facility also had access to the relaxation of sitting down and enjoying one another's company and the friendly albeit unrecognised faces that occasionally came through only emphasised that.

The headquarters was as much a home as it was a facility for the wounded or those who were granted approval, a place to spend time for those who had gained the closer trust of the leadership of the PLAC, and the more time I spent here the more it felt real.

Dragging me out of my daze, Helios happily trotted over to me with a smile. "Crimson---?" She asked with a large smile, levitating something behind her, though I couldn't quite see what and she repeatedly moved it out of my view as I tried to look. "Will you do something for us?"

Cocking an eyebrow at her, I smiled back. "Us? Is that you talking as in the royal we or you three girls? And what is it you'd like from me?"

"Us three, and you have to answer first." She announced with a giggle.

Looking at Tsunami for her thoughts on the matter, she just shrugged. "Go for it I suppose?"

"Okay, I'll do it. What is it you want me to do then?"

Out of nowhere Eos and Selene appeared beside her, grins on their faces wider than I could reach with my hooves... almost. Immediately Eos lunged herself at me with a hug and began to squeeze my neck tight before placing me on her back and trotting off to her bedroom. As one they called out in glee. "Bed time stories!"

It was strange, seeing their bedroom for the very first time. It wasn't as though they hadn't been secretive about it before, I had simply never been around it when they were coming in or out. Part of me wondered what I was about to see as the three sisters walked on to the door, Selene opening it up and allowing me to look in first.
The walls, the floor and the furniture were all... pretty normal, actually. Inside the room there was a vanity dresser with a great big mirror and a luxuriously large bed, though considering it had to hold three alicorns, I wasn't surprised.
Realistically thinking about it, there was nothing unexpected from the room. The vanity dresser was scratched up and looked as if a cat had used it for a scratching post up the legs while the rest of it was pretty yet plain.

"What did you expect?" Helios muttered with a smile, looking at me. "The room to be filled with pink bows and a servant to fan us? A drinks bar and en-suite bathroom?"

Chuckling to myself, I gave a small nod. "Actually, not far off. I appreciate that you three will get some special treatment, though to be fair to you girls, it's all quite minimalistic as far as special treatment goes. Gotta say, even the bed seems fair between the three of you."

"We don't like to think we would sleep in absolute luxury if most of our supporters are often having trouble even staying warm at night." Selene added. "Though as you say, some comforts are things we simply cannot turn down. Everypony who stays in these facilities has a proper bed suited for their needs, and so should we, no?"

"Of course." I agreed cheerily. "It may be large, but it's still no golden trimmed four poster with silk curtains or something."

Eos grinned and shook her head before letting out a content sigh and pulled something out of a drawer. For a moment I thought she was going to pull out a book or something, but instead she took a cap and put it on her head, the fuzzy little ball at the end of her sleeping cap twiddling around merrily as she giggled while moving her head from side to side. "Sit down then!" She commanded as she climbed into the bed, quickly followed by her two sisters. "Titan is bringing in the book for us in a second!"

Before I could respond, the stool from the vanity dresser floated up towards me and gently nudged me to sit upon it through one of the sisters magic. Almost as if planned out with precision, Titan walked into the room with a rather decorative book and gave me a long look. With a croaky voice, Titan spoke in a tone that even before he had said more than a single word, I knew it meant a lot to him. "Crimson... the ladies have asked that I let you read to them from my book. Normally it's either myself or they who are trusted with it and none other, not even Dawnstar is allowed it usually. It's the only thing I have left of my parents aside from my memories, so please, please be careful with it, okay? As much as I trust you, it's my trust in Eos that made me decide to let you do this. She was the one that asked, don't let us both down."

Placing a hoof on his shoulder, his squidgy squidgy shoulder, I gave a nod of affirmation. "I promise I'll be extra careful with it and bring it back as soon as we're done. I understand the value of such things."
Instead of giving a reply, Titan simply smiled and passed the book to me. Looking down at its cover, I read the title. 'The elements of harmony and other legends of past.'

"Page sixty-two!" Helios told me excitedly. With a delightful little squeal, she continued her happy little moment. "That's where we last left off! The one about the three little ponies!"

Chuckling, I couldn't deny such a request. If they were reading these stories in a certain fashion, who was I to argue?
Though suddenly I had a brilliant thought and rested the book upon my legs as I began to play about with my PipBuck. The alicorns looked at me with curiosity though I kept what I was doing a surprise until I hit the right buttons.
"Good evening Coltchester! This is 'Wings on the radio' for you all. Tonight, to keep you all happy and to remind you that someone out there cares, I'm going to read to you... bedtime stories."

Opening up the book to page sixty-two with a smile, I began to read. Instead of focusing on my PipBuck however, my attention turned back to the mares leaning up towards me with content smiles on their faces.
"The three little ponies and the big bad wolf. Once upon a time, there was three little ponies who were all friends. Each wanted to move out and make their own way in the world, so each set off to build a home."
"The first pony to begin building a home was the pegasus. With their wings they quickly gathered up as much cloud as they needed and built their own home to live in, managing to form their home before either of the others had even found a suitable material."
"'Ha! I've made my home the quickest of all!' Said the pegasus pony, 'The other two must be feeling so jealous!'"

Selene gleamed with happiness, even letting out a small giggle at the voice I put upon the young pegasus pony. The other two smiled greatly also, letting me know my audience was captivated by my words.

"Soon enough though, the unicorn pony was finished with her home. From logs, sticks and magic she built a very fashionable, charming cabin that could hold two ponies in all. It may have not been the biggest of the two, but it was surely a beautiful home."
"'Ha!' The young unicorn laughed aloud. 'I've made the most beautiful home of all! That silly earth pony hasn't even began their home!' She announced. 'I'll be the talk of the town!'"
"Meanwhile, the third pony, the earth mare, still searched for materials to build from."

"What happens next? What happens next?" Selene asked with a giggle. This definitely seemed to be her favourite of the stories judging from the way she was so excited, though the other two were still smiling like mad mares as I read for them. Eos letting out a small shudder of excitement as I turned the page with a wingtip.

"We'll just have to read on and see, won't we?" I responded, quickly lowering my eyes back to the page.
"But as the first pony snuggled up in her home, the big bad wolf slowly crept towards the new residence. Looking through the windows, he saw a tasty looking pony as she basked in her speedy build."
"Licking his lips, the big bad wolf drew in as much air as he could into his lungs... and then he huffed, and he puffed, and he blew the house away!"

Helios let out a small gasp and a giggle as I mimicked the actions, causing me to let out my own giggle in response. Eos simply blushed and bit her lip as her cheeks turned red and the smile on her face grew.

"Realising her house had just been blown apart, the pegasus pony flew away as quickly as she could. Her new home completely destroyed by the big bad wolf. Still, she had managed to get out safely and reached the unicorns home before the wolf could catch up."
"'Let me in, let me in!' She cried. 'A big bad wolf blew my house away!'"
"With haste, the unicorn let her pegasus friend in. Though the wolf wasn't in sight, they now worried for their friend, the earth pony."
"Looking through the window, they saw she was still building her home, though now she had made quite some progress. They considered warning her of the threat, but the fear of the wolf was too great and they did not dare leave the safety of the beautiful wooden cabin."

Looking up into the anticipating eyes of the alicorns, I smiled as I turned to the next page. The drawn out pause making them lean in closer and their ears twitch toward me as I made them wait, anxious for me to read more.

"While the two ponies huddled in fear in their wooden cabin, the lone earth pony continued to strive to build her own home. Tirelessly she pulled around rocks and put them in place, locking the stones into one another with earth pony ingenuity. While it wasn't as beautiful as the log cabin across the field nor as quickly built as the cloud home of her pegasus friend, it was a home with the spirit of its builder, the lone pony told herself."
"As she continued to build, the wolf approached the log cabin. Taking in a deep breath he huffed, he puffed, but he failed to blow the house away. Looking at it, the tasty treats that cowered inside would be a harder gained reward than he had first thought."
"Still, not to be outdone, he looked at the construction and noticed it was weak. Scratching away at the walls proved to be no real good in itself, though it did reveal the weakness of the construction. Walking away, the two ponies inside let out a sigh of relief as they thought they were safe."

"But they're not, are they?" A little voice asked from below.

Looking down at the end of the bed, Sandstorms wide eyes looked up at me from under the covers with a mixture of worry and eagerness to hear more. Shaking my head at him, I agreed. "You're right. But hey, when did you sneak in here you?"

"Selene let me in earlier. I was just hiding in the bed! She said bedtime stories if I stuck around!"

Letting out a chuckle, I couldn't be mad even if I wanted to, which I didn't. Remembering that I had a possible audience outside of the room, I continued to read.

"Just as the ponies began to relax, the wolf ran at the cabin! With great force he rushed through it, breaking the magical bonds that held it all together. With a pained cry the wolf squealed, wood magically mixing into his flesh and making him into a monster even scarier than before. The magic that held the cabin together now turned him into wood, he had become a timberwolf!"
"With screams of terror, the two mares made their escape as quickly as they could while the newly formed timberwolf still cried out in agony. Seeing that their friends home was now complete, they galloped as fast as possible to safety."
"'Please, let us in! Let us in!' They begged, the pair more frightened than they had ever been before. 'The wolf! It tore our houses down! Please let us in!'"

"Without hesitation the earth mare let her friends in and hugged them both tightly. 'You're safe here, I promise' She said. 'I won't let him in here.'"
"'But he's a big, scary timberwolf now!' The pegasus exclaimed, quickly backed up by the unicorn."
"'Timberwolf smimberwolf' The earth pony declared. 'I'll show him what's for!'"
"And with that, the earth pony grabbed one of her pans and made her way outside. True to their words, the other two's houses were in pieces and the timberwolf stared her down. Before he could even growl however, the mare smashed him around the face with her crockery."

With that, all three of the alicorns began giggling their heads off. "Wait, that's not a part of this story!" Eos called out. "I don't think that's in any of them! You made that up!"

Smirking away, I couldn't help but chuckle along. "Maybe..."
Once I regained composure I got back to reading, this time with less added scenes. "Now all three of the ponies were in the home made of stone. Though it hadn't been as beautiful as the cabin nor as quickly built as the cloud home, the young earth mare was just as proud."
"Slowly the timberwolf crept up upon the house, surveying the walls. This time he knew that blowing it down wouldn't be an option, so he didn't try. Running at it as fast as he could, he jumped into the wall... only to fall apart!"
"For a moment the mares jumped for joy, though their celebration was quickly ended as he formed back together, his new magical abilities keeping him as one."

"Looking up, the wolf knew that going through was not an option either, but it seemed there was luck yet, for above was space for him to fit through if he tried hard."
"Two of the ponies inside shook in fear as they heard the wolf climb, though the third and final pony smiled in glee as a chill blew through her home. Peeling some carrots and placing potatoes into a pan of water, she began to prepare a meal for herself and her friends."
"As if she had known what was going to happen all along, the earth pony took her flint and steel and waited by the fireplace. With a crashing thud the wolf came down and began to snarl at his next victims, trapped inside of the house easy for him to get. But all was not as it seemed."
"Just as the wolf growled, the final pony struck the metal and caused a fire, lighting the timberwolf, burning him alive! As quickly as he had come down, he turned to firewood and nothing more. The ponies now had a lovely fire going and a feast to enjoy, taking in the irony of the wolfs actions as they sat down for dinner."

"And that's the end of the story." I announced happily, grinning at my captivated audience.

"Another! Another!" Eos begged. "Please? The next one is my favourite!"

Looking at her as she looked back at me, I simply couldn't argue with those soppy eyes that looked into my soul. Her pout so heartwarming that there wasn't any other choice I could make, I had to read one more story. "Okay." I softly said. "For you."
Turning the page, I read the title. "The coming of the prise."

Eos let out a happy giggle and cuddled up to Helios, whom happily wrapped her sister up in her loving hooves. It was a very, very sweet sight indeed to see the green alicorn happily welcoming the embrace that seemed to make Eos even happier than before. Sisterly love was definitely something these three shared.
Looking back to the page, it had been a long long time since I had this story told to me and I could hardly remember any of it myself.
Taking in a deep breath, I began to read.

"The coming of the prise. Once, a long long time ago, there was a land unlike any other. Dark skies crowded with clouds that bore thunder seemingly endlessly set the tone for a landscape of dismay and decay. Trees turned pink and purple, grass no longer green but grey. The ponies of Equestria lived in a chaotic, unhappy world."
"The ponies had all worked together for many generations come, the wendigoes had come and passed with the unification of the three races. But now none were happy, an even greater cause than had ever been encountered before ruled the land."
"Chocolate rain-clouds zoomed on by, threatening any ponies who thought they could have fun by drenching them with cotton candy so animals would trample them with extended length legs while whole hills would move around freely and make any pony foolish enough to try climbing them keep on walking forever."

"Wow!" Sandstorm called out in a mixture of excitement and confusion. "That sounds really fun yet scary and weird!"

"Indeed it must have been." I agreed. "I can't imagine what it'd be like living in that kind of world. I mean, we've got it rough here, sure, but at least we all have one another and we can fight for a better world. We can rebuild and we can do what we must to see it improve. The one these ponies lived in though, that was different to ours."

"Read more! More please!" Eos begged.

With a smile I entertained her request. "The pegasus ponies tried their best to remove the clouds, but even when they worked together, for every cloud they kicked away another two appeared! And the unicorns tried their best to use magic to change the world to the way it was before, but even as they teamed together they simply couldn't do a thing about it! The earth ponies used their might to move mountains, but as quickly as they were gone they were back without explanation! The world was bleak and hopeless, for the only being that was enjoying any of it was the draconequus that controlled it all!"
"The ponies were terribly sad. No matter how they worked together, no matter how they worked alone. Nothing they could do would change the way they lived. As slaves, as toys. Life seemed like it would never get better. But then..."

At this point I gave pause as Eos' face lit up, her legs kicking slightly in anticipation. I gave her a smirk and winked and her smile grew even larger.

"But then great beams of light broke through the clouds, the grass grew green and everyone stared. From above came two figures, two beautiful figures. Looking down on the ponies below, they were different than any other."
"With horns and wings, these two figures touched down unto the ground below. The first of the two with her white coat and radiant pink mane while the second bore a two-tone of blue for her coat and mane. Taller than any other, more beautiful than any who had been laid eyes on before. Two figures stood proud amongst the light not seen since the reign of chaos."
"Immediately the draconequss came to them, attempted to manipulate them. Instead, his powers were worthless."

"'Who are you? What are you?' Asked the deity of chaos, bringer of unhappiness. His lips curling into a smile as somepony dared to challenge his rule. Never before had somepony shown such ability, for many had tried though none had even come close... until now."
"'We are the prise.' The first mentioned confidently."
"'We come with the elements of harmony. This land shall no longer fear your terror, Discord.' Stated the second."
"Rolling his eyes, Discord laughed. 'Prise? Well I have certainly never heard such a thing,' He muttered swiftly. 'what is that, hmm?'"
"As one, the two sisters stepped forward and spoke with determination. 'The prise is what we are, guardians from above here to stop you. With our wings, we represent the pegasai. With our horns, we portray the unicorns. With our strength and determination, we honour the earth ponies. With our will, with the magic of friendship, we hold the elements of harmony and cast you to stone! We are the prise, guardians of Equestria!'"
"True to their word, their magic struck forth in unity and cleansed the world of Discords magic. Before he could act, he quickly found himself turned to stone in a triumphant act of grace for all of ponykind. Equestria was beautiful and green again, quickly accepting these new alicorns as their prise, as their princesses, as their leaders."
"And that is the story of how the Princesses Celestia and Luna came to be, for the betterment of Equestria."

Closing the book before gently putting it down on the dresser across the room, I then focused on my PipBuck, which was still broadcasting, and gave one final message. "That concludes the stories folks. Remember, there is someone who cares about all of you out there and there are those who fight for a better life for you and everypony else. Be you pony, zebra, donkey or any other race, we'll fight for a better tomorrow, for you. Sweet dreams and goodnight, Coltchester."

Looking at Eos, I raised my eyebrow. "So, prise eh? It had been way too long since I heard that story. You're my little prise are you?" With that her cheeks burned red and she gave a shy little smile to me and nodded slightly.
"Well, okay then. Well, time to tuck you three into the bed, yeah?"

Immediately Helios grinned as she spoke. "Yes please! Oh, and can we have goodnight kisses? Pretty pretty please?"

"On the forehead I assume?"

"Yes, of course." She happily replied while snuggling herself into place in the middle of the bed while Eos and Selene flanked her on each side. Even Sandstorm got in on the act, happily encouraged by Helios and Selene who snuggled him between themselves.

Trotting around the bed, I made sure to make sure that the bedding was comfortable and presentable while the alicorns and colt laid down. Tucking them all in was a tricky task without enough energy in my body to simply float above the four, but reaching over and even climbing over Eos slightly did the trick and she simply giggled at it anyway.
Making my way over to Selene first, I stroked her cheek softly and kissed her on the forehead. "Goodnight Selene. Sleep well, sweet dreams. Is there anything you'd like before I turn the light off?"
Selene shook her head, happily closing her eyes in preparation to sleep through the night. Moving onto Sandstorm I repeated the process, though he too was happy enough as he was.

Moving to Helios, I made my way around the bed and leant over Eos, causing her muzzle to nuzzle into my chest and made me giggle slightly with the tickling sensation it brought. Giving Helios a quick kiss to the forehead, I did the same as before. "Anything you'd like me to do before lights off? Oh, and should I take the book back to Titan or will it be okay where it is?"

"It'll be fine," Helios murmured in a tired voice as she began to yawn. "he trusts us. Goodnight Crimson. And thank you."

"No, thank you." I happily responded. This experience had been lovely.
Finally, I looked at Eos whose eyes lit up when my focus came to her. Gently stroking her cheek for a smidgen longer than I had the others, I slowly moved my lips down to her forehead before she moved her face up, our lips touching as I kissed her. Pulling back in shock of not expecting it, I blushed almost as much as she had. "Cheeky." I muttered with a laugh. "That was a cheaters move, ya know."

Biting her lip before grinning wide, Eos beamed with joy. "I know."

Shaking my head, I didn't know what else to do. Now they were all tucked in, all happy, all had their goodnight kisses. Eos with a kiss that was different to the others, but still. Turning to the door and holding a hoof over the light switch, I turned back to face them. "Goodnight girls, goodnight Sandstorm."

"Goodnight!" They called out as one, all of their eyes closed as they snuggled up together. It was a truly beautiful sight and to see Sandstorm happily cuddled up with the alicorns was just something that made it even more precious than it already was. Flicking the switch, the light went off and I made my way out of the room and walked back to the lounge, leaving the four to rest.

Sitting down on the sofa, the room was a lot quieter now, though the dukebox still played music on a much lower volume. Trotting on over to it, I decided to put myself down on a nearby chair and thought about all the things that I had been through recently. Looking at the time on my PipBuck, it was well past ten now and even nearing midnight. With that, I was surprised Sandstorm had even managed to stay up so late at all. Still, coming out of a coma my body felt restless even if that's exactly what it needed more of.
Looking across the room, Dawnstar was still around and caught the look in my eye.

"Wanna go out for a while?" He asked politely. "I know of the rules put on you and I promise we won't be going anywhere too dangerous if you wanna go for a walk and talk. I'll be taking a shotgun just to be safe, keeps you out of harms way, right? Perhaps we could go shopping or something? There's as much to buy during the night as there is in the day."

Thinking about his offer for all of two seconds, I grinned. "Sure."

Author's Note

(Edit: Forgot to say, check out this picture here!)

Hey again guys! As always, a huge thank you and I love you goes out to every single reader. You make this worth all the effort I put into it because without all of you, I would have lost motivation to write a long time ago. I know that sounds bad, that every story should be because the author wants to write it - and I do, I absolutely adore the story I'm telling and it's as much for what I already have as well as what I'm planning in the future. But I know me, I know I have insecurities and I know that sometimes I need a push from others to feel like I'm worth something or the things I do are worth something.
You all are amazing and give me that something.

I want to apologise to anyone who is upset by the fact I used so much pre-made content in this chapter. I did try put my own twist on things though yes, I also wanted to make it feel like real children's bedtime stories and that meant using something for the basis of it all. Same goes for the whole Discord origin story thing.
The Discord origin story wasn't meant to be a SET IN STONE THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED type thing, but rather, my way of explaining something (the prise) that I included god knows how long ago and admittedly, completely forgot to explain at the time. By doing this, I feel it was the most natural way to explain what it meant.
To recap, a prise is an angel like guardian. The source material for it is The Amory Wars by Claudio Sanchez, lead singer of Coheed and Cambria which has gone to inspire me a lot for Broken Bonds. In that universe, the prise are a race of angel guardians who protect a prophet as per instructions from god. Probably not the wisest of moves for me to have referenced it so heavily when I did, but hey. Led to this, so it's not all bad, right?

My next writing move is going to be rewriting chapter three and removing some stuff, refining everything and overall, making it a lot more of an enjoyable experience. I'll also say that I intend to remove all references to Blackjack, so look out for an updated scene which will make a lot more sense. Oh, the days when I was a Project Horizons fanboy...

Massive love goes out to CamoBadger, author of All That Remains, as always. He's always always always there for me and pushing me on, being an amazing friend and a truly superb writer, my favourite one no less.
I know it may seem unfair to all the others who I deeply appreciate, but I hope they know who they are and feel the love too. I just have to give extra special credit to him because.. well, yeah.

Many thanks goes out to Kkat for creating this wonderful universe that I write and spend most of my time in! And that's about all. I love you all and thanks for giving me this chance, I promise I'll do the best I can for you all and hope you've enjoyed it! Have a goodun' folks!

Chapter 25: Judge

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds
By Kippershy

Chapter Twenty-five: Judge

All that glitters is not gold.

The sound of birds chirping, that was what had become my wake-up call over these last few days. The sweet, innocent songs that the birds outside would sing to themselves and any who would listen. Opening my eyes, the light lazily fondled its way past the bars of the window in the corridor, into each room that us prisoners had been kept in. The same scent of staleness filling my nose, marking us all as one in the same in these cells. Still, the fact there wasn't a stench of decay or rampant disease made this place better than places I'd been around before, and I couldn't fault my captors for not trying to make everything smell of flowers and perfume.

Tenderly rolling off of my cot, avoiding putting any weight on my injured leg, I trotted over to the door of my cell only to find that it was already left ajar. For a moment I hesitated, wondering why that would be. Was it a trap? Were they testing to see if I would try to break free given the opportunity? But if so, why would Blueheart have even trusted me over the last few days with doing recon from the roof? There was plenty of chances during the last few days where I could have tried to make my escape, but I hadn't. So why would the door be left slightly open now?

There was no way my magic would hold out enough for me to get out of the base, let alone get back to Crimson. My leg, although starting to mend, was still nowhere near capable of walking properly let alone running or even moving quietly.

No, there was no chance of breaking out, and now I was left worried about it seeming as if I'd be trying to if I opened the door.

Slouching down onto my rear, I thought about my options for a moment. I didn't need more sleep so just laying down wasn't an enjoyable option, not that whether it was or not was of any importance to my captors. Instead of risking anything, I decided to knock on the wall instead. "Hello?"

Nothing. Not a sound. "Hello?" I asked again, with more gentle curiosity in my voice this time. "Is anyone there? My door is ajar and I don't know why."

Perhaps it was a stupid, stupid mistake, but I knew I couldn't reach freedom on my own and I absolutely couldn't risk them thinking I'd picked the lock or something.

A heavily, overbearing silence greeted me. Absolute, utter silence. Slumping down to the floor entirely, I laid my face on my hooves and sighed. Was it truly that nopony was here? What had happened to them if so? Half-heartedly, I called out once more. "Anypony? Is there anypony at all here?"

There was no sound of hoofsteps, snoring, rustling or movement. No breathing, but also no smell of death. Using my magic to slowly open the cell door, I looked out into the lobby where, just as I had thought, nopony sat. Oddly, however, I noticed that no gear was taken out of the equipment storage either. The locked room that controlled the doors and held supplies was empty of life but had everything that our guards wore and carried still.

Turning my head, it was then that I had noticed a note had been placed on my door.

'Dear Cherry, if you are reading this alone, I am sorry. You were tired last night and I felt like you deserved some extra sleep. Make your way to the lunch hall when you can, I will meet you there. Don't worry about the guards, so long as you do not take any detours, this note will act as your pass. Signed, Captain Blueheart'

Taking the note off of the door, I began to make my way through the halls and toward the canteen. Although I felt nervous about walking around the facility on my own, nopony around seemed to mind. Did they think I was one of them? It was doubtful, but maybe they did. Or maybe they saw the note I was holding and just didn’t think to question me because of it? Regardless of the reason, I was at my destination in no time at all despite my injured leg.

Walking through the doors, I looked over to the window hoping I’d see Blueheart. Instead, I only saw an empty table and seat. I had hoped to see him sitting there, waving on over to me, but instead there was only a couple of ponies left around, minding their own business as they ate.
Walking over to the donkey staffing the canteen, I grabbed my portion and trotted over to where the captain would have sat and gazed out into the distance, at the luxury district, admiring how it glistened.

“There you are, sleepy head.” A now familiar voice called out to me from the doorway. Turning my head, I saw the Captain standing there, but this time not wearing his usual attire. Now he was simply dressed up in a casual albeit still fairly smart shirt. “I thought you were going to miss the festivities of the day the way you were sleeping.”

Letting out a sheepish grin, I put down my spoon and looked away slightly to avoid his gaze. In a shy tone I answered his tease. “I was tired. Don’t forget I have an injury to heal.”

“That is true, how is your leg healing now, Cherry?” He asked, with dignity and sincerity in his voice.

“It still hurts but it’s getting better than it had been. A lot better than it was initially after the fall. Mind you, only having bandages for it does mean it’s taking a little longer to heal than if I had even one more dose of a healing potion or something.” I whined, hoping that would somehow win the Captain over.

Cocking an eyebrow at me, the Captain looked dead in my eyes, almost as if to scold me. “You know we can’t allow that, Cherry. We don’t use medical supplies unnecessarily, even on our own soldiers. Though, of course, there is something we can do about that, since it is our days off today.”

“Wait,” I began, confused as to what was just said. “day off? You mean to say… that I have a day off?”

Gently waving his hooves at me in a manner that told me not to speak too loudly, Captain Blueheart quickly continued. “Well of course! Everyone who works for The Coalition gets a day off, we don’t make slaves of our security teams.” Now looking around and lowering his voice a tad more, he looked directly into my eyes. “You do remember that you agreed to work for us, don’t you? That means pay and days off. I’m not going to lie, we aren’t going to pay you much at all given your… room and board situation. You still don’t have full freedom, you will be returning to your current residence.”

For a moment, I smiled, to which Captain Blueheart smiled in return, before continuing. “However, that isn’t to say that you can’t be taken out for the day, under supervision, of course. Perhaps you could even visit a pharmacist in order to buy a healing salve or even potion, if you have the caps to make up the rest of the cost?”

“But… a salve isn’t even half as effective as a potion for an injury like this.” I protested with a murmur.

“Do remember that you’ve already been given medical treatment and a fair rate of pay for your work, you didn’t seriously expect to be paid handsomely, did you, Cherry?” The Captain asked, a lingering sense of disbelief in his voice.

“I know, I know.” I sullenly commented. Perking back up, I smiled at the stallion in front of me. “It was worth a try though, wasn’t it?”

With a nod, he smiled back at me, though he didn’t say anything more. Instead, we finished our meals and continued with the same routine which had… well, become routine for us over the last week. We walked the same hallways, collected our bags and out of the doors, grabbed our passes and went out to the same wagon that we had taken each time. Only, this time, it was for us to enjoy ourselves.

*** *** ***

Stepping off from the back of the wagon, I took a deep breath and looked at the sight that still managed to strike awe into my heart with every day that I came here. Now I wasn’t on the job, I had the time to really just gaze around and be in utter bewilderment at what had been accomplished here in Coltchester.

The fact that there was still so many buildings that stood proud, and that all of their glass was still fully intact was beyond belief. Of course I had seen all of this before, but I still found it simply inspiring to see such a place where the horrors of the wasteland almost felt like a horrible nightmare and nothing more. The only anchor to reality, to the stark grimness of the wasteland, was the fact that between the cracks of buildings, the wall that kept everything bad outside could be seen. An almost ramshackle construction that had obviously been rebuilt, reinforced, and repainted more than a couple of times.

Walking down the street with Captain Blueheart at my side, I just couldn’t stop thinking about how well preserved the Luxury District truly was. Tenpony Tower may have outmatched the height of these buildings by a longshot, but that was a single tower and even there, some windows were simply boarded over. Not here. So far as the eye could see, every last pane of glass had either somehow miraculously survived the harsh years of the war and terror filled years that came after… or even more astoundingly, had been painstakingly made new and installed.

“Cherry?” The now familiar voice softly spoke next to me.

“Yes, Captain?” I answered curtly, before remembering that he only liked me calling him that around other soldiers.

Before I could correct myself, he was already rolling his eyes and into his soft version of scolding me. “Well, for one.” The cream stallion began, his voice now holding a drop of bemusement and even a hint of bewilderment. “Call me Blue or Blueheart, Cherry. This is our day off. You don’t need to address me by my rank.”

“Of course, of course.” I quickly added, defusing the situation the best I could. “Sorry, Blueheart.”

“Secondly,” He now continued. “Since this is our day off, for the pair of us, you are free to do as you please. I have places to go and people to see. I assume you’ll also be happy going on your own to explore, right?” To that I responded with a little nod before he smiled back. “Oh, lastly? Don’t get any ideas about going outside. You’ve not been given a pass for the gates and so you won’t be able to get through. In fact, it’ll only get you into trouble. Besides, I’m certain you don’t want to lose out on your armour and weapons, do you?”
Shaking my head in agreement, the idea scared me. I really couldn’t afford to lose my rifle above all else. “We’ll meet back here at our usual time, shall we? Are you going to be okay on your own?”

For a moment, I wanted to say it would be a problem. I’d be left alone in an area that I had no practical experience with, whilst nursing a still injured leg… but looking past Blueheart, I noticed something that produced a wave of calmness to wash over me. All around us were ponies, zebras and donkeys simply minding their own business. Couples, singles, even families. There was no fear nor stress on their faces. No weapons being overtly carried aside from the whole slew of guards who casually patrolled without interrupting the daily routine of anybody around them. It was in that moment I realised… it would be okay.

“Sure thing.” I said with a smile. “Meet you back at the usual time.”
With that, Blueheart trotted off into the distance, melting into the crowds before being lost from my sight. I wasn’t sure what he was going off to do, who to meet, where to be, but it didn’t matter. Looking around once more, I breathed deeply before feeling… free. The day was mine to enjoy, and enjoy it I would.

Making my way off down the street, I was caught entirely off guard when I noticed something I had never seen before; a group of ponies, each with a broom and in uniform, with the word ‘Janitor’ on their shoulders. The word wasn’t new to me, but to actually see anyone doing such a job? Even in Four Ridges or Tenpony, everypony just cleared their own mess. Watching this group go around, sweeping the floor and putting the occasional piece of rubbish that sat around into a nearby box… it was astounding.

Gawking all around at what surrounded me, I was simply unable to believe what I was seeing. Being up atop of the building each day, my job was clear and focusing on the scenery around me wasn’t what I was meant to be doing. Previously I took no notice of the glass, the cleaners, or the ponies going about their daily lives. I was too focused on scanning the horizon for threats, calling out any groups who seemed like they could potentially cause trouble.
Now, sitting down here, it really was overwhelmingly beautiful.

As I sat down upon one of the concrete benches available in the middle of the street, something untold began as the clouds high above began to stir. Taking in the sight above, my eyes went wide and my jaw dropped as it happened. Slowly, as if the heavens themselves wanted me to see everything for what it truly was, rays of light tore the drab skies apart, revealing themselves for everyone to see. My heart raced as it set in, the skies were opening! There skies were actually opening!

All around me I could hear gasps and cries of joy from everyone else, the amazement was overwhelming as tears filled my eyes from both the pain of such undiluted light and sheer beauty it further unveiled, backed up by a chorus of sobs from others around me. The warmth radiating down made me feel stronger, reinvigorated.

Looking around at the buildings around us, I had expected the glass to glisten and shimmer with beautiful reflections. Instead, I was greeted with something else… something much more of a reawakening almost. Now the sunlight hit the walls around me, I could start to see everything for the truth of what it really was, not what the dimly lit reality had made it seem like.
The glass, whilst still beyond impressive, now showed the streak marks where rain had left its trail.
Likewise, looking just above the glass I began to realise that not all of the windows actually had glass in them at all, but the vast majority were merely bricked up and painted so carefully that it was practically flawless to the unsuspecting eye.

All at once, several ponies and zebras began to mutter about some kind of event going on above. Looking back up, I began to notice what they were seeing. A group of three dark figures flew above, they were pegasai! Pegasai were flying along the hole in the sky, skimming along the opening and destroying any clouds that began to reappear, just as Crimson had done for me before.

Smiling up at the clouds, I felt hope and joy well up inside as those three pegasai continued to give us the glorious sun, though that quickly changed. From one of the sides, four more figures came, causing the original trio to disperse. Fumbling for my pair of binoculars, I was quickly reminded that I didn’t have them today and had to make do without. Squinting my eyes, I focused as much as I could and began to see some detail that I hadn’t noticed before.

The dark of their figure seemed to be some kind of uniform, given how they were all wearing it, there was simply no way that they could all have had the exact same colour coat. I felt my heart drop and my breathing go shallow as I noticed the next detail… they were shooting at each other. Specs of green and lines of red, there was no mistaking it; those were energy weapons.

Just as the sorrow had filled my heart, so had it also filled the skies. The battle above raged and skirted the pegasai all around, but the outcome was a mystery as the clouds battled the sun and sealed themselves back over. The memory of Crimson telling me that most pegasai would open the clouds if they could filled my mind and made me understand just how serious he had been at the time. That was the price for opening the clouds. I could only hope that those pegasai who had been brave enough to do so would live.

Picking myself off of the bench, I began to make my way elsewhere. I didn’t know where I was going, all I could do was follow the cobblestone path ahead. Blueheart hadn’t given me any guidance of where the clinic could be found or other interesting shops, but with all of the buildings around me seeming to offer some kind of shopping experience or another, I didn’t really mind. Most of them seemed to be focused on either selling clothes, food or, surprisingly, weapons and ammo.
Some had pictures of the items they were selling painted onto the glass from the inside. Others had the items themselves sitting on racks and shelves in such a way that anyone could just reach them, though those shops also had guards standing at the door.

None of those shops had interested me. I had no need for ammo for my guns because Titan was seemingly willing to acquire ammo for us if it really came to be necessary… besides, there was no way the Coalition would simply allow me to buy more ammo and keep hold of it. Even if Blueheart somehow did pull some strings, there was no way to guarantee I wasn’t going to just be wasting my caps.

“Sundae! Sundae! Get a sundae!” A voice cried out, distracting me from my idle thought. Stopping dead in my track, my body tensed as I hit into S.A.T.S and looked around… not a single hostile in sight? Checking my E.F.S, I was baffled as there wasn’t a single red bar. So why was someone calling out my name?

“Sundaes here! Get your sundae! We have a new batch just whipped up! A wide range of flavours have just come back in stock too!” The voice called again, bewitching me to come closer, to see what the commotion was about. As I stepped up towards the shop, a spike of pain shot up my leg and made me fall over entirely, leaving me face down in the stone.
Picking myself back up, I now saw a large, bloated pony race over before offering me a hoof to help me back up.

“Are you okay, Miss?” Wincing for a moment as my leg thudded, I gave a quick nod, though my face must have betrayed me as he looked at me with a frown. “You look hurt, just look at that leg of yours, all bandaged up… come on in, sit yourself down. That’ll do you better than the cold, hard floor outside.”

Before I could do anything, I was being whisked inside, making me feel a little nervous about the whole ordeal. Almost nowhere in the wasteland would I feel safe simply being ‘helped’ and taken inside of a building by anyone I didn’t know, but the bright colours, happy faces of mares and their children, and welcoming atmosphere helped calm me down the moment I sat down on the surprisingly comfortable stool facing a high table before the pony went back to the door to call a few more times it seemed.

Taking in the sight of what turned out to be a pre-war dairy shop was staggering. Some checkerboard tiles clung to the wall whilst those which had fallen off over the years had simply been painted back into place. Tall backed red, original diner chairs with metal tables lined the edges whilst tattered, faded pictures of different ice creams lined the wall.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed a blue pony in the room with a hilariously undersized guitar and a hat at their feet sat talking to a little filly. Swivelling the stool around to pay attention to the pair, I could begin to hear their conversation more clearly.
“Can you play that song I always like to hear from you?” The little filly begged.

The stallion looked at her with a little smile before giving out a contented sigh, brushing back his well styled yet still somewhat messy mane. “Jitterbug huh? I reckon I could do, just for you.”
With that he gave the lilac filly a wink before taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. Pulling himself from the floor where he sat, I watched him raise to just his hind hooves, using his magic to move the guitar into his grip. Looking at the spectacle completely entranced me as he began to kick out his legs in a dancing fashion to the beat of the little filly clapping.

[Song: Wham! – Wake me up before you go-go]

“Jitterbug… jitterbug.” The stallion began, to the cheers of the filly. “You put the boom boom into my heart. You send my soul sky high when your lovin’ starts. Jitterbug into my brain—goes bang bang bang till my hooves do the same.”

Watching the stallion sing, dance and play the guitar all at the same time put the same smile on my face that I had just minutes ago with the sun shining down, and filled me with an urge to tip the performer. Pulling out a couple of caps from my bag with my magic, I floated them over to his hat. Upon noticing, the stallion pointed a hoof smiled at me as he continued his song, whilst the mother of the filly also did the same. Sure, those were caps which might’ve left me short on something else I could have wanted, but I just couldn’t help but want to make it worth his effort, even if it was only a little bit.

With the sound of hoofsteps approaching, I turned to see the bloated pony looking at me with a smile, just as he had before. “So, Miss, feeling better now? If not, stick around why don’t ya? What’s your name and what would you like?”

Feeling humbled by his gracious behaviour, I felt compelled to comply with his request. “Cherry Sundae.” I told him.

“A cherry sundae? We have some cherry sauce, sure, but cherries are beyond rare to find around here.” He muttered to himself, the look in his eyes as if I’d just been rude.

Realising what must have gone through his head, I gasped and flustered as I tried to correct him. “Oh no! No, no, no! I’m sorry! I don’t mean it like that! Cherry Sundae is my name is all.”

With that he looked at me, cocking an eyebrow, his face unscrewing from the perceived insult just a moment ago. “Wait? Really? Cherry Sundae is your name? And you mean that? Your name really is Cherry Sundae?” Giving him a quick nod of affirmation, his smile grew. “That’s something alright. Tell ya what, I’ll only charge you five caps instead of the usual fifteen if you’ll agree to tell other ponies to swing on by. A pretty mare like you could probably convince a few patrons into the store better than me.”

Thinking about it for all of half a second was all I needed before I agreed. “Sure!” It had been an exceptionally long time since I’d ever tried my namesake, even if it wasn’t going to be the whole real deal… but even despite that, I couldn’t turn down such a generous offer either.

“Deal. You tell them that Cherry Sundae recommends Sundaes, our ice cream parlour, and to mention that. I’ll keep tabs on how many ponies come in and do so. Now, you stay here, I’ll go make your order.”

Listening to the dancing ponies’ song was blissful. Despite his cutie mark being a rose, he still made a reasonable enough singer, with his whole act just dripping in positive emotional energy. The joy it brought to the little filly, as well as some of the other patrons, was undeniable. Just as he finished, the bloated owner dinged a bell, grabbing the azure ponies’ attention. Rushing on over to the sound, the owner pointed over to me. “Dew, would you be so kind as to take this cherry sundae to Miss Cherry Sundae? She’s sitting on table eight. Five caps is the charge.”

‘Dew’s’ eyes widened as he heard my name, and for a moment he paused, looking at me all over before walking over to me. At first I wasn’t sure what to think of it but then felt ill at ease. I tried not to react outwardly, but instead mentally fortified myself for whatever might happen. As he approached, he looked me dead in the eyes and spoke in a low, hushed voice. “Perfer et obdura?”

My brain froze as I looked at him, but then a spark as the phrase came to my mind. My focus darted away from his as I tried to think, but his hoof gently touched my chin to bring it back to his gaze. His face wasn’t filled with lust, but of determination. Immediately I kicked myself for not being able to remember the co-sign as I realised what he was saying to me, but just as his gaze began to turn to disappointment, I found myself saying the words without conscious thought. “dolor hic tibi… proderit olim.”

His smile returned, larger than before as he gave a nod, the light in his eyes reigniting in a flash. “I’ll be back in one second, I’ll just go get your—“ It was in this moment that he saw the cherry sundae and frowned. “Cheap mother fucker.” He muttered under his breath. Turning back to me, he spoke in a hushed voice, almost silent even. “Hold right there.”

Casually walking past the owner who was now preoccupied with other customers, he slipped into the back room and came back, his horn glowing though with no obvious reason as to why. As he passed the sundae meant for me, he gently placed it in front of me and smiled in a sincere way. “Miss Sundae, I know this is very unusual, but could I ask you to close your eyes for just a moment?”

A part of me was screaming not to trust the situation, this was how a mare was taken advantage of… but something told me that it wasn’t going to happen here. Putting blind trust into the stallion I’d only just met, I closed my eyes. After but a second, he then spoke again. “And now you can open them.”

Opening my eyes, I saw his face looking anxiously at mine, awaiting the moment of whatever it was he had done. Looking down—A CHERRY! HE GOT ME A CHERRY! Squealing in joy, I clapped my hooves together and smiled almost as much as if he had just told me that Crimson would walk through the door at any moment. Looking at him, I could see in his eyes that this moment was all worth it for him as I wrapped my hooves around his neck and hugged him tight. “Thank you, oh thank you thank you thank you!” I quietly whispered, overjoyed that I could have the full Monty of my namesake.

Pulling back and seeing the smile on the stallions face left me wondering, however. “But… why do this for me? Wouldn’t you get in trouble if you got caught?”
With that, I levitated the spoon and took a bit of the ice cream along with the whole cherry and began to suck on it before shaking with pleasure from the sharply sweet flavour of the fruit.

Gently putting one of his hooves on mine as he sat down opposite me, the stallion spoke with his voice growing softer. “You… you have no idea what you did, do you? I mean, of course you don’t. You haven’t met me, and until now I hadn’t met you but…” Now he looked around briefly, the look in his eyes filled with a bitterness which subsided upon focusing back upon myself. “Do you remember a mare called Silk Swirls? She lived back in Slumside.”

For a moment I looked at him with confusion. Silk Swirls? For some reason I felt like I should have remembered her, but these few weeks had definitely been overwhelming to try and take in absolutely everything. Before I could say anything, the stallion prodded my shoulder. “You. You saved her. Don’t you remember? She was being targeted by… some pretty offensive ponies, shall we say. You saved her life by risking your own, from what she told me.”

Suddenly, everything clicked and I looked at Dew with surprise. “Silk Swirls… the mare who gave me the cloak for saving her from…” Looking around, I stopped there as I remembered this was no place for such a dark discussion. With acknowledgement, the stallion merely nodded his head.
Realising the opportunity this presented, my eyes quickly narrowed. “That means you’re at least one of the ponies she went to speak to after, right? What of you? You did say those words.”

“When Silky told me what had happened, what the offenders had wanted… well, I already had my own issues with some, but before then I hadn’t seen enough to… ya know.”

Taking another spoonful of my desert, I nodded appreciatively. Of course this was no place to talk of such topics openly, as there was no telling who might be keen to talk to a guard about any form of dissent whatsoever. Back in Slumside, there was little to no worry about that. Of course, it was still a threat, but there was as many ponies willing to stand up and fight back for the right reason, but I didn’t get the same feeling here in the Luxury District.

Before I could say anything, Dew was called by the parlour manager to help somepony else. Instead of immediately walking off to do his job, he looked back into my eyes, something of a flirty look as the corners of his lips curled. “Dum spiro spero.” Before I could respond to ask what it was he had said, he was gone.
[While I breathe, I hope.]

Finishing up the delicious treat didn’t take long once I was left alone, the ever tempting flavours driving me to eat more and more as if I hadn’t eaten at all. Rubbing my now filled to the brim belly, I gave the owner my thanks and politely made my way out of the parlour, feeling just as happy as I did upon seeing the skies open.

As I stepped out into the street, I looked around to see that everything had gone back to normal. Ponies, zebras, donkeys, each one all minding their own business, going about their own day. This was what the wasteland needed. We had it at home, the few who could afford it could find it at Tenpony Tower, and those who couldn’t had Friendship City… but upon thinking of those words, I frowned. No, no they didn’t; not anymore. One of the few bastions of promise for a better world laid in ruins, and for as beautiful as the Luxury District was, I knew that some horrible truth had to be hidden under the surface.

The rest of the street hadn’t had much to really look at. Though there was a couple of stands dotted around like Slumside’s market, they only seemed to be pop up food vendors rather than shops selling anything of value.

On both sides I was flanked more and more by hotels and houses set up in the repaired husks of buildings, with no more large windows placed along the bottom floor, but rather artist’s renditions of beautiful days, sunny beaches and happy ponies. Instead of the typical graffiti that lined the walls of Slumside however, these were far from quick sprays but rather masterful pieces given absolute time and attention. Seeing the effort that must have been put in to completing the work was as stunning as seeing the panes of glass prior. The Luxury District really did focus on being as vanity driven as possible.

From down here, it seemed like there was a lot to go and visit and do, however, my experience from atop of one of the buildings told me that there was only one place left to visit in this district. A strange, large circular building of impressive size, though I had no idea whatsoever was in it. Moving past some more homes and hotels, I turned around the corner to see a line of ponies waiting to get in to the rotunda. Taking my place in line, I too began to wait.

In the past I had seen a slanted glass roof upon the building and had wondered why the design would be like that, but now as I approached on the ground level, I understood why. Unlike many of the buildings leading up to this, there was no glass on the outside. Instead, it had concrete walls without any decoration, unlike other buildings.

As I came up to the booth, two armed ponies looked at me blankly, one speaking in a dull yet commanding voice. “Why haven’t you got your pass out already? You’re a unicorn, you should’ve easily had it out by now.”

For a moment I looked at the stallion, stunned. “A pass? I…” I babbled, unsure what to say. “I didn’t see any signs saying I’d need some kind of pass.”

With a dismissive groan, he waved his hoof as if to shoo me away. “No pass, no entry. It’s as simple as that. We don’t need trouble here.”

Thinking for but a moment, I put my hoof out to him. “Wait. I had a multi-pass before, is that what you needed?”

Cocking an eyebrow at me, the tan stallion nodded. “Yeah, it would’ve been, but since you don’t have it any more, you don’t get to enter. Simple as. Besides, you must have caused trouble to lose it so I’m definitely not letting you in now.”

“I didn’t lose it!” I quickly interjected, whinnying. “Captain Blueheart has it right now.”

With that, the second ponies head turned. Though I couldn’t see their face through their shield, I could see the touch of a cream coat underneath between the seams of their suit. “Wait, who did you just say has it?”

“Blueheart? Of the D.Z.C?” I mumbled, uncertain of what I’d just gotten myself in for.

The first pony stopped talking entirely whilst the second looked me up and down, their neck craning around as the only giveaway. “Your Pipbuck, is that an officers model?” The voice said flatly, not letting up with their inquisition.

“Yeah.”

“Come with me out of the way of the others. If you want in here, you’ll let me use it. No ifs, no buts. I’ll be using the radio. Deal?”

Shrugging my shoulders caused a wince of pain as I forgot myself, but a quick nod sealed the deal. Moving to the side and reaching out with a hoof, the armoured pony made some quick prods at my Pipbuck. With that, the familiar sound of a broadcast began.

“This is the captain guard for the Pantheon Mall, calling for Colonel Blueheart. Repeat, I’m after Blueheart. Come in over.”

For a moment there was an awkward pause and I could almost feel the stallion glare at me through his darkened visor. Then the word hit me…. Colonel? Before I could say anything myself, the broadcaster perked up on the receiving end. “Blueheart here. What’s the matter, Captain?”

“Sir. We have a pony here, female unicorn, red coat, pink mane. Claims that her multi-pass is with you. She wants to go into the Pantheon Mall. Do you know anything about this, Sir?”

With another moments pause, I began to worry as I felt a bead of sweat work its way along my brow. Only the Princesses knew what would happen if Blueheart let me down now. With a crackle on the frequency, the conversation returned. “Yes, Captain, let her through. She’s after access to the clinic first and foremost, but don’t worry if she goes elsewhere. You have my word that she’s not a risk."

With that, the broadcaster was shut off and the captain merely pointed to the blacked out revolving door. “You’re free to go on in then. If he’s vouching for you, I’ve got no qualms. I’ll put my trust in his judgement, just remember to not let him down by doing anything… stupid.”

Stepping into the darkness with a group of two others, I felt overwhelmed as everything went silent but the sound of the motor powering the door. A moment later, my eyes felt like they had just opened for the first time as the light hit me.

Ahead of me was a sight that not even what I had previously seen from the Luxury District could compare to. Marble floors, statues and pillars made a corridor, laced with potted plants and seats filled with happy people drinking and laughing.
Stepping out from the rotating doorway, I couldn’t help but squeal in delight at how beautiful it was.

Not even a second later, I noticed armed guards casually walking around, and lots of them. Though they all had rifles, none of them seemed even the slightest bit on edge, and none of the patrons looked worried in the slightest about them either.
Doing my best to hold my jaw from falling to the floor, I looked around further, noticing how every single shop had a large, unfettered access. My best guess being that the guards walking around in the open area were more than plenty for the shops to feel safe. Nothing more was necessary.

From the corner of my eye as I continued to gaze around, I caught sight of a pony approaching me with a sense of determination in their step. Turning my focus to them directly, I couldn’t believe what I saw. Though I didn’t know their name, I recognised the mare as she stood before me, slightly bowing her head as they came to a stop. “Hello Miss, and welcome to the Pantheon Mall. I take it this is your first time?”

Looking at the pony as she kept their head bowed, I began to notice how… odd she was acting. Her body was shaking slightly, with her voice muttering the words in submission, eyes refusing to meet mine. Gently placing a hoof on the mares chin much like Dew had touched mine, the pony flinched backward. Looking at her now with sadness, I spoke softly. “Don’t be scared. I promise I won’t hurt you.”

Slowly, her head looked up, eyes gradually locking onto mine, pupils dilating with the longer she looked. I didn’t know this pony by name, but I was certain I had seen them in Slumside. From the look in her eyes, it seemed like she might have been thinking the same thing. Shaking her head rapidly, she stepped back and recomposed, bowing her head back down.

With a deep breath, the mare now spoke again. “Did you want directions around? I would gladly guide you to any shop, help you carry bags, provide my limited and duly noted unprofessional fashion advice and critique…” For a moment she paused, her voice lowering even more. “Or meet your other needs as you request, with no restriction or complaint.”

Falling back on my rump, I couldn’t help but feel the blood rush to my cheeks as I began blushing. “I… uhhh. Thanks but…” I tried to say more, but all that came out was a babbling as the mare now dropped low, covering the top of her head and began to shake even more. Looking at the sight, I realised just how skinny the poor mare was, her ribs starting to protrude. With that, all of the heat left my face immediately as I realised just what kind of a state this poor mare was in.

Looking around, there was more families happily eating, laughing, and shopping. Children were playing without the smallest of worries about where their next meal would come from or the horrors of the outside world, and yet here this mare was, driven to such desperation that she would offer herself in any service whatsoever, no doubt just for a couple of caps. Letting out a tired sigh, I felt extremely sorry for her, and wanted to help her, desperately so, but another part of me knew that if I gave her sympathy in the cost of caps, I would end up doing the same for everypony else.

“I’m sorry.” I merely muttered. “I haven’t the spare caps to help you. I wish I had, I genuinely do, but I haven’t got any idea how much I’ll need for what I’m after.” Letting out a sigh, I watched as the mare’s head drooped down, her defeated posture begin to turn away. In that moment, something boiled inside of me, though I knew I couldn’t speak too much or too loudly here… but I had to say something, damn it!

“Look.” I began. “Before you go.” She turned her head to face me, uncertainty in her eyes. “I know… I know I’ve seen you before. The way you looked at me, I’m sure you’ve seen me. If you remember me… seek him out. Find him. He’ll take care of you.”
Just as the moment seemed to end, a thought came to my mind. Taking two caps out of my bag, I pressed them onto her hoof with a smile. “And here, ya know what? Do take two caps, here, have them. Go to Sundaes, the ice cream parlour. Tell them Cherry Sundae sent you. Now, where’s the clinic?”

With a smile, the mare pointed to the floor above. “Up there, though you’ll need to go further in before you reach the stairs. You’ll then go back on yourself and keep to the right hand side, it’s pretty close to being just above us right now. Thank you very much, Miss.”

With that, she smiled and bowed graciously, a little more confidence in her body language now before scampering off into the darkness of the rotating door, hopefully off to go get something in her belly. I knew two caps wasn’t much, but maybe, just maybe the parlour owner would show a touch more generosity… I hoped so, anyway.

Making my way through the structure, I was still blown away by the cleanliness and beauty of the mall. Electric lights lit up most of the building, though just as I had seen from above, enormous glass roof panels flooded the main hallway, especially as it opened up into a circular shape to reveal a shop on the ground floor in the middle with yet another ‘café’ on top. What a café specifically was, I had no idea, though posters with the word ‘best fresh coffee!’ hung above, proudly advertising some weird drink. Looking closer at the sign, I giggled to myself as I realised that somepony had scribbled out the bits cost and… wait… a caps cost? That meant that they actually sold it!

As much as I really, really wanted to try this ‘coffee’, just to see what it was, a quick flash at my Pipbuck reminded me that I couldn’t risk not having enough caps. Walking past, up the stairs, I let out a wishful sigh looked back longingly as I saw ponies drinking from cups. …I really wanted to try the coffee.

Making my way along the upper floor, I now saw the clinic’s sign, just as the young mare had promised earlier. Pressing forward, I could begin to really feel the throbbing ache of having been on my hooves for too long, especially my poor little still injured rear hoof. Marching up to the door, I looked in and saw the pristine white walls, a counter filled with medicines for all sorts of ailments, healing potions and salves, rad-x, rad-away, performance enhancing drugs… whatever a doctor could ask for, it seemed to be here.

Stepping in, there was something else I noticed that put me on edge immediately. In the corner behind the entrance, facing the counter, facing me, was an intimidating presence, decked in the best armour and a heavy shotgun. My muscles tensed as I froze, suddenly afraid for my life. My horn began to feel fuzzy as I considered going invisible… but the figure didn’t move.

“Perceptive, aren’t we?” It muttered, the voice changed via modulator. Now I recognised it as donkey power armour. “Don’t worry, I’m not here to rob you. I’m here to make sure you don’t try rob us. And yes, we’re aware no other shop in here has a guard, and we’re aware that the guards are aplenty here, but we’re selling goods that make us a target even here. Make any moves and you’ll have a problem, otherwise, I’m here to stand guard and nothing more.”

The cold shock that had run down my spine still left me feeling incredibly anxious, though the zebra dressed up in medical gear behind the counter now rushed over to me, pushing a chair with his hooves for me to sit on. Getting up onto it, he grabbed a padding from another seat and placed it upon the floor, opposite myself, before sitting down.

Smiling at me, he began to talk. “Sorry for the rude welcome party, though our customers don’t typically notice the hired guard so early, if at all. He’s telling the truth however, we’ve had times in the past when having that armed and armoured guard has saved my livelihood. He’s absolutely saved me caps and perhaps even my life, without a doubt. So, when you’re calm again, what can I do for you?”

Taking a deep breath, I could feel the soothing atmosphere begin to wash through me as I heard the beeps of machinery chugging along in the background, doing whatever it was doing behind the curtains. Looking at the zebra doctor, I gestured to my injured leg.

“I hurt myself just shy of a week ago. I… fell from a height and hurt myself pretty bad. Knocked myself out cold even.” Why I was telling him so much, I didn’t know, but somehow I felt like it didn’t matter that I was. “When I woke up, I’d found my hind left leg was broken. I’ve taken one healing potion and had a splint with bandages on it, which has helped out a lot, but I still feel like something more substantial would help.”

The doctor looked at my leg, gently touching it, causing me to wince. Pulling out some weird metal device that I didn’t recognise in any way shape or form, he hovered it over my leg and the prongs began to shake, albeit only slightly. I wondered what he was doing, though as quickly as he had pulled it out, he had put it back away and turned his focus to my eyes. “So, your leg is still somewhat injured, yes, yes. You’ve got three options. Number one, you do nothing and let it heal slowly. This of course will be without the cost of caps but at the price of time. A healing salve rubbed into the skin could help, but this too would be slow. Not like a potion, though a potion would cost more.”

Looking at him, I tried my best to hold back my feelings of bemusement but something in the way he looked at me told me I hadn’t done as good a job as Crimson would’ve been able to. Letting out a sigh, I nodded. “How much would the potion cost?”

“Forty-seven caps.” The zebra said flatly, causing me to visibly recoil at the price. “If you don’t have that or don’t want to pay that, a salve is twenty.”

Looking down at my Pipbuck, I only had fifty on me, including the caps that Blueheart had provided me with earlier… if I chose the potion, my leg would be completely healed; but if I chose the salve, I would have enough caps to try out the coffee. Pausing for a moment as I pondered the actual need to try out this mystery drink compared to having no more pain whatsoever in my leg, I couldn’t deny that the coffee was just a novelty. No, I had to be sensible.

“Fine. Here’s your forty-seven caps for the healing potion then, please.” Passing over the caps to the doctor made me feel a little sick on the inside, knowing I could have gotten it cheaper elsewhere, but I wasn’t elsewhere right now, and I didn’t have the luxury of calling on favours – nor did I feel confident in my ability to charm the zebra to lower the price. That was Crimson’s skill, not mine. Damn that stallion, I needed him more than ever right now.

Being handed the healing potion, I drank it in one long go before handing the vial back to the zebra, not even thinking about it. Whether he would want to wash it out and produce more healing potion or simply recycle the glass some other use, I didn’t care. I had no use for it. Instead, I turned my focus to my leg as I felt the muscle twist and stretch under the magic’s influence, a feeling that never stopped making me feel queasy no matter how many times I’d taken those damn potions.

After a moment of letting everything do its job, I got off from my chair and began to walk around, my leg now not hurting or feeling odd whatsoever. Feeling no pain or throbbing was almost enough to send a wash of pleasure up my spine, the relief absolute. Smiling at the pair, I waved my hoof and said goodbye before trotting out of the clinic, feeling like a brand new mare… a mare who had only three caps.

As quickly as the feeling of bliss had overcome me, the downpour now began as my mind yet again raced back to Crimson. For all of this time that I had been locked up, I had only heard from him twice. The first time in our conversation where he was beyond emotional and the second being that broadcast of his with those bed time stories. A small whimper left my lips as I felt a tear well up in my eyes. I missed him. I wanted him. I needed him. “Crimson.” I uttered to myself. “Where are you, my love?”

Slumping over onto the railing and looking down at the happy ponies below, I knew I had to take my mind off of him, for as much as I wanted Crimson, he wasn’t coming. Even if he did, I couldn’t leave behind my rifle, as stupid as it sounded, I just couldn’t. Looking further ahead, I saw all the shops around me. Maybe a bit of browsing would help clear my blues… maybe.

Going into the nearest clothes shop, I was immediately harassed with vibrant colours, fanciful patterns and pictures of other mares dressed to impress. The dedicated clothes hanger rails and hangers themselves told me that this had to be a pre-war set up merely taking up its former pride once more. I couldn’t find fault with any of the designs, and the stitching was flawless. Taking a closer inspection, I saw tags on the inside which indicated that these clothes weren’t just beautiful, but actual clean, ‘brand new’ pre-war articles. Despite being two hundred years old, there was clothes that didn’t look like they had been sitting on the shelf for more than a day.

Just as I continued to browse, a malnourished looking buck approached from my side, a small, tired smile on his face. “Hello, welcome to Mane Attraction. Is there anything I could do for you today? Any clothes you’d like to try out in our fitting rooms?”

Staring blankly at the poor buck for a moment, the words refused to come out of my mouth as I took the sight in. He had obviously been making an effort to try and be presentable and his approach was nothing but kind, but there was something… off about it; about him. It wasn’t that he was trying to harm me, or trick me in a horrible way. Just looking at him though, I could see all of the hallmarks for abuse and neglect.
His mane was combed and yet dry and brittle. His coat had no shine. Just like the mare who I had helped earlier, his ribs were visible even though his waistcoat tried to hide it. The bags around his eyes drooping, his cheeks gaunt.

Just as he turned away, muttering in defeat, I finally knew the words I had wanted to say. “Excuse me.” I began, softly cooing into his ear like a young mother speaking to a child. “Are…” My next words were hard to get out as he turned to look at me again, something of a hopeless glint in his eyes. Gulping, I felt my frown return. “Are you okay?”

Slowly his gaze locked into my soul, and though he didn’t say a word, he didn’t need to. Looking in through those jade green portals, I could see the pain and suffering he had. With that, he simply shook his head gently and broke the connection, trotting off back deeper into the shop, off to help other, paying customers. Feeling a shiver down my spine, I knew I couldn’t deal with being in Mane Attraction any more. Not whilst the privileged few got to live lavishly and spend freely whilst expecting nothing but impeccable service from their workers.

*** *** ***

Walking out of the Pantheon Mall, I felt no better than earlier. Shop after shop had only revealed the same, horrible truth. The mall, and most likely the vast majority of these shops, were run by underpaid, mistreated ponies who had been given a “chance at privilege” by wealthy ponies who lived on this side of the dividing wall, here in the Luxury District. Of course, yes, many of them wouldn’t have survived without that opportunity, but it still made me feel sick. These weren’t slaves, but the fact that so many wealthy, healthy ponies walked around care free whilst so many were sick, starving and weak… it made me feel uneasy. Their abuse of ponies, zebras and donkeys below them was what gave them their money, not hard work and dedication like most other well off ponies in the wasteland.

Some ponies thought that Four Ridges was elitist and that we lived off the creamy fat of others hard work, but there was no way I could entertain that thought for even a split second before, and no way I could tolerate such words again now after what I had seen. We were better than Coltchester. Effort led to profit for the pony involved, not for the ponies above. Sure, the Stable took their taxes, but without their water… We needed that talisman. I could never forgive myself if we failed and Four Ridges fell to rubble after seeing what I had.

Without any understanding, I quickly found myself thrown to the floor by my own hooves, rolling behind hard cover as the sound of an explosion slammed me out of my thoughts and back into what was going on around me. The sounds of gunshots, automatics and single shot rifles, rang out in unison, heading towards and away from me.

Looking up, there was no sign of a pegasus raid, putting the fear of Enclave reprisals out of the window. Looking to my three open sides, there was no sign of rebels breaking into the Luxury District… or at least, there was none of the typical smoke, flares or banners that the Anarchists loved to utilise. Checking my E.F.S, I could see red bars, though they were all coming from the other side of where my cover was. Looking over for a brief moment, I couldn’t see the enemies, but I now noticed guards atop of the wall and at the nearby checkpoint taking cover and returning the shots.

Realising that my cover was, ultimately, in a direct line from where the enemies were coming from, I knew I had to move. Looking ahead, all of the civilians had gone into hiding in shops whilst the sound of a flare now shot into the sky from the checkpoint, causing members of the DZC to rush in my direction as fast as they could. Knowing I had only one chance to get out of the danger zone, I prepared myself to run and hoped to the Princesses that the healing potion had well and truly done the job.

It had. Of course it had. Without a second of hesitation, I was already out of immediate danger, and nobody had tried to stop me. I guessed not having a weapon on me and running away from the shooting had seemed all too… sensible, understandable, sane. What pony really wanted to run towards gunfire if they didn’t have to? Though with that, I realised, I had no obligation to run towards the fighting, but I had an obligation to myself to find out who it was.

Seeing the hotel that I had been using as a vantage point for the last couple of days, I began sprinting as fast as I could. I had to find out what was going on, even if I didn’t have my binoculars, I had to find out as much as my eyes could tell me without them. I just had to, damn it! Pushing past the ponies who held the doors open for others to get into safety, I didn’t even stop to apologise, but merely ran for the stairs, making my way up as many as I could manage before my lungs started to burn.

Stopping for a brief moment on a mid level floor, I realised that I had unintentionally stopped where the musky smell had grown strongest. The air thick with a scent that was no stranger to the wasteland, but this time it wasn’t death. Needing more time to catch my breath, I decided that Captain… no, “Colonel” Blueheart needed to know what was going on. Toggling on my Pipbuck’s broadcaster and engaging his connection caused my heart to feel as if it stopped. A ringing sound had filled their air, the receiving end of a broadcaster. Pressing my ear to the door, I could hear it much more clearly now.

Pressing open the door, more out of curiosity than anything else, I was welcomed by a large room that had almost entirely been blacked out, with only small windows cut out of the brickwork to allow in some small, insignificant amount of natural light an air, whilst candles dotted around the room flickered gently, casting miniscule shadows in their wake.

Looking to my right, to the source of the sound, I was horrified as I saw him. Blueheart, atop of a mare that looked shockingly close to myself, bar the fact that her coat was pink, wearing a synthetic wig of the same colour, slipping off to reveal her ginger mane below. Of course she was smaller, just as malnourished as all the others had been, and her eyes pleading for something better than this. Her face scrunching in shame as he made use of her body.

Gasping at the sight, he opened his eyes and saw me as he thrusted, letting out his own sound of indignation before clenching his eyes and scrunching his face, groaning loudly, finishing inside of the poor mare. Her look of shock turned to panic as she began to babble in horror. “No no no! We agreed! Not inside!”

I couldn’t bear to witness any more, I simply turned away and stood half out of the doorway, overpowered by the musk as much as the sight I had just seen. With spite and disgust, I spat my words loud enough that he’d hear even through his orgasm. “Get to the fucking roof. Meet me up there. Coltchester is under attack and we need to figure out who’s attacking.”

Working my way up the stairs with a brand new sense of energy from the determination to get away from what I had just seen, I quickly found myself bashing through the door to the roof and rushing over to the railing. Looking out into the distance, I could see the figures fighting with the guards, though most of them were dead now. Squinting my eyes and focusing as much as I possibly could, seeing details was incredibly hard at this distance, even for myself, though if nothing else, there was no flags being carried by the dead attackers, and no signs of some foreign force on the horizon. Looking back on the few surviving hostiles, I once again threw myself to the floor instinctively and covered my ears. The temptation to close my eyes was strong, but in that moment Blueheart walked up to the door, a mixture of anger and confusion in his face when he saw me.

I wanted to gesture to him to do the same, but it was too late. Though it had been quite some distance away, a loud explosion roared through the air. The sound of a rocket launcher sending echoes, reverbing through the buildings as they trapped the noise inside.

As if in response, a new sound ripped through the air, missiles launching from the top of a nearby building. This time though, they weren’t facing towards Coltchester, but rather, away from it. Looking over, a donkey stood in their heavy armour, a missile launchers smoking on each side as the remaining attackers had turned to nothing but a red mist, still falling from the sky.

“Well…” Blueheart began, not knowing what to say. “I…”

“Shut up.” I barked, still disgusted and angry with him. “Oh, and what’s all this about being a colonel? You’ve been lying to me, haven’t you!”

For a moment, the cream coloured stallion sputtered his words before recomposing himself. “I never! Ok, fine, I hid the full truth of my rank, but I’m still a captain of the Honour Guard!”

Looking at him, I narrowed my eyes. “Honour Guard, huh? Like the same sort of honour you showed to that poor mare you turned into a prostitute!?”

“She was already one!” Blueheart exclaimed. “Why, is there something wrong with paying her for her services? This is the wasteland, Cherry. Get real. We all need release, I paid for mine just like any stallion does, one way or another. Besides, don’t forget to watch your tongue, I am your superior and ultimately, also your captor. You’d do best to remember that.”

“She was made to look an awful lot like myself.” I spat back, making him aware that I’d noticed. “Is that a coincidence? No?”

With a groan, Blueheart looked at me. “What will it take to calm you down? I value your service and would rather keep things civil between us. Look, you’ve already proven that even on your day off, you’ll rush to figure out who is attacking, when you didn’t have to… so consider it a bonus for such vigilance.”

“A bribe, you mean, for not ruining your reputation?” I cocked an eye at him at this point, realising just what he meant.

For a tense moment there was a pause as he breathed, then let out a sigh and a slight nod. “I suppose… that yes, I don’t think such news would be best spread around. What do you want?”

Thinking about it, I quickly made up my mind. “A bed. A proper bed, not just the cot I’ve been sleeping on. An actual, comfortable bed. You do have the rank required to acquire me one, after all. I want to be able to sleep comfortably, if nothing else.”

Without any hesitation, Blueheart smiled. “Deal. In fact, I’ll do you one better. You can sleep in the barracks, but don’t for one second think you’re free to move about as you wish. You’re still a prisoner and you’re still under employment of the Coalition.”

Blinking my eyes as I gawked at him, my mouth hung agape as I struggled to take it in. “W-wait, really? You aren’t gonna just move a bed to my cell?”

“That would significantly harm the other prisoners’ morale, as well as cramp up your cell too much. You have all of your personal belongings from out of the cell on you currently, correct?” Giving him a confused nod, he continued. “Then it’s settled. You’ll sleep in the same quarters the other soldiers, so long as you continue to do your duty. However, if I catch you even thinking of breathing a word about this to anyone, and I mean anyone, you’ll be back in that cell and not have any privileges whatsoever. Got it?”

Nodding my head was all I could do. I couldn’t believe what had just happened, both before and now. Everything… everything all at once. It was too much to take in.

“With the attack on the checkpoint under control, I suppose we ought to get you back to base. Your move to the barracks is immediate, I’ll be taking you there now.” And with that, Blueheart gestured to the door before leading the way, back to base.

Author's Note

Well, its taken me a lot longer than I had wanted it to, constantly battling my own self doubt and other issues, but the new chapter is here. Its my absolute biggest hope that it isn't hated and that Cherry hasn't been fucked up, though if she has... well, that's just the way it goes. No turning back now!
For anyone who wonders why the chapter spanned out the way it did; read into the events again, ask questions, really think about it all. This chapter isn't filler, even if it might seem that way. I promise it isn't.

Thank you all for reading, I love the fact that so many people have given me so much support through all of this, though I am -especially- grateful to Brisineo and StAnon. Those two have been there for me in my times of need and I seriously cannot underestimate just how much they meant to me as people. Thank you, both of you. Thank you, everybody.

Chapter 27: Jury

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds

By Kippershy

Chapter Twenty-seven: Jury

“Why are you doing this? You’re a pony, just like me.”
“I’m nothing like you, I’m more than you’ll ever be.”

If it hadn’t been for seeing it with my own two eyes, there was no way I would’ve believed it. Unable to comprehend the sight, I simply froze up. Eos nudged my shoulder, breaking me out of my shock, but I couldn’t bring myself to speak as she looked to me for answers.

Growing impatient with my lack of response, she once more levitated the binoculars to see through, and quickly showed the same sense of shock. Throwing both of her hooves onto my shoulder, she forced me to look at her as she tore the hood away from my face, focusing into my eyes. The sheer terror in her face mirrored mine as her magic wore off.

“How? This doesn’t make any sense!” Eos desperately pleaded. “I don’t understand what’s going on, how could they?”

Between the pair of us stuttering as we looked at one another, the pony who had lent his binoculars had now mustered up enough courage to interrupt, pointing a hoof at Eos. “Wait, you… you’re one of the leaders of the revolution, aren’t you?” With that, my heart didn’t know whether to race or stop. A large part of me considered pulling out my new pistol, but then hesitated as the pony continued to speak. “Don’t worry, I’m one of your followers. But… what has you so freaked out?”

Taking his binoculars back, the pony next to us looked over to the stand. Humming in confusion, obviously unaware of the implications, he looked back at us before seemingly putting two and two together and blinked at me, before turning his gaze back and looking at the gallows ahead.

Before any of us could utter another word, the speakers continued. ‘The Executioner. The one who leads these rebellions, who incites hatred and disharmony, who leaves nothing but untold death and destruction in his wake, ladies and gentlecolts. The one and only. Here to be sentenced for his crimes.’

“It can’t be…” The pony now pointed at me, his jaw hanging loosely towards the ground. “That pony… you… look” For a moment, not one of the three of us could understand what was going on, until the stranger spoke again. “He… isn’t the real Executioner, is he? Yo—”

Shooting a look at the colt to keep his mouth shut, he froze up instantly in response. Grabbing the binoculars back from him I went back to having another look, trying to take it all in. The pony on the stage, bound and gagged, did indeed look an incredible amount like myself. How and where they had caught a pegasai, I wasn’t sure. Had more come down since those two Enclave members? Perhaps, but why? No, the why of it didn’t matter. What mattered was that, somehow, they had a pegasai that looked like me, and he was paying the cost of my actions.

“What’s the plan? How the hell do we stop this?” The pony next to us asked, panic in his voice. “You’re going to get involved, right? Save the day?”

Letting out a deep sigh, I shook my head and looked down toward the ground, feeling disgraced. “I’m… I’m not sure there is anything I can do.” Saying those words hurt me, badly. Up on the stand stood somepony innocent of crime, only guilty of somehow looking like me, and I could do nothing about it. My eyes turned to Eos, but her face reflected the same anguish. I wanted to find the words to explain myself, but instead, all I could do was watch. One by one the ‘guilty’ were prepared for their last moments, told to say their final goodbyes… all aside from the imposter.

With no finesse, the bodies dropped.

Every part of me wanted to look away. I was no stranger to death, nor to finishing my opponents off, but watching the accused squirm violently left me with a sickening sensation. Yet despite that desire, I couldn’t allow myself to look away. No matter how much the sight horrified me, no matter what pain it caused to see, I could feel a burning flame in my soul. A fire within me, burning bright, charring hatred for the enemy into my very essence.

Pony Joe was the first to stop writing, his agony coming to an end. Though I couldn’t see in perfect clarity, I could tell from the way his body fell limp that he was no more. Taking a deep breath, I let it go again, fighting the urge to close my eyes. One by one, the others began to slip out of consciousness, fading away to the stars above.

Finally closing my eyes, I couldn’t bear to see any more. The pain was just too much to handle. I hardly knew these ponies whatsoever but their struggle had become so interlocked with my own, all because of a need for a damn water talisman. Just as thoughts of home began to race through my head, something grabbed my attention; a collective gasp from the crowd.

Opening up my eyes once more, I thought I couldn’t feel more shock than I already had, but that belief was now proven wrong. Even without looking through the binoculars, the sight was unmistakable. Where my imitator was once, was now the body of Neon, the spy.

“Please tell me one of you saw that, please tell me one of you knows what the fuck just happened.” I quickly blurted out in shock, unable to comprehend why Neon was up there in ‘my’ place.

“D-didn’t you see it?” The pony next to me asked, a mixture of horror and confusion laced in his voice. “The way… he… just burst into some kind of flame and changed?”

Shaking my head, I couldn’t believe the words told to me. That made absolutely no sense at all! Looking to Eos to be told the truth of it all, she was fixated on the sight in front, drawing my eyes back to the scene. In a flash of light and fire, Neon now grew wings and a horn. With his form still changing, I felt almost mentally crippled as I tried to make sense of it all. I’d never heard of anything like this happening in all of Equestria.
With one final kick, the body gave up entirely.

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes felt the pain of the guilt engulf my mind. Whatever that thing in the noose was, it didn’t matter now. I felt Eos’ hoof wrap itself over my shoulder, but I simply didn’t have the strength to look up at her. I wanted to start a fight… or say something to the crowd to rile them up… or… anything! But I couldn’t. Too scared for Eos’ sake… or too cowardly, I wasn’t sure. Either way, I couldn’t put her in the same danger I would put upon myself.

“It’s okay, Crimson.” Eos soothingly cooed into my ear, her muzzle brushing in my mane. “This isn’t your fault. I don’t even need my new power to tell how you feel. It isn’t your fault.”

Gradually turning my head to look at the beautiful mare next to me, her comforting gaze shared the same pain as I felt, though that pain didn’t take form in anger; but sorrow. Deep down inside, I knew she was right, though I still couldn’t shake the feeling of guilt. Since setting hoof in Coltchester, all I had done was cause damage. Death. Pain. Strife.

For the first time since the start of the journey, I now truly considered what it had cost me… and more importantly, those around me. Too many to names, too many stories, too much pain.

Eos must have noticed my face or read my mind, as the next thing I noticed was a soft kiss planted on my forehead and a hoof around my neck, pulling my face to look at hers. “You’re really not at fault. I promise.” With that my eyes met hers and I let out a pained sigh, but she responded with an even more determined look. “No, I mean it. We already had all of these things happening before you arrived, before you even set out on your journey. The fact you came here and saw all this might be fate, but it certainly isn’t your fault.”

“My fate?” I asked, hurt and confused. “My fate is to cause pain and destruction? To cost innocent ponies their lives?” If it had been any other pony telling me this, I would have spat in anger; but this was Eos and instead of anger I only felt pain.

“As I said. This isn’t your fault and this isn’t the first time they’ve done this. Look around you. What do you see? I see so many who have been hurt and abused by a system that doesn’t care for them. I see injured souls and bodies alike, all wishing to see change, but almost all too scared to be the first one that stands up in protest. And then there’s you.”

“Me?” I interrupted, still feeling upset and confused, though a little more resolute as her words slithered into my ears.

“Yes, you. You’ve breathed a new sense of life into Coltchester.” Her face softened with a smile as she gazed at me, her grip pulling me into the warmth of her chest. “The last time there was a public execution, there wasn’t this sense of anger in the crowd, but fear. You wait. We’ll speak to the ponies once they disperse. I have a feeling that we’re on the cusp of something big, and it only takes a spark to light a fire in the soul of those who feel beaten and downtrodden.”

My teeth grit down hard as I fought to look upon the bodies as they continued to hang silently, yet still calling for attention. Turning my focus to the crowd I could pick out more than a fair share of the citizenry who seemed just as angry as I felt. All it would take was a single spark. I would be that spark. With that thought in my mind, knowing that the pain wasn’t just mine, something changed in me. These lives lost wouldn’t be in vain, I would make certain of it.

Feeling Eos’ wingtips gently pull me, I turned to follow her lead as the crowd began to disperse. There was nothing more we could do here, nothing at all.

*** *** ***

“There has to be something we could’ve done.”

“Please, Crimson.” Eos muttered. “You really must try to shed this guilt. It won’t change what happened.”

In perfect harmony, Helios and Selene spoke with curiosity weighing heavily in their voices. “What did happen?”

Turning to the pair, my face must have said it all as they began to grimace. A bottle of rum floated on over to my side as Eos packed away the rest of the purchases we made. Opening it up and taking a swig, the burn seemed soothing compared to the feeling that the hung must have felt. Looking straight at the pair as I kicked my hooves up onto the table, nothing seemed to satisfy my angst. “We went up top, got some gear for me and walked right into a public execution. Pony Joe. Blessed Cradle. Some others. An imitation of myself.”

With those words, the whole room barring myself and Eos paused in shock. Even Titan had stopped dead in his tracks, hoof mid stride as his head turned to face me. “What in Equestria did you just say, Crimson?”

Taking another swig, I closed my eyes and gulped down, relishing the way I somehow already began to feel different. “Yeah, that’s right. Those fuckers had… something… whatever the hell it was, that looks like me. Titan, you remember ‘Neon’ the spy, don’t you?”

“What about him?” Titan asked in a way that told me he didn’t expect good news, which he was right to prepare himself for. “Let me guess. They caught him too, then?”

“Not just that.” I started, chewing my words before taking a deep breath and letting it go again in defeat. “Yes, we’ve lost him. But more importantly, it seems like he wasn’t what we thought. He was my imposter. I don’t know how or what magic might have been used, but…” For a moment I paused, uncertain on whether Titan, or anyone even, would believe what I had to say next. Taking another mouthful and shuddering from the sensation, I finally told them. “There must have been some spell in effect because he burst into magical flames twice. Changed from looking like me to looking like him as we knew him, to looking like… I don’t even know. He had both wings and a horn but neither like a pony.”

From behind me, I heard Tsunami speak in an imposing tone. “Crimson, you’ve had too much to drink!”

Gobsmacked at the accusation, I roared in displeasure. “No, I know what I saw! I saw him burst into flames! He looked jus-”

Interrupting me, the bottle was magically grabbed out of my hooves, causing me to cross them grumpily. “No, I don’t mean what you saw. I mean you’ve had too much to drink. Eos shouldn’t have passed you that bottle whatsoever. You’re on too much medication to be drinking right now.”

In an attempt to defend herself, Eos shyly fought back but with only half of the ferocity that Tsunami could muster. “He needed it! He was too guilt ridden.”

“Guilt,” Tsunami growled. “Will not kill him. Alcohol on the other hoof, whilst in his current state and on the medication he’s taking, absolutely could.”

Turning my focus to Eos, I could almost feel the guilt seeping from me into her as our eyes met, causing her face to droop to the floor. Tears beginning to well up as her actions became slower whilst her breathing sped up and the hiccups began. If ever a sight could break my heart within but only a second, seeing such a beautiful mare being reduced to such an emotional state was it.
Whistling to grab her attention, I waved a hoof at her to come to me before she could storm off or go invisible and begin to hide. Just like a filly running to the other parent after being told off, she was straight to my side, grasping me with her magic before swiftly placing herself on the sofa and resting me between her hooves and wings.

“I-I” She began to sob. “I don’t want you to die. I don’t mean to hurt you. Please… please forgive me. I just wanted you to feel better.”

“I’m not angry with you. Tsunami is.” I quickly corrected the poor alicorn, stroking her cheek. “And… she might be right. I already feel different, my stomach hurts. I don’t feel so good.”

“Give him here, I’ve got to get him to a toilet! Now!” Tsunami ordered, causing Eos to jump off from the sofa in pure shock. With a swift movement, Tsunami got a hold of me and threw me across her shoulder to carry me on her back over to the restroom. “And you. Yes you. Would you please be so kind as to get a supply of clean water? He’s going to need it.” With my eyes closed and already halfway to the toilet, I had no idea who she was talking to, but it didn’t matter. I was just glad to have somepony who seemed to know what they were doing. Closing my eyes, everything began to hurt and spin around as if the whole planet itself was drunk.

*** *** ***

For the next half hour, my head laid on what started as a clean towel that sat upon the seat of a toilet. Over and over, my body relinquished every ounce of energy and fun that the alcohol had brought me as I threw up, with only the reassuring soft coo coming from Tsunami to make me feel any better.

With yet another burst of tears and pain emanating from my stomach, my head felt like it was going to explode with the rising pressure before more sick went down the bowl. Despite all of that, a soft, tender touch caressed my mane. “That’s it. Let it all come out. You’re doing well, Crimson.”

“I d-don’t want to feel l-like this a-a-again.” I whined, feeling completely unable to help myself. My composure was long since lost at this point, there was no more shame to be had. “I feel like I’m dying.”

“I know, Crimson. I know you don’t want to feel like this again.” Tsunami murmured in a motherly tone. “And this is why you won’t be mixing alcohol with all of this medication you’re on again. And before you say anything; once you’re off the treatment, you can go back to drinking at that point. Not sooner.” For a moment she stopped, but with a small breath, she continued to lecture me. “And it’s good that you feel like you’re dying, because that will just make sure you do stop. I won’t let you die, Cherry needs you to save her.”
Those words… those six words both hurt and sobered me like none other.

For the next while, there was an oddly tranquil peace to be had in simply laying my head on the toilet seat, my mane being stroked by Tsunami as she looked after me. Finally I had the feeling like there was no more bodily desire to puke. With a little squirt of water into my mouth, I swilled it around before spitting it out into the bowl.

“Thanks, doc.” I murmured without much energy left inside of me. “You really are a lifesaver.”

“You’re welcome, Crimson. It’s my job to look after you, after all. Even still, you really ought to be more careful of what you’re doing. I can help you out in so many ways, but I can’t bring you back from the dead. Four Ridges needs you. Alive.”

Looking at her for just a moment longer, something in what she said gave me the strength to lift myself from the bowl. She was absolutely right. Four Ridges did need me. Cherry needed me. Hell, even Coltchester needed me. I had to overcome this.

With a knock on the door, I peered round to see three faces, though one closer than the rest, her head lowered in shame. “H-hey. I…” With a jab to the side, Eos squeaked before correcting herself. "We hope you’re feeling better, and I’m sorry for what I did. I just wanted you to relax, wanted you to feel less guilty.”

For a moment she hesitated, but the moment I went to respond she immediately rushed to continue talking. “We want you to come with us… back outside. Not just me, not this time. All of us. I told Titan what happened earlier and I’ve told him the way I feel, he doesn’t like it. He tried to tell us it absolutely wouldn’t be happening, but we’re not going to back down. All three of us are going above, and we’d like you to be with us so you can see how everyone is dealing with the… events from earlier.”

“Whoa whoa whoa!” Tsunami burst out. “Crimson? In this condition? What if something happens? He’s still not in fighting form. Especially after your little stunt.”

Almost roaring in anger, Eos stamped a hoof to the ground. “I’m sorry, okay! I’m sorry that I didn’t think about the danger of giving him alcohol, but you-”

At this point, Helios stepped forth gave her sister a caring look that caused Eos to deflate with a sigh. “What my darling sister means to say is she’s sorry for her actions and she understands the outcome could have been deadly, but it was a mistake she knows not to make again. Likewise, Crimson is also aware not to accept alcohol again whilst being treated for his condition, so the issue will not arise again. Do not forget however, that it was my sister, Eos, who has spent the most time and dedication taking care of Crimson out of anypony here. Her heart is in the right place, Tsunami. And yes, I am aware you want an apology from her. She would also like one from you.”
For a moment, both mares glared at the green alicorn, to which she just shrugged. “I know neither of you have said it, but don’t forget, I read minds… for breakfast.”

“Goddess damn it, Helios!” Selene barked out, trying to fight her laughter through the words. “Where do you get off from being so... augh. I can’t think of the word.”

“Regal?” Helios asked with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

“Nooo.” Selene muttered, holding the ‘o’ for emphasis. “I was thinking more along the lines of unpredictable and purple.”

Though she obviously tried to hide the fact, it was clear to me at least that there was a twinge of confusion on Helios’ face as her eyes narrowed and her lips straightened slightly. “Wait, what do you mean purple? You’re one to talk! You’re literally purple!”

The face that Selene pulled upon hearing that remark was something I’d never quite seen before. Her mouth contorted in the weirdest fashion as her eyes looked back. “UGH! It’s an expression! From books! It means you go on and on without getting to the point. And you’re sooo like that one minute and then make a terrible, terrible pun! Why, I ought to teach you how to really have fun.”

With a deep breath, Helios giggled and let it all back out before releasing a content sigh. “You know I enjoy plenty of things, sister. Especially your company. Now, back to the point; Crimson.”

“You don’t need to ask. I’ll come. Coltchester might not be home to me, but I need to see the outcome. I need to see what the impact was.”

“Well then, if you are going, you’re not going without us.” Looking over to the door, behind the alicorns stood a large figure. As soon as the girls stepped aside, I could see all of the special forces that Cherry had called in, besides Shockwave and Deadlight. For a moment that reminder felt like an anchor, dragging me back down, but the confident faces quickly revitalised me. “We were already approached by Eos about the plan, and we all agreed you aren’t going anywhere without us. Not this time.”

The strength of the support from everypony around me felt revitalising. Getting onto my hooves and supporting my own weight for real, I knew we had this. With the whole lot of us going, we could handle any situation that the Coalition could throw our way.

Trotting to my room and looking at my gear, I quickly grabbed my cloak again. It didn’t seem appealing this time, the citizens of Coltchester needed to know that the Coalition was wrong, but now still wasn’t the time for armed uprising… not yet. They hadn’t killed The Executioner, but perhaps it would prove best for them to believe they had if only for a short while. If anything given me more reason to fight with a ferocity they could have never expected. Grabbing what else I needed, I made no waste of time getting myself ready.

Stepping through the hallway, past the main room where everyone stood, I was quickly flanked on all sides by a whole slew of bodies. Each and every one of the special forces stood proud. With another step, the three alicorns joined me, a cheerful yet subtle smile on the faces of each.
Across the hall was Maisy and Deadlight, who were playing Prince Snugglebums and Sandstorm. For a moment I considered calling them over, but taking even but a moment of notice I could see that Deadlight really had a way with the manticore. With all of us going, perhaps it was best to leave someone behind to hold down the fort.

Making our way to the door, there stood Titan, armoured up and gun ready. Everybody stopped, aside from myself. Stepping up to the imposing stallion, I looked him straight in the cracked eyepiece.
Clearing my throat before speaking in the most commanding voice I could muster, I said but a single word. “Titan.”

Despite his deep rasping and croaky voice, not even the added effect from voice modulator could intimidate me now that I was feeling this. His glare was impressive at imposing his will, but I couldn’t back down now. “Where do you think you’re going? All of you.”

“We’re going out there, we’re going to show the Coalition that no amount of slaughter will hold back the tide of the citizens will. They think they’ve won this fight now that they put on a big show, but I am telling you now, a cause like this doesn’t die just because something like that. The fire they themselves lit will be the flames that burn their coalition down, all it needs is the residents to see the strength they truly have, to stand up against them. We’re going off to remind them what they stand to gain.”

His face didn’t move, nor did his body, though I could still hear the faint sounds of his breathing slipping past the helmet. I was expecting him to order us to turn around, or at least the alicorns to do so. What I wasn’t expecting was for him to turn around, face the door and open it up for us. Much to both my surprise and respect, that’s exactly what happened. Titan being the first to step out into the light.

It was time for the ponies of Coltchester to be the jury, and not the accused.

*** *** ***

Walking amongst the scattered groups of citizens, we had dispersed to avoid being too obvious, though with a quick glance I could make out all of the ponies I had quickly come to know much better. Of course, the alicorns stood out most of all, and side by side they strode, holding their heads high in confidence but without an air of superiority. Watching as strangers would approach them, there was an undeniable degree of fear but also of devotion towards the ‘Goddesses’ as many called them.

“What will you do for us?” “How are you going to help?!” “My brother was up there!” “I’m hungry! How are you going to feed me?” “What about my foals?” “We want revenge!”

Overwhelmed with the sudden flood of demands and requests, I could see that Eos was struggling to comprehend everything whilst Selene spoke to one of the directly and Helios merely sat down and closed her eyes. It would be a complete mystery to anypony who hadn’t known her, but I quickly realised that this was just her finding mental fortitude, perhaps even probing the ponies with her telepathy.

Watching the crowd get larger and rowdier, one call rang out to me louder than any other. ‘We want revenge’. Stepping closer to the crowd, I raised my head high without removing the hood, keeping my face hidden from view. “So, its revenge you want, is it?” For a moment I paused, lingering those words in their minds for effect. “What of freedom?”

With that, the crowd gave way to hushed chatter. Looking into their eyes, I lowered my hood and unfurled my wings, bestowing them all the gift of knowledge; the knowledge of who I was. “I say that freedom bears the heaviest price, but is the greatest gift any can have. The freedom to not only work for honest return, but the freedom to truly live.”

With that, one of the ponies that had been silent now spoke, a trembling in their voice. “You? But… you were.”

“That was an imposter.” I promptly replied. “And they’ll rue this day, the day they thought they had won, the day they thought they finally broke the spirit of all those who live in the Slumside of Coltchester. All those who they view as lesser, inferior, insignificant. I tell you now, you are none of those. None of them! Each of you has a story to tell, a future to see. If we work together, we can make that future as bright as possible. But we need to work together, and that’s why I work for these three.”

Now another voice from the crowd spoke as the chatter became louder, almost drowning them out entirely. “Y-you work for the Goddesses? Is that really the truth? There was rumours, but nobody could say for sure.”

Nodding my head before stepping in front of the three mares and sitting down, I didn’t even need to say it verbally. The energy from those I could see was electric. Now ponies approached, speaking to the three alicorns in a more subdued, respectful way. No more incoherent shouting over one another, instead, they seemed glad to wait for their chance to speak to ‘the Goddesses’. One by one, they got their answers.

Turning my head around, I could even see members of my backup approaching ponies in pairs, no doubt trying to gauge just what was going through everypony’s heads right now. Freight Train and Brick in one group, Grinder and Iron Wall in another and Tsunami trotting alongside Titan. Seeing everypony out here, working together like this, pledging their time to a cause when all they were truly tasked with doing was keeping me safe.

Dazing off into those thoughts, Helios was the one who brought me back to alert with a small mental nudge. ‘Wakey wakey, Crimson. We’re not safe out here, remember.’
She was right. Even if this crowd appreciated us, not everyone did. That needed to change.

“Excuse me,” A voice called out from behind me, a tan pony standing there. “But what happens when those who don’t like you come knocking?”

“We deal with them.” I answered plainly.

With that, their face turned to a grin as they stepped back and moved into a doorway, passing by two dark figures. “You better be ready, because you’re out of time.”

Whilst trying to figure out what that was meant to mean, I felt time almost freeze as I instinctively hit into S.A.T.S. Although I couldn’t properly see the two figures were beginning to edge closer towards me, the magical spell was doing its job for certain. They were hostile.
Planning out my movement, I grabbed my pistol and took aim.

Feeling the bit and trigger of this new pistol for the first time I was almost put off by just how different it seemed, and yet at the same time as I pulled the trigger, it felt so much better.
Watching the first bullet rip through the air, my aim was true and the first figure stammered on a gargle before falling to the floor. Sending out a second shot, the spell wore off just as the other hostile jolted backwards, though this one still alive.

Now I could hear the screams of confusion filling the air, though I couldn’t let that distract me. Jumping out of view from the doorway, I saw a nearby market stand. Not true cover, but at the very least it could conceal me. Getting to it was no issue, but now the frantic crowd was blocking a clear view from where the hostiles had approached from.

Without a moments warning Brick slid down next to me, preparing his assault rifle to bare whilst using a small mirror to peak past our cover. “What the hell just went on there?”

In the shock of it all, I couldn’t be anything other than honest. “I don’t even know.”

“Wait, so you don’t know yourself? Why did you shoot then?!”

Hearing the cracks of bullets flying above us, we both scrambled into separate cover whilst Freight Train wordlessly pushed up into an ambushing flank, shotgun at the ready. Taking in the surroundings, Titan had moved to cover one direction of the road alongside the three alicorns. Tsunami was on crowd control whilst Grinder and Iron Wall covered the other direction of the road.

“Crimson!” Titan called out. “What’s the target?”

Repeating myself was all I could manage. Honesty was the only card up my sleeve. “I don’t know, all I know is there was at least two hostile targets.”

The sound of hooves rushing forward quickly came to a stop as a shotgun rang out, the next sound being the heavy thud of a body hitting the floor. Almost snapping my neck, I poured my attention over to Brick who once again used his mirror to look out before nodding and getting into a defensive yet more relaxed firing position. Poking my head around, there laid the body of some donkey.

Without a word, Freight Train threw something into the doorway where the newly deceased had come from whilst Tsunami and Brick stacked up behind him. As soon as an enormous bang was heard, Freight Train was being followed by Brick and tentatively shadowed by Tsunami in a formation entirely new to me. Another roar from the shotgun rang out from within the building whilst the rattle of an assault rifle filled the air as well. Only seconds later, the deep voice of Freight Train called out to me. “Crimson! Get here. Now.”

Not taking any time, I leapt out from my spot and rushed to the doorway. In that moment, I felt my stomach drop as I heard Tsunami utter the words ‘he isn’t going to make it’. Rushing further towards the trio, I let out the most immense sigh and the sides of my head felt like they were about to crumple as the relief hit me. Freight Train and Brick were fine. Instead, ahead of me was a stallion laying on the floor behind a desk with a small ham radio unit that was now destroyed, the pony bleeding profusely from his gut.

“Who sent you.” I barked out, not wanting to play games. “Nobody just approaches somepony with the reputation I have and makes a threat like you did, especially not with such a small group. Someone set you up to this, didn’t they? Who?”

For whatever reason, I was expecting the dying pony to smile, spit blood and perhaps even laugh at me. To tell me to fuck off and burn in hell. Maybe the thought flashed through his mind, but no, whatever he had in mind, that stayed put as he just looked at me. There was no sense of hatred in his eyes, nor panic. Pain and anguish were all I could see as I looked at him, then his breathing stopped. The light in his eyes remained, but the tight clutch he held onto his wound now failed him as his forelegs slipped to his side, limp.

Feeling the anger and frustration of the moment overwhelm me, I began shouting carelessly. “Celestia damn it! He was sent by somepony! I know it! I just know it!”

“You never did explain that, Crimson. You’d best do so to the crowd outside, no less. As accustomed to violence as Coltchester may be, if you’re looking to win them over, you don’t want to be seen as randomly killing at leisure.”

Nodding in agreement, I tried to lift the body from the floor with little luck. Between the awkward posture, lack of desire to get potentially infected blood all over me and sheer weight of the dead pony, it was just no good. Brick however seemed far less fussed about the task at hoof and swept the corpse over his shoulder as if it was no hard feat whatsoever. Whilst I didn’t envy the mess, I couldn’t help but feel a little outclassed by his brute strength.

Stepping out of the building, the crowd had somewhat reassembled whilst the alicorns sat in the middle of the street, once more talking to everyone they could. The moment Brick shrugged the body onto the floor however, a deafening pause was only broken by the shocked gasp of a few.

Before anyone else could think of what to say, Freight Train cleared his throat. “So, we tried to ask this particular pony what in Equestria just happened, but he didn’t want to talk. Can anyone here identify him?”

The muttering from the masses was indecisive, though there seemed to be a shadow of recognition on just a few of the citizens. Puffing my chest out and raising my head high, I took a deep breath and gave the friendliest smile I could muster. “If anypony or anyone at all is able to identify who this is, or better, who they’re affiliated with, it would be to my great appreciation. I know I’m the one who shot first, but only in self-defence. This pony made a threat against me and I knew my life was in danger. I need to know why. If coming forth puts you in danger, we will provide you security.”

Looking over towards Helios, there was a nod of understanding in return before she scoured the crowd with her eyes, looking for any leads. If anypony here was hiding their knowledge, perhaps she would pick it out. Noticing my silent plea for help, Eos spread her wings as she walked through the slew of ponies before wrapping a wing around me as she now stood next to me.

Looking around for a moment, she cleared her throat before talking with a level of confidence that I hadn’t seen from her before. “If any of you did not trust the Executioner in what he has just said, then I tell you not to take his words; take mine. We will keep you safe from harm if need be. If you did not trust the Executioner to have your interests at heart, then I tell you this; take mine. If you do not wish to answer his plead, then consider it mine.”

Looking up at her, I was speechless. The aura of confidence and command radiating from the alicorn were awe inspiring. Just as much as I had felt moved by her words, it seemed that another had felt the same as from near the front, a mare stepped forth.

The mare wasn’t much to look at, though not ugly she was simply unassuming. A bland coat and messy mane, tattered rags covering her flanks. Slowly, she stepped closer, looking around before approaching fully. “I don’t know his name, but I recognise him, just about. He worked with another stallion I know, a zebra. A client of mine, I won’t name who. They both work for another zebra. Zemal. I’m sorry, but that’s all I’ll say.” With that, the mare pulled closer and in a much more hushed tone, spoke softly into my ear. “Not even your promise would keep me safe if I said even another word. Perhaps I’ve said too much as it is. All else I can say is that if you’ve truly upset Zemal, you’re kicking up more dirt than you realise.”

Zemal? Why did I feel like I knew that name?

Smiling back at the mare, I thanked her quietly. If she was feeling unsafe, I wouldn’t put her at further risk. Turning my attention back at the group of citizens, I now had to try and make amends.
“So, with that out of the way, is there anything we can do for you? Our cause is your cause. We are nothing without your support, nothing without you. What can we do to make you see that the best hope for Coltchester is putting power in the hooves of the citizenry collectively coming together as the peoples’ liberation army of Coltchester?”

“We’ve seen you fight, but we don’t know why.” One stallion rebutted. “And why, if we’re surviving, would we fight too? Life may not be great, but we’re alive. Sometimes the status quo is best.”

“Who wants to survive when you can live?”

Before he could reply, the pair of us and just about everypony else was thrown off from their conversations as a screaming mare came our way. “RUN! RUN! RUUUUUN!”

My eyes snapped to the direction she ran from as the masses began to scream and panic, nopony truly knew why she was acting this way but all of the locals seemed to understand that when someone said run, you ran. I didn’t need to say anything for the special forces to form up a defensive line, hiding behind whatever hard cover or concealment they could ready for the emerging threat. In the distance I began to see figures approach, though something about them didn’t look like Coalition forces.

The three alicorns leapt into the sky, climbing up onto the rooftops above. Figuring they had a good plan, I quickly realised that I would be best off using that same advantage myself. Spreading my wings and gaining height, I quickly made it onto the rooftop with the trio and looked down from our spot.

A little over two dozen more ponies and even zebras ran from the direction of the fleeing mare now. Stallions, mares, and even colts and fillies. Both the young and old stampeded down the road, past where we had only just stood. All of them ignored everything to their sides, including my guardians. Their only concern was ahead; to escape.

“Do you three have any idea what the threat is?” I asked, completely bewildered. “I don’t see any Superhoof robots. There’s no way that many people are running from nothing at all but last time I saw everypony run like this was those robots attacking. Something isn’t right here.”

“No, we haven’t” Selene responded plainly. “And you’re right. Something isn’t right here. I could try teleport closer… perhaps take Eos with me, we could go invisible. We’ll be able to see what it is that way. What do you think, sister?”

“We could. Between your teleportation and our invisibility magic working together, we could get closer and identify the issue. Then Helios and I could telepathically pass on the message.”

With a nod, Helios gave her vote of confidence. “Right.”

Just like that, it was decided, and the pair were already gone from sight. I did have my worries about the plan, but there was no time to waste. Whatever the cause for the mayhem was, we had to know.

“Crimson.” My name. The way Helios had said my name gave me the chills. Turning to look at her, the green alicorns face was one of pure horror. Her pupils dilating with every passing moment, a shiver down her spine. Instead of words, she merely pointed down the road. Failing to notice whatever it was she was trying to point out, I instead noticed the nearby horizon. The sounds of explosions and a thick smoke were coming from the direction of the Luxury District. Down below, my eye caught more motion. This time, it wasn’t citizenry, but Coalition soldiers that were running our way.

Reaching over to my holster I pulled out my pistol, though a hoof onto my shoulder gave me pause as Helios shook her head and began to mutter inaudibly as her horn flared my mind filled with her words directly. “No… no, not them. They’re fleeing too.”

True to her word, the Coalition soldiers ran right by the special forces who watched with anticipation. For a moment I expected them to fire, but then realised that Helios must have been telepathically speaking to them as well. Clever girl.
Watching the Coalition soldiers, somehow I just knew that there was no malice in the way they ran. Whatever was going on, it was severe.

Without warning, Eos and Selene were back at our side, Selene dry heaving. Looking at her in this state, I was absolutely baffled by what I saw. I figured that teleporting must have been an exhausting spell, but this seemed excessive. Before I could manage to ask what was going on, a sickly, overwhelming smell filled my nostrils and my eyes shot to the direction of a truly horrific sight.

Whether they were ghouls or, Celestia forbid, living ponies, I couldn’t be sure. All I knew was they were coming… fast. Guttural screaming, wailing in agony and soul destroying pain, the figures ran at us, aflame. Without hesitation the first shots were fired at them, quickly gunning down every target to both end the suffering and stop a threat. Spreading my wings, I went to jump into the sky only to be grabbed by Eos.

“No.” Her command was strong and undeniable. I wanted to get into the air, to see what I could do, to stop the source. “Don’t you dare.” Eos yet again insisted. “They’ve got two of them, one with a short flame, one that shoots far and… those poor souls.”

At this point Selene broke into tears, a flash came into my mind of innocent bystanders being sprayed with some liquid before their confusion led to their ultimate demise. My fur stood on end as I now understood, and I wished I hadn’t.

Looking back to the ground, two figures so heavily armoured that they could almost be mistaken for Steel Rangers were getting closer and closer, each with heavy tanks on their back and evil nozzles on their side. Yelling down to my forces below, there was only one option for them. “Retreat! Retreat! Don’t get hit by the liquid!”

As soon as the words had left my mouth, a spray from the longer ranged shot towards the special forces, though no fire followed. That figure then took a step back, whilst the other stepped closer. Looking at the ground, my blood ran cold as I then realised how this worked.

In a scream of absolute desperation, Grinder cried out with a voice that betrayed any amount of training. “Fuck! FUCK! FUCK! FUCKFUCKFUCK!”

As the flame erupted from the armoured figure, it followed the trail, rapidly approaching the heavy weapons pony. In an almost impossibly quick moment, a flash of green enveloped Grinder and a force field prevented the fire from getting inside… though for how long Helios could hold onto the spell, I hadn’t even the slightest clue. As if knowing my fear, which she probably did, Eos dived down and used her own magic to overwhelm the fire in its own protective shield, allowing Helios and Grinder to retreat with the others.

With Eos disappearing out of the way and everyone else in new cover, I barked the only request I could think of. “TITAN!”

“I can’t risk shooting them, Crimson!” Titan cried out in return. “Between my explosive bullets and their fuel tanks, this whole place will go down if I do!”

Looking down at the pair, I noticed one point at me as they both looked up. A spray of pellets shot into the wall below me, causing me to jump back into cover before their heavy footsteps marched forth once more.
As they passed by the building, I could hear laughter from the two figures… at least one was a donkey by the sound of his see-saw laughter. Their advance up the road was slow but calculated with precision to avoid the fire they had caused. More squirts of the long ranged fuel sprayed across towards my team, though this time they knew to avoid it with even more desperation than the last.

For a moment I considered using my grenades, but Titan was right about the explosion being too dangerous. These buildings weren’t in a good state and there was no telling how bad it would be. Right as a hail of bullets held the two at bay for just a moment, I racked my brain trying to figure out a way to fight them. Their armour was all over with no obvious weak point… and then it hit me. They had no trouble looking up… there was no way the armour was as thick at the back of the neck!

Releasing the magazine from my pistol and emptying the chamber, I slid a new magazine in with the brand new armour piercing rounds ready to trial for the very first time. There was one shot at this, only one. Extending my wings, I jumped down from the building behind the pair and hit my S.A.T.S.
Approaching the back of my target, I lined up a single shot into the back of his neck, knowing that the recoil at this speed would be too much to handle a second chance.

Pulling the trigger only a meter away as I swept up to my target, the recoil of the round alone knocked me off balance and into the ground, stunned, but as I looked up I could see it also threw my opponent down to the ground, head first.

Following every instinct that was trying to keep me alive, I rolled away from the targets, trying to get back into the air before a shotgun blast smashed into my side knocking me yet further away. By all rights, I should have cried like a bitch or been unable to even do so at this range, instead I just felt winded yet unrelenting in my desire to escape. Trying to get to my hooves, I slumped back down as all the energy I’d just had left me. A spurt of flame licked in my direction, though as soon as it started, a purple field surrounded me and purple hooves were firmly planted either side of me.

Then the flames stopped. Looking back to the armoured opponent, the stance that Eos held was both glorious and horrifying. Her horn lowered to his chest, he simply fell flat onto his belly, letting out an indignant series of pained grunts before the death rattle was all that was left. Ripping his flamer away, Eos quickly attached the battle saddle to herself and claimed it as her prize.

Watching the events unfold left me absolutely dumbfounded. I had seen Eos kill before, but only the once. Now she did it again, and yet again, it was for me.

With Selene’s help, I was now back on my hooves. The shotgun blast to the chest had hurt me immensely, but looking down, I couldn’t feel nor see blood. Moving my cloak out of the way, I could see that my new armour hadn’t even taken a dent. Realising just how strong it was, I couldn’t help but smile and kiss the two amazing mares on the cheek each. “Your generosity and tenacity just saved me from both serious injury and death. Thank you.”

With a thin wisp of a smile sliding onto Selene’s face, she pointed at Eos. “Its her that saved you, really. There’s no way I could have kept up that shield for long… Besides,” And with a playful rub of her cheek and a wink, Selene continued after a short pause. “She’s the one who wants kisses! N-not me!”

As we approached the team, Titan and Helios came rushing to greet us first of all, and upon seeing the salvaged weapon, Helios scoffed. “Why in Equestria are you carrying that, sister?”

“I don’t really know why I do, but I want it. I hope to the Goddess I’d never need such a horrifying device, but…” Eos paused, looking down at the weapon. “Something about it calls out to me. Besides, we can’t allow for anypony else to get their hooves on it. The other weapon used the same fuel tanks by the looks of things so I’m taking those too. At least if I take it away, it can’t be used again.”

Shrugging her shoulders, there was nothing more to ask and no answers to be had it seemed. Instead, we just regrouped and began our return ‘home’.

The walk back to base was slow and uneventful. Freight Train, Brick and Titan formed a vanguard with myself and the trio of alicorns in middle, Tsunami and Iron Wall covering the rear flank. The streets had been empty for the most part, until we came closer and closer to the bunker once more. With just a few hundred more yards to go, ponies slowly approached us, bowing their heads.

“Wait, please, excuse me, wait…” One timid pony began, finally catching our attention. Stopping, the alicorns and I all turned our attention to him as one. “You… you were the ones we were speaking to before, weren’t you?”

“Yeah.” I replied flatly, worn out from everything I’d seen through the day. Realising how it came across, I felt guilty and let out a sigh. “Yes. Sorry. I’m just tired. Yes, we’re the ones you were speaking to. What can we do for you?”

Pointing at the flamer on Eos’ back, the young stallion’s voice chirped a little. “That weapon. That belonged to one of the enforcers that work for the gang. How did you...” His sentence dropped there as he realised the answer to his question. Without any warning, he threw himself down to the ground and kissed the hooves of the three alicorns before getting back up. “I’m sorry to have to ask, but what were your names again?”

“Helios, Eos and Selene.” The three girls said respectively, “And this is one of our closest allies and companions, The Executioner.” Selene then added.

“Well, they aren’t very pony… but I’ll remember those. Thank you.”

Just like that, the pony scurried off, leaving Eos mystified at the encounter. “Not very pony?” She muttered to herself, her eyes glazing over and looking into the corner from there on out. No matter how I tried to talk to her, nothing seemed to pierce her mental blockade.

*** *** ***

Setting my gear down in the bedroom and inspecting my new armour once more, I was yet again simply amazed by what a great job it had done. My cloak was beginning to be nothing but holes of varying sizes at this point, though given where we were, that was only fitting. Perhaps it would even help me blend in better, who knew.

Stepping out into the living area I saw a mixture of happiness, relief, and more than just a touch of tiredness amongst all the faces. No matter how quickly a fight ended, it was always something that felt like all of your energy had been drained once it was all over. Looking over to my favourite sofa spot though, I saw Eos, and the glum look on her face had only deepened.

Approaching towards her, she didn’t even look up. Somepony tried to say my name in a precautionary way, though I didn’t pay heed. If Eos was upset, I needed to try and help.
Stepping up next to the sofa, I lifted her head up slightly with a wingtip before sitting my rump down on the floor.

“Hey Eos,” I began. “What’s wrong?”

Without a word I felt myself being lifted by both her hooves and magic, but instead of being lifted into her embrace like I had expected, I was turned away. “I’m not Eos.”

Turning back around, I stared at the big blue mare with utter confusion. “Well, I haven’t seen or met any other big blue mares quite as wonderful as you. Especially not any other alicorns.”

“HEY!” Cried Selene.

“Blue alicorns.” I corrected myself.

“That’s better.” She muttered with a grumpy ‘hmpf’.

Turning my attention back to Eos, I raised her face up once more with a wingtip and rubbed my nose on hers in an attempt to cheer her up again. Focusing her eyes on me, she once more picked me up between her magic and her hooves, but this time pulled me close. “I… I just don’t know, Crimson.”

“Don’t know what?” I asked before having a hoof gently place itself on my lips.

“I just don’t know, is that really me? Should I take a new name? But what?”

The mare’s voice was so rife with sorrow that I could feel my heart breaking under the strain. Looking into her eyes, I tenderly asked my question. “Why would you want to change your name though?”

“Because Eos was the name given to me in Unity. You heard that colt, it’s not a pony name. It wasn’t my original name. Goddess, I don’t even know my old name.” Her face drooped and voice lowered, lids closing as she began to hiccup and cry. “I don’t even know who I am.”

Gently brushing my hoof along her mane and tickling behind her ear, I then gave Eos a kiss on the nose and made a futile attempt to wipe away her tears. “Eos, your name is beautiful, as is both your body and soul. I cannot think of anything more fitting. Who you once were, before or during Unity, is over now. You are the pony who I see right in front of me and for what it matters, I adore her. You don't need to change your name, Eos, because that's who you are, and you should never change."

Pulling me up onto the sofa with her, I could feel her wings wrap tight around me as her hooves squeezed me closer. With little more than a whisper, she spoke. “Thank you.”

Author's Note

Well, this took a whoooooooooooole lot longer than I'd expected to release, and I'm really sorry that it did... but that's just the way things go sometimes.
First of all was the worry about the cliffhanger reveal. Then other stuff. Then it was real life getting in the way (like being on jury service! and I swear I had this chapter name from beforehand!) lol.
Not much else to say here other than my undying admiration for Brisineo is as strong as ever as yet more art (and then yet more on top of that) is seemingly always being produced by him for me. A lot of it isn't on his DeviantArt page, so go check out his tag on Derpibooru if you want to see the full extent of his talents!
Likewise, throwing out the love to Stan and regolit for always giving me feedback and support! Getting that really does mean a lot to me.
Thank you to -everyone- however, for all of the support. Even if its only a like and/or follow, it still means something to me, something more than I think people realise.
And of course, as is customary, many thanks to Kkat for giving us this world to play with!

I sincerely hope everyone has enjoyed the read and hopefully the next chapter won't be quite as long of a wait away!

Chapter 28: The other side

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds

By Kippershy

Chapter Twenty-Eight: The other side

"Ponies are supposed to help each other and be kind... so, lets stop this senseless fighting!"

Getting off of the cart and walking back into the base, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something just wasn’t quite right about the deal Blueheart had cut with me. Sure, getting to sleep in a proper bed again would be magnificent, but it just seemed all too trusting. Looking upon the cell block that I had been staying in, we continued to trot past.

Turning my gaze over to Blueheart with uncertainty, he noticed immediately as I realised he had already been looking at me. In the moment before he spoke, I felt a cold chill up my spine and wondered if this was really the best idea. Still, there was no turning back now.

“Do remember our agreement, Cherry. You’re under the employ of the Coalition now, and any misbehaviour will quickly remove that from you. If you do act out in any way, and I mean any way, you’ll be back in those cells under the same charges you previously had and then some. This isn’t a game.”

Noticing my wincing, he then continued to speak, this time in a much softer tone than his previous harshness. “Though, that also means that you are indeed welcome to freely move amongst the personal quarters of the barracks.”
Now I smiled, appreciating that I was at least trusted enough to earn that small privilege. That was of course, quickly struck down with further comments. “You are, of course, not allowed outside of the barracks facility with the exception of the lea until lights out. You will have a container for your belongings that is yours. Theft from another’s container is never tolerated and will be met with the necessary punishment, regardless of how valuable the item in question is or isn’t.”

Not wanting to cause any trouble for myself, I merely nodded silently in acceptance. As disgusted as I was with Blueheart, he was the one stallion who held my immediate safety in his hooves; I couldn’t afford losing that lifeline. Not yet.

Entering into the complex, the atmosphere here was… different. I had expected a lot of tension and apprehensive looks after the attack on the Luxury District, but no, the mood was cheerful and energetic. Perhaps they were unaware of what had happened? No, surely they would have known. There was no way they couldn’t have known about the attack. Maybe they were cheerful that the attack ended so quickly, that the aggressors were fought off with such swiftness? Listening to the murmurs of conversation, that didn’t seem like it either. Before I could get a handle on what was being said, Blueheart had already ushered me over to a pristinely made bed.

“Cherry.” He began in his authoritative voice, beckoning my attention back to the beige stallion. “This will be your bed. Your container is of course this box at the bottom. The key is inside the container and though the locks aren’t incredibly strong, it’s just something to give you a little peace of mind. Remember, breaking into another’s container is never permissible with the sole exception being if they were to have their lifesaving medication inside. Ideally, anybody with such a need for lifesaving medication would keep it on them at all times. So far, this has only ever happened once and we hope it stays that way.”

“I understand.” I blurted promptly, not keen to spend any extra time around the stallion. “I promise I won’t give you any trouble.”

Placing my saddlebag and barding into the container, I then moved onto the bed and sat on it, uncertain of what to do with myself. The most important thing was to keep out of trouble. Just go unnoticed, keep my head down… just like my school days. Only now instead of hiding to the side of the class, I was in the open dorm. There was nowhere to hide. I just had to avoid bringing attention to myself.

Just as I had begun to lose myself in those thoughts, a harsh, deep voice hissed. “What is she doing here?”

“She’s earned a promotion.” Blueheart idly responded, not taking much thought to the zebra. “If you don’t like it-”

“You’re damn right I don’t like it!” The zebra quickly announced.

Without missing a heartbeat, Blueheart’s mood swung from stern to outright pissed off. “Xumy,”

“Xumeh.”

Now Blueheart’s hoof pressed against the zebras chest in a show of dominance. “Xumy, don’t you ever interrupt me again, and don’t make me repeat myself. You want latrine duty? You can have latrine duty. Effective immediately. I expect them clean before the show.

“B-but!” The zebra tried to exclaim, to no avail. Blueheart’s stern look stonewalled him and made any objection worthless. Giving up, he simply made his way over to where I could only assume the latrines were to begin his work.

Turning my head back to Blueheart, curiosity got the best of me. “Show? What show?”

“Soldiers appreciation show.” The stallion let out a small smile as he said those words, before turning back to another door. “It starts soon, just follow the crowd when everyone goes. We’ve got a couple of singers and musicians playing some songs for us. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have other duties to attend to.”

With that, he made his way through the door and was out of sight almost immediately. A part of me wanted to follow him, find out what these duties were, but I knew that since he hadn’t invited me that it would only get me into trouble.

Changing my focus to everything else around me, there wasn’t a lot to take in. Beds lined up in neat rows, their locked containers at the bottom of each. At least here in the barracks there were plenty of windows to let in a strong amount of light, with thick looking curtains and blinds ready to completely black out any light from escaping at a moments notice.

There was a couple of mares chatting away at a table, some stallions lifting weights in an open area. I considered joining in with the mares for a moment, but at the back of my mind I knew I wouldn’t be at ease. They would probably scold me for interrupting their conversation just to introduce myself, that is after all, how cliques of mares could be. Letting out a deep sigh, I knew I would have to introduce myself to somepony… or zebra… or donkey.

That was something I just wasn’t accustomed to. Mixed gender dorms were something of a luxury even within the T.M.G, but the amount of zebras here was amazing. Everyone getting along so freely without any prejudice over old rivalries brought a smile to my face. Of course we had Shockwave back at home, but he was just one.

Looking at the stallions lifting their weights, I figured that it would at least be a little easier to introduce myself whilst joining in. Making my way over and picking up a pair of dumbbells with my magic, I then proceeded to sit down on a bench and begin the exercises.

For the first minute or so, nobody uttered a word to my intrusion. Instead, they carried on as they were. That was until one donkey froze mid lift, looked at me, and shook his head. “You’re going to want a lower weight than those. You’ll hurt yourself if you try too much to begin with.”

Shooting a look of confusion and annoyance at the mule, I began putting the dumbbells down which caused him to smile and chuckle to himself. Taking the barbell from next to me and using my magic to slide some weights on it. With a grunt, I began the exercises. Despite the weight and finding it tough, it was still manageable, and the mule seemed to smile just a little.

“Well, that’s not something you see from a unicorn every day. Especially not a unicorn mare. I thought you lot were meant to be too prissy about your magic to use your muscles.”

Pushing another repetition before responding, I used my magic to help stow the bar before taking a breather and leaning up to look at the donkey. “That’s an attitude only the weak willed, safe, or victims-to-be have the liberty of taking. I’m none of those.”

The tone of the donkey’s voice now grew softer as he spoke, the atmosphere feeling much more welcoming in turn. “So it seems. My name’s Honker. You?”

“Cherry Sundae, though feel free to just call me Cherry.” I responded, with a pip in my voice and smile on my face. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Wanting to turn the flow of the conversation away from myself, I then asked a question of my own. “So, Honker, how much can you lift then?”

Honker’s face grimaced as I asked, the small whisper of a smile fading away. “Well, that depends. Normally? Double what you’re lifting right now.” For a moment he paused, though let out a sigh as he saw my reaction and cut me off before I could ask. “See, I say normally because right now I’m injured, and that really bothers me. I was involved in that recent ‘battle of Industrial’. Or, was almost involved. Just as I making my way across the bridge that linked us to the industrial quarter, pulling along a cart of armaments and supplies. Out of curiosity, did you hear what happened?”

My mind filled with the memories and suddenly I felt the colour of my face drain. Knowing I wouldn’t manage to get away with an outright lie, I scrambled to find anything I could cover myself with. “W-wait… do… didn’t the bridge come down or something?”

“Yeah.” The donkey grumbled. “That’s right. Someone planted explosives at the base, took out one of the key supports.”

“And you were on it when it came down?” I quickly blurted out, trying to sound as compassionate as possible rather than guilty. After all, it was me who was responsible.

With another nod of his head, Honker carried on in a pained tone. “Yep. I wasn’t far behind the artillery wagon, being that I was carrying supplies for that as much as I was other munitions. The missile launcher fired as the bridge came down, and between all of the shaking, he went straight over the edge and to his death.”

Now that I thought about it, I couldn’t help but feel a supreme sense of guilt gut punch me. With my new understanding of what falling to ones death would be like, I couldn’t help but picture in my head what it must have been like, letting out a scared eek.

Immediately Honker stopped in his retelling, looking at me in a confused way. “Are… you okay?”

Looking back up at him from down on the floor, I hadn’t even realised that I had dropped down and covered my eyes until he said that. Embarrassed, I picked myself back up and dusted my hooves off shyly before letting out a small whimper of an explanation. “I… I’m scared of heights after a really, really bad fall myself. I didn’t even realise it until just now, with you saying that...” I paused and let out a sigh.

“I can appreciate that. I was lucky that when the bridge shook and tried to throw me off too, I managed to grab onto a railing. Even with my armour and cart weighing me down, I was capable of detaching the cart I had been pulling and my strength alone was what saved me, but it also heavily injured my forelegs to hold myself in that position until a team of three helped me back to safety.”

“Heeeey there beautiful.” Another voice interrupted in a deep rumbling tone, throwing both of us off track. “Why would you be speaking to this old-”

“Not interested.” I blurted out, stopping the zebra in his tracks.

“Fuck off Xamik. We’re speaking.” Honker stated without care.

“What? Not interested? You haven’t even looked at me yet. Besides-”

Turning my face to look at him, I cocked an eyebrow. Before me stood the zebra on his hind hooves wearing only tight workout clothes. Interrupting him again, I repeated myself. “Not. Interested. We’re trying to have a conversation here.”

‘Xamik’ stared at me for a moment with an intense look in his eyes before getting back down to all fours, still looking impressive in his build despite anything else. “You’re just against zebras, aren’t you? I bet you’ve never even had one.”

“No and no. And no, I don’t want to either.” Now I was getting annoyed with the sudden, unwanted and uninvited advances. “Go play elsewhere.”

Almost beating against the zebras chest with a hoof, Honker spoke with a harshness in his voice. “You heard the mare, Xamik. Fuck off.”
Accepting his defeat, the zebra quickly muttered to himself as he turned away and got onto a different piece of equipment as we both just watched silently.

“Sorry about that, he likes to try his luck with just about any mare new to the company. Now, most of the time he’ll leave a mare alone after the first try, but it wouldn’t be the first time if he doesn’t stop trying. Just know that even if you do become tempted, he isn’t going to stick around with you regardless.”

“I’m spoken for with the stallion of my dreams, don’t worry.”

Something in that must have amused Honker as his eyes crinkled and smile returned. “Ah, young love. It’s a beautiful thing.”

“I-I’m not that young!” I exclaimed, before quickly realising what I’d just implied and blushed. “I… I mean… I’m not a filly! I’m a mare who has her youth but I’m not foolish! Besides, you don’t look old enough to make such statements.”

“Oh really? How old are you then? As for myself, us donkeys, or at least us jacks age gracefully. I’m forty-eight.”

My eyes widened in surprise as I looked at him, shocked to see such a physically fit forty-eight year old. “I turn twenty-seven soon. Very soon, actually.”

“Any foals?” That question shocked me. I don’t know why it did, it shouldn’t have. It was by all normal standards, a normal question, and yet it made me pause and think to myself. I had adopted Sandstorm, yes, and Crimson had said about finding a baby, but now my thoughts were turned to a foal of my own.
“Sorry if that’s a hurtful question, I shouldn’t have-”

Stopping him mid sentence, I finally spoke “No. No, its okay. No I don’t have any. I haven’t had any.”
A part of me now wondered if Sandstorm could ever see me as a true adoptive mother, or whether I would always just be ‘the mare who picked him up from the street’.

Sensing that I wasn’t going to get angry with him, Honker continued his line of questioning. “Any particular reason why?”

“I…” I muttered, unsure of myself. Letting out a sigh as my eyes scanned the room without any particular focus as to why, I finally turned my eyes back on Honker. “I never found the right stallion until now, and that’s because I’ve always been so busy with life and my job. In some ways I didn’t really think about it, but now you’ve said that… what I would do for one.”

In what must have been an attempt to lighten my mood, Honker gently nudged my shoulder in a friendly way as he spoke. “Well, we both know that there’s only one thing that’ll fix that, hey?” With that he gave a teasing laugh and a wink. “You just make sure on your next day off that you go spend it with that stallion of yours.”

Completely flustered, I felt my cheeks burn as I blushed, thinking of just how much I would indeed love to have my way with Crimson. Then, capitalising on the situation, the donkey teased me further. “Perhaps you can both get a very happy birthday present that way hmm?”
I could have died right then and there from just how much blood had gone to my head.

Holding his gut as he laughed, Honker was almost on the floor in hysterics and living up to his namesake. “Cherry.” He began before stopping to calm down for a sec. “I’m sorry. You’re a good mare. I haven’t had someone make me laugh like this in a long while. The look on your face was priceless. Sorry for teasing you so much, but you seemed a good sport. I’d suggest going and having a nice shower to calm down. And don’t worry, the showers are separated by walls and locks. Besides, you’ll want to be fresh for the big show later anyway. That won’t be long.”

Giving him a look of contempt, his smirk quickly had the corners of my lips sliding into a small smile despite what he had just said. Putting all of the equipment away and walking over to a door, I then heard his voice call out, trying his best to not laugh as he did. “Wrong way! To your right! Unless you want to use the toilets to wash yourself in, that is!”
Dropping my head sullenly, I made sure to quickly storm through the correct door to hide my embarrassment.

As I entered the turquoise room my eyes quickly noticed how it seemed to be even more relaxing than the foal blue dorm. Despite showing their age, the wall tiles still seemed to beckon me further into the humid environment and lull me into a sense of calm.

The rising steam from a nearby cubical made me realise that not only were these showers indeed private, unlike the ones back with the P.L.A.C, but the water was also hot here too. With that, my heart soared and a small delighted squeal rushed from my lips as I rushed to no stall in particular. Entering and closing the door behind me with my magic, I turned the shower on with a hoof and closed my eyes as the warm water began to fall on my face. Letting out a sigh of pure contentment, I could feel my shoulders loosen as the shower massaged my shoulders, taking the stress away.

Running a hoof through my mane, I quickly realised what I needed right now; my shampoo and soap. Shutting off the shower and turning around, I saw the door ajar and realised that, of course, I had forgotten to lock it behind me. Grimacing in the realisation that I was very lucky to have noticed this sooner rather than later, I marched myself out of the shower room and over to my bed, dripping wet still. Opening up the locker at my bed and rummaging through my bags for those blessed items, I soon enough hand them.

In the moment I went to put my bag back in the locker was when somepony spoke to me from behind. “Uh, excuse me, but, uh, well, you’re… dripping.”

Letting out a snort of surprised aggravation, I turned my head at the offending voice. “Excuse me? Dripping? What on Equestria do you mean by that?”
Cocking an eyebrow at me, the young buck gestured to the floor with his hoof, bringing my attention to the now wet floor.
My jaw dropped before I raised both hooves to my face and groaned, completely having forgotten myself in the moment. “I’m so, so sorry.” I meagrely let out, hoping to patch up the situation. “I completely forgot myself and didn’t know where the towels are and-”

“Its fine.” He said in his shy voice, fighting a moment of stutter. “Clean towels are just on your left as you go in, on the rack. Dirty towels go in the big laundry bin opposite of them. I know you’re new here, I didn’t mean to offend you.”

Feeling my face drop in shame, I grabbed the poor buck for but a moment as I hugged him. “No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be horrible, I’m just tired after a long day and forgetting my soap and shampoo and-” In that moment, I looked at the poor buck again, wet from where I’d hugged him. “Oh Celestia! I’m sorry for getting you wet too! I’m just gonna get out of here before I cause more trouble. Sorry! Sorry.”

Slinking past him, now I had yet more embarrassment to contend with. I definitely needed to just relax in the shower. Pushing the door out of my way and walking into the same cubical that I was in before, I turned the shower back on and went back to enjoying the sensation.

The last couple of days had been annoying. Trying to wash myself with a small bucket and a cloth with cold water was anything but pleasant. Of course I did so, I couldn’t stand the idea of festering in my own filth when it could be avoided or wasn’t necessary to do so, but it was unenjoyable feeling the cold water chill my bones to the core. Now? Now the warmth radiated around me, and I couldn’t get enough of it.

Lathering the shampoo into my mane, I could feel all of the tangles, oil and dirt getting caught up in the mixture before washing it out. Running my hoof through the pink strands, I still didn’t feel like it was back to its natural beauty and decided that yet another helping could only do some good.
Letting out a long, slow sigh of bliss, it really was the seemingly silly things that made everything so much more tolerable.

Going from shampoo to soap, I began to scrub at my coat when my ears perked up to a sound I couldn’t quite understand properly. In what must have been the cubical next to me I heard the sound of someone talking, but their words were completely muffled by the sounds of the water splattering on the ground. Pausing for a moment and concentrating on what they were saying, I then realised that they were just muttering a small song to themselves perhaps.

That was when it hit me. If someone could manage to sing to themselves and their singing be muffled by the sound of the shower… then someone could almost certainly get away with using her PipBuck broadcaster if she was smart about it.

Pulling up my PipBuck to look at the time, it was nowhere near when Crimson might expect me to contact him. Then I paused in the moment as I realised; he hadn’t contacted me or responded to my attempts to contact him since that first time. Yes, he had put out a radio broadcast of reading bedtime stories which was wonderful to listen to, but even since then there had been complete silence.

Desperately, I swapped to the tracking module to find out where he was. My heartbeat began to race as all of my worst thoughts and fears came rushing to my mind, hitting me harder than anything else could. As the screen updated, I shuddered and welcomed back reality, reminded where I was with the water pounding on my back. He was moving around at least, if nothing else. I would make sure to give him a piece of my mind later in the evening.

Scrubbing myself clean of both the fear in my mind and dirt in my coat, I finally finished in the shower, grabbed a towel and got myself as dry as I could. My mane hadn’t yet returned to its naturally bouncy state, but I knew that once all of the moisture was fully gone it would be more beautiful than it had been in the last week. No more raggedy Cherry, I thought to myself.

Throwing the used towel into the bin and trotting on over to my bed, I put the cleaning goods away into my bag and locked everything in the container. Climbing onto the soft mattress, I couldn’t help but sigh happily as I felt the soft touch of a proper bed for what felt like the first time in months, even if it had only been a little over a week.

“’Ey ther’.” A new voice began, disturbing my peace. Lazily turning my head to look at them, I saw a chestnut coloured pony smiling back at me. Before I could respond, he flicked his pale hay coloured mane out of his eyes and continued with his weird yet charming accent. “Ya’ll’re new, uhuh?”

Climbing back off of the bed and cocking an eyebrow at him, I could hardly understand what in Equestria he was trying to say to me. Paused in my confusion, I said nothing but continued to stare at him as my mind tried to figure it out.

Tired of waiting for a response, the stallion spoke yet more. “Y'a'ms'tv'nt ever heard this accent behfor’.” Though with that, his smile faltered. The lines around his eyes were beginning to grow wider and finally, laughter ensued.

“Celestia damn it. You saw right through me, didn’t you? Nice to meet you.”

“I…” I didn’t know how to respond. “Uh...”

“My name is Dust Buckets. I would like say Dust Buckets Senior, but that’s my dad’s title, and Dust Buckets Junior is my sons name, assuming he is still out there.” For a moment he paused again, rubbing his cheek with a hoof as he peered off into the distance, eyes glazed over in thought. With the speed of lightning, his eyes snapped back to reality and onto me. “So, what’s your name?”

“Cherry. Cherry Sundae.” I replied with a friendly smile, trying to win over a little more favour with those around me.

“Cherry huh. So, Cherry, what brings you here? You here for the same reason as me?”

I went to answer and then stopped, tilting my head as my mouth hung open. “Wait… sorry? Like you? What do you mean by that? Same reason as you?”

Slapping a hoof to his head, the stallion shook his gaze before smiling with an exaggerated tongue poke. “Of course you wouldn’t know! Sorry, I forget that not everyone around here is a conscript. A lot of us are, but there are some free members here. So yeah, I’m a conscript, or, almost. I was from Coltshire, but then the…” Dust Buckets voice faltered for a moment, his eyes darting around to see who was listening. “…tributes became necessary. Initially, I thought we would be safe, but they asked for conscripts. I volunteered to keep my family safe whilst my wife moved with our son into the nearby prospector camp. You’ve probably not heard of it. A place called-”

“Coltshire Commons.” I interrupted, smiling as I thought back to the small outpost we had helped defend and build a wall for.
In that moment, I froze. Looking at Dust Buckets, I couldn’t believe how I’d forgotten. Dust Buckets would-be-senior. Dust Buckets was the name of the colt that Crimson had inadvertently injured. Now the smile on my face was gone, causing the stallion gently touched my shoulder inquisitively.

“C-Cherry? You alright there lassie? What’s gone on? Has something happened to Coltshire Commons? Don’t tell me something happened. Come on miss.”

With a shiver that shook my whole body and brought me back to reality, I apologised. “I’m sorry, Dust Buckets. I… its not all bad. Dust Buckets Junior is alive. And we helped to build some walls for the settlement.”

The look on his face changed entirely going from worried to uncertain, uncertain to happy, then back to worried. With a nod, he now spoke slowly. “Okay, so that’s good… but you didn’t say ‘and well’, did you? What do you know? How can I be certain you aren’t just fucking with me? What happened? How comes you know my boy? Where are you from? You aren’t from Coltshire Town, I’d have seen you around.”

His presence was now almost imposing. Though he wasn’t any taller than me, or noticeably more muscular, the way the stallion stood with worried agitation. His nose lowered as his eyes focused on me with a sharpness I hadn’t expected. Now the friendly yet inquisitive tone turned to a strong willed demand, laced with the more than a hint of hostility. “Who are you?”

“Wh-whoa, calm down there buddy.” I nervously began as I backed up, only to be closed in on. “One thing at a time.”
I felt the urge to flare my horn, either hurt the stallion or go invisible and get out of the situation, but I knew now wasn’t the time to alert anyone to my capability and I definitely couldn’t afford to be getting into a fight before my first night was even over. Instead, I just froze, hoping that if anything did happen, somepony or perhaps Honker would intervene.

Watching Dust Buckets close his eyes and let out a snort was much needed relief as he also stepped back, visibly relaxing himself. “You say you helped build a wall?”

Instantly I let out my pitiful response, glad that things were calming down. “Y-yeah.”

“Okay then.” He began, his tenseness slowly melting away. “So, you can’t be all that bad. You’re not from Coltshire though, I know that for a fact. Guess it doesn’t matter where you’re from. My son, you say he’s alive? What do you know of him.”

“We met him as soon as we walked into Coltshire Commons. We also met your wife, the doctor. I don’t remember exactly what happened to Dust Buckets Junior, I was too badly injured in a raid to know what went on when he was hurt. All I know is he’s alive. I don’t remember anything else, we left not long after.”

Despite cocking an eyebrow at me, Dust Buckets seemed a lot more calm in his demeanour as he now spoke, stepping back slightly at the same time. “There was a raid? Fuck! Well, so long as they’re fine. And this is the forth time you’ve said ‘we’, yet here you are, alone.”

Much to my relief, Dust Buckets stepped back further and relented for a moment, allowing me to collect my thoughts. That relief quickly subsided as I realised I knew what the next question would be. I couldn’t name Crimson, that would be too risky, but I had to think up something and fast. Taking another moment as I gazed upon Dust Buckets, I realised what I had to do. “My sister, Limoncello.”

“Yeah? Where is she now?” His tone was much, much less aggressive and almost entirely back to the friendly and welcoming one I had heard to begin with.

Thinking quickly on my hooves, I had to come out with some excuse. “I guess you could say I’m here so she doesn’t have to be.”

In a more prodding tone, Dust Buckets now asked yet another question, snapping his words, searching for a weakness. “What does she look like and hold old is she?”

This time I took no time at all in answering. “She has a soft dahlia yellow coat that is complimented by a mane so sweet that it matches her blush and has frosted white tips. Teal blue eyes that pierce through the stare of any stallion. Twenty-nine. And she’s a unicorn like myself. We used to travel together, and anywhere one of us would go, so would the other.”

For a moment I thought about that, and then frowned. I knew I was telling the truth, though there was remorse in the fact. Letting out a small sigh, I continued my lamentations. “That was until she wanted a more stable life. So, I’m doing what I need to in order to keep her safe. So yeah, it sounds like we’re in the same situation.”

With a grunt and a sigh, Dust Buckets bowed his head. “Forgive me for the way I was. I can imagine you’d be worried too if I started talking about Lemon Cider like you did my colt, but-”

“Limoncello.” I promptly corrected the stallion, irritation filling my voice. How hard was it to remember a name after even one second?

“Sorry, yeah, I’m sure if I spoke about Limoncello like you did my colt, you’d be just as worried. I haven’t seen him in way too long.”

Letting out a sigh, I couldn’t hold either slight against him. “Its okay, Dust Buckets. I understand. You’re right, I would act in the same way. Maybe I wouldn’t have the exact same actions, maybe I would, but I’d feel the same worry. I can’t fault you for that.”
Giving him a small smile, Dust Buckets made his way off elsewhere.

From the direction of the door that Blueheart had walked through earlier, a female voice rang out. “Foods ready you lot. So is the show. Grab your grub and come and watch the fun. We’ve got a great one for everyone to enjoy!”

Rushing to the door to join the queue, I really didn’t want to miss out on food more than anything else. The ice cream from earlier in the day had certainly been enjoyable, but now I could begin to smell the aroma, my stomach was feeling the dull ache of hunger.

Marching along the halls in line with everyone else, others joined into our stride from another direction as we reached the back of another group. We didn’t enter the canteen like I had expected, but rather continued right out into the lea. Stepping through the doors, we were immediately met by vendor stands passing bottles of water, hayburgers, and fries freely to all that came. Some benches had been dotted around, though largely the grassy zone had been free from obstructions.

In the distance I saw a small elevated stage made out of what seemed to be compacted earth, and upon it, a range of instruments sitting upon it. As I made my way to reach as close to the very front as I could get, I could finally see figures walking around in the shadow. Looking more intensely, I realised that they were zebras, but I couldn’t make out any other details.

Setting myself down on the soft ground, I began to eat my dinner as we all waited. The hustle and bustle of others filled my ears as we all waited for what sounded like the last of everyone to arrive, and once they had, the sound of static droned everything else out. As if on cue, everyone went silent.

From there, Blueheart took to the stage, all dressed up and looking down with a sense of pride. However, instead of walking to the microphone as I had expected him to, he was then flanked by three others dressed the same. For some reason, one of them looked oddly familiar to me, though I couldn’t figure out how in any way.

Now a donkey of frail stature walked up to front of the stage, adjusted the microphone to his liking and finally spoke with a tone I wasn’t expecting. I didn’t need to be told who this was, it was obvious just by looking at them despite their very plain visage that this donkey was very, very high up in the ranking, if not the leader of the D.Z.C.

“Mares and stallions, zebras, donkeys, and ponies alike. The old, the young, the veterans, the new. All of you, all of us, and all of the citizenry, are what makes the Donkey Zebra Coalition what it is. From the humble beginnings of the old namesake to a city-wide force of order, strength and unity that encompasses all. That is what the D.Z.C stands for and believes in. Together, not apart, we have gone from those intrepid few who stepped out of the safety of Stable 78 to a city-state to rival any known opposition. Of course I could proceed to tell the tales of how wonderful our city is, of how valorous you all are, of how we will secure the future of Equestria for the betterment of all… but I know in my heart, there is not a single soul here that doesn’t know it and live that example every day.”

His voice filled to the brim with confidence and pride, every word rolling from the tongue drenched in genuine intent. The crowd cheered wildly, whoops of ecstatic joy and devotion whilst others whistled. Once the applause died down, he continued.

“These last months have been troubled, I know, I know. Unrest from ne'er-do-wells and criminals has been on the rise. We are plagued with the threat of despotic regimes wanting only to see the end of us and to carry off our valuables from all sides, and why is this? Because we have built not just a city, but truly a grand monument of what was once the norm in a time long ago – and we will continue to build it! We will expand our grandeur beyond from this single city to all of Equestria, given time, dedication, and the love in our hearts for a better world.”

For a moment the donkey paused to collect his thoughts perhaps, or to simply gaze upon the adoring crowd. A few cheers and whistles were heard, though most waited eagerly to hear his next words.

“In the last few weeks we have seen many of our brave brothers and sisters fall victim to these misguided individuals, but we shall not sow the seed of cravenness nor shall we give in to any notion that it is hopeless. We are stronger, smarter, tougher, more unified, and most importantly of all, we have the love of a better future in our hearts.”

“Ubi concordia, ibi victoria!”
[Where there is unity, there is victory!]

The atmosphere around me turned into something I had only seen once before, the roaring sound that came from everyone was almost deafening. It was with such intensity that it felt unreal to me, but although I didn’t understand the last phrase, I knew it was meaningful. In that moment I realised; the soldiers of the coalition were in fact fighting for peace, it was only that their perspective had been warped against the poorest citizens. From their viewpoint, they were just trying to protect the splendour of Coltchester… just as I would and did my own home, Four Ridges.

Now that the donkey was gone, the zebra next to Blueheart walked up to the microphone and with a smile, began to speak.
“And now for the moment we’ve all been waiting for, we present to you a range of the best talents to be found in Coltchester, here to perform for your enjoyment! Ladies and gentlecolts, this show goes all the way to lights out!”

Two more zebras approached from the back of the stage, one graciously accepting the microphone whilst the other reared onto his hind legs with a large instrument of some kind. Trying to figure it out was a fruitless endeavour, so instead I simply waited.

“Before I begin this song, I gotta say… some of the folks that hear me sing this song, they say to me, ‘what do you mean what a wonderful world? The need for walls, the hunger? Look around, its a wasteland’ but I say to them, well, I just sing the song and say to them that maybe it’d be better if we all just worked together.”

The soothing depths of his voice lulled me into a comfort I hadn’t known for a long time. The bass, the long drawn out notes, it was truly entrancing to hear him sing about how wonderful the world was. He had a point. It was our own fault that the world had been so damaged. It was because of the greed of both ponies and zebras that came before us, and all of the interests between them. The wasteland was only continued because we found it so hard to work together. If we just came to love one another, we could see another chance.

As they played their next song I continued to think about that whilst eating my food. All the fighting we’d been doing since arriving in Coltchester… I couldn’t help but wonder, was it really the right thing?

Looking down at my hooves, at the ground, I thought about the senseless killing I’d done. So many lives were gone that could have been convinced to work together. Raiders and slavers were a blight, true as it was, but the coalition soldiers I had killed… all of them having families, aspirations, a reason for joining up… perhaps their reason had indeed been to try and build a better tomorrow, just like I dreamed…

A shiver ran down my spine as I was thrown out of my thoughts and back into the world, the sensation of a caressing touch lingering on my chin, pulling my face up and my mane out of the way. My eyes shot wide as I went to bat the hoof away, only to find it wasn’t a hoof at all, but magic.
Up on the stage, he caught my eye. Dew Drop. He was looking right at me, a grin on his face as he sat at the very front of the stage, legs hanging off, guitar in his lap.

Levitating the microphone over to himself, he gave a cheeky smirk and a wink before talking.
“I want to dedicate this one to the most beautiful mare in the crowd tonight, but I’ll let you figure out who you are.”

I felt flustered. Was he talking to me? There was no way he meant me… and yet, he had used his magic to grab my attention specifically. Blushing at the thought of it, I looked away before his voice teased my focus back to himself.

[Song: James Blunt - You're beautiful]

“My life is brilliant… my love is pure… I saw an angel, of that I’m sure. She smiled at me on the wagonway, she was with another stallion – but I won’t loose no sleep on that ‘cos I’ve got a plan.
You’re beautiful, you’re beautiful, you’re beautiful its true.”

Red hot. My cheeks were utterly burning as I looked into his eyes, and they were focused on me. I wanted to look away, I wanted to not let him have this power over me, I wanted to tell myself that it wasn’t me he was singing about… but my heart beat to the strumming of his guitar and I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed. He wasn’t my Crimson but – Crimson…

A rush of guilt washed over me as I thought of my darling lover. Now was the time to talk to him if any time at all. Getting up, I made my way past all of the others around me and only looked back as I reached the exit into the rest of the barracks once more, just in time to see and hear Dew Drop sing his final line.

“But its time to face the truth… I will never be with you.”

Where there had previously been an optimistic joy to his song, now a lullaby of sadness lingered in his voice. I didn’t know whether that was just what the song called for or not, but a part of me deep down felt like his eyes had been fixated on me the entire time as I left. With one last glance, I was certain I’d caught the whisper of a coltish grin on his face, and then it hit me. If he had been watching me that entire time, he’d been perving on my ass for certain.

With that realisation, I rushed as quickly as I could back to my quarters, headed to the shower to escape from the embarrassment I felt.

With the show going on, there was barely even a skeletal force of guards patrolling the hallways. Going into my dorm and passing into the showers, I grabbed a towel in order to look the part in case anyone had stumbled upon me and turned on the shower. Closing the door and pulling up my PipBuck, I immediately turned on the broadcaster and tried to get ahold of Crimson.

For at least a minute or two the broadcaster repeated its little encryption sounds with no joy, my heart sinking with every second that passed. Every time I tried was the same, with no response. Did he just not care any more? My mouth began to fall and my muscles went limp at even the thought of it. Just as I hit the tiles, the sound from my PipBuck changed.

From the other side came a groggy groaning sound and I almost wept with joy as I recognised his voice. “H-hello?”

“CRIMSON!” I couldn’t help myself. I knew I shouldn’t have shouted that out, but I didn’t care. There was nobody around and they wouldn’t have known him by that name. It didn’t matter. He was alive.

“Cherry? Oh Celestia, Cherry!?” The surprise and joy overwhelmed the pair of us, my whole body feeling completely recharged just knowing that he alive and cared.

Remembering where I was, I now lowered my voice but still couldn’t help but share in my excitement. “Crimson! Oh Celestia, Crimson… I’m so glad you’re alive. I was so worried about you.”

“Cherry, I-”

I interrupted him, I had to. “Shh. Keep the volume down. I can’t risk being too loud.”

“Mm, okay.” Oh by Celestia, how even such a short sound could be so sweet to my ears. “Cherry, I’m so glad to know you’re still okay. I’ve been-”

Stamping a hoof to the tiles, that sparked something inside of me. An anger at being forgotten, and he hadn’t even actually asked if I was okay or not! “Excuse me!” I interrupted yet again, cutting into him. “Not only have you not asked how I am, you haven’t even-”

Now Crimson interrupted me this time. “Agh. No, back to the way you were. That’s better.”

Completely dumbfounded by what he had just said, I couldn’t believe it. For a moment I just stayed silent, but that didn’t last long. “Excuse me? Back to the way I was? What the hell, Crimson?!”

“Not you, Cherry. Eos.”

My nose wrinkled and muscles tightened upon hearing that. My ears perked, I could now start to hear the sound of rustling in the background. “What are you doing?” I barked, demanding my answer. “What’s going on?”

“We’re on the sofa, I’m trying to sleep and Eos is with me since Sandstorm took her spot in the bed so he could cuddle with Selene.”

Jealousy erupted in me more than I had ever known before. I was trapped in here and there was her, having a choice of where to sleep and deciding that the sofa was the best place for it? And why? Was it because of her? “Why aren’t you sleeping in our bed, Crimson.”

“It smells of you and I don’t want to ruin that.”

Those words killed all of the jealousy, all of the insecurity, all of the thoughts in my head in general. Crimson was avoiding our bed because he could still smell me in it and wanted to preserve it? Tears began to fill the corner of my eyes as I realised how much he missed me too. Before I knew it, I was sobbing. “I miss you.”

With sorrow in his voice, he returned my plight. “I miss you too, babe. I hope you’re hanging in there okay. Are they treating you well? I’ll get you back, I promise.”

Taking a deep breath, I wanted to tell him everything, but the sounds of outside… the sounds of the event ending filled my ears and the alarm set in my mind. “Look, I gotta cut this short. Let me speak and don’t interrupt.” I blurted out, not giving him a chance to speak, even to confirm. “They’ve moved me from the cells to one of the dorms. I’ve been put to working as a lookout, but they’ve got my rifle. I can’t leave without it. I just can’t.”

“Why?” Crimson butted in, causing me annoyance.

“Limoncello. Now, you stay safe.”

With that, Eos now interrupted, her voice causing my coat to stand on end at the neck. “I’ll try to make sure he does.” I didn’t know why it bothered me so much since their reason was justified, but it did.

“Make sure he does. Crimson? I love you.”

“I love you-” That was all that Crimson could manage before I had to shut off the broadcaster, the sound of the shower door opening and someone else going for what they could before lights out. It wouldn't be long until the show was over, after all, and once it was, all of us would be expected to be in our beds.

Getting out of the shower and wiping down what little of my coat was damp, I made my way over to the bed. Climbing in and getting as comfortable as possible, all I could think of was Crimson, and wishing that it would be the bed we had shared. My heart ached knowing I couldn't be there with him, that he wouldn't sleep in the bed we had shared.
Closing my eyes, I just had to wait, I told myself. Wait, bide my time and find a way of escaping with the rest of my gear.

Though sleep wouldn't come easy, at least now there was a little bit of comfort in knowing Crimson was safe.

Author's Note

So, this took a lot longer than expected to release, and I'm sorry for that. Christmas was a nightmare. January was a nightmare. Hell, even up until now hasn't been great for me.
I'm getting better though and I'm dedicated to getting this finished before I die, so maybe we'll see the end of this before the planet blows up? Just kidding, but seriously, sorry for making everyone wait so long. Love you all and big thanks goes out to everyone who ever made all of this possible for me + Kkat for making this setting a thing.

Chapter 29: Home away from home

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds

By Kippershy

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Home away from home

‘Home could be anywhere when I am holding you’

Opening my eyes, I looked towards the avocado alicorn who gazed upon us both. Her gaze could be mistaken for stoic and uncaring if not for the smallest of signs that she found deep joy in seeing her sister so happy. A crinkle at the corners of her eyes and the slightest hint of an upturned mouth suggesting the whisper of a smile. Other ponies may have not been able to see it, but I could.

With only a small amount of care whether it happened or not or how long it was, I gave my answer. “Probably. So long as its necessary. And that doesn’t matter.”

’Don’t you mean comfortable? …Desirable perhaps?’

“...Yes.”

From across the room, one of the nurses who had been keeping an eye on me spoke. “Who are you talking to? You aren’t going delirious are you? None of your medication should be causing this. Have you got a fever?”

“He’s fine.” Eos lazily muttered in response, rubbing her head into my shoulder. “Helios is speaking to him telepathically.”

“How do you know?” I asked, obviously knowing she could hear. “Maybe I am going mad. Maybe you’ll open up your eyes and I’ll be reduced to madness.”

Pushing a wing against my face, Eos giggled. “Oh please, if you were going to go mad, you’d have already done it. In fact, I’ve seen you traumatised. Besides, you know I-”

“I know, I know. You learned that trick too.”

The way she looked at me, her eyelids drooped half shut as she smiled, it was a look that could make my heart stop if she wasn’t careful.

With the opening of a door and the pitter-patter of young hooves, Sandstorm made his way over to us, blanket in his mouth and a sad look on his face. Selene turned her face to the young colt, pouting ever so slightly. “What’s wrong little one? We thought you were asleep.”

“I can’t.” He replied simply, rubbing his eyes as he looked down.

With extra softness in her voice, Selene began to quiz the young colt. “What’s wrong?”

“I miss my mum. I miss my dad. I miss Cherry.” At this point Sandstorm let out a small sobbing sound, breaking everypony’s collective heart. “I need cuddles.”

Without hesitation, Selene whisked Sandstorm into her hooves and kissed his cheek, wrapping a wing around the young colt and completely encompassing him in doing so. “Want to come and sleep in bed with me and Helios? I’m pretty sure we’re both ready to go to sleep, you could take Eos’ spot in the bed if you’d like.”

The reactions were, quite frankly, hilarious and heart-warming. For once, Helios made a conscious effort to truly smile and nod, not hiding her emotions behind any visage of stoic behaviour.
Sandstorm nodded his head rapidly, almost shaking himself into full wakefulness as he gripped into the purple mares chest. “Yes please.”

Eos, on the other hoof, began with a look of bemusement. “Hey! You can’t go and just offer my spot in the bed up so freely!”

Shooting Eos a cocked eyebrow and a smirk, Selene seemed all too confident in herself. “Oh, can’t I? It seems to me as if you’re plenty comfortable where you are right now and won’t be needing the bed after all. Let the little one have his comfort too.”

Eos’ mouth hang agape as she went to talk, but found herself unable to answer. Her head tilted and mouth closed as she considered what that meant before smiling deeply and nodding, then turning her head back to me. “I suppose you’re right, sister. And since Crimson hasn’t been sleeping in his bed, I suppose its up to me to make the sofa as comfortable as possible for him.”

“I’m always right.” Selene chuckled, earning a poked out tongue from Eos.

As the others walked away, I settled in for another night of laying down in Eos’ hooves and being wrapped up in her wings as they meshed with mine. I couldn’t complain. Eos seemed to be so much happier when I allowed her to spend time with me like this and I couldn’t deny that the tenderness made something of a softie out of me too.

Closing my eyes, I began to feel like the world was drifting away in the bliss of the alicorn’s hold. That was until I let out a small reflexive moan as a gentle nibbling sensation took over my left ear. Arching my back out instinctively, Eos’ hooves held me closer as her tongue ran on the tip. Turning my face towards her, I was met directly with eyes that could tell a story without a word ever said.

Trying my best to overcome the kiss that had just been planted on my nose and how it made me feel, I finally came back to my senses. With as much authority as I could muster through the sensory euphoria of the situation, I finally, figuratively put my hoof down. “Behave yourself.”

As if on cue, my PipBuck now lit up and buzzed at me, the sound of an incoming transmission. I tried to reach out to answer the call, though Eos had none of it.

“Leave it.” She whinnied, pouting at me. “I’m too comfortable.”

“It has to be important.”

“More important than me?”

“Well… I…” I stuttered, knowing that if I didn’t word this right, I could do some severe emotional damage to the already fractured ego of a fragile pony. “I don’t know who it is even, but if they’re trying to get ahold of me at this time of night, it has to be something worth saying, right?”

For the next few moments an intense staring match went down between us until Eos finally relented and loosened up her grip around me. Answering the broadcaster, the sound finally kicked in.

“CRIMSON!”

Her voice. It was a voice that made my heart soar. The sweetness and love seeped through my PipBuck and revitalised me from my weary state. “Cherry? Oh Celestia, Cherry!?”

“Crimson! Oh Celestia, Crimson… I’m so glad you’re alive. I was so worried about you.”

I smiled as I thought of my lovely marefriend, then frowned. Not only did Sandstorm miss her, so did I. “Cherry, I-” As soon as I had begun speaking, she had begun to interrupt, quickly telling me to keep the volume down.

“Mm, okay.” I uttered without thinking. If she was speaking to me, that must have meant she wasn’t treated to the same fate as the other prisoners. There was hope yet. “Cherry, I’m so glad to know you’re still okay. I’ve been-”

Eos now shifted, jabbing me in the ribs as she did. I winced, only for the physical pain to also become emotional as Cherry got angry. “Excuse me! Not only have you not asked how I am, you haven’t even-”

With another jab I turned my focus to Eos and gave shot her a look of annoyance. “Agh. No, back to the way you were.” With that, she sighed and did so. “That’s better.”

Over the PipBuck, Cherry now began to get angry again. “Excuse me? Back to the way I was? What the hell, Crimson?!”

Realising that she must have heard me talking to Eos, I stated so as plainly as I could. That however was not one of my best ideas. “What are you doing? What’s going on?”

“We’re on the sofa, I’m trying to sleep and Eos is with me since Sandstorm took her spot in the bed so he could cuddle with Selene.”

“Why aren’t you sleeping in our bed, Crimson.” Even though there was some odd noise in the background, similar to static but not quite the same, I heard the venom in her words as she now spoke.

For one heartbeat I paused, my ears drooped and my face sagged as my voice fell flat. “It smells of you and I don’t want to ruin that.”

A moment passed with all I could hear being the weird background noise before finally Cherry spoke. “I miss you.”

My heart welled at those words, and without even knowing what I was about to say, I heard myself speak. “I miss you too, babe. I hope you’re hanging in there okay. Are they treating you well? I’ll get you back, I promise.”

“Look, I gotta cut this short. Let me speak and don’t interrupt. They’ve moved me from the cells to one of the dorms. I’ve been put to working as a lookout, but they’ve got my rifle. I can’t leave without it. I just can’t.”

“Why?” I asked. I knew that rifle was important to her, but she had never explained why it was that important that she would even go without rescue over it.

“Limoncello. Now, you stay safe.” Her sister?

Wrapping her hooves around my chest so tightly taking away my breath, Eos now spoke for me. “I’ll try to make sure he does.”

“Make sure he does. Crimson? I love you.” There was something in the way Cherry had said that, but in the rush of the moment, I couldn’t figure out what.

“I love you-” Was all I could get out before the transmission ended. “too.” I finished limply.

Now I didn’t know how to feel. Cherry being so odd and not wanting to be rescued without her rifle by her side made me question what was going on. Was it just a front? Was she really okay? Was it some kind of ploy to lure me out?

“Crimson.” Eos whined, dragging my attention back to the midnight coloured alicorn.

“What?” I asked, frustrated at the situation I found myself in, unable to do anything or help anyone.

My whole world melted away as she kissed me, my eyes closing and all the thoughts in my mind completely vanishing as her tongue teased its way into my mouth. I let out a sigh of pleasure and began to reciprocate before coming back to my senses and pushing her away.

“Eos,” I muttered, panting in pleasure and lack of control. “Please. I told you before to behave yourself.”

Huffing at me, Eos lifted me off with her magic before climbing from off of the sofa and putting me back onto it. “Fine. Guess you’ll sleep alone and I’ll go sleep in your bed then. Maybe then I’ll smell like her.”

My eyes went wide in horror at the thought of taking away the one way I had to really remind myself of Cherry. “No.”

Turning her head to me, Eos cocked an eyebrow as she stopped mid stride. “Pardon?”

“No. Don’t do that.”

For a moment she just looked at me, though quickly her face rolled into a wicked smile. “Then kiss me.”

I was stunned. “Look, please, you heard why I’ve not been sleeping in that bed. Her scent is important to me.”

Eos shot me a seductive look as she spoke, her words lingering in my ear. “Then kiss me and lay with me.”

“I’ll lay with you here all you want.” I retorted, but it wasn’t enough for her.

Now her words were much more abrupt, but no less sultry. “Kiss. Me.”

“But...” I muttered, meekly offering nothing in bargain.

Softening her tone even further and looking at me with eyes I couldn’t resist, Eos’ sultry demeanour overwhelmed my sense of control. “Just the once.”

Now the alicorn had marched back to the sofa and climbed on top of me, her face an inch away from mine. As I hesitated, she lowered her mouth to my still sensitive ear and let out a long, deep sigh before whispering to me. “Kiss me, passionately. Show me how you really feel about me.”

I wanted to touch her cheek with a hoof but was quickly held down by her magic as she got more comfortable. Realising the futile situation I was in, I pushed my face forwards and my mouth met hers. Our tongues quickly intertwined and some of her saliva slipped into my throat, forcing me to swallow it as she pushed my head against the cushion. Only when I needed air did she let up, her eyes still locked onto mine as I opened them. Her heavy panting told me she could have easily gone for more, and deep down I knew that it would be almost impossible to resist her now.

Raising me up with her magic, she climbed back onto the sofa and then lowered me back onto her chest as we had become so accustomed. Only this time my chest was pressed against hers and her nose was pressed against mine. Looking into her deep blue eyes, she kissed my nose one more time before smiling and finally constricting me with almost all she had before covering me with her wings like a blanket. Laying my head down in the crevice of her neck, I closed my eyes and felt not only the warmth of her body, but the melody of her heartbeat quickly tempting me to sleep in her embrace.

Opening my eyes one last time and looking back up at her, she smiled back at me before kissing my forehead and lighting up her horn with a smile on her face.

*** *** ***

“Crimson—” A soft coo nestled into my ear. With a moments passing, the voice whispered to me again. “Crimson—”

Groaning, I turned my ears away from the noise, trying to rest a little longer. My muscles still ached and my body felt too tired to wake. Grunting in displeasure, I did my best to ignore the noise.

This time, the voice tried to tenderly reason with me, hoping to get me to follow its command. “Its well past time to wake up, darling. Besides, I need to go to the little filly’s room.”

With all of the energy I could muster, I rose to my hooves without opening my eyes, and fell to my side, hitting my head on the floor as my whole body slumped. Opening my eyes briefly, I looked up and let out a lazy ‘ouch’.

A startled stutter came from the mare who was now above me, worry replacing the calmness in her voice. “Oh Goddess, Crimson, are you okay? You silly stallion, you weren’t meant to throw yourself to the floor. Are you okay?”

I didn’t answer. I didn’t need to. I didn’t want to. I just wanted to get back onto the sofa and fall asleep again. Instead of being allowed to do so though, I felt the sensation of floating. Being placed back onto the softness of the sofa, I felt a peck of a kiss press against my cheek followed by her words. “You stay here, I’ll be back.”

Stay here? I didn’t need to be told twice. Rubbing myself into the grooves of the cushions, I felt as if the whole world would just melt away again. Falling into the lull of sleep, I began to notice that my chest was becoming tighter and breathing was harder for it. Trying to open my eyes, all I could see was darkness filling my world, consuming me.

Pain flared in my shoulders whilst my gut churned in a newly found agony. Trying to call for help, all I could do was wheeze as the air forced its way out of my lungs too sharply to make use of it. In an attempt to get up, to go get help, I felt myself hit the floor from my writing, panic taking over. I wanted to cry out for help, I wanted to know what was going on, but my thoughts eluded me as the pain crippled my tired mind.

“Crimson?” A voice called faintly, though suddenly the voice sounded frantic and worried. “You needed... meds... three hours ago! Why are...” That was all I could make out. It sounded like there was meant to be more, but I simply couldn’t understand the sounds.

A pair of hooves began to nudge me and I could feel myself roll onto my back, but I still couldn’t find the energy to respond or react. Looking up, I could see the shadow of a figure, but no details. It was nothing but a silhouette stared back at me.

Within a moment, I felt even more pressure on my chest, a beating sensation. The pain was increasing but now I couldn’t even find the energy to move my hooves. Limply I looked up, unable to process what was happening.

Something was put into my mouth and hooves forced me to swallow, making me want to puke even more than I already wanted to, though something else stopped me. A tickle of pain stabbed into my side, but I couldn’t care now. The pain from the jab was like nothing compared to the pain in my chest… until it wasn’t.

Closing my eyes, I couldn’t deal with any more. Though the pain was beginning to fade, so was all energy I had left.

Time passed slowly as the hooves of whoever had been attending to me now brushed my cheek, her soft voice cooing into my ear. “Its okay Crimson, you’ll be fine. Just relax and let the medication do its job. You’ll be okay.”

Images of Cherry filled my mind as she spoke, causing me to let out a little sigh of relief. I knew it couldn’t be her, but whoever this was sounded similar, and spoke just like my love did. I wanted to open my eyes to see who it was, but they wouldn’t obey my command. Despite not knowing who it was, I felt safe just knowing somepony was there to watch over me.

My heart began to slow down as the hooves of this mystery mare continued to feel my chest ever so gently, her humming providing something to focus on and try to align my breathing with. As the seconds passed, so did all of the feeling of tightness in my chest and sensation of being overwhelmingly exhausted.

Finally opening up my eyes, the world was too blurry to make sense of to begin with, but quickly began to sharpen up as words of encouragement filled my ears, telling me that I was doing well to breathe and how everything would be okay. As my eyes continued to adjust, I finally recognised the pony who watched over me; Tsunami. Smiling at her in appreciation, she caught my gaze and smiled back.

“Feeling better now?” She tenderly asked, the looks of worry still etched into the wrinkles around her eyes.

With what energy I had spare, I gave my answer limply. “Yes, thank you.”

The sounds of hoofsteps coming closer rang from the other side of the room, a yelp of surprise filling my ears. “Tsunami! What… what’s going on?”

In an instant the look of motherly tenderness turned to rage as Tsunami’s face turned in the direction of Eos and spat vitriol. “What’s going on? What’s going on?! What the fuck is going on with you is the better question!” The speed in which Tsunami had gotten up and had been in Eos’ face amazed not only myself, but Eos too. “You were meant to have given him the medication hours ago. Why the fuck didn’t you?”

Eos, overwhelmed by the surprise of the sudden verbal assault, stepped back in uncertainty. “W-what do you mean?”

Eos’ stuttering didn’t help her case any as Tsunami continued her rant. “What do I mean?! What do I fucking mean?! I mean that I specifically put you in charge of giving him that fucking medicine! You! You said you would do it! You said you wanted to take care of him! And what do I fucking find?! I found a stallion having a fucking angina attack is what I find! You know what causes him to have an angina attack?! Not having his fucking medicine!”

With the barrage of accusation and shouting, Eos slumped her head to the floor beneath the light grey mare. In a pitiful voice that I could hardly hear myself, her response being the exact opposite of what would be expected from anypony of such stature. “I was going to give it to him when he woke up, I swear. He looked too cute asleep. I didn’t want to disturb his rest.”

“He looked too cute?! Do you have any fucking idea how fucking stupid you are?!” The rage that Tsunami unleashed made me envision her mane and tail on fire with the heat that must have been emanating from her body. “Do you know what an angina attack is, Eos?!”

Between the stuttered words and breathing, Eos let out her response as wimpy as ever. “No.”

“It’s practically a heart attack, Eos. In fact, angina attacks have many of the same symptoms and left unchecked, have a very real possibility of leading to a full heart attack. The medication I’ve prescribed him is to strengthen his heart to avoid this exact fucking thing from happening. He needs his twice daily dose until he recovers from nearly fucking dying that first time around. Don’t you get that? He was having an angina attack, and that most likely wouldn’t have happened if you had just given him the medicine when you were meant to.”

“I didn’t realise it was so time sensitive.”

“Yeah? Well it is. The more he goes and exerts himself whilst in recovery, the longer the process takes. The more we don’t ensure he has his medicine exactly when he should be having it, the longer the process takes. The longer the process takes, the more risk he is at for dying. It’s my job to look after his security and not only am I one of his bodyguards, but I’m also the field medic, and I don’t take my job lightly like you do your responsibilities, Eos.”

From behind me a loud, rasping shout rang through the room. “What the fuck did you just say?”

Turning her head to face him, Tsunami spat back at the figure who now approached closer. “Eos needs to get her fucking act in order, pronto, and take her responsibilities a lot more seriously. My job is to protect Crimson. Eos offered to take the role as primary caregiver so that I and your other medics could focus on any other of the wounded you see coming through here. I have no problem with helping out your medical staff, but she needs to act responsible if she wants to take on responsibility.”

Sensing the opportunity to sneak away, Eos turned invisible whilst Titan continued to approach Tsunami, anger riddled in his gait. “How fucking dare you! You do not and will not speak to or about any of the three Goddess leaders in that manner again! I don’t care who you are, why you’re here or what other things you do for us!”

Titan stabbed Tsunami in the chest with a hoof, but then paused as she spoke with a stiffness that froze the whole room. “And I don’t care who you think you are. Don’t you dare threaten me like you are now again.”

Titan now backed down before turning to glance at me. “All of the wounded we’ve been treating. All of the tensions rising higher. Having these insolent foals thinking that they can badmouth the leaders of this revolution. All of the extra resources you alone are using. I appreciate the help, Crimson, but you better tell your friends to not step out of line again.”

“Look, I had to do what I had to do to keep him alive, Titan. These are side effects of bringing back somepony from the brink of death. I knew the risk, its my fault he needs all of this extra medical attention and supplies, but I had my duty to keep, just as Eos should’ve!” Tsunami barked back,

“That’s no excuse to talk to Eos the way you did!”

From the doorway, Helios now commanded the room in a way so uncharacteristically of her. “What in Equestria is going on here?! Titan? What are you doing? Tsunami? Eos? The only person who I can’t hear shouting is Crimson! And yes, I know he’s here because of course I’m aware.”

With that, it was suddenly like a playground as everypony began squabbling over who had done what. With tempers rising again and Eos now visible once more, solemnly hiding by her sister, a loud telepathic command rang out. ‘Silence!’

Everyone stopped.

Stepping on over to me with her two sisters in tow as Selene walked in, curious of the situation, Helios leant her head down and spoke. “Crimson? What is going on?”

“He won’t tell you the truth of it!” Titan protested. Before anything more could be said, Helios’ eyes pierced through any further objection, causing the large ghoul to not make any more sound whatsoever.

Letting out a cough, Helios asked once more. “So, Crimson. What has just happened?”

The understanding smile on her face comforted me and encouraged me to speak up. “Myself and Eos had been laying here. Eos left to deal with something and I was overwhelmed with pain. Tsunami found me and gave me the medication that was apparently meant to be given to me hours ago.”
I stopped to catch my breath and Helios merely nodded along as she listened, not interrupting. “When Eos came back, Tsunami broke out in a tirade, berating her for not being responsible about giving me the medication when she was meant to do so. At this point Titan came along, took offence to Tsunami having a go at Eos and began to berate her in turn. This exchange was somewhat mutual and that’s when you intervened.”

Nodding again, Helios closed her eyes and spoke in a commanding voice. “You three, sit in a line. Yes, you too, Eos. Now.”

Like foals who knew they were about to be punished, the trio slowly made their way to sit in a line beside one another, trying not to make eye contact with anyone. I couldn’t believe how the situation was being handled, though at least she hadn’t been threatening to banish anyone.

Then she spoke again. “Crimson, as it seems you are the subject of matter and I know you have the proper training for a situation like this, I want you to show us all how such a dispute is handled. You are after all, trained for disputes like these, are you not?”

“I am.” I announced solemnly. I didn’t know what Helios was expecting, but upon taking a moment to decide on what I would say, I realised she must have been reading my mind as she smiled and nodded at me in approval.

Getting up, I began with Tsunami. Though I hadn’t much personal experience with her, it felt the most fitting to deal with someone from my own group first. “Tsunami, I understand where your frustration and anger is coming from. Thank you for coming to check up on me and giving me not only the medicine, but also the comfort I needed to overcome that pain and distress. I appreciate the fact that you care and was doing your job, but screaming and shouting rarely helps situations like these. Please just try to keep your cool and explain the problem in future events. If someone really can’t be trusted to do a job, revoke that responsibility from them instead.”

Pulling her in for a hug, I could feel the stress from the pair of us flow out of our hooves and into the ground, escaping us altogether. Turning to face Titan, he was next.

“Titan, I also appreciate that having me here has been a surprise for you. When we first met, you did say you hoped we might help the cause, but neither of us expected for everything to happen as it has. Nor did you expect me to become so close with Eos or the other alicorns. That’s what happened though, and not only did that happen, but I have managed to grow support for your cause at a rapid rate. You saved my life, and I’m thankful that you did, but not only I’ve revived the support for your cause, but I saved your life as well as Helios’ and Selene’s lives too. I’m the one who many support as ‘The Executioner’, so you’d do better to be appreciative of that fact and just shrug off the extra medical support I’ve needed.”

I didn’t pull Titan in for a hug. I knew I couldn’t bare to hold a ghoul so close to me, not when he wasn’t wearing his armour at least. Instead of the affection, he nodded at me in understanding and I nodded back with respect. Turning to the last of the three, it was Eos.

Just looking at me was enough to make her begin to hiccup and stutter over herself. Whilst the other two had been silent during their disciplining, Eos tried to speak. With a single stern look, I took the words from her tongue and now had her staring at me in shock. It was obvious she didn’t believe that I would actually do this, but it was too important to not do so.

Collapsing to the floor, her head laid at my hooves as tears began to form in her eyes. I gave no quarter and said no word as she continued to look at me pleadingly as she sobbed. “Crimson, please, please talk to me. I can’t read your mind right now, all I see is hatred.” Even as her crying became more prominent, I heard her whimper once more. “Please.”

Letting out a deep sigh, I looked away from her, the sight too much to bear. “Eos. You promised to take care of me, and instead you neglected me for your own desire to see me asleep. Say whatever you want, try to weasel out of it, go invisible, I don’t care. You stepped forth and wanted to be responsible for my health. You let me down. It doesn’t matter if you thought I needed more rest or not, my medication was more important. I could’ve and would’ve gone back to sleep in your hooves right after if that’s all you wanted. Tsunami was right; you need to be more responsible in your behaviour. If you want to be trusted with responsibility you need to live up to it. You need to do better.”

There was nothing more to say. Turning around, I casually trotted off and left everypony completely awestruck. Perhaps it was that nobody had ever scolded any of the alicorns in this way before. Perhaps it was because they didn’t expect me to go through with it with Eos because we were so close. Perhaps they did expect me to, but not to that extent. Whatever the reason was, it didn’t matter that everypony had gone silent, Eos needed to be told off the same as the rest, if not more.

Stepping away and lazily making my way into the kitchen to grab some breakfast, the sound of little hooves quickly caught up with me. “You’re awake! I’ve missed you almost as much as I miss Cherry. Please don’t go outside or fall asleep again! Please? At least for today?”

Picking the colt up and placing him on my back took a lot more effort than I thought and almost overwhelmed what strength I had in me, but the squeal of delight and pressure of his hooves hugging me rejuvenated my soul. “Okay, for you. And I know how you feel. I miss her too.”
Oh how I missed her, a hell of a lot more than my words expressed.

Grabbing some snacks out of the cupboards with a little help from Sandstorm, I trotted back over to the lounge area and sat myself at the table to eat. Looking to the side of me, everypony had seemingly gone off now to do their own things, whatever they would be. Titan had gone off entirely, Tsunami was chatting with Freight Train, and none of the alicorn trio were anywhere to be seen.

“So what are you gonna do?” Sandstorm asked. “Since you’re staying here today, can we have some fun? I wanna do fun things!”

Taking a bite out of an apple and thinking about it for a moment, that question was a good one. What was there to do? Looking at Maisy and Snugglebums lazily napping together with Deadlight was no real inspiration; I could feel the draw in going back to sleep, but as much as I needed rest I was also feeling restless from how much sleeping I had been doing lately.

Sensing that I didn’t have an answer, the young colt added his own suggestion. “What about showing me your flying skills?”

“As much as I’d love to go flying, there isn’t enough room to do anything more than an air paddle around here. Besides, I think the nurses and my personal doctor would kill me for it if trying to didn’t kill me first. I still need to recover. I don’t think my body is quite ready for it yet.”

“But you promised!” Sandstorm begged with disappointment. “You said you’d show me your flying skills!”

“I will, I do promise I will.” I answered firmly, grabbing the tyke and pulling him close for a hug and ruffled his mane. “Just not yet.”

With a small groan of disappointment, Sandstorm pushed himself away. “Well, if you’re not going to show me flight, you gotta do something else. Its so boring in here sometimes! I like Selene, she’s fun. We need Selene here, she’ll know what to do.”

“Good luck finding her.” I muttered to myself. “She seems to have disappeared after telling her sister off.”

With a grin on his face, Sandstorm brushed his shoulder with confidence. “I got this.”
Taking in a deep breath, he then looked as if he was going to scream at the top of his lungs, only to surprise me by not doing so. Out of his lips came a call I’d never heard before. “Marco!”

Silence rang through the air as others turned to him, though the looks on their faces made it obvious that they had seen him do this before. Not pleased with the result, he repeated his call. “Marco!”
Visible annoyance skewed onto his face as he waited, his patience quickly running out. Now his call was louder, loud enough to echo in the halls even. “Mar-co!”

Not a moment later, the sound of a return called out to Sandstorm from the direction of the bedrooms, filling his face with joy. “Polo!”
Without any hesitation, Sandstorm ran off in the direction of the sound, repeating his call as he did.
Kicking my hooves out and stretching, I got back to eating. So long as he was in the bunker, he’d be safe doing whatever he wanted.

From behind me the voice of Tsunami spoke in a soft tone. With a single word she asked a question that expressed genuine regret over her previous behaviour and sought my forgiveness. “Crimson?”

Replying with curiosity laden in my voice, I turned my head to look at her, with Titan and Freight Train on each of her flanks. “Yeah?”

“Titan has decided he wants to go outside. When I heard him ask one of his crew to join him I asked if I could go with him too… as a gesture of goodwill. To rebuild the bridges, so to speak. Would you be okay if I did? I’d also like it if Freight Train could also accompany us, but we are meant to be here for your safety so its your call.”

The warm feeling in my chest rose to my face and lifted a smile as I heard her speak those words. Nodding my head in agreement, I couldn’t be more pleased that she’d ask. “Of course you can. I’ll be safe here. If this means you’ll be more effective at working alongside our friends, I’m all for it. Take Deadlight too; having a zebra accompany you might be beneficial.”

The smile on Tsunami’s face was of earnest joy. Maybe it was the thrill of being somewhere new, maybe it was just getting some fresh air and not seeing the same concrete walls all around. No matter what, it really didn’t matter. So long as they worked together, it could only bring good.

With a light hearted yell, Tsunami called out. “Deadlight, are you interested in coming outside for a venture with us?”

“I’m currently keeping these two from trying to eat each other.”

Rolling my eyes with a chuckle, I trotted on over to him and tapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll deal with these two if you want me to. You can stay of course, but I think having a zebra around is a good idea, just in case anyone doesn’t trust a pony’s word.”

“Okay, okay. I get it. You need me to do my thing and keep the peace. I see. I see. Sure thing, boss.” Shooting Deadlight a smile, he responded in kind before getting up and winking at me. “Just don’t forget that, will ya?”

Letting out a playful sigh as I shook my head, I tapped him on the shoulder again as he walked off. Turning my focus to the oh so ferocious look Maisy was giving everyone, I couldn’t help but nuzzle into her mane, earning me a strong paw that pulled me in.

“You missed me, girl? I’m sorry I’ve not spent any time with you lately. I’ve not been too healthy as of late, as I’m sure you’ve seen.”

As I pulled back to see her face, the look in her eyes told me that she understood the situation with more clarity than some dumb creature ever could. In the time we had been here, I’d heard comments saying she was too dangerous to have around, and yet here she still was with nobody harmed.

Brushing my hoof behind her ear and then under her chin, the sound of her purr made me feel completely at ease. Nuzzling back into her, I felt the same sense of connection that I had noticed when we first bonded. Giving in to the moment, I found myself driven by instinct. “You’re a good girl, aren’t you? Yes you are. You’re a wonderful manticore. You’re a good girl, Maisy. Oh yes yes yes.”

The sound of a dry cough snapped my attention away from Maisy and drew my focus to a mare standing in front of me. Helios. When she spoke her tone was soft and warm, though I could detect the smallest hint of worry. “Crimson, I’d like to speak to you, if that’s okay?”

In an effort to lighten her mood, I cut to just trying to ‘think’ my answers to her. ‘What’s wrong?’

Blushing as she realised what I was doing, it seemed even Helios couldn’t resist the urge of a stallion with wit like mine. “With your voice, please.”

“Okay, okay. What’s wrong?”

Looking down at me as I laid with Maisy, I saw Helios’ gaze dart over to the spot where the sofa laid empty of rumps sitting on it. “Eos is… worried that you hate her. That you don’t want to involve yourself with her any more.”

Staring at Helios, I didn’t know exactly what to say. Blinking a few times, I finally felt my brain restart and the words flew out of my mouth without thinking about them. “Of course I don’t feel that way, silly mare she is. No, I told her to be more responsible and make sure she takes better care of me from now on – not to play down those lavish gifts she gave to me recently – but I expect her to ensure I get my medication on time. I never said I didn’t want to know her any more or anything of the sort.”

With a nod and a hoof pressed under her chin, Helios now hummed. “Well, how do you feel about her then? Other than disappointed that she shirked her duties to you?”

Closing my eyes and thinking about it for a moment… thinking about her for a moment, I realised that the question asked had an answer I hadn’t really delved into with great consideration. Conjuring images of her to my mind, the first thing I could see was how beautiful she was. My heart fluttered but this time something told me it wasn’t the medicine nor my condition.

It was only when a squeak broke my concentration that I realised my lips were freshly wetted from the longing for a kiss. Looking to the source of the sound, it seemed to be coming from over at the sofa. Slowly a figure began to appear, Eos crouched with her head low, seemingly unaware that her magic was fading away.

Even from where I sat, her breathing became more pronounced with every passing moment, as did my own the longer I gazed upon her.

A small snort blew from Helios’ nose as she watched us both. “He can see you, sister.”

With yet another squeak, Eos quickly scrambled to her hooves and latched onto her sister, peering out at me. “You don’t hate me?”

Pulling back into reality, I let out a defeated sigh. “No, Eos. Of course I don’t hate you. I said I was disappointed, and that’s exactly what I meant. I still am. Even more so now, actually. You ought to know better than to think I’d hate you. You just-”

I didn’t get to finish my sentence before Eos interrupted, finishing it for me. “I just need to take better care of you?”

“Yes, exactly.”

The look on her face as the confirmation that she wasn’t hated was something that words would never match. The sensation of relief and joy was blissful to even see, and the warmth from her chest as she snapped her hooves around me to pull me close completely broke my guard, forcing me to close my eyes and melt into the moment. The press of her soft, adoring cheek nuzzling my forehead made me feel like I could be in another world entirely.

As soon as the moment had come about was as quickly as it ended, with voices ripping me back to reality. “There you lot are. What’s—oh! Oh, what’s this? Is somepony blushing?”

“He is!” A much younger, more coltish voice called. “Look! He’s blushing even more now!”

Looking at Selene and Sandstorm, I realised they were talking about me as I now noticed how hot my face had become. Instinctively I turned my gaze to the side, as if it would hide me from their prodding words.

In a flash of surprise, I was snatched by a pair of purple hooves before being whisked away by the elusive mare, a proud and teasing giggle punctuating her success as she proceeded to poke her tongue out at a bewildered Eos. Keeping me out of the azure mares reach, Selene whispered into my ear. “So, made up with Eos have you? I knew you couldn’t stay mad for long. She has certainly found out how to have her way with you, doesn’t she?”

A long and painfully slow sensation of a wet tongue ran up my ear immediately after, causing me to shiver. The protest from Eos now even more intense than before, filled the room with her booming voice. “Get off of him! You… You… He’s!”

‘Not yours.’ Helios added, her voice not carried by the air but ran through our minds with such a strength that everypony stopped. All eyes turned to the regal pony who sat almost as proudly as Maisy would when feeling full of herself. Almost being the key word.
‘Selene, stop teasing your sister. We all know full well that you don’t see Crimson that way.’

My spirit dropped a little in the implied rejection… even if she wasn’t somepony who I was trying to get with, the idea that she would turn me down if I did try still bothered me. The smirk that came on Helios’ face in response was incredibly small, but in that glimpse I saw a vague hint smugness as I now wondered whether Helios would turn me down too.

‘And Eos, my dear sister, he is not yours. Do try not to become too possessive.’

With those words echoing in my mind, and presumably the minds of everypony else in the room, I saw Eos practically inaudibly mumble to herself.

Running into the room with a delighted squeal that was muffled by something in his mouth, it was Sandstorm who ended up breaking the momentary silence.
Putting the item from his mouth onto the nearby table, he spoke. “Look what I’ve got! Can we, can we?”

Looking to the table, I saw the pack of cards that now sat there and smiled as the memories of our previous foray into playing flashed through my mind. Turning to look at the alicorns, I raised an eyebrow in suggestion. “Well? You girls want to?”

“Well that depends on what the stakes are.” Selene announced with a certain playful tone to her voice, her eyes half lidded and fluttering. “How about strip poker?”

Eos gasped loudly and before I could notice anything else I saw that she wore a thinly veiled look of annoyance in the direction of her sister. Turning my attention back to Selene, I rolled my eyes. “Selene, please. Eos has already had enough teasing don’t ya think? Besides, its not like we normally wear clothes anyway.”

With a giggle, Selene’s attitude had gone from sultry back to her usual playful as she now pointed to me. “Well, she likes to wear you.” As soon as she had finished her sentence, she gave me a small nod to grab my attention. Turning my gaze to follow hers, it was only now that I noticed just how much Eos was leaning into me.

“Behave, you.” I light heartedly scolded the large mare. “No cuddles for you until you’ve redeemed yourself.” After a moments pause, I realised what I had said and the implications, feeling my cheeks blush. “Besides, Helios is right.”

The flash of a frown was quickly replaced by a gentle smile as Eos nodded. “Okay, I understand.”

Bursting with impatience, Sandstorm interrupted the moment with his own energy. “So… can we play or not?!”

Looking over to the tan colt, the pleading in his eyes was too much to bear. “Okay, okay. Well, we absolutely aren’t taking Selene up on her suggestion-”

“Why not?” Sandstorm interrupted, pure innocence in his voice as the joke went straight over his head.

Intentionally coughing to give myself a moment to think, my eyes shot to Selene as if to blame her for the whole situation. Turning my focus back to Sandstorm, I finally had my answer. “Well, its more complex than normal poker, so how about something we can all enjoy? I know, Go Fish! That’s easy but fun.”

“That’s so simple though!” Selene protested, playfully. “I bet even your pets could get a grasp over it.”

“Exactly why its perfect.” I retorted with a smile. Looking over to Maisy and Prince Snugglebums, The thought ran through my mind. For a moment, I did wonder if it was possible. I knew Maisy was definitely intelligent enough to understand a lot, but whether she was capable of playing even a basic game of cards would be a push.

To my surprise, Eos spoke up. “What do you think, girl? Want to play cards with us?”

Maisy’s ears perked as she tilted her head, then smiled and gave a nod. Whether she would understand everything or not, I guess it didn’t matter. She knew enough to feel appreciative of being included in our game no doubt.

Smiling at Eos, I really appreciated her for suggesting the idea. Mouthing the words ‘thank you’, she smiled back with beaming joy. The fact that Eos would be kind enough to not only think of how they might feel but also be brave enough to actually make the suggestion meant a lot to me. She really was a good mare, despite her own doubts.

“Come on then, Maisy. You wanna show the others what I already know about you?” I asked with a smile. Another keen nod came from her and that was plenty for me. “Sit down at the table then, I’ll deal out the cards.” Turning my attention to Prince Snugglebums, I gave him a slight nudge. “You’ll help Maisy pick up the cards, won’t you?”

There was a look of confusion on Snugglebums’ face as I said those words, but with a very little roar and grunt from Maisy, something seemed to click as he bounced onto Maisy’s lap. Holding back my laughter to avoid being rude, I wondered about whatever amount of understanding there was between them. It would be interesting to find out just how far it went, no matter what.

Taking the cards and beginning to shuffle, everypony found a seat at the table. Maisy and Snugglebums sat to my right, Eos to my left. Sandstorm was opposite, sandwiched between Selene and Helios. Looking at the lot of us, a warm, welcome feeling filled my heart as the serenity overwhelmed me. Dishing out the cards, we began our game of ‘Go Fish’.

“So, what do we do again?” Selene asked, her uncertainty sounding more fitting to a filly than a mare of her reputation, fondling her cards with a blush rushing across her cheeks.

“Simple, my dear sister!” Helios sparked, a sly grin on her face. “We just…”
With that, she turned to focus on me, but realising what she was trying to do, I just looked back smugly and had one thought in my mind; butts. Specifically, their butts.

“St-stop that!” Helios jeered, turning her gaze away in an attempt to hide her blush.

“Stop what?” I asked with confidence that she wouldn’t reply. “I’m doing nothing wrong!”

“It is… inappropriate… and… well…”

“You just wanted me to give you the answer to how the game is played, well, I played you instead. It’s not my fault you were trying to read my mind. So, you’ve had your turn in trying to figure out how the game works.”

Helios scoffed, a sense of indignation in her voice. “It isn’t my fault that there’s no need for such games in Unity.”

Before I could respond, Eos sprang up with her own addition to the conversation. “My turn!”
Looking at her, I couldn’t deny her the fun. Rolling my eyes, I thought about how the game worked hoping she was reading my mind.

“The game begins with everypony getting some cards. Whoever has the lowest value card... begins the game!” The joy laced in her voice was well worth giving away the answers to her, especially as I noticed Helios gasping and making a jealous facial gesture at me before smiling again and rolling her eyes. “They then get to… choose somepony to fish from. They show a card and ask somepony if they have any of that same card. If they do, the first pony gets to take those cards and continues their turn and… and then they continue on as they had until they don’t!”

“Okay, but then what?” Sandstorm asked, enthralled by Eos’ supposed knowledge of the game.

Eos looked to me for more information, but I sat whistling a tune. Pleading eyes begged me for more information, and the feeling of desperation seeped into my soul as I felt her psychic tendrils try to probe my mind helplessly. Helios may have stood something of a chance in trying to probe me, perhaps, but it was clear that Eos could do little more than read the thoughts that were loud and obvious. With a little sigh and a smug smile to follow, I let her win in her little game.

“Well… ah, yes! When the pony being asked doesn’t have any of that card, the one asking has to draw a card from the deck and add it to their hoof. When a player has four of a kind, they put those cards down entirely. The game ends when… uuh… there’s two ways? Yes, two ways. The quick way to play the game is the game ends when a player has no cards in their hoof. The long way is that the game ends when there are no more cards in any hooves and you add the points value of each set you have.”

“So, who goes first then?” Sandstorm asked. “I’m scared to be first. Can somepony else go first?”

“Of course.” I confirmed. “Eos will go first, then to her left, so Selene next, and so on. Okay?”

The cheerful nod was enough for us. Taking it as her cue to begin, Eos looked to me. “Got an ace?”

“Up my sleeve.” I joked, before correcting the statement. “Not really, no. Sorry!”

Poking a hoof in my direction, Selene made her call. “Got any fours, Crimson?”

Glancing back to my hoof to check, I gave a lazy shake of my head. “Go fish.”

“Are you sure? I’m not sure. I don’t think I ought to trust you after your ability to completely wipe us all out in poker last time. You better not be bluffing!”

Gasping in shock, I didn’t know what to say, but still found the words regardless. “Selene, I’m appalled! You aren’t allowed to bluff in this game. Are you calling me a cheater? I ought to talk to your sisters about your behaviour and have you… punished!”
Rolling her eyes, the pair of us let out our giggles before I continued with my response. “Seriously though, go fish. I ain’t got no fours for you.”

“My turn!” Sandstorm proclaimed, before showing off his prince card. “Maisy, have you got any cards like this? The Prince cards?”

For a moment there was pause as Maisy and Snugglebums looked at one another, at the card Sandstorm showed them, back to their cards and then back to one another. With a timid groan, Maisy pointed with an outstretched claw to the cards, signalling for Snugglebums to pass them over. Two cards exchanged possession, causing much bitterness in the manticores expression.

“Whose the good girl.” I cooed, warming her back up to the game as I scratched behind her ear with a hoof. “You are. Oh you are. You’re surprisingly intelligent, aren’t ya girl?”

The purring sound she made was so loud that Helios’ words were drowned out at first, though a moment later, Selene shook her head. “No sister, I do not have any threes.”

“The lot of you are remarkably bad at this.” I scoffed with a broad smile on my face. “Though at least you aren’t using your powers to cheat.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” Helios replied with her airy tone, a smile growing on her face in response to mine. “I am far above cheating. I would much rather enjoy the game fairly with my sisters and friends than win just to win.”

With that the room turned silent as everyone turned their attention to Maisy. For a moment she didn’t seem to react, though the realisation soon seemed apparent in her eyes. Tapping a card, Prince Snugglebums then picked it up and ran over to Sandstorm. A small ‘aww’ of disappointment came from Sandstorm as the rest of us did so in adoration of how cute the moment was. Upon returning with three cards, Maisy instructed Prince Snugglebums to lay down the set of four; aces.

By sheer instinct and without thinking, I spoke from total awe.“Whoa.” There was no denying that I was completely shocked. I wasn’t expecting that kind of play from her! “That’s incredible, Maisy.”
The look on her face was unmistakeable; Maisy had learned what the definition of ‘smug’ was, and she was making all of us aware. Her next choice of asking me for a one stood no such luck however, bringing her reign to an end.

So, it came to this. Maisy had, in the first round, become the first one to put down a set of cards. Thankfully she still had plenty more so she hadn’t won yet. Looking at my cards and thinking about who had been asking for what, I had to play it smart. I couldn’t let Sandstorm know about my Prince, or Helios of my pair of threes. There was no way of knowing whether she had a pair herself or whether it would be a single card, though the odds remained that it was unlikely to be the former.

Looking around the room at the happy ponies and pets, I took a slow, long breath through my nose and smiled. The sense of belonging despite having only been here for a short time was overwhelming. This could have been home, if things were different.

Finally letting out a sigh of contentment, I nodded to my left, to Eos. “So, what about sixes. Got a six for me?”

“Only if you want to add a nine.” Eos muttered with a sly tone, grinning at me subtly.

Raising an eyebrow at her, I had so much I could’ve said, so much I wanted to say; but with decided against doing so due to Sandstorm. Throwing a gentle hoof onto her shoulder, I gave a her wink. “No dice. Try me later I guess.” Picking up a card from the deck just like the others, my turn was over.

Without hesitation, Eos didn’t skip a beat as she continued with the game, stroking my shoulder with a hoof. “How about a Princess, Crimson? Can I have yours?”

“I’d need to find you a mirror for that, Eos.” I suggested in a cool tone. Her response was immediate and unabashed. Oh Celestia, I could feel the fire lighting in her eyes as her cheeks spread wide and her smile beamed back at me in the very same second that the words came out of my mouth. The way her whole body reacted with glee was nothing less than a splendid sight indeed.

The look she gave me as she picked up a card from the stack was something else alright. The sparkle in her eye and fluffing of her feathers as she leant over, focus still cemented on me as she smiled broadly, I couldn’t look away. Turning her attention to the card she had just picked up, Eos giggled and laid it down with three others. “Looks like you gave me just what I needed after all, perhaps.”

This time, I had no words.

*** *** ***

It was only a few rounds later that Eos had already won the first game, though Maisy and Prince Snugglebums made for an incredibly close runner up. Sandstorm wore a look of defeat as he crossed his hooves, huffing in displeasure. As for the other girls, they were just happy to be spending time with us.

“I can’t believe it. I thought I had it for sure!” Sandstorm grunted. “I demand a repeat!”

With that, Selene giggled before correcting the poor colt. “Don’t you mean a rematch, or do you want to lose again?”

Blinking his eyes a few times, the young colt was absolutely stunned about being corrected. Slowly as he came to his senses however, he piped back up with his protesting regarding the outcome of the game. “Uh… yeah… a rematch! I want a rematch!”

Not quite feeling up to it, I quickly made my stance clear. “I’ll deal, but I’m too tired to play another round myself.”

“Since I won the last game, I’ll sit this one out too.” Eos interjected. “I don’t want to risk ruining your fun for a second time.”

With that, everyone looked around at each other, uncertain on whether anypony else would give in their hoof. After a moments pause, Helios spoke. “Well, I take it the rest of us are still going to play then? I assume anyone else would have made their statement by now, so Crimson, do us the honours would you?”

“With pleasure.” Taking the cards and splitting them into two groups, I shuffled one set with my hooves and the other with my wings before mixing them up, shuffling them more and dealing them out.

“W-wait. WHAT WAS THAT?!” Sandstorm shrieked in amazement, eyes as wide as the Stable door. “You can do that with your wings?!”

Shrugging my shoulders and cocking a sly smile, I gave him a wink. “Sure can. Name isn’t Mister Wings for no reason.”

As soon as the last card was out of my hooves, a gentle voice whispered into my ear. “Speaking of wings, it seems like yours need a little more attention, Mister. That’s fine though, I’ll help you out.”
Before I could make sense of anything, a pair of lips planted a kiss directly between my wings. Turning around, I saw no figure, and knew exactly who was to blame.

“Relax.” Her calming voice insisted. “I’m just going to preen you. I just...” Her voice stopped there as her tongue rolled towards my wing, gently massaging the bones. Closing my eyes, I had to really focus in order to stifle the moan that desperately begged to come out.

“I… I’m going to go lay down. I’m really tired.” I sheepishly muttered, causing Selene to smirk and Helios’ gaze to linger. It was obvious that I hadn’t convinced either of them, and both would have noticed Eos being missing didn’t help matters either, but that didn’t matter. Strolling over to the sofa, I laid belly down as if by command from an unspoken order.

Closing my eyes, I melted as the sensation of Eos’ mouth ruffling through my feathers and planting quick and decisive kisses overwhelmed all sense I had left. No preening session I had ever had in the past felt as wonderful as this. As her talented technique moved from one wing to the other, my breathing slowed and muscles relaxed even more as I felt myself drifting to sleep. A sweet lullaby playing in my mind, sung in her soft and soothing voice.

In the very last moment of having any energy, the feeling a hoof brushed my mane. A whisper rang through my ears like a gentle breeze, soothing my soul. “I promise you, I’ll take better care of you for the rest of time.”

*** *** ***

“He’s asleep. Always asleep. How did he ever get such a reputation? Seriously, Titan.”

“Hoof it to you and your ilk, you make some fantastic fighters. I’ve seen him pull off some moves.”

Stirring from the sounds nearby, I groaned in displeasure of being woken up. Opening my eyes, I could see Tsunami looking at me, some expression of doubt on her face. “Us mercenaries, especially our respective teams, get some thorough training that comes directly from the old Equestrian Army. We don’t mess around. We know that it isn’t just our lives at stake, but the lives of our team and even our clients. Crimson? Crimson doesn’t have that training, and it shows. What he has is something that can’t be learned – luck. Dumb luck.”

“Dumb luck or not, he’s survived fights that I wouldn’t have thought possible and managed to save me and the alicorns from certain doom. The ponies of Coltchester revere him for the fact that he’s fought such battles, and his way with words. Whether he deserves the reputation he’s earned doesn’t matter, he’s got it. Still, I have to admit, you’re right.”

Much to the displeasure of Eos, Titan began jabbing an armoured hoof at me before speaking to me directly. “You… Executioner. Remember how the D.Z.C thought they had caught you?” Giving him a small nod, I said nothing. There was no way I could forget that sight. The innocent ponies and zebras hanging for little reason at all. “Do you know what its done for your reputation? You’re a living legend now. You’ve made a mockery of the D.Z.C.”

Rubbing my eyes, I spoke in a groggy tone. None of this was making sense. “And that’s meant to be a bad thing?”

Shaking his head, Titan proceeded to take off his helmet. “Of course not, you foolish pegasus. You’re the talk of the city. You’re the one that got away. You’re the one that they put a damn big show and parade on for, and ended up laughing in their faces… not only just by living, but word has got around about how you were the one who put an end to those two gang enforcers and their lackeys. Forget the fact that were all there putting our lives at the same level of risk as you, if not more if I dare say so myself. No, you and the Goddesses are the ones who they took notice of.”
With that, Eos huffed, though Titan took no notice and carried on speaking. “And that’s riled up just about everyone. The guards are going crazy trying to beat the spirit out of any who celebrate for any reason at all, and the word is spreading that the gang we messed with are shitting themselves too. They didn’t expect two of their best to be taken out, especially not together.”

With that, Titan paused for a moment, as if to take in all of what he had just said himself. Cracking a smile, he turned back to Tsunami and Freight Train, before tapping the latter on the shoulder. “And the amount of chaos we managed to cause for the D.Z.C tonight thanks to your team, Crimson. I can’t even be sure how many of them we killed or wounded, we weren’t trying to get into a full blown war like last time – but we hit them hard. We made them scatter from their posts and go on patrols in areas we were already out of. I hate to admit it, but Freight Train even put these old bones to shame with just how skilled he is. The streets are going to be crawling with them, but that only means they’ll fan the flames of resentment for their ‘authority’ even quicker.”

Mulling over those words, Titan snorted. “You know, Crimson, thanks to your involvement this rebellion might even be over before long with the way things have catalysed. You’ve definitely earned that water talisman you were seeking.”

Letting out a long sigh, those words struck home… home. Stable fifty-eight. As lovely as this bunker was in its own way, no matter what charm Coltchester had, my true home was the Stable and Four Ridges, and they needed me. Not only that, but Cherry needed me.
With that thought in my mind, it was time to do something about that.

Author's Note

Well, I'll keep this short after being told I make my authors notes far too long. I'm sorry that it has been a shocking four months since my last release - especially after reckoning I'd actually become quicker.
The good news is I've got this out before its hit six months at least, and that's in part due to buying a laptop specifically so I can spend some of my free time whilst on break at work doing writing - which genuinely does help. With any luck, I actually will be quicker from now on.

As per usual, I make my thanks to everyone that has stuck by me all this time. It means a lot and I'm more determined than ever to see the end of this, not to be rid of the story, but because there's so much to give to everyone. We're creeping closer to some really special moments, so here's to hoping I manage to get myself on track.
Thank you again, yes, you, reader, for sticking with me this long. It means a lot.

Chapter 30: The silence of shadows

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds

By Kippershy

Chapter Thirty: the silence of shadows

‘So that’s what we’re up against’
‘Whew. That’s a barrel and a half of obstacles, plus a bushel and a peck of impenetrability.’

With everything that Titan had just told me, I knew now would be the right time. It wouldn’t be wise to try pull off the rescue, but I needed to know what I was going to be working with. If the streets were swarming with patrols, there would be fewer guards protecting their headquarters. Looking over to the annoyed Eos, I grabbed her hoof and pulled her closer to me. “Come on, Eos. We’re going.”

“Going where?” She asked, a new sense of positivity and energy filling her voice. “Where are you taking me? Somewhere dark and secluded I hope.”

No matter how sweet and inviting the smile on her face may have been, the implication was completely lost on me and the joy drained from her face as I shook my head. “No, we’re going scouting. I need to know where we’re rescuing Cherry from. The layout, guard posts, points of entry from the sky, what kind of aerial defences they may have – everything.”

Huffing in response to my point, Eos looked at me for a second before realising I was completely serious.
“You’re in no shape to rescue her right now though!” Eos insisted, slamming her hoof down lightly. “You can’t seriously believe that you’re ready to pull off a raid. I-”

Putting my hoof to her mouth, I stopped her mid sentence. “No, Eos. I’m going out to scout. No weapons, no armour, no fighting. I won’t be getting into danger, but if you’re looking to keep that promise about looking after me, you’ll be following me. Now is the best time to find out what we’re looking at, and that’s all. No daring raid, no danger. I just don’t want to go solo if I can help it, and your ability not only fly, but also provide support with your invisibility will be such a huge benefit.”

Letting that sink in to her mind for a moment, I took a deep breath and held out my hoof. Titan tried to object to the proposal, but as soon as he began talking, Eos accepted the offer. Smiling at her, I pulled her into a hug. “Thank you.” I whispered. “Now, lets go do this.”

“But she’s too important to risk for your fancy, Crimson!” Titan growled. “I don’t care that-”

“Stop, Titan.” Helios commanded, her voice echoing through the room. A cold chill filled the air as everyone waited, looking at the green mare in anticipation. “Eos is more than capable of looking after herself. I have been reading Crimson’s mind and can tell you he is not lying with his intentions. They will be safe. Now, stop being overly protective. We are not the only important ones; Crimson is not only important to us in our movement, he is important to us three alicorns. As well as that, he is important to his home of Four Ridges, and Cherry is important to him. We cannot restrict ourselves to only doing things that are important to us if we want others to help us.”

Now the ghoul spoke no word even after the green alicorn finished hers. Looking at her in admiration and respect, I could feel the smile growing on my face as what she had said really hit home. Being important to others was something I was accustomed to, but hearing it from Helios of all ponies was something… new, and exciting. Flattery could never cease to find new ways to impress, it seemed.

With yet another burst of energy, Eos chirped as she spoke. “Well, what about showering first? Do you plan to shower? Come on, I’ll go get my shampoos and we’ll clean you up.”

“No.” I responded flatly, dampening her excitement. “There’s no time. The chaos caused earlier will only last for so long before the D.Z.C grow tired of their more extensive patrols and return to base – or worse – some other group sees their opportunity to attack and we get caught in the middle of it. The last thing we need is for the Zebras United group or Anarchists to seize our chance from us. Besides that, smelling too clean can be a giveaway in itself; don’t forget that we noticed Selene thanks to the berry scent.”

Poking her nose toward me and taking an inquisitive sniff, Eos rolled her jaw around before admitting defeat. “Okay, good point, and I suppose you smell acceptable. Perhaps a little stale, but you’re right.” Letting out a little sigh, she began to lead the way, past her sisters. As I followed, they both waved to us in an innocuous fashion to say goodbye, knowing we would both be back soon. Looking back at Titan as we left the room, his face still showed his sour feelings, though he now kept them to himself.

Beside me came a nervous voice from my companion, surprisingly unsure of herself as she spoke. “So, just to check, you’re absolutely sure you want me to accompany you, Crimson? I know you asked me to, but...”

Sensing she didn’t really want to admit the full sentence without me knowing how much it meant to her, I urged her to continue. “But what? I asked because I know I can rely on you. Your ability to go invisible is beyond incredible and whilst Cherry also knows that spell, it seems to me that she can’t pull it off quite like you do. Besides, its not like she’d be able to help me sneak around whilst locked up. You’re my best option.”

“It’s just.” Eos began, before letting out a long, drawn sigh. “I don’t know what I can do for you. I’m large and much more visible unless I use my spell, but even though I have much more capacity to use the spell than Cherry does, even I can’t use it indefinitely. When I was in Unity, we were always taught to use such strong magic at least a bit more sparingly. Teleportation is a magic that any user will instinctively know if they can pull it off or not. Telepathy is a much more passive spell unless you’re specifically searching for something in the mind of your target. Invisibility however, is exhausting. The amount of concentration and energy it takes to keep it going for an extended amount of time isn’t something I can explain to somepony without a horn; just like how we can’t explain how the wind feels in our wings and how a long flight is as exhausting as running to those without wings. They will never truly understand. If I was fully revitalised I could keep it up for perhaps an hour, but right now? I haven’t had the chance to-”

“Eos.” I interjected, closing my eyes and sitting down in front of the door whilst waiting to be let out. “I-”

Before I could continue my sentence, a call came from behind us. Turning around, I saw it was Tsunami, looking at me in a disapproving way. Once more she shouted over to me as she trotted over to us. “Forgetting something?”

Seeing the bottle in her magic, Eos took it sheepishly from the mare, smile on her face. “Thank you Tsunami. I didn’t think about the time. He has what must be between half an hour to an hour before he takes these, right?”

“Correct. Don’t forget to make him take one pill and only one pill. Don’t let him try get out of it, no matter how much he might resist, got it?” The grey mare smiled at the end of her order. Her smile wasn’t one of bitchiness nor mistrust, but genuine appreciation upon seeing Eos hanging onto her every word.

Nodding her head in understanding, Eos spoke sharply. “Got it.”

Whining and huffing at the idea of being treated like a colt again, I scuffed my hoof on the floor. “I don’t need to be forced to take my medication.” Huffing once more, I remembered what I was saying before. “Besides, getting back to what I was saying, I don’t expect you to stealth me into the actual building. That would be too risky. Getting as close as we can manage would be great, but I don’t want to push my luck. Nor did I ask you to come with me in order to fly as fast as we possibly can. So long as you are making a genuine effort to do it in ample time, which I’m not saying you wouldn’t be, then that’s all I ask. I want a flying partner because I haven’t had one in years outside of the moment I had with that Enclave mare and-”

“Enclave mare?” Eos asked sourly, her pout dropping to the floor. “What do you mean, ‘Enclave mare’? What did you two do?”

Letting out a short huff of air in amusement, I reached for one of Eos’ hooves. “Calm down, you’re acting like a jealous wife. Nothing ‘happened’. It was when I went out with Titan’s friend, we encountered a pair of Enclave soldiers. I asked the mare to sky dance with me, and she obliged. That’s also what triggered my heart attack, so no, I won’t be sky dancing again until I’m better.”

Upon the door being opened for us, I made my way out first. Looking around, I gave the signal to Eos that everything was safe and clear. Within seconds of stepping through the hatch and out into the city itself, we were jumping into the skies with spread wings and taking flight.

“So, I’m here to keep you company and make sure you don’t over exert yourself then, yes?”

“That’s the ticket. You’re with me to help keep an eye on me, help keep me safe, and drag me back home if need be. It also means that we get to spend more time together, and that is what you want, isn’t it? To spend some time with me?”

The cogs turning in her head span as she hummed a happy tune to that rhetorical question. As she also realised that I was asking to spend more time with her, her eyes almost seemingly lit the night sky with how wide they were, joy overwhelming her every thought no doubt.

“Okay, well you didn’t need to convince me, darling, but you’ve convinced me even still. Now, if we’re to make sure that you don’t over exert yourself, I do insist that you stay at my rear. I am, after all, the one who should set the pace if we don’t want you to blow all of your energy at once.”

Falling to her behind and letting Eos set the pace, her words rang back through my mind… over and over. Watching the way her hindlegs gently kicked out with every flap of her wings, I couldn’t help but get the feeling this was exactly the sight she wanted me to see, and now I doubted whether bringing her along with me really was the best choice for my heart.

Ignoring my growing desire for Eos the best I could, I instead turned my attention to the ground below us. All over were small fires that lit the streets and acted as gathering spots – but not all of them seemed to be controlled. In many places, I could see the fires getting out of hand, with ponies and zebras alike scrambling to put them out before all of their belongings were gone.

Amongst the chaos, I could also make out uniforms of the D.Z.C patrols going through, presumably intimidating residents as they banged on the doors of the crumbling buildings, forcing their way into makeshift camps, driving out individuals. A large part of me wanted to swoop down and do something about it, to restore the peace and live up to my reputation, but without a weapon let alone any armour, I knew I would just get myself killed if I tried.

“It’s tranquil up here, isn’t it, Crimson?” Eos asked, completely throwing me off of my train of thought.

“Pardon?” I asked, still trying to piece together what exactly she had just said to me.

“I said its tranquil, isn’t it? A stark contrast to what it’s like below. Nobody else flying around with us, nobody even looking for us. The way the wind gently caresses the tips of our wings, sliding through the sky without anything to cause us trouble. I hate to admit it, but I rarely get the chance to fly these days. Titan is so insistent on keeping us cooped up in that damned bunker for our own safety, so we can be the leaders of the revolution… but we hardly get to do anything at all.”

The sad, regretful tone in her voice hit me hard. I had noticed that Titan was extremely protective, but what exactly that meant to the alicorns wasn’t something I had thought much about. “Well, he’s just trying to look after you is all. What do you mean you don’t get to do anything?”

“Exactly that, Crimson. We don’t get to do anything. Before the end of Unity, we were happy like that. Unity provided us with all of the company we could ever long for. Countless sisters to speak to at any time, all of us connected in such a way that you wouldn’t be able to comprehend. When the demon destroyed our home, she ripped Unity away from us. In that moment, I felt like a curtain had been lifted that previously covered my eyes. The world around me shattered as I saw that nopony saw us as just other ponies – everypony saw us as an idol. Such a life is fine for some, but that isn’t for me. We came to Coltchester to help others, Crimson, we didn’t come to be treated like royalty.”

Confused about some of the attitudes I had seen in the past, I had to ask my own question. “Well why do I hear tales of other ponies being so scared of alicorns if you were just there to help?”

Eos gulped at my question, pausing mid-air as she looked at me, fear and worry in her eyes. “C-can we… not?”

“Please?” I insisted, not wanting to let this go unless I had to. Perhaps Eos would tell me that she absolutely wouldn’t answer the question, but something told me she would. Knowing how scared this question made her, I offered some comfort in response. “I promise I won’t hold it against you. Remember, you are not a part of Unity now and anything you or one of your sisters did back then is not who you are now. I don’t even understand what Unity is, you haven’t really explained it, but it obviously had some impact on you. With each and every action you take now, that is who you are.”

Turning her face away from mine, Eos slowly returned to flying to our destination. Just as I was about to ask again, she spoke. “The help that Unity offered was not the help that myself, Helios and Selene offer now. Unity is a hivemind, a collective, and all in it worked together for a single goal; to serve our Goddess. The Goddess could take partial or even full control of our actions, though rarely ever did so. Instead, she told us what we were to do and we did it.”

Again, she hesitated, though after me telling her to continue she did so. “The Goddess saw fit that the way to help ponies was to turn as many of them who were compatible with us… into alicorns.”

Thinking over those words, it dawned on me. Eos had previously mentioned that she didn’t know who she was before becoming an alicorn. To become an alicorn was to strip a pony of who they were to their very core. Everything that they had ever done, ever been, ever known, gone. That realisation sent a chill down my spine as I looked at her.

“We didn’t send any.”

Blinking my eyes and coming back to reality, I shook my head to get back with it. “Sorry?”

“We didn’t send any. Any unicorns. No, we didn’t send any to become alicorns. It was our original intention to do so, as that was what Unity commanded of us as our goal. We didn’t send any however because we wanted to save Coltchester from itself, so that we could lead all of the willing at the same time, for each of them to become one of our kin.”
Now tears ran down her face, and despite her efforts to hide it, it was unmistakeable between the hiccups. “We wouldn’t have forced any of them, I swear! We didn’t want to hurt anypony! We were just doing as we were told, and realised we’d be better off helping and using that influence to then lead the willing.”

Knowing that Eos needed some time to calm down, I gave her instructions to follow me instead of carrying on directly with the plan. Pointing below us, I made my intention clear. “That rooftop down there. Follow me, we’ll go land on that. Lets take a moments rest.”

“Please don’t abandon me, Crimson. I swear!” Eos cried out, her tears making it harder and harder for her to speak properly. Next she mumbled her response, overwhelmed in the flood of guilt. “I didn’t mean to be a bad pony.”

Landing on the roof first, I tested to see if it was structurally sound. Upon confirming it, I waved Eos over and watched her sit away from me, looking out at the horizon. Rolling my eyes and trotting over, I wrapped a wing around her and pulled her by the neck so that her head rested on my shoulder. Cooing into her ear, I began my attempt to calm her down.

“Ssshhhhh. Come on. You know me, you know I won’t abandon you. What did I tell you before? I said I wouldn’t judge you – and I meant it. Eos, you’re not a bad pony, I promise.”

“Do you mean it?” Eos asked with great sorrow. Nuzzling her cheek further into my chest, I felt the rest of her bodyweight slump into me. “Do you really mean it?”

“Of course I do, Eos. Was I slightly disturbed by what becoming an alicorn means sacrificing? Yes, of course, but you have said yourself that you have no idea who you were before – that’s why it bothered me. Despite that though, if you are true to your word that you wouldn’t have forced anypony to follow you to become an alicorn, well, I guess it isn’t as bad. I don’t know. The point is, even if you had the intention to try and eventually turn others into your kin, you weren’t going to do it by force and you still had intention to help. Do you still plan to guide others to become an alicorn after all of this is done?”

“No. Now Unity is gone, now that The Goddess is gone and no longer commands us, no. None of us want to go through with the plan now. We understand what individuality means and we don’t want to rip the individuality from others, especially now that we no longer have Unity to find comfort in. We don’t even know what would happen to a pony who does become an alicorn now. We don’t want to find out. Not only that, but The Demon destroyed our home and our means of forming new alicorns anyway. We couldn’t even if we wanted to.”

Kissing the top of her head and stroking her mane, I just let Eos cry her tears until she felt better, cuddling her and occasionally reminding her that she was a good pony.
After some time passed, Eos pulled herself from me with a sniffle and wiped her own tears away. Taking a deep breath, she let out a small, determined smile and spoke. “Come on, Crimson. Time is wasting away here. Lets do this.”

Surprised by how quickly she had overcome her sorrow, I asked if she was sure. Planting a small, thankful kiss on my cheek, she looked at me in the eyes and the look on her face said it all even as she spoke. “Yes. I have to prove myself as a good pony, and do what I can to help. And speaking of helping, it must be about time for your medication, mister.”

Wanting to prove my point from earlier, I opened up my mouth and held my tongue out. With finesse that only magic could provide, Eos took a single pill from the pot effortlessly and placed it upon my tongue. Pulling it in and swallowing, I realised that the pill was a lot harder to swallow without assistance, but determined to make my point, I kept swallowing until I felt it go down fully. Opening my mouth and showing Eos to prove I was a good patient, she giggled and cuddled me back.

“Okay, Mister. Fine, you’ve made your point. Now lets continue our flight, and remember to take it easy. No racing there to make up for lost time. Don’t forget that Tsunami said not to let you overexert yourself.”

“I know, I know.” I muttered, feeling a little bit like a coddled little colt. Jumping up into the air with her, we got back on track.

The city continued to be strewn with chaos, though it definitely seemed to be dying down as we came closer to our target. Whether the patrols were calling it quits for the night or whether they just didn’t rough up the areas closer to home, I couldn’t tell. A part of me selfishly hoped it was that they just didn’t rough up the immediate area as much, in order to buy us more time, though I recognised that such a wish meant horrible things for the victims down below.

Perhaps noticing the way I felt, Eos spoke words of wisdom that I was caught off guard by. “The damage done tonight will steal any respect they’ve got for the Coalition, don’t forget that, Crimson.”
Mulling over that, she was right, though I was absolutely surprised by how it had been her that had reminded me. From everything I had seen from Eos, she genuinely did seem to care, but hadn’t shown any strong sense of true leadership. To make a comment like that was unlike her.

Furthering my shock, Eos began to scold me. “I know what you’re thinking, Crimson. Don’t forget that.” Just as quickly as she had begun, she stopped. Her tone softened as she continued. “You’re right. I haven’t shown much leadership. Helios is the thinker of the three of us. Selene is the sociable one. I… I don’t know my place. I just can’t give up my sisters.”

“If you’re anything like what I know you to be, you’re the part of the puzzle that adds empathy to counter any hard logic that Titan might put forward.” I reminded her. “Helios might be the one to weigh up judgements and make the final call, and Selene might be the one who can put on a show and really captivate the ponies, but you’re the softest, the approachable one.”

“You really think so?” Eos asked, a small smile on her face. “I mean, I haven’t been able to figure out my role… do you mean it? Is that what my quality is?”

With confidence and caring, I lightly nodded my head in agreement. “I know so.”

*** *** ***

The rest of the flight, of what little there was, was uneventful. There was little more to talk about than had already been mentioned and Eos seemed to have calmed down from her insecurities and guilt from earlier. As we approached the base, it quickly became evident that the mission would be a lot easier than I could have even hoped for. From a distance I could tell that the base interior was well lit, though lights were beginning to be turned off around the complex.

With what looked to be only one entrance in and out on its western border, it quickly became apparent that the base would be almost as easily defended as Four Ridges. Whilst the cityscape behind us was densely packed buildings with the intention to make as much use of the room available as possible, it was clear that the military base was going for the opposite.
A wide and open field of view with little to no obstacles greeted anyone approaching the gate. Three towers stood proud at the front, splicing the entrance into two access zones. Without seeing the mechanism in action, there would be no telling if the gate was a single piece or whether two individual plates acted in unison, though it was obvious that the middle tower worked as a means to fortify its strength regardless.

With an innocent tone, Eos interrupted my focus with another of her questions. “What are you thinking?”

Turning back to look at her with annoyance, I lifted an eyebrow. “Really? Wasn’t you the one to remind me that you can read my mind if you want to know what I’m thinking. Seriously, now isn’t the time to play games. Come on.”

Maybe I shouldn’t have said it quite like I had, though I meant every word. This was no time to be playing around and trying to be cute. One fuck up now could mean alerting the whole base, and there was no telling how fine that line was. Still, her disconcerted reaction reached for the heartstrings as I turned away, only to let out a sigh and give her my attention again.

“I… I can’t read your mind right now, Crimson. Its all jumbled.” She stated slowly with sorrow. “There’s glimpses of things, but all I see is, well, what I can see for myself.”

Dropping my face into my hooves and rubbing my eyes in circles, I slowly regained composure and spoke, withholding as much annoyance as I could, though even I noticed I was expressing it more clearly than I hoped. “You mean you see the gate, and let me guess, you’re seeing it covered in circles?”

“How did-” Eos started, before pausing mid sentence and blushing. “Oh.”

“Oh indeed. Look, I appreciate that you’re new to reading minds, I know I can’t even comprehend what its like to do so in such a direct way, I just have to go at it like everypony else, but I really need you to be on top form right now. I’m doing my best to figure out how everything might work, how everything is laid out, how everything might go. If you’re not capable of keeping up with that, that’s fine, but don’t distract me from doing so, okay?”

Letting out something of a mix between a sigh and a growl, I turned my attention back to the task at hand. Focusing on the spotlight on the ground below us, I watched how the pattern swept back and forth – at first I thought it was purely mechanical due to the smoothness and seemingly simple pattern that the light took, though watching it snap to somebody as they approached the gate seemed too jerky to be automation.

“That was a pretty slow reaction, wasn’t it?” Eos asked, her voice dampened by restrained emotion.

I didn’t turn my gaze to her this time, though I did quickly look out of the corner of my eye at her inquisitively in response. “Pardon?” What did she mean by slow reaction? Did she mean me?
Turning my focus back to what went on down at the gate, the figure seemed unalarmed by the light and merely motioned in response. With that, the gate opened, answering my question; individual plates. As well as that, I took note of the wall being approximately thrice the height of the figure, and they didn’t seem like a child.

Seemingly waiting for me to finish making my deductions from the whole event, Eos delayed her response. “Not you, no. The spotlight. Whoever was guiding that spotlight had a poor reaction time. I saw the figure approaching for what must have been at least two or three seconds before they did. As you know, two or three seconds might not sound like a lot, but to somepony as quick as you, that’s a large gap.”

Flattered by her compliment, I flashed a smile at Eos. “Well thank you.” I couldn’t ever turn down an endorsement like that.

“I mean it. I know you won’t intend to go through the front gate, but if whoever is running the spotlight is slow to react like that, it would mean that you’ve got an opening to get in. Whether that courtesy would extend to a slower flyer like myself, I’m not sure.”

“Well, we haven’t seen the spotlight go skywards at all so far,” I countered, a mix of joy and relief in my voice. “So I’d wager that they don’t feel threatened by an aerial assault. They’ve got plenty of threats coming from the ground as it is, especially on a night like tonight. We shouldn’t even need to pass through the gate, but I’d still like to know how it works just in case.”

“Don’t forget that until you came along, there hasn’t been any need to worry about the skies. Pegasai are even rarer than my own kin down here, and Maisy is so large that there is no way they wouldn’t see her coming. Don’t forget, they publicly hung that imposter that looked just like you. There’s a good chance that many of the guards think that it was the real you.”

Mulling over that thought as I continued to watch the spotlight, Eos was right. The spotlight guard seemed to be entirely focused on what was perceived to be the biggest threat, and perhaps they were right to do so, but not tonight. Looking down from above, all of the few spotlights they had were doing the same general routine; scanning the ground in circles and zigzagging lines hoping to catch someone creeping up from below. None of them expected somepony from above.

Deciding now was the time, I rose to my hooves and stretched my wings out, cracking the joints to release any tension. “Wait here for a moment.” I ordered, confident that she would listen. “Once I’m on the other side, fly high. Don’t meet the cloud layer, but don’t be afraid to be above me.”
Looking into the distance, I could see an exceptionally large and very narrow tower towards the middle of the base. “See that tower out there? Wait for me to circle it three times. If I hover at it, meet me there.”

“Just be-” Was all Eos could manage before I was already out of earshot. Despite having to fight the temptation to go as fast as I could and use all of my energy, I still beat my wings with enough pressure to gain incredible speed. Zipping through the air, I took in as much detail as I could, but even I couldn’t comprehend much. Intentionally overshooting my mark, I circled around the entrance to the complex whilst coasting on the glide of my own momentum.

Scanning for anything I could, I noticed that there was some patrols going around, though each patrolling member seemed to be on their own. It would be an easy target for somepony prepared to deal with the situation, though there was no certainty that they weren’t reporting in somehow at regular intervals. Taking my time to dissect everything else, I saw that their paths were lit by small wall mounted lights at regular intervals, though the amount that these lights revealed was pitiful – enough to not trip up over ones own hooves but nothing more.

Flying to the tower in the middle, I realised it was little more than a metal grid structure with a series of platforms up high that gave mild protection to some cables and held what looked to be the main radio broadcaster above. Approaching closer, I was beginning to feel extremely confident about the mission. I was inside the base, past the first set of guards, and could now take my time to memorise the layout, look at my PipBuck and use the tracker to identify which building Cherry was in. Simple. Easy in, easy out.

In that moment of confidence, everything went wrong. Blinding lights flashed to life in my face as I came closer to the tower, making me lose balance as I shut my eyes and throwing me into the tower itself as I struggled to overcome the sensation of the night suddenly turning to day. The pain of the crash was horrible and threatened to overwhelm me, but knowing just how high I was and how it would mean certain death to fall so far, I desperately tried latching onto the cold, hard metal structure. Gripping it tightly, I crashed into it again as my downward momentum stopped.
The pain of the lights still kept my eyes closed, leaving me in a state where I could only hope that nobody heard the sound – or at least, figured out what it was or where it came from.

Hanging desperately to the tower, I waited helplessly as a stationary target, still reeling from the sudden flash of light. As my vision slowly came back, a new threat was revealed to me; the light which had temporarily blinded me were a series of lights designed to flood a large area of the base, bathing it in a gentle glow and assisting the guards in their patrol. What was meant to be an easy mission of flying to my objective and flying back out was now foiled. With how wide an angle the lights covered even into the sky, I would have to do it the earth pony way to avoid casting a shadow.

To make matters worse, I could now see Eos begin to make her way over to where I was. Thankfully she had listened to my advice and quickly rose to a great height before coming closer, though she would still be on the other side of the light.

As she approached, I rubbed my head and winced as I felt something warm and wet. Looking at my hoof, I was bleeding. Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, I did my best to regain composure. No head wound was ever good, especially not when it caused blood, though at least I could still see and move freely, and I was alive. Touching the wound again, I winced more than before from the pain, though the blood didn’t seem to come too quickly. I had gotten lucky.

Without thinking about the situation, Eos began to scold me at a volume that was far above what I felt comfortable with. “Crimson! Why are you-!?”

“Shut up.” I commanded snappily through gritted teeth, throwing the alicorn off her stride. Taking another breather, I now spoke in a hushed tone. “Keep your volume down, don’t forget where we are.”

Realising her mistake, Eos now spoke in a similarly quiet volume. “Okay, fair point. Seriously though, did you just crash into that? Are you okay? Why weren’t you being more careful? Goddess, I wish I had teleportation right now. I’ve never had to pass by such a bright light with my magic before, especially not so closely to a light. I have no idea how this will go.”

Before I could protest, Eos went invisible. The next thing I knew, her hooves wrapped around me and pulled me from the scaffolding as I let go, slowly floating us down to the next platform below. It was small, too small for the both of us to stand on individually, though huddling into her chest provided barely enough for the both of us.

“What happened? I didn’t think the lights were on a moment ago.”

“That’s because they weren’t on before. They turned on at the very last moment, blinding me, and that’s what caused me to crash. I would’ve been fine if it wasn’t for those damn lights.”

With an inquistive humming, Eos looked up at the lights and then around at the ground. “Do you think they turned on because of you? I don’t see anyone reacting to it, so I’d hope not.”

“I don’t think it would be.” I countered, looking at my PipBuck to see what the tracking map said about Cherry’s location. Staring at the screen, none of the tracking features wanted to work. Whether it was because of the crash or for some other reason, the locational tracking feature was scrambled and unreadable. Looking at the time, I noticed it had just passed the hour.

“Well… I think I’ve potentially figured out the lights.” I muttered. Knowing Eos would ask, I continued to explain. “It’s just gone past ten. Would line up perfectly with when the lights turned on. Maybe I’m right, maybe I’m wrong. It would be interesting to check tomorrow night just to see if I’m right about that. Would come in handy to know.”

“Agreed. That’s a sensible idea. The more we know for certain, the better we can plan on how to deal with this.”

After a moment longer of recuperating from my new injury, I climbed onto the railing of the platform. “I’m going down further. The choice is yours on whether you stay up here and keep a lookout for me or follow me, just remember to keep your distance and stay out of sight if you chose the latter.”

“I’d rather be closer to you than up here all alone.” Eos announced, her voice betraying any guise of bravery. “I know it might seem safer up here, but I feel safer when I’m near you. Besides, I can hardly help you whatsoever up here.”

Smiling at her, the urge to plant a kiss on her nose grew inside until I remembered why we were here. Instead, I just continued to smile and dived down, corkscrewing around the tower as I began my descent. Though it made me feel slightly dizzy to go in circles, I took notice of the buildings and patrolling soldiers as I came to the rooftops. Fluttering my wings seconds before touchdown, I made sure to put as little weight into my steps as I could.
Making noise on the ceilings would be one of the quickest ways to be caught out, though finding a weak spot and falling through the ceiling would be even worse.

From where I stood, I now realised that I had to be even more careful than before. Now the lights had been turned on, the immediate vicinity was still left in darkness for the large part, but the buildings that stood apart from this central block were more lit up. The saving grace was that the lights weren’t all functioning properly, leaving gaps of darkness along the routes.

Peering over the edge of the building, I noticed a guard down below and my eyes shot wide as I realised how lucky I was that he hadn’t heard me above. Gently placing myself onto the roof fully to avoid any more sounds of my wings fluttering, I had to have faith that the buildings here would hold true and not collapse under my weight.

“Yo, why are we doing this again?” One voice called out from the distance, revealing his location to me and his friends.

“To make sure we’re prepared for something that isn’t ever going to happen.” The pony below me called back in response, the words dripping with chagrin. “I mean, what a waste of our time. Still, if we hadn’t followed your plan, we wouldn’t have been put on this night watch duty.”

“My plan? Fuck you. That was Xith’s plan! I didn’t tell him to do it.”

“Yeah, but you’re the one who convinced me and Ol’ Grunter to join in with you, so its as good as your plan. Point is, we’re on this shit show of a job, but at least we aren’t cleaning toilets like that Xumeh. Would you rather be cleaning toilets with Xumeh? No? I thought not. Count yourself lucky. He didn’t even do half the shit we tried to pull.”

Watching the guard trot along on his way, I let out my breath as slowly as I could manage as he passed by to avoid making any noise. At least this gave me some indication that there was no less than four on patrol. Would there be more? I couldn’t tell, but at least I knew to account for a minimum of four.

Scanning around for any other signs of movement, I couldn’t see much of anything. With as much as the floodlights lit up some areas up ahead, this was one place where it had no effect whatsoever. If I couldn’t see much of anything despite being a pegasus and having naturally superior eyesight, nor would they be able to. It was almost impossible for me to see them at a distance, so for them to see me would be especially difficult what with my natural affinity for hiding in the dark.

Hovering off the side of the building, I looked into one of the windows just below, trying to make out any details that would help guide me. Instead, I was greeted with nothing more than an empty room filled with old terminals. I guess it made sense that if this was where the broadcasting antenna was, it would also be where the broadcasting equipment was too.

Sticking up on the rooftops was going to do me no good. I wasn’t able to get a reliable look into the buildings from the angle I could see through the windows and would only go to silhouette myself against the light grey walls if anyone did look at me. I had to get to ground level. The risk of running into a guard was surely less than the amount of noise walking on ceilings was causing.

Climbing down from the building and touching the ground, I heard Eos land on the roof above with less grace than I had done so myself, though the guard didn’t make any noise to indicate noticing the sound. Looking up at her as she poked her face out from above, I went to speak but quickly remembered not to. Instead, I thought my messages as loudly as I could in my mind hoping she would hear.

‘Stay up there for now, Eos. Don’t come down. I know there’s at least four guards from what one said to another. They were in earshot of one another, so just keep watch over me, okay?’

I didn’t hear anything in return, though I felt confident that Eos had heard that. The fact that she remained where she was and didn’t say a word was plenty for me. Creeping around the corner, I was as careful as possible to keep an eye out for anypony on patrol. From the sound of it, at least one was a zebra, so noticing them would be harder, but not impossible.

With every step I took, the crunching of twigs and clattering of small pebbles underhoof was unbearably loud to my ears. I knew that it wasn’t that loud in reality, but with how alert I had become, I could even hear the sound of my own blood rushing through my head.
Despite noticing the sound of every breath and movement I took, I had to be careful to not get jumpy at the sound of my own body. If I didn’t want to get caught I would have to be exceptionally quiet, but getting jumpy over nothing was just as dangerous. Getting caught right now was not an option, under any circumstances.

“Fucking hell.” A voice lazily called out somewhere behind me, making me jump into the air instinctively as my heart raced from the shock. “I can’t fucking believe how boring this is. I should have never thought that getting some extra fucking pudding would be worth the risk.”

Swiping through the air over to the unlit building next to me, I found a crevice to hide at in order to assess how close the guard truly was. Holding my breath and releasing it in a slow, controlled fashion as I had before, I managed to calm down as I realised that the guard hadn’t even the slightest clue I was there at all. Noticing he was headed in my direction, I froze my whole body in response, not knowing what to do.

With every step he took, my mind was becoming overwhelmed with a million fears of how he would notice me and what would happen. I could begin to hear his breathing, even begin to smell the musk of his body. Even though he wore nor used any light, I still felt terrified that he would see me.
Watching precariously as he walked by, he didn’t even look towards me at all. Instead, he continued as he was, uncaring about his environment, continuing his route.

Closing my eyes, I could feel the physical rush of relief as I heard him move on out of the way, leaving me alone and back out of danger. That was too fucking close, and my heart made me fully aware of how it wasn’t something I wanted to risk again. If I could go without experiencing that in my lifetime ever again, it would still be too soon.

Looking up at my ‘guardian’ above, I shot her a look of disdain. Her response was silent but sullen.
Realising that she wasn’t capable of sending me messages like Helios could, I knew that there had to be something else she could do for me.
‘If you’re not going to be capable of warning me that I need to move sooner, you would provide more use by going back up to the light fixtures and cutting one or two of the lights out. Watch my progress and make sure to kill the lights as and when needed’

Without saying a word she nodded and began climbing back up to the top of the framework, presumably to do as I had asked.

Having her next to me hadn’t provided any benefit previously, but as soon as she was gone, I felt a chill down my spine and felt even less secure in what I was doing than before. She would no longer be able to save me from a tight situation with her invisibility, but I knew it had to be done. There was no point in backing out of this now, I needed to know where Cherry was, and the lights were in my way. One way or another, I would find out what I needed to know.

Looking out from my crevice in a cautious manner, the coast was clear. Using the opportunity given to me, I climbed back onto a roof and out of potentially direct line of sight of the patrolling guards. I still wasn’t perfectly hidden as any guards strolling around in the higher floors of interior buildings could potentially spot me with ease, though I at least felt a lot safer in the theory that they wouldn’t be looking out of the windows well enough to spot me without a good reason to do so. It was a gamble, sure, but it was a safer bet than staying on ground level.

Looking at all of the buildings around me, there was a lot. Too many. If Selene had been here I would have considered asking her to teleport me around from building to building, quickly scout them out and then teleport me out, but that wasn’t an option and I couldn’t risk asking any of the trio to actually go inside of the complex. Having Eos here at all was almost too much danger already, I couldn’t risk more. As those thoughts swirled in my mind, guilt overwhelmed me as I thought about just how dangerous and selfish this was of me to ask Eos to come with me to begin with. This should have been me and only me. Nopony else should have to risk their life for this, for me.

As one of the lights from above flickered off before turning back on, and then turned off entirely, I was reminded that no matter how I felt it was a mistake to risk anyone else for my mission, now was not the time to let it overwhelm me. The fact was that Eos was here to help, and she was out of the danger zone.

Looking back at my PipBuck, the tracker function was useless, same as it was before. The area being scrambled left me completely blind and Cherry’s marker was jumping all around the screen. There was no hope in using that to find her… though the broadcaster! Of course! If I could by any amount of luck get even the smallest of hints from her through the broadcaster, I could find her!

Getting low down to the roof, I cleared my mind and listened to the sound of my surroundings first. If I was going to even try to risk this, I had to know that nobody was around to hear it. Hearing the sounds of movement and muffled talking below me, I realised that the roof I was on was just as bad as any other. Thinking of what I could do to avoid being caught, I quickly remembered that there was the small platform far enough up that should provide ample distance away from unwanted listeners.

Getting back up to the platform, I once more looked at my PipBuck and tried contacting Cherry. This was later than her usual deadline and there was no way of knowing what would happen, if she would even respond or how she would act if she did – but I had no choice – I needed the information only she could provide, and I needed it now. There was no guarantee that tomorrow night would be as quiet in terms of how many soldiers would be roaming around the base, I had to be successful.

The buzzing sound of the PipBuck trying to make a connection put me on edge as I knew it would risk putting her in danger too, though there was no other way to do this. Seconds passed with my heart beating faster as I waited, wondering what response I would get, though finally I heard a familiar click sound and sighed in relief.

Without pause, a very hushed and scolding spat at me. “What do you think you’re doing, contacting me at this time of night, Limoncello?”

For a moment I wondered why she would be calling me by her sisters name, though with no time to ask questions or care, I just shrugged it off. Rushing to get my words out as quickly as possible, I didn’t even breathe as I spoke. “Look, quick quick, I need your answer. Are you wearing earbuds?”

Cherry wasted no time in her response, obviously nervous of the situation herself. “Yes.”

“I’m at the tall tower in the base. I need directions to find you.”

The confusion in her voice was palatable, the noise of her bed rustling as she moved “W-what?”

“Directions. Now.”

“Wait, he seriously kicked you out at this time of night?” Cherry murmured, playing along with her own cover. “Okay, okay. Uh, let me just…” Another pause. The sounds of her getting out of the bed entirely and going through a doorway was evident past the rest of the silence. I could even hear the snoring of others with how quiet everything was. A moment later and more hoofsteps, Cherry spoke once more. “Okay, Limon. You might as well be at the bunker. I don’t really know the bunker well… tell ya what. From the train tracks, you want to head to tank and then almost as if you were going to Angel by a short distance. I know you’ve not been around in years, so my house is the ‘L’ shaped one with two floors, remember? I know you’ve not visited in years, but you’ll recognise it when you see it. It has that locked up storage hut just to the left of it as you approach, you know the one. I’m sure you’ll find the spare key to my place, just look to the blue box. Feel free to let yourself in. Now if you’ll excuse me, you waking me up really does make me need the little mares room.”

That was it. The broadcaster cut off without warning, without any more explanation. Swearing under my breath, Cherry had been anything but helpful. Fuck! How the fuck was I meant to figure out what she was on about? Train tracks? Tank? Looking back at where I had come from, I saw no train tracks and hadn’t seen anything of the sort anywhere at all around Coltchester, which didn’t make sense at all anyway.

What could she have meant by all of that? You might as well be at the bunker? Tank? ...wait. Of course! The bunker was Stable Fifty-Eight! I was at the Stable… in the middle of the zone! The walled in area!

Suddenly everything clicked in my mind. When we had left Four Ridges, we had made our way along railroad tracks after climbing down the mountain path! Looking to the south-east, I saw lots of carriages that didn’t sit on tracks, but their rough location matched her guidance. Eyeing up the path she had told me about, I could see what she meant now. There was a large, multi-level ‘L’ shaped building that connected onto others, but was distinctly ‘L’ shaped in itself.

There was just one trouble… the area was well lit. The carriages themselves were doused in overwhelming flood lights whilst the other nearby building Cherry had told me about seemed to have a lot of lights concentrated around its entrance. What was in that smaller building? The extra fences around it told me that it had to be significant… I had to find out what that was too, but doing so would add even more risk. Still, a part of me was dying to know why it had that added security. I just hoped it would be worth the risk.

Looking up to the skies, the clouds seemed to be thin and there was more than enough moonlight shining through that flying directly over would make me too visible even if the lights were killed. Despite wanting to change my plan after having almost being caught the once, it was clear that I indeed had no choice but to do the journey by hoof. Realising that my companion above would need to be ready knock out some lights to cover my tracks, I began climbing up the tower to just below the lights where I finally caught her attention.

“Eos, I need you to cover my ass as I move over to the highway over that way. I can’t risk flying so you’ll need to keep a keen eye on me and cover me from up here by taking out the lights as I move along the ground. Do you see where I mean?”

“I can’t see any highway.” Eos called back, leaving me agitated with her response. “Wait. Oh, of course. I see now. You’ve got it. Just… stay safe, darling. I won’t be able to physically protect you, but I can absolutely do that. Just make sure to avoid the light and wait for me to take them out. Some of these cables seem quite stiff, and I’ll have to reconnect one or two so nopony gets too suspicious, okay? The last thing we need is for someone to come checking.”

Realising she had a good point, I nodded. “You’re right, we can’t risk them looking up here and finding out you’re messing around with the equipment. Do as you need to, just don’t do it when I’m right in the middle of the lighting zone or I’m as good as dead.”

Dropping back down, I was aware of what I had just said being very extreme and there was no doubt she would appreciate the pressure I had just put on her, but there was no other way. I had to be strict about the matter. Any fuck up from either of us would almost certainly cost me my life, whether it was immediate or through getting captured myself.

Reaching the roof, now was the time to take another glance out at who was where, and try to guess where they might go next.

Looking at the area, I quickly mapped the route to my destination with a couple of places where I could choose to go multiple directions if necessary. The routes that were taken by the guards seemed to favour scanning the outer perimeter of the immediate complex, though with the other complexes to also consider, I could only assume there was more guards patrolling those too. There almost undoubtedly would be, and whether these guards would swap zones to patrol, let alone meet in the middle and cover each others backs on patrol, was the sticky part of the situation.

Spreading my wings out, it was time to move as silently as possible.
Getting around the first building was easy. No windows watched over me and no guard had come close since the previous encounter. Twitching my ears to try and pinpoint any sound of movement around me, I couldn’t hear anything. So far, so good.

Poking my head around the next corner, I saw my first challenge. A guard across from me, looking the other direction. Scanning for any cover, there was two options. The safest option was to hide behind the dumpster, though the low wall would allow me to crawl closer to my objective. With only a heartbeat to decide, I threw myself at the low wall and began shuffling forward as silently as possible, hoping to reduce the distance as much as possible as quick as I could. There was no telling how long the guard would stay at his spot, or if he would even move at all.

Approaching the next corner where the low wall turned, I began to hear the noise of movement to my left. Pulling my wings as close to my body as I could, I barely poked my head over the wall enough to see what was going on. The guard that had been looking away was now moving to where I had previously been.

Scrambling to the corner and checking if the coast was clear with my eyes before my ears could even adjust, I noticed the risk had paid off and there was something dark to hide beside. Getting into cover, I watched as the guard walked over to the dumpster where I had considered hiding… and took a piss up the side of it.

Well, I’m unbelievably glad I didn’t choose that option now!

Moving on, now the guard was pre-occupied I could make my way to the next spot. Crawling along the floor I couldn’t help but notice just how dirty I was getting already, but that was hardly a price to pay compared to getting caught, much less pissed all over. Looking into the next zone, it was way too well lit from above to cross without getting noticed – guard or not. Quickly checking the windows around me to see if it would be safe enough, I climbed onto the nearest rooftop. I flashed my wings several times, hoping Eos would notice and understand the signal.

It worked. The area ahead of me plunged into a darkness a few seconds later, only barely scratched by the odd building interior light and a couple of external lights that provided no use whatsoever. Those few lights were nothing of concern to me now, I could make it past those without fear. The darkness was my ally.

Taking one step towards the edge of the roof to plan my next movement, I heard a new voice, causing me to panic once more. “Awh what the fuckin’ hell was that?” The anger in it was extremely alarming, sending my mind back to full alert.

Dropping to my belly, I froze on the spot, quietly preparing myself to evade and escape by any means necessary. I couldn’t let them get me.

“Fuckin’ lights. Always fuckin’ goin. Awwwh fuck me, I hate patrolling in the dark.”

Phew, just complaining about the lights.
Still, paying attention to the direction of the voice, that wasn’t the guard who had been pissing over at the dumpster unless his route had followed my path. Looking back to where I had been, he wasn’t there any more, though a quick search revealed he had returned to where he was standing prior, scuffing his hoof on the floor.

Calling out in annoyance, the guard below me bellowed his words. “Hey, Grunter, what’s your bet on how long it’ll take for them to fix that fuckin’ light fixture? I don’t want my whole fuckin’ week of this shit to be in the fuckin’ dark. Fuck this, oh, did I remind you that I fucking hate this shit!”

“Watch your fuckin’ language.” Another voice called out ahead of us, being helpful enough to give me the warning. “And who fuckin’ knows. Could be tomorrow, could be all week. Hades, it could be for the rest of time given that nobody wants to grow wings to get up there just to change a bulb.”

With that, the conversation died out, returning me to a state of darkness and with a lack of precise situational awareness for where was dangerous or not. The sound of movement below did give me a small benefit, but it didn’t seem like the guard was doing much other than mulling around. Now I was the one getting annoyed. I needed him to move. I needed him to speak. I needed him to do anything other than just stay in the one spot below me. I needed an opening.

Peeking over the edge to see what was going on, the stallion below me had just decided to sit down, hunched over with his face to the corner and with something in his hooves. Realising that his attention was lost in whatever it was that he had, I knew now was the time to move. Getting down to the ground would be too dangerous this time, I had to fly over to my next spot… but where?

The next spot I had wanted to go to before was now presumably guarded by ‘Grunter’, and going by hoof wasn’t an option. Flying directly to that spot would mean that Grunter would undoubtedly notice me one way or another… looking around, there was another building I could use to get around with. The area next to it was well lit, but if I could just get there, I could plan my next move.

Taking to the sky and using as little wingpower as I could scrape by with, I flew low and slow at first, desperately hoping to avoid gaining any attention. Passing over all of the agility course, the childish part of me almost wanted to go down to it and complete it just to show off, but that thought quickly left my mind, even as my smirk remained. I could totally ace that and beat the best time.

Landing on my next roof, I had to be extremely careful. A watchtower had excellent view of me here and the fact that there was a pony actually inside of it working the spotlight that overlooked the opposite direction didn’t fill me with any sense of confidence either. It would only take a split second of inattention to their job to turn around and spot me.
Knowing this, I dropped down to the ground almost immediately and slipped between the building in a small alleyway.

“Wha- what was that?” A voice called out, freezing my blood for the third time tonight.

Spinning around on the spot, I saw him. A young zebra who looked beyond tired with the way he stood uneasy. Without even a split second of thinking about it, my hooves were around his neck and pulling, squeezing, and dragging him further into the darkness. The gargling noise that followed as the zebra tried his best to fight back quickly died out, his limbs going from already weak to completely limp.

Knowing that this could be a ploy, I continued with my hold for a few seconds more, ensuring that it wasn’t just a ploy. Dragging him even further back out of sight, I gently placed him on the ground and checked for a pulse. Weak, but noticeable. Still breathing too. Good. I wasn’t trying to kill the colt, that would mean a lot more trouble than it was worth and put the guards or even the whole base on high alert if somepony found him. He just needed to be out of action for at least a while.

With the speed that the blood was pumping through my body, I could feel my muscles twitch and felt more powerful than usual. Looking at my hooves and contemplating what I had just done, I was completely amazed that I had managed to pull that off. I wasn’t the strongest of ponies, though I suppose the element of surprise and how tired the buck was didn’t help him either. I couldn’t risk doing it again however, that was for sure. Still, I couldn’t deny the rush of adrenaline pulling that off had given me.

After leaning him up against a wall to both make him look like he was sleeping on the job and pulling his face forward to ensure he wouldn’t die from choking on anything, I kept on moving. Enemy or not, I didn’t want him to die like that. That was a pathetic way to go, and even reading about the cases of it happening in that medical journal shocked me too much to forget. If I was to kill somepony, I wanted it to be more dignified than that.

Sneaking out of the alleyway and looking around, there was no threat in sight to worry about. I just needed to make it to the next section and I’d be home free. The only trouble was the absolute lack of any kind of cover to hide behind or blend in with. The only piece of cover I could even begin to use was my next spot entirely; some sort of wooden stage in the middle of a field.

Looking at the stage, I saw the distinct similarities to the hanging post I had encountered before, though this didn’t have the exact same look. No, with some drapes around the sides and a clear audience view, it looked closer to something of a theatre like the one in the Stable – not as pretty nor as large, but its purpose was certain to me now. In truth, it didn’t matter what its use was to anyone else; I was going to use it as cover, if I could just get over to it…

Two choices. Take it slow and silent, hope that staying low to the ground would mean that I wouldn’t be as visible to anyone at a mere glance – but I would be vulnerable to anyone who looked intently in my direction.
Or, go fast and heavy. Running with the help of my wings in order to not exhaust what dwindling energy I had left in me.

Trying to make up my mind on the matter, I then noticed that there was a wandering light gradually making its way over from in front. The rest of the field was dark but this intruder had been smart enough to bring their own equaliser. Knowing the odds, it was too risky to go slow. My luck could only last for so long, and with every second that I prolonged the journey was another chance to be caught out.

Stretching my joints and preparing to gallop, I waited for the right moment. Just as the light turned slightly away for longer than a moment, I did my best to reach top speed with everything I had. The dirt kicking up under my hooves, the sound of gravel, my panting, none of it mattered. I had to get to my target. I had to get out of sight. Pushing through the strain I felt beginning to form in my legs and wings, there was no choice about stopping.

“Who goes there? You should be at your bunk!” The guards voice called from behind me, kicking me into overdrive. “Get back here!”

Pushing further, I jumped onto the stage and hid behind the drapes, ready to slide off of the other side at a moments notice. From the distance I could see the beam of light approaching, determined. The grunting and groaning from the voice told me it was an older stallion. Staying perfectly still, the creaking of the wooden stage told me that this guard had climbed up. Trying to slide under the drape, I now realised this part was a wall. I was trapped.

The sound of hooves got closer and closer, my heart threatening me yet again. If there was no escape from the back, I would have to make my way through the front of this guard. Preparing myself for the moment, I felt something wet drip onto my eye and my world turned red.

Not a second later the light was shining on my face, dazzling me and further driving in a sense of primal survival instinct. Just as the guard dropped the torch and gasped as if he had just seen a ghost, I lunged out as hard as I could, knocking the old stallion to the floor. Swiftly making my way over to him before I could even understand what I was doing myself, my hooves were smashing into his face with force that I couldn’t believe I was mustering. By the third hit, he was out cold. Perhaps even dead, I couldn’t tell. My body was too pumped up on fear and survival instincts to make out what was my own heartbeat from his.

Realising the amount of sound that whole ruckus must have made, I couldn’t stay here. I had to keep moving. Just keep moving. I was almost there.

Wiping my face clean and slinking out from the stage, I trotted around the building without being as careful as I could, perhaps too carelessly, but it didn’t matter now. Two of the guards were knocked out and I was practically where I needed to be.

Searching around I could see the well lit building that Cherry had made reference to, but seeing that there was three watchtowers with impeccable view of it, I decided against investigating. It had to be something of great importance though, with all the effort to secure it.
My mind wandered for a moment, trying to remember what Cherry had likened it to. ‘a locked up storage shed’, right?
Trying to make sense of it from that alone wasn’t enough, I’d have to forget about it for now.

Making my way around the side of the building I checked for any boxes whatsoever, finding nothing. Realising that a window could be likened to a box, I began looking from window to window looking for the blue room that she had mentioned. None of them looked that way. Not one! All of the windows I had looked in were large and showed off rows of beds with sleeping guards, and that was the opposite of what I wanted to gain the attention of.

Moving further around the building, I finally noticed a much smaller window at a height above the others. Using my wings I floated up to the slit and looked in. Blue! It was blue! Looking inside, it was filled with cubicles and wash basins. Realising it was a toilet made me feel like a bit of a pervert, though I had to be sure. She did say she was going to the little fillies room...

Giving a small tap on the window, one of the doors opened. There she was. My Cherry. My beautiful, gorgeous darling Cherry Sundae. My heart fluttered as a smile crossed my face, my soul warmed with the way she had peeked around the corner inquisitively checking out the noise... until she seemed horrified to see me.
Her jaw dropped and her lip stuttered in place as her eyes grew wider, a hoof gracefully making its way to cover her mouth, to hide her shock.

Shooting her a look of utter confusion, I shrugged my shoulders as if to ask what the reaction was for. I’d assumed she’d have been happy to see me! I was happy to see her! Frowning at the implication of her not wanting to see me, she quickly caught on and shook her head. Using a hoof, she gestured towards me before pointing at one of her eyes. Touching my left eye in response, I felt nothing odd. Her reaction of pointing at the other eye made me respond in kind. Pulling back my hoof, I now saw what she was horrified by; the blood. Of course, the bleeding.

Realising the cut must have been worse than I realised, I wiped my face more thoroughly and cleaned the mess from my face. Her relief seemed instant and the way she now smiled back at me with something so wonderful in her eyes was nothing short of magical. The overwhelming sensation of delight and love washed over me once more as just gazed at her for a moment longer.

Continuing the theme of not using words to communicate, she pointed at me again, and then herself, followed by making a flapping motion and pointing to the ceiling before giving an exaggerated shrug, as if asking a question. Piecing it together like a game of charades, I figured out she was asking if I was here to rescue her.

Shaking my head, I returned the gesture by waving my hooves to say no, followed by a series of motions in an attempt to imitate a clock before pointing at my PipBuck to make it clearer. There was no time to save her tonight. No time and not the right preparation.

Cherry sighed and nodded without any enthusiasm, seeming to accept the outcome. The only other thing I needed to know now was where she slept. Pointing at her before gesturing to rest my head, she then pointed to the next room along and pulling back, I saw a large window and more beds. At least now I knew where she was being kept, I could plan for this.

A sense of sadness filled me as I mouthed the words ‘I love you’ to her and she did the same in return. The fact I couldn’t rescue her tonight was breaking my heart, but that was just what I had to work with. I wasn’t ready, I wasn’t armed, and even more importantly, I could feel the last of my energy drain out of me with every flap of my wings. I couldn’t keep going for much longer.

Giving her a wave and blowing her a kiss, I watched her wave back before reaching out, kissing her imaginary catch, and sending it back to me. At least we could have that moment of intimacy, even if it wasn’t physical. With one more silent ‘I love you’, I finally watched as she walked away, through the door.

Collapsing down onto the ground, partly in exhaustion and partly to catch of a glimpse of her going to bed, I watched helplessly as she did just that. There was nothing I could for tonight, and I could only hope that nothing would change. This was Cherry’s fate for now, though I swore up and down I would rescue her soon.

Taking a few steps away, I couldn’t help but notice that the adrenaline was wearing off now. The extra sense of energy and awareness I’d felt before was leaving me, and now was the worst time for it. Shaking my head to imbue more awareness if nothing else, I began retracing my route back to Eos as stealthily as I could manage. Treading in the same spots as before, I could only hope that the two guards I had previously dealt with hadn’t been noticed as missing or replaced on guard duty.

Making my way past the stage, the older stallion was still there, still unconscious. Not even daring to go near him, I continued to creep along, desperate just to be out of the danger zone and back to the safety of Eos. I didn’t care to check if he was okay, nor to see if he had anything I could use. I just wanted to get out of here.

Crossing the field under the cover of darkness, I felt safe enough not having to check my rear or scan from side to side this time. Coming up to the buildings and turning the corner, my absolute worst fear had been realised. A group of guards were crowded around another at the entrance to the alleyway where I had left the young zebra. Most were quietly muttering to themselves, though I could hear somepony panting as they did whatever it was they were up to.

Whatever it was they were doing, I didn’t want to find out, but I had to use this moment as my chance to get past. Mustering all of the energy I could, I began running past, figuring it would be safer just to get past them as quickly as possible than to dawdle. All I needed to do now was get out, that was it.

Noticing the noise I made, I saw two of the guards turn their heads to see what was going on. Despite running away, I noticed the alarm on their faces as one of the voices cried out behind me, alerting the others to my presence. “Intruder! There’s the intruder!”

Snapping my focus to where I was going, this was no time to look back. No time to see if they were chasing me after all. In my heard, I heard the voice of my survival instinct. Do not look back. Just RUN!
With strength and energy reserves I didn’t even know I had, I bolted down the road as fast as possible, weaving behind anything and everything that would provide me even the smallest amount of cover. Looking to my side without turning my head, I saw another flashlight approaching at great speed. I had to get out of here.

Extending my wings and jumping with all of my might, I gained a small amount of height before taking off with true flight. It didn’t matter if I was seen now, all that mattered was getting to Eos and getting out.

“Where did they go?” One voice called.

“I could have sworn that they went this way!”

“After them!”

The voices were catching up. But my breath… I couldn’t keep it up. Closing my eyes and pushing as hard as my wings would let me, I tried my best… I tried and tried, but it was no good. All of that sudden burst of energy I had felt previously was running out even faster than I could realise. Catching a hoof on what must have been a log, I felt my face smash into the ground, causing me to roll to a halt. Opening my eyes was blinding light. After… all… that.
Letting go of my last breath, I had nothing left in me. The voices were getting closer... closer… closer… they weren’t on me yet, but it would only be seconds before they were.

“There they are! The intruder! Get him! He’s on the ground ahead! Get him whilst he’s down! Don’t let him escape!” One of the guards screamed, filling me with dread.

I expected bullets. I expected blood. I expected hooves to smash and grab me. I expected pain. There was still pain mind; the burning in my chest, the shame of being caught, the knowledge that I’d failed. Closing my eyes in acceptance, I just waited. There was no point in fighting it.

‘Get up!’ A voice whispered in my mind.
Opening my eyes and looking around, the guards hadn’t yet reached me… but there was no time. They’d be on me even with my best efforts.
‘Get up!’ the voice commanded again. Looking up, I saw nopony next to me. I didn’t recognise this voice as any other than my own, but I couldn’t… it wasn’t me. I’d given up.
‘GET UP!’ It now screamed.

Obeying the survival instinct that screamed at me,I began raising to my hooves shakily, I saw the guards stop in their tracks and stare at me before my face dropped back to the floor. “W-wait! No! It can’t be! You… you were caught! Hung! Dead! I saw it for myself!” One of the voices called.

Blood dripped from off of my face onto the ground below, and upon seeing it, something in me triggered. Looking up, the faces were filled with terror as my wings moved from limply hanging by my side to fully extended in a display of intimidation. I had nothing left in me, but for some reason I began to try and bluff having more of a fighting spirit. One stallion began to back pedal away, though another of his comrades did the opposite and began to charge.

Standing my ground, I froze as a new sensation overwhelmed me; I was floating, but I wasn’t flapping my wings. The floating quickly turned to resting on something physical, though I couldn’t see what it was. Noticing the scent and feeling the softness, I realised there was only one thing that it could be; Eos.

With a collective gasp and stutters from the group, one of them managed to speak as the others were dumbfounded. “W-what?! How the fuck is he doing that?”

“It’s a fucking ghost! A phantom!” Another cried.

Taking advantage of their confusion and fear with a bolt of energy emanating from her still invisible horn, Eos blasted a gap through the circle of ponies, knocking her target down to the ground with a meaty thud. As Eos stepped towards the floored pony, all of the others jumped back out of my way. Knowing this was our chance to escape, I growled at the others to keep them stunned and confused.

Keeping my wings spread out for effect, I gripped into Eos with all of the energy I had left as she leaped into the air with a great push, knocking over two more guards who moved back into our path before rising far above the pursuers and high into the night sky.

Once we were out of the thick of the chaos and out of eyesight, Eos’ invisibility wore off, leaving me to witness the alicorn panting with effort. Hovering in place, she regained her composure before turning her gaze to me.
“You almost got yourself killed there, mister.” Eos spat with disgust. “What in Equestria was you thinking?!”

“I…” I muttered, unable to really give any answer. Nuzzling my head into her neck, I started to break down in quiet tears of exhaustion. “I couldn’t...”

“You were reckless and stupid. You should have signalled me sooner if you were having trouble. I would have come down and rescued you before your life was at such great risk.” With that she let out a sigh. “Still, you’re alive. That’s what matters most.”

Looking down at the ground, we were already out of the base. I was amazed at how quickly she had managed to get us out of the danger zone, though that was no promise that there wouldn’t be risk on the journey home.

“I also have to add, you getting noticed will probably mean increased patrols now. Why would you let yourself get so sloppy on the way out?”

“I was already noticed before.” I countered sullenly. “Twice.”
Eos groaned at that, though I couldn’t care. Regardless of whether I had been caught, I wasn’t captured. She was right; I was alive still, and safe now that she was carrying me away, back home.

Muttering to herself in a low tone, Eos made her grievances almost inaudible, but just loud enough for me to make out. “Goddess help me, I’m gonna have to eat some rads after all this is over.”

*** *** ***

Being carried into the base was beginning to feel all too common for me, and I didn’t like it. As we approached the door, I slumped off from Eos’ back and tried to carry my own weight instead to retain some pride, though found it almost impossible. Noticing my struggle, Eos quickly picked me up with her magic and returned me back to laying across her body.

Motioning to Eos as we walked through the door, Titan spoke with true fondness. “Welcome back. I’ve been worried sick about you two.”

With what little energy I had left, I laughed. “The pair of us? I thought you disliked me for how many meds I eat up.”

Titan shook his head at that, bemused by my quip. Reaching out a hoof, he tapped me on the shoulder as he went to speak, though I didn’t even have it in me to flinch at his touch. “Crimson, you’re a fucking wildcard. Back in the days of the war, we could’ve used a pony like you in my squad. We had one, and he was the luckiest bastard, until he wasn’t. The reason I get annoyed is because you remind me of him, and the hurt it caused when his luck ran out. He was a pegasus too, thought that his ability to whisk around everywhere would always keep him safe.” For a moment he paused, falling to his rump as if remembering the old days. “Yeah… he was a good stallion. A true fighter. And you? Your plucky nature is just like his was. That’s why they love you, Crimson. The crowds always did love the plucky ones.”

“With all due respect,” Eos began before lowering her head, no doubt giving Titan a look. “Crimson is too tired for this right now, as am I. We appreciate you waiting up for us, but we’ve got to go to sleep. Wake me up in the morning, we’ll go to the rad pool together. As for now, I’m commandeering that last spare bedroom.”

“He has one set for him.” Titan stated dryly, not letting any hint of annoyance out, though something told me he felt it deep down.

“He won’t sleep in it. Let him have this. We’ll speak in the morning.” With that, Eos continued past Titan, not giving the conversation a chance to continue. Watching her travel through the hallways at this time of night so proficiently was oddly cathartic for me for some unknown reason.

Opening a door, I saw a double bed and not much else. It was obvious this room was the very last available one as there was no space for personal touches or even items, though it would do. Placing me into the bed, I expected her to tuck me in and say goodnight – but she didn’t.
Instead, she made sure I was comfortable before climbing onto the bed herself and wrapping her hooves around me.

“E-Eos?” I asked, uncertain of what was going on.

“Just relax darling.” She insisted. “I’m tired too. I just want to hold you close for tonight, to remember that you’re safe, my love. After saving your life earlier, I think you owe me this one personal pleasure, no?”

Turning my face to gaze upon her, the beauty that stared back at me was undeniable. With the press of her lips on my nose, I felt her grip tighten as she nuzzled in and cooed for me to sleep.
I couldn’t deny just how wonderful it felt to be in her hooves, and the way she pulled me in was a comfort I couldn’t get enough of. Closing my eyes, I granted her that one wish.

Author's Note

Well, this was something different for me. Although I've had stealthy moments in chapters before, I've never had an entire chapter dedicated to a stealth mission. I'm hoping that nothing was too repetitive or boring, and that I'm not overplaying any aspects that aren't enjoyable for you (or downplaying any aspects that should be enjoyable!). As always, feedback is always welcome and loved, and especially at times like this where I'm trying out something new and different!

As always, my love goes out to all of the readers and everyone who has supported me, no matter how long or short - I appreciate it all. Thank you.
(And again, to repeat myself, why not let me know what you thought of this? Whether you liked it or disliked it, I can only learn how to improve within the scope of this story if I know where to improve!)

Chapter 31: Guardian

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds

By Kippershy

Chapter Thirty: Guardian

‘We don’t know whose responsible for it – but – Princess Celestia asked that I help provide additional protection.’

With the sound of movement, groaning and grunts, I slowly came back to consciousness. Opening my eyes, I realised I wasn’t in my cell any more… the walls that had once surrounded me were now gone and instead replaced with rows of beds. Doing my best to hold in my reaction, I quickly calmed down as I remembered the deal. I was in the barracks. Of course I was. It was silly to still be feeling like this, I’d already woken up here before! And yet it still felt too surreal to believe, almost.

With a sweet softness to his voice, Honker grabbed my attention with a greeting. “Good morning, Cherry. You look dazed. Still not used to being here, huh?”

I couldn’t lie to the older donkey, he was too much of a sweetheart to try and hide the truth from. Picking myself up and sitting off the side of my bed to help myself acclimatise, I nodded my head at him. “Yeah. It just feels so odd for me.” Giving him a little smile, I brushed my mane out of my face and continued. “I’ll be fine though. It shouldn’t take too long for a tough mare like me to feel like she’s found her place again.”

Returning the smile, Honker’s attitude helped me feel a little less on edge. “That’s good to hear.”
For a moment I thought that would be the end of the conversation as the pair of us said nothing more, but then to my surprise, Honker asked another question. “So… who called you last night?”

Turning to look him dead in the eyes, I felt the cold grip of worry take a hold over me. He heard my conversation over the PipBuck? Putting a false smile of confidence back onto my face, I answered with as much normality as I could muster. “Y-you heard that? I’m sorry. I really didn’t know she would contact me, especially so late. It was my sister, Limoncello.”

With a nod, Honker made a grunt of confirmation. “Uh huh. What did she want?”

Crap. Please, Celestia, guide my words. Drawing a quick breath, I raced my words out as fast as I could. “Well that’s personal to her, I really shouldn-”

Cocking an eyebrow at me knowing he had me on the ropes, Honker now spoke with a sense of determination and cunning. “Cherry, lights out means no communications. Just tell me what it was and be honest about it and I won’t report you. I’m not a dick, but lets be kid ourselves, you’re new and helping you fall into line is our collective job.”

Being well aware that I was in a losing situation, I nodded limply. “Okay, okay. Well like I said, it was my sister, Limoncello. Her buckfriend kicked her out after an argument last night, in the middle of the night. I didn’t care to ask why, that isn’t important, what is important is that she gets to shelter and safety as quickly as possible. I was as brief as I could be with her and told her how to get to my place and get in. That was all. She has nobody else to turn to, I had to help.”

As if mulling over the words, Honker looked to a side as he rubbed his chin and pulled on the small beard he wore. After a moment of this, he finally nodded. “Okay, that makes sense with what I heard you saying. Fine. And I suppose you did scold her for contacting you to begin with… so ya know what kid, you’re fine. You did the right thing. Lights out may be lights out, but protecting your kin is just as important.”

“So you won’t report me?” I asked shyly, feeling like I often had as a filly when being told off at school.

Looking to the side and letting out a long sigh, Honker held onto his answer for a moment longer, making me even more worried until he finally responded. “Nope. I told you I wouldn’t report you if you were honest. I believe you. Just don’t let it happen again, because if you keep it up it’ll end up getting us all into trouble, and trouble is the last thing we need right now.”

Nodding my head in understanding, he was right. I couldn’t allow for such a slip up again. Blueheart was being exceptionally generous by having moved me to the barracks from the cells. He could have said no, and letting him down now would mean going back there and losing all privileges for certain. I couldn’t risk that. Something told me that my rescue would be soon, and now wasn’t the time to put all of that in jeopardy.

Cutting my thoughts in half and pulling me back into the world around me, Honker nudged my shoulder. “Come on then, young’un, time to go get some breakfast. Start the day right and all that.”

Getting off of the bed and trotting behind him, breakfast did indeed sound good, and the idea of doing watch duty on an empty stomach… not so good.

Walking through the hallways, I now took far more notice of every door and window without trying to make it obvious. Mapping out the interior in my mind, I would be ready for some daring escape made possible by my dashing stallion when he comes to rescue me.

Stepping through the last doorway into the lunch hall, I moved to wait in line for my portion of food just like everyone else, though something odd was the fact that the queue wasn’t moving. Looking around, I could see a lot of impatient and tired looking faces, getting visibly more annoyed the closer to the start of the line that they got.

After a couple more stragglers joined up behind us, Blueheart made himself visible to everyone by joining a zebra who had climbed onto a table. With not a stamp but the firm press of his hoof onto the table, a noise just loud enough was made and caught almost all eyes. With a cough to signal silence, Blueheart’s partner now finally spoke.

“Zebras, donkeys, ponies, one and all. It may or may not have come to your attention, though we would assume for most it has, that there is no food being served currently.”
One voice popped up with a ‘yeah!’, though this interruption was quickly silenced with a glare from the zebra. “This is because we have an important announcement and question to ask, and until this has been done and answered, there shall be no food served.”

Looking at the pair, I felt a strange pain in my stomach, though I knew it wasn’t hunger. As my chest began to feel tighter, I quickly came to recognise it as anxiety.

“This base, our home, our castle, came under assault last night – and despite this, so few were even aware what was happening. It is our suspicion that amongst us we have a traitor, as that is the only way that such an attack could have been pulled off. Our walls remain intact. Our gates were all firmly sealed and stand strong. Our towers reach to the skies and continue to look for outward threats – but yet we have experienced casualties after lights out, last night.”

My jaw slowly dropped as those words slipped through my ears. Casualties?! What were you doing, Crimson?!

“Two of our comrades died whilst on routine patrol around the premises. Another remains incapacitated in the infirmary, though his case looks promising that he will soon be healthy enough to resume his duties. The two casualties are identified as ‘Grunter’ and ‘Cobalt Blast’. Neither Grunter nor Cobalt were publicly known to be at odds with anyone. Several other individuals have been pulled aside and are being questioned about their whereabouts and doings as of last night. If anyone in this room has any knowledge of missing personnel from their respective rooms, now is the time to say so. On top of this, if anyone has seen anybody working on or otherwise possessing a magical energy weapon outside of when registered to them for peace keeping and other excursions, do make sure to announce this now, for we believe a magical energy weapon was used in the attack. As you all know, all weapons are to be returned to the armoury when not in use and we believe all were accounted for at the time of attack.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. A magical energy weapon? No… that wasn’t Crimson. Crimson hasn’t ever owned one of those and he wasn’t carrying one that I saw. If no Crimson, then who?

At first, the room stayed silent, with only mutterings from a couple of others muttering under their breath. Feeling uneasy, as if someone staring bullets into the side of my head, I turned to see Xumeh focused intently on me. As soon as our gazes met, he stood. “Her! It was her!”

Raising an eyebrow, the zebra in charge spoke. “Pardon? Who do you mean by ‘her’?”

“That red and pink pony! She’s the one involved! She-”

Stamping his hoof in distaste of the accusation, Honker protected me. “Was in her bunk at the barracks all night last night, with the only exception being when she went to the toilet. Her bed is opposite of mine and I had enough trouble sleeping last night that I would have heard if she was trying to get out of the room.”

At this point, Blueheart spoke up, intentionally booming his voice as much as he could manage – a complete shock for me coming from somepony who was normally so softly spoken.
“Xumy, you are known to have insubordinate tendencies, issues with ponies as a whole, and to top the list, tensions with Cherry in particular. If you have proof or corroboration of your stories, lets hear them, otherwise, you will keep your mouth shut and not attempt to cause disunity in the community.”

“I-” Xumeh began, before losing his spirit to argue. Perhaps it was the way that Blueheart had looked at him as he begun to speak, perhaps it was being called to provide evidence, it didn’t really matter either way though.

With Xumeh no longer making his baseless claims, there was no longer any pretenders of knowledge on the matter. The room sat in silence, much to the annoyance of the zebra in charge. Still, despite his visible agitation, his frown turned to a stern albeit neutral look of acceptance.

“So nobody knows anything?” Silence. Nobody answered. Nobody muttered. Not a thing. “Okay, but you are all of course still required to report anything you find out. You may now eat.”

Whilst the hungry part of me wanted to cheer for the thought of food, it seemed the mood was the same with everyone else around; sorrow over the news that yet more death had been brought to the wasteland. Even though I was a prisoner here, even I felt saddened by the news. These guards weren’t harassing the poor, not interfering with others – they were just doing a job and patrolling the base.

Thinking back to the fact that a magical energy weapon was used, this raised even more worries. I hadn’t seen any coalition soldiers wielding them, but not only did I now have reason to worry in future fights which would almost certainly happen, but another group too? Who else had access to weapons as rare as those? Not even Titan had any. Were they with Crimson, or chasing him? Would they pose a threat to us? Magical energy weapons were always horrifyingly effective, and the thought of going up against them sent a chill down my spine.

“Come on, move along!” A voice called from behind me before giving a tap on my rump. Looking back in anger, I wished I could’ve spat venom at the pony for touching me like he had. Instead of being apologetic, the pony continued to insist, disarming me with his words through my shock. “Look, I know the news is sad, but you’re holding up a whole queue here.”

Trotting forwards indignantly, I still didn’t appreciate him choosing to touch me where and how he had.

It wasn’t a long wait before the queue had ended for me and I had my food serving. Carrot and tomato soup with a touch of brahmin cream and a bottle of sparkle cola – I couldn’t deny that even if the cola wasn’t healthy, it was a fine breakfast to be given as a normal ration in order for working with the Coalition. I couldn’t complain about that! No wonder so many others supported the Coalition as much as they did; being on the ‘right’ side certainly had its benefits.

Making my way over to my usual table, it wasn’t long until Blueheart came along as he always did, sitting opposite of me and tilting his head at me like normal.

“Good-”

“Not really.” Blueheart interrupted. “Just morning. It’s never good to lose members.”

Grimacing and looking away shyly, he wasn’t wrong. I knew the feeling myself all too well; losing members of the team, whether you worked with them directly or not, it didn’t matter. It always soured the day to hear the news of another loss.

Pulling my attention back with his words, Blueheart spoke to me. “Come on. No need to pout, Cherry. I know you had no part in this… right?”

Snapping my head back to him, I looked him dead in the eyes as I spoke, adamant of every word I said. “Of course I didn’t. Even before I… worked for you, I’ve said for a long time that every loss of life is another loss for the wasteland to recover, another lost chance for a better world. Raiders are scum and I’ll do my job knowing I’m stopping them from causing even more death and pain, but the guards? No, I wouldn’t do that unless my life depended on it.”

“And you’re saying you weren’t out of your barrack room, that your life didn’t depend on it?”

“I used the adjacent toilets at one point in the night, that was it. Besides, if I could find my way out of my barracks, would I have returned? If I had intention to run away, wouldn’t I have done so on any of the days where you’ve not kept a tight leash on me?”

These words caused Blueheart to stop and visibly think about what I’d just said, running his hoof from his chin to his neck repeatedly. Finally after a few seconds passed, he nodded acceptingly, having analysed my point in his mind. “You make a good point. The truth is, your pass wouldn’t have given you permission to go through the gates other than when with me, but I would have been informed had you even tried.”

A part of me wanted to gasp and be shocked, but the truth of the matter was that I wasn’t shocked at all. I couldn’t even feign surprise. Blueheart looked at me expecting something different, and ironically it was his face which changed from calm to surprised and then back to calm as he realised that I wasn’t going to react.

“So, you’re not going to call me a liar for telling you that you have a pass?”

“Nope.” I began before taking another sip of my cola before continuing in order to buy myself time to think about my words further. “I wouldn’t have done any differently if it was the other way around. It’s only sensible.”

Nodding his head, Blueheart smiled at me before swallowing all of his own soup in one big effort. “Indeed. Well, don’t be too long. You’ve got a new role to do today, and we’ve got a long day ahead.”

“A new role?” I asked, now even worried than I had been when being questioned. “What do you mean?”

“Oh, don’t worry. I’m not asking anything… unsavoury of you.” With that, I let out a thankful sigh. Blueheart looked as if he wasn’t sure whether to be happy or offended by that, but continued on as if nothing had happened.
“When I say new role, you’ll be doing much of the same as you have been, but you’ll no longer be on the rooftop you have been up to now. No, now your job will be gate guard for the gate which was attacked two days ago. You’ll be put under the authority of another and taking their orders. They are of course, still under my orders, but I have other duties to attend to and I can’t hold your hoof.”

“You haven’t been around to hold my hoof as it is.” I countered quizzically. “And isn’t that gate still damaged? Is it really safe for me to be there?”

“You’ve got me, I haven’t been around much, but my point stands. Due to the damage done to that gate, your skills will be best put to use there and it is my decision to move you there. Of course, if you’d rather not work the gate, I can always escort you back to the cells. Otherwise, you will do as the Gate Captain asks of you.”

I wanted to groan, but something told me to hold it in. Catching the look in my eye, Blueheart stared at me with eyes as cold as steel before reaffirming his words slowly in a very harsh yet quiet tone. “Do you understand me, Cherry Sundae? Or would you rather the alternative?”

Speaking my words as if reciting from a pre-written speech, I felt like I was back in basic training at Tank. “Yes, I understand. I will do my job as asked, regardless of where the job takes me.”

Finishing up the last of my soup and cola, I stretched my legs as I got up from the seat and trotted right after Blueheart as he made his way slowly across the room.
Without turning his head to even make sure it was me, he spoke with confidence. “Good choice, Cherry. Good choice.”

*** *** ***

Getting out of the cart at the other side of our destination, I made sure to stay close to Blueheart. I knew exactly where we were going, but the last thing I needed was for him to become suspicious of me or believe I would be anything other than obedient. I couldn’t risk losing my privileges, I couldn’t go back to the cell. Getting fresh air was too important to me, but even more-so would be making sure Crimson could find me when the time comes. I had to follow orders, no matter what.

“Come on, Cherry. I’ll make sure you’re all set first.”

“Yes sir.” I responded politely, causing Blueheart to stop in his tracks and look at me with a mix of puzzlement and appreciation.

“Cherry?”

“Yes?” I asked, now confused as he looked at me with a smile, though his asking for my attention felt like the truth was still hidden from me.

“Please don’t feel that you have no choice but to be formal with me. I am indeed in charge, and I can’t deny that you addressing me in that way is respectful and appreciated, but I also respect your ability to feel comfortable. My word is law in this situation, but I’m no tyrant… as much as some might believe otherwise.”

Looking directly into his eyes, I didn’t really know how to feel about that. On one hoof, he had proven to some qualities of being a decent stallion. On the other? Walking in on him when I had and seeing the way he abused and went against the rules set out to him by those he used for his own pleasure… well… I didn’t know how I could want to be too comfortable with a stallion like that.

Following my gut, I addressed him as I saw fit; with a balanced mixture of indifference and a touch of sweetness as to not upset him. “Yes sir.”

For a moment his smile faltered, no doubt recognising that there was still something in my voice that held back, but as soon as he had noticed it was as soon as he seemingly shrugged it off and trotted off in the direction of the mall and towards the gate.
Wasting no time, I followed obediently, not wishing to upset him or ruin my reputation of compliance.

Going past all of the happy ponies who were obviously well fed and on their way to comfortable jobs was still odd in a surreal way to me. This could have been Four Ridges, albeit the landscape and buildings being different. The aura of safety beaming from their relaxed faces as they went about their business while just on the other side of a wall not that far away, life was a struggle.

It wasn’t long before we arrived at the gate. I hadn’t paid it any attention previously, but now looking at the engineering feat I was completely surprised by the scale. Instead of simply covering ‘just enough’ space to stop somepony from passing through, the framework stood tall, connecting from the top of one building to another in order to provide maximum support. The checkpoint itself was little more than two blocks utilising a mix of metal and wood framework with panes of glass wrapped around them. Judging by the cracks in the glass, there was no pretence of it being bulletproof. No, these were just for show rather than to actually protect the guards. Still, at least they could protect their guest from the rain, I supposed.

Drawn by the sounds of the repair ponies still busying themselves with their work, I looked up to see the effort to restore the gates integrity by hammering and welding whatever materials they could find to fill the gap that had been brought down in the latest attack. As it turned out, it seemed that the missile hadn’t hit the checkpoint itself, but rather the wall above it.

Approaching the crew running the gig, no words were shared between Blueheart and the Gate Captain, whose only indication was that he wore a blue cap rather than the red that Coalition soldiers tended to wear.

“So, you’re the new one he’s bringing me? Fine by me.”

I didn’t know how to feel about his demeanour. He wasn’t hostile, but he could have been a lot more welcoming. Still, a job was a job and he wasn’t being outright horrible. Doing my best to try and earn some trust, I bowed my head slightly and spoke “So, what would you like me to do, what’s my job?”

He smiled at that. A good sign. “Your first job is up to you, you can either sit up with the labourers, make sure they’re doing their jobs whilst also keeping an eye out on the horizon to ensure they at least have warning and time to get out of the way if another attack is coming, and obviously tell us too – or you can sit down here and ensure that everyone who comes in has the proper pass or pays their due. Don’t take too long in choosing though, you’ll do both jobs over the course of the day, so don’t stress out trying to pick.”

Thinking over my options, seeing the start of the day and dealing with the most impatient ponies who wanted to pass through didn’t sit well in my mind. How would I handle a stressful situation? Combat was something I could deal with as a matter of life and death, but trying to talk down an angry pony who wanted to pass was most certainly not my forte. Fumbling over my words, I finally spoke. “Well, truth be told, I’m more comfortable when I’m out of sight.”

“Up top then. Go make sure they’re actually doing their job and not just looking busy – and don’t forget that your primary role up there is to actually look out and keep us alerted to any danger. Fuck it up and we could all die, so don’t fuck it up, rookie.”

Rookie? It had been a long, long time since I had been a rookie.
Ignoring the smirk on his face, I looked back up to the platform that he now pointed to… fuck.
Taking a gulp, I suddenly didn’t feel so confident in my choice. The stairs up were little more than a ramshackle of planks and scaffolding, and the platform itself wasn’t any different. The idea of being up so high on something so reminiscent of what caused me to break my leg in the first place was horrifying.

Breaking me from my trance with a slight shove, the Gate Captain spoke with near hostility in his voice now. “Don’t waste time, get up there on the double. You’ve got your job.”

Turning my head around to see if Blueheart was still around to perhaps beg for help, he wasn’t there. He was long gone. Taking a deep breath and closing my eyes as I let it back out, I had to be brave. What were the chances I’d find another unstable platform in the wasteland that would actively try to kill me, or leave me severely wounded?
More than I wanted to admit to myself, that was for certain.

Taking the first step up the flight of stairs, I made sure to be extremely slow and cautious every time my hoof touched down, checking that the floor wouldn’t fall out from under me. With every step, I could feel the wobble, and my heart sunk to the floor that fell further and further away.

“I don’t like this I don’t like this I don’t like this I don’t like this.” I quietly muttered to myself, desperately trying my best not to close my eyes as I went up.

From behind me, the voice of the gate captain was now riddled with annoyance as he heckled me. This wasn’t good for my reputation with him. “Stop being a fucking filly about it. The workers got up there no problem, you’re safe enough!”

Breathing in deeply and swallowing my fear, I rushed the rest of the way as fast as I could muster. Board after board, stairway after stairway, the creaking sound grew louder with every one that I passed over. Making it to where the workers sat with their tools. Seeing the platform on top of the wall where the labourers were doing their work, I quickly found throwing myself onto what looked like slightly more solid ground just a little more than tempting. Finally feeling at least a touch more secure, I let out the breath and shut my eyes tightly as I praised Celestia and Luna both for not collapsing the scaffolding on my way up.

I expected a chuckle, or perhaps a comment along the lines of ‘scared of heights?’ - but no, there was nothing other than a grunt of indifference. The workers looked at me for a moment in silence before deciding that I wasn’t worth paying attention to for whatever reason and went back to their job of trying to repair the damage.

A part of me was upset by this, wondering if I really wasn’t important to them. Perhaps they were just that professional that it didn’t matter to them? Or perhaps they were that scared of being seen as slacking that they wouldn’t risk being friendly?
Feeling the burn in my horn, I opened up my eyes and looked back at my hooves before realising that through the sheer terror, I had been making myself invisible and hadn’t even noticed.

Releasing the spell, I saw the colour of my hooves come back to the world and now was when one of the workers jumped out of their fur. “WHAT THE FUCK?”

“What’s got you on- Oh fuck. When did she- I mean, I’m sorry miss, when did you get here?”

“Just now. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” I blurted as quickly as I could. “I didn’t even realise I was using my spell, I just… I just couldn’t stand those damn stairs you’ve got and…”

With a wave of the hoof from the braver one, it seemed like all would be fine. “It doesn’t matter. I take it you’re our lookout, right?”

Nodding my head, the knowledge of having a mission came back to mind and helped calm me down. At least I could relax by focusing on my job. “That’s correct. I’m here to help you two by telling you if we need to evacuate.”

“Good. I can’t deny that I was feeling a little bit sketchy up here before now. I don’t expect we will be attacked, but I don’t want to be the stallion that gets blown in two by another missile attack. We’ll focus on getting the structural integrity back to where it should be, you just make sure we don’t get turned to fertiliser, got it?”

Turned into fertiliser? That was a new one. The thought of it made my skin crawl.
“Got it.”

Finding a comfortable spot to lie down and set up wasn’t hard despite where we were, and I was thankful for that much at least. So long as I could keep watch, we’d be safe. That’s all I had to keep telling myself; ignore the height, forget the steps, just keep watch on the horizon and look for trouble coming our way. Simple.

“So, you mentioned a spell. What was that?” The other pony asked curiously. “I didn’t see you arrive.”

“That’s my spell. I can… hide well.” I loosely muttered, half not wanting to lose track of the pony I was already watching from afar and half not wanting to say too much.

“Yeah, but I mean I didn’t see you whatsoever. Its like you weren’t even there.”

Doing my best to avoid the conversation, I swished my tail dismissively as I spoke, hoping he’d catch the hint. “I don’t like to talk about it. Spoils the magic otherwise.”

“Okay, fine. But if you’re secretly some worshipper of those alicorns and have learned to use their black magic…”

“I’m sure she’s not, Bolter.” The other of my two companions piped up.

“Well, if she is, she’ll not want to read my mind! I’m going to think of mares non stop now just to keep her out of it!”

Bursting into laughter, the other pony seemed so amused he could hardly even continue his work. “Now you’re mistaking the situation. Nobody needs mind reading powers to see that mares are all you think about day and night.”

The proud pose that ‘Bolter’ gave was enough to seal the deal. Figuring that these two were no doubt every bit true as stallions were in their foalish humour, I knew what had to be done. As soon as his friend stopped laughing, I pretended to whisper loud enough for them to both hear me clearly. “Yeah, he really does have a nice ass, you’re right.”

Bolter’s friend burst into yet more laughter and grabbed me round the shoulders as he doubled over, unable to control himself as his friend stuttered on his words trying to defend his honour. “By the Princesses, you got him good. I like you, miss. I’m glad they sent someone with a sense of humour!”

Well, I may not have won over the gate captain straight away, but at least I won the respect of the workers up here.

*** *** ***

Some amount of time passed with the typical buck talk being pushed back and forth. I’d learned that Double Wrench was the master craftsman of the two and Bolter was his apprentice, though their ages weren’t that different.

A lot of ponies, zebras and donkeys had been passing around the horizon and coming towards the gate, and even though almost none of them were without weapons, there was no cause for alarm for the time being. Not a single soul had shown any aggressive intent and no missile launchers or other uncharacteristically heavy weapons were being carried.

Looking out on the horizon at the same sight was beginning to wear on me, even if the distant shores did tease promises of potential beauty. I wanted to go there and see it for myself, to see if my daydreams about how it might look would hold true.

Turning my gaze back to where it should have been, it didn’t take long to feel the same drumming boredom rolling through my mind. Staring at the groups so far away, there was one group who seemed to be coming from a different direction from the others. Watching the way they moved, I could feel the fur on the back of my neck begin to raise in anticipation. I couldn’t even tell why this group was bothering me so much, but something about it was troubling.

Was it the direction they’d come from? It was the direction of Slumside, but that meant they’d be able to come through the city itself. Something wasn’t right about this, but I couldn’t put my hoof on why.

Lifting myself off from the boards to loosen my joints, I turned my attention to the workers. “Double Wrench, Bolter, please tell me one of you has some kind of telescope. A viewfinder, measuring tool, unattached rifle scope.”

After a moment of pause, Bolter spun his head around as if only now realising I was speaking to him despite having said his name. “You want what?” Bolter asked with worry. “You think we carry rifles with us?”

“No, no, no!” I blurted, rushing my words from the anxiety of the situation unfolding. “I need a scope. A telescope of any sort. I just need to see better.”

“Don’t you have your own? We don’t have one. We don’t need it.”

Crap! Looking back onto the horizon, the group was definitely getting closer, but due to what looked like cloaks, I couldn’t make out what they really looked like, or if they were carrying any heavy weaponry even. If I just had those damned binoculars from Blueheart still. Why did he not give them to me this time?

Realising there was no more time to fret about the situation, I stomped my hoof to gain the attention of the two workers. “We need to get down from here.”

Double Wrench looked at me for a moment with apathy in his eyes, slowly rolling his words from his tongue as if he really didn’t care for an answer but would ask anyway. “And why would we do that?”

“Th-”

With the beginning of my sentence, Bolter interrupted me with a dismissive tone. “We’re almost done here. Do you really need us to be out of here? What for?”

“Because I don’t feel safe!” I blurted, trying to make my point to the oddly calm pair.

“So?” Bolter rudely interjected. “That’s the wasteland for you.”

Flustered by their attitude, I could hardly speak up at all. Mustering all of the charm I had, I tried to convince them of my concern. “No, I mean-”

Giving a small chuckle as he got back to work, Double Wrench completely ignored my warning. “He’s not wrong.”

Stomping my hoof again in irritation of being ignored and interrupted, the idea of hitting one of them quickly grew in my mind. Raising my voice to almost screaming levels, I gave them no choice but to listen. “It’s my job to keep you two idiots safe! I’m telling you, I really, really don’t like the look of an incoming group. If you wanna be up here and they attack, that’s your call, but I’m getting down from here!”

That was what it took to make them do so. After all of my attempts, they finally listened to what I had to say, and though I wasn’t pleased that they’d ignored me for so long, that didn’t really matter. Making my way down the rickety stairways.

Squealing in fright as the steps creaked, I couldn’t stop myself. “W-why did you have to use such loud, creaky, unstable scaffolding?!”

“It’s all we had!” Bolter replied, snapping his words whilst making his way down right behind me. “And do move faster. I don’t want to be up here if we get attacked.”

“Nor do I!” I barked back. “But I… I…” I wanted to tell them I was moving as fast as I could, but looking down to the ground and seeing just how far we still had to go, my throat clenched shut and dried up with pure fear at the thought of falling off. Now was no time to become incompetent, and yet here I was, unable to make use of my own hooves.

As quick as lightning, my rump hit the floor before my forehooves covered my eyes. Tears instinctively began to fall as my mind played visions of me falling to my death over and over. All attempts at opening my eyes were useless, the fear of seeing my impending doom was just too much to handle.

“Come on! Get – oh.” A voice called from behind me, initially angry before changing to a much more compassionate tone. The warmth of somepony’s hooves wrapped around me and pulled me into the fluff of their chest as soft and soothing cooing gently worked its way into my ears. “It’s okay, you’re okay. I got you. Come on now, you can do this.”

My breathing didn’t slow down, the hiccups and tears didn’t stop, but for a moment, I opened up my eyes to see Double Wrench looking down at me like a father would at his filly who was scared by a spider in the corner of the room. As soon as he noticed my open eyes, he smiled in response. “You’ll be safe, I promise. Not much further to go. The stairs may not be as solid as normal ones, but I promise you’ll be safe, okay?”

Looking at the stallion with teary eyes, I couldn’t pay attention to anything other than the way my heart beat so hard that I was certain even he could feel it beating against his chest. The way he pulled me closer in response made me close my eyes instinctively as I took a deep breath and tried to fight my fears. I wanted to be braver, I wasn’t some little filly, yet here I was sobbing into the chest of a stallion I’d only just met.

With an air of understanding and gentle cooing, Double Wrench smiled at me as he spoke, his attempt to calm me down working with every gesture. “It’s okay, miss. I promise you’re safe. Do you want me to go down first so I can catch you if you do fall?”

Sniffling once or twice more, I finally managed to get a long, slow, uninterrupted breath through to my lungs as I wiped away the tears. Looking at Double Wrench, I could tell he was being genuine and would do his best, unlike Bolter. It was quite apparently that he was already much further along to the bottom than us, judging by the sound of his hooves clanging on the wooden boards and metal steps.

Nodding my head, I allowed Double Wrench to pass by me and waited nervously as he made his way down, desperately hoping that my trust wouldn’t be betrayed. The waiting was almost as bad as hearing the creaky steps moan and whine as the stallion passed over them. As soon as he reached the bottom, he turned around and smiled at me, waving me on closer towards him.

Closing my eyes and taking one more deep breath, I prepared myself for the first step, tenderly pressing my weight onto the stairs, and made the leap of faith with the next step. One by one, I slowly made my way along, my fear increasing with every passing second – and yet I also felt safer as I came to the point where I knew Double Wrench really could catch me. Making the last few steps remaining on that first set of stairs, I couldn’t help but feel proud of myself for making it past them. Rushing past the last two strides, I felt myself practically jump into his hooves as he smiled at me once more.

“Well done! See, they aren’t as scary as they seem, are they?”

“They are.” I disagreed whilst pouting and looking back, away from Double Wrench. “After my experiences with rickety walkways and falls, they’re every bit as scary as they can be. I’ve narrowly avoided dying twice, I can’t risk getting lucky a third time.”

Why was I telling this stallion my life story? I couldn’t explain it even to myself, but something felt right in opening up about this. It didn’t matter, he didn’t care, not really. All that mattered was getting down from here, back to safety. Safety… the reason we were even climbing down at all. With that thought in my mind, I realised I had to be brave and get down before things could start blowing up… literally.

Looking to Double Wrench, I had no option now but to trust that he was right. Wiping away my own tears and nodding my head, I gave him confirmation that I was ready to carry on.

With a smile sliding back onto his face, he shot me a look of appreciation. “Lets go then. Not much further down to go, I promise.” With that he waved his hoof in a way to encourage me to follow before making his way further down the deathtrap.

Taking another gulp and swallowing my fear, I followed him, trying not to think about what could go wrong any more. I had once told Crimson that it wasn’t the problems that made or break us, it was how we dealt with them that mattered… and now I had to be brave and deal with my problem, my fear, my terror… I just had to be brave… for Crimson, for Limoncello, for myself.

Keeping the thoughts of the ones I loved so dearly in mind, I followed Double Wrench with a new conviction. I would make it to safe ground and report my worries to the Gate Captain below, and we’d take whatever action was necessary.

Letting go of what fear I had left lingering in my mind, clouding my judgement, I found a new sense of clarity and confidence as I followed Double Wrench down the last set of stairs. With every step, I felt more secure, knowing I was getting closer to the bottom, closer to solid ground.

With the energy of a newborn foal, I jumped from the last step with absolute glee before spinning in circles, overwhelmed with glee from overcoming my fear. Grabbing Double Wrench and pulling him in for a tight hug, I was too happy to just be safe. “I’m down! I’m down on safest ground! Oh Princesses thank you!”

“No worries, miss. Happy to have helped.”

With a stamp that could have sundered the skies themselves, my blood ran cold as the Gate Captain made his presence behind me painfully obvious. His breath catching the back of my neck and making me shiver. “So, you’ve got something to report? Stop acting like a filly and spit it out.”

Turning on the spot instantly, I looked at him and began to stutter in shock. I wanted to speak, but my mind went numb. “I… I...”

“Pull yourself together and spit out your words, observer. What did you see to bring you down here early? If it’s anything short of-”

“A group that looks ready to attack.” I interrupted, immediately regretting my choice. The look in the eyes of the Captain was cold, and for a moment I could hear the words in his mind erupting at me for daring to speak whilst he was – but to my surprise, he didn’t shout at all, or, not at me at least.

“Lock down the station! Prepare yourselves! The observer believes an attack is coming, lets be ready for it!”

As if rehearsed a million times over, two guards ushered the ‘civs’ out of the way from the exit, rolled out some concrete barricades and braced them into place with struts in what felt like less time than it took for me to make my way down even one set of stairs. Princesses that was embarrassing to think about.

Grabbing my attention with a clap of his hooves, the Captain’s voice now softened whilst still managing to remain stern. “Where, and what did you see?”

“To the south-west, in the general direction of Slumside. They were a reasonable distance away when I first saw them, but… they didn’t seem to be moving slowly. I didn’t have binoculars so I couldn’t tell you much more than this, but there was what seemed like six to eight of them, all wearing cloaks. Something about them feels wrong, and I know that sounds silly, but I’ve learned to trust my gut when it comes to these things. Doing so has saved my life many times.”

“So we’re just to trust your gut? Cloaked figures aren’t unheard of around these parts.”

I stumbled on my words again, not certain what to say. I wanted to argue my point about my instincts again, but realising that I had no chance of convincing the Captain, I simply bowed my head. “I know. I just felt that-”

I didn’t get to say anything more. The sound of a bullet ricocheting on the concrete behind us was all of the evidence we needed that I was right, as much as I hated that. Dropping to the ground and rolling to the nearest cover, I quickly adjusted to the sound of automatic gunfire coming from my current companions as screams from the crowd behind us grew almost loud as the guns themselves.

Three ponies who had just been standing on the other side of the checkpoint ran past the guards, ignoring their orders to evade in another direction, and attempted to make their way past our second layer of security. Realising that they hadn’t gone through the proper checks and could just as easily pull weapons on us from behind, I jumped and collided with the mare out of the group, pinning her onto the floor as I recovered from the tumble.

In spite of how one the stallions now made it obvious how he was injured with the other helping to carry his weight, they fled with a speed and ferocity that was completely unexpected. The capture of their friend did nothing to deter them from getting away. Unfortunately for them however, it was mere seconds before the Gate Captain sprinted past me, and had caught up to the other two within seconds.Managing to get in front of the pair and aim his rifle, they now paused. With a growl that put even me further on edge, the two runners began backing up over to me and sat down on the safe side of the concrete dividers.

Before any more orders could be given, a wail of agony came from the checkpoint. One of the defenders was hit. I didn’t know what to do. There weren’t many guards on duty with us, only three aside from the Captain and that now sounded like we were down to two. Two versus what was perhaps eight. It really wouldn’t take them much to overrun the checkpoint like this.

The alarm began to ring, alerting other guards in the area, but something needed to be done right now. As if he had been reading my mind, the Gate Captain let out a growl of dismissal to the situation. “It doesn’t end like this, observer. I’ve done too many years to give up to a fucking gate and be overrun like this, that’ll cost my job, but I also can’t let these three break past us without being checked; I’m not getting shot in the back of the head, not here.”

Realising the accusation against them, one of the stallions… no, bucks, gasped and responded with horror. “We’re not the attackers! We were just running for safety!”

“Yeah, real fuckin’ likely. And I bet you aren’t armed either.” The look in the eyes of the buck now lost their gleam as he looked down, silently acknowledging the fact that he was in fact carrying a weapon like any sane pony travelling in the wasteland was, and realised how guilty he looked.

Before the guilty looking buck could answer, another scream rang out. Another one of ours hit, followed by the sound of another bullet hitting the wounded pony and turning the curdling scream into little more than a bloody gasp for air.

With that, a voice screamed out, the last remaining defender. “FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! THEY’RE COMING CLOSER!”

Without taking his eyes off of our captives, the Gate Captain began to speak to me. “Observer?”

“Yes?” I asked, uncertain of what his next words would be.

“You better be a fuckin’ damn good shot. Get your ass to that gate and put a few in those fuckers. Hold them back until reinforcements arrive. They won’t be more than a minute.” I didn’t even try to answer, though even with a moment of hesitating to process what I had just been told elicited anger from the Captain. “GET TO IT!”

Rushing those couple of feet to the next bit of cover, I dived for safety as I scanned my two downed companions. The wounded albeit alive pony with a hole in his shoulder and chest was carrying a small variant of an SMG, but at this range it felt too inaccurate a choice to be wise. I’d just chew through its ammo without hitting my target. Passing my gaze to the grip of the dead partner across the checkpoint, I saw a bolt action rifle; no scope, but it was almost certainly much more familiar to me than the machine pistol.

Grasping the weapon with my magic, I pulled it on over to me. No magazine, this rifle was clip fed. Of course it was. That would mean I’d have to actually scavenge through his bags to find more, and with the way the attackers were pelting our cover with bullets, I didn’t feel that I could make a clean break for where he laid, nor did I much feel like being accused of being disrespectful to the dead. Taking a weapon was one thing, rumbling through their belongings directly in front of somepony who might have been their friend was another. If I needed more, I would, but I could at least make these shots count.

“Come on Cherry, remember your training.” I muttered to myself. Remember not to blow your cover. Don’t kill with every shot, or even hit with every single one.
Breathing in, I closed my eyes and listened to the sounds of the gunshots, trying to figure out if there was any meaningful pattern to them.

Nothing. No patterns, only shots hoping to penetrate or take a lucky hit. This was useless. Turning my attention over to the remaining guard, I could see that he was almost shitting himself as his compatriots had fallen, but I needed him to provide me cover. “You.” I ordered. “Blindfire with your magic. I don’t care if you hit a damn thing, I just need enough cover.”

“W-what? Cover? What do you plan? There’s too many, I can’t suppress more than one of them, all I have is this rifle.”

Shouting at him over the sound of gunfire, there was no time to waste. Between the gunshots I could hear the sound of them approaching, fast. “Just give me one damn second. One.”

“Fine. Get ready, here’s your chance.”

That was all I needed. Wrapping myself in my signature magic, I felt a confidence even as my horn burned. Bursting out of cover, I pushed through the checkpoint and dived behind a wagon that had been abandoned outside, no doubt left at the first sign of trouble. Peaking my head out of cover, I could see them, two were snaking their way over, another five firing from what would have been cover against the checkpoint, but from my position they were somewhat exposed.

Pulling back into cover and letting my spell drop, I took a long, drawn out breath and cleared my mind as best I could. Opening my eyes, my mind entered a state of Zen as I rounded the corner once more, immediately slipping into S.A.T.S. and taking aim. Seven targets, five bullets. I couldn’t take all of them down, but I could make them count.

The target snaking on my left flank was carrying a shotgun. Two of the attackers behind the cover in the middle were wielding assault rifles, one was using a bolt action like myself, one was using a pistol and I couldn’t make out what the last had. On the right flank was a dark pony – no, a zebra, who seemed unarmed until I looked closer and saw a powerhoof. Devastating up close and personal, it would have been a mistake to let her close the distance.

Without hesitation, I lined my shot and put a bullet into the zebras shoulder with the crack of my rifle. There was no time to pause however, I had to trust that my aim had been true. Spinning on the spot to the opposite flanker, I made sure to aim for the chest. The sense of clarity that came with my augmented state was beginning to slip already, but that was fine. In the last moment of my aiming Zen, I ensured that the round hit its target steady and true, slowing down the approach of the next deadliest enemy.

As S.A.T.S. ended, the two flankers dropped almost simultaneously while my perception of reality returned to normal. With their sudden cries of pain, one of the attackers, the one who was wielding a pistol, stuck his head out of cover to see what the chaos was about. I couldn’t waste time, nor could I be picky about my shots. Snapping to my target, I watched his head explode.
The next to react was one of the assault rifle ponies suddenly jumping back out of shock, exposing himself to me. He was entirely out of cover, though there was no need to aim for the head. He wore no visible armour, and his chest presented the perfect target. Slamming a round downrange, I watched his body fall to the floor as he reached to cover his fresh wound, completely surprised by the fact he’d just been hit. Last bullet.
The attackers now noticing that so many had fallen, I saw the two rifles held side by side, levitated over the cover and blindly firing at the checkpoint. Drawing another breath and steadying myself against my cover, I fired my last round into the rifles themselves, hoping to disable even one of them.
It didn’t work. Instead, I hit the rock that provided them cover, though the ricochet seemed to at least knock the rifle off by a little bit. Now I was out of ammo, but three of the targets were incapacitated and one outright killed.
I hadn’t earned the nickname ‘Sureshot Sundae’ for nothing, I told myself.

I was now out of ammo, but with the siren blaring out its call, the gunfight would soon be over. “Run, run you fucking morons.” I muttered to myself, feeling pinned down and unbelievably naked where I crouched. My cover did little more than conceal me, and even with how many had been hit, they likely knew it was only one more guard left to defend the gate. Would they try to make one desperate push? No. The air filled with the sounds of more guards coming; their shouts for others to get out of the way acting as a timer for the raiders. The ones who weren’t hit scrambled to get out of the danger zone, to get away from a now certain death.

Within seconds, a flood of armoured ponies carrying heavy looking rectangles ran through the checkpoint before dropping their payload in a semi-circle, protecting the gate. Looking at them for a moment longer, I quickly came to the realisation that these weren’t just any type of blocks, but actual riot shields from before the war! Not even we had those back at Tank! Sure, the Stable security forces carried those little round ones, but these were the proper, heavy duty, truly bulletproof variant! Between one of those and the heavy armour that the troops carrying them wore, even my rifle would have trouble penetrating enough to incapacitate.

The battle had practically been over beforehoof, but now? There was no way that these armoured ponies would be able to catch up with the assailants who hadn’t been left wounded, but likewise, anything short of a missile or extremely well placed grenade would do a dent. With no signs of such heavy weaponry making a repeat appearance this time, I let out a sigh of relief. It was over, for real.

Realising that I had to be careful about how I approached, I dropped the empty rifle to the ground and called out from my cover. I was mostly visible to them all along, yes, but I really didn’t want to get on the wrong side of these ponies right now. “Friendly about to approach! I repeat, friendly about to approach, armed but empty!”

Poking my head back out of cover to double check and make sure I would be safe, I saw no enemies left around, and nor did my E.F.S. give me any red blips. Slowly pressing myself from the floor, I made sure to approach the blockade cautiously. I had a duty to return the rifle to its owner, even if he couldn’t make use of it any longer, but I had to be sure to not make any sudden, jerky movements, not wanting to get a one way ticket to the other side for my trouble.

Hearing some muttering from the statuesque blockade, I watched in awe of how well trained and practised these guards were compared to their companions as they opened up their temporary wall, allowing me to walk through, before closing it behind me. Ponies, donkeys, and zebras (no doubt, anyway) dressed in their gear, ready for action. Then to my surprise was Blueheart, dressed as he always was in his formal attire, at the head of the force, a confident smile on his face as he looked at me.

With a cocky laugh, he addressed me in a tone that was full of confidence that everything was to plan. “So, what were you doing on the other side of the checkpoint?”

Not wanting to disappoint him, or worse, seem like I was trying to escape, I made my point as punctual and clear as possible. “Getting a better shot, sir. I came down from the lookout post to inform the Gate Captain that I had a bad feeling about this particular group. In the ensuing chaos, the Gate Captain ordered me to take up the defence of the checkpoint.”

The humming sound made by Blueheart as he nodded didn’t fill me with confidence that he had believed me. Before he could say as much himself, I continued to explain. “The checkpoint was too much of a bottleneck. I took the rifle from one of the guards who had been killed and asked the one remaining guard to provide covering fire so I could get this firing position. From this spot, I’ve been able to incapacitate two flanking attackers, who, by the way, are still alive. I also managed to incapacitate one behind their cover and kill another outright. You’ll need to be careful of the zebra on the right, they were carrying a power hoof and might continue to pose a threat.”

With that, Blueheart motioned to one of his guards and the wall opened again, allowing the guard to go and check on the details I had just given. After about twenty seconds, the wall opened one last time. With a nod from the guard, Blueheart ordered the makeshift wall to be dismantled.

“So it seems.” His muttering was hardly audible, but as he trotted out and looked at the groaning assailants, something in his demeanour changed as he slowed down before stopping entirely, turning around and looking straight at me. Something about his gaze felt like it was burning into my soul as he stood there speechlessly. Finally, after a moment that could have been forever, he smiled at me. “Brilliant use of your initiative. Take pride in what you’ve done here, Cherry. You’ve saved the checkpoint from being overrun. Good job.”

“I...” I uttered, uncertain of how to feel. Something didn’t feel right about it all, but I couldn’t put my hoof on what. Realising I had to play my role, I nodded humbly. “Thank you.”

“Now I must go. I’ve still got other responsibilities to see to today, but your loyalty won’t be forgotten, Cherry.” I thought that would be it, but as he began to turn around, Blueheart hesitated, turning his focus back to me. “Oh, again, impeccable skills and great work.”

Just as quickly as the team had made their way to the scene, they were back out of sight. It was as if I had just witnessed the building of a castle made of dust being blown away in the wind, leaving no trace of its existence in its wake. The way they had conducted themselves and gear they wore told me that these guards were the elite of the whole organisation. Power armour would have been more protection for the guards, but the hampered response speed and readiness, let alone maintenance and individual mobility. It was no wonder that Blueheart had told me where the headquarters was… with guards like those, there was no way the rebelling forces would be able to fight their way through the standard rank and file and then succeed in an assault.
Blueheart was confident of this fact, and bringing them out in response was as much to show me this fact as it was to calm the nerves of those inside the walls.

Turning my attention back to the checkpoint, the Gate Captain and his subordinate were still grilling the trio who had tried to slip past in the ensuing chaos. Approaching the commotion, things definitely didn’t seem to be going well for the travellers. As I passed by the body of the fallen guard that I had taken the rifle from, I tenderly propped it up against the nearby wall with my magic, solemnly knowing he would never again need to use it regardless.

Approaching the ruckus, I now had to figure out what was going on.
“I don’t care what your excuse is. If you haven’t got the pass, you pay the caps. If you can’t or won’t pay the caps, you don’t get to pass.”

“But!” A pleading voice came from the young mare. “We-!”

“If you can’t pay, you don’t play.” Grunted the Captain. “I’ve told you already, I won’t repeat it again. Nobody gets through without paying their dues in some way or another. You in here, you pay the price.”

“But we only have enough for two of us as our friend needs to see a doctor! Please, I’m begging you! We can’t afford to pay for all three of us and afford what supplies we need, but I can’t carry our friend and I’m too scared to be alone! What if those raiders come back with more? I’d be a sitting target out there by myself!”

I expected the Captain to dismiss her yet again, to grunt at her, or order her to fuck off. What I didn’t expect was the slimy, twisted smile. The kind of smile that every mare recognised. The kind of smile that came from a stallion who knew what he wanted, and figured that he held all of the cards. My heart sank as she also realised, her face drooping in fear of his next words.

His brow lowered as he smirked even wider, a truly sinister look etched around his eyes. “You know, coming to think of it, that whole scene back there has got the blood pumping… I could waive your charge if you pay me some other way.”

At this point the uninjured stallion caught on and began shouting. “Keep your fucking hooves off of my m-”

His words however, were cut short by a kick in the gut from the other guard. The way the stallion recovered so quickly told me that the kick wasn’t with too much force, but it was ‘enough’ to keep him in line. The way the other guard looked at him, I couldn’t help but notice it seemed very practised… very… normal. This was something that guard saw as normal enough to not even think twice about it.

Feeling my stomach turn, I had to step in. Physically pushing myself between the Gate Captain and the mare, I gave him the best condemning stare I could muster. Growling with determination, I made my demand clear. “I won’t allow you to rape her.” A second or so passed, none of us saying a word. Was this working? Was the Captain going to back down? With a glint in his eye as he looked from me to the mare and then over to his usual subordinate, I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, but the silence was deafening.

Finally, he laughed at me, sucking the enthusiasm from my soul as my body relaxed in defeat. “Nice joke. There’s no rape here. I’m offering her a chance at paying the price without spending her caps. She can choose to say no and she’ll still have the options to either pay out her caps, struggle with helping her injured friend; alone, or she can wait it out on the other side of the wall. The choice is hers. I won’t use force, this is nothing more than an opportunity for a transaction.”

With grimace in her eyes, the mare looked down at the ground, sullenly weighing up her options. I didn’t need Helios’ mind reading powers to know exactly what she was thinking and how she felt. “Why is it always us mares who have to deal with this? Eugh. I.” She paused, clearly battling with herself.

“If you aren’t willing, I could always have my way with your stallion friend here.” The Captain’s voice turning sickly. “Bucks aren’t normally my type; but with how feisty he’s been? I would enjoy breaking him in.”

The look on the stallions face was one of pure disgust and horror, his hooves scraping at the ground aggressively as he stared the Captain down. Realising that this situation could only go from bad to worse, I knew I had to intervene in a more meaningful way. I couldn’t afford to pay for their extra entrance cost, but I had to do something. Looking back to the mare, I gently tapped her shoulder with a hoof before loudly making my statement. “Come on, I’ll go wait outside with you and keep you safe. Nobody is going to be using either of you two in such disgusting ways.”

The way everypony looked at me was with shock. The Gate Captain’s expression quickly grew to aggravation as he realised his easy ‘fun’ was no longer on the table. The faces of the two stallions was of confusion and relief, though it didn’t last any longer than a flash as they threw their caps to the ground at the Captain’s hooves before trotting on ahead over to the mall, once given their badges, of course. The mare’s face though… that was a look of unfiltered emotion. The telltale signs of fear were washed away by tears of delight and appreciation. Nodding my head in the direction of the great outside, we began walking together, out of the clutches of the other guards.

Once we were around the corner and sitting over where I had taken refuge during the fight, her hooves wrapped around me quicker than bolts of lightning. Blushing at how sudden the embrace was, I stuttered for a moment, still torn between my own anger of the situation that had just happened and confusion of the affection. A moment later, my own hooves found their place in holding the mare. I didn’t know what to say, or even what to do, but judging by the strangers smile and staggered breathing, I’d done all that I’d needed to.

*** *** ***

“So, after he knocked that goon out, that’s when he ended up jumping out of the window. It was the fact that he, for some reason, thought that the market-stand's canopy would be strong enough to hold his weight that he did that.” With that, Rubidium Chaser rolled her eyes. “Of course, bucks will be bucks and not think these things through.” We both giggled at that in unison, though I had to admit the mental image of jumping out of a third floor window had me feeling scared. “I’m just glad that he got out of that situation. The damned fool figured he’d live up to that bloody madcap pegasus’ reputation, but I told him that I absolutely forbid it… even if that pegasus is really dreamy.”

My hooves froze on the spot, my mouth feeling suddenly very dry and stiff as my gaze turned steely, bearing down upon my new friend. “Ex… excuse me? Dreamy? Pegasus?”

Her face was now as confused looking as I felt, her ear flopping loosely to one side as her eyes looked as if she’d hit a panic button in her mind. “Well, uh… yeah? I mean, you don’t have to like what he does, and I get that he’s your enemy, but have you seen him? I don’t care what some ponies say about pegasai, the things he does are amazing! You can’t arrest or punish me for liking a pony… can you?” The things he does are amazing? Oh, if only she knew.

“Yeah, they are.” I muttered in a low, hushed tone, letting out a small huff as I spoke. “But you can quit your daydreaming about him. He’s not my enemy, he’s mine.”

With that, Rubi’s face returned to normal as she saw my wink, and even began to laugh. “Sister, I have a confession too; I’m the Queen of the Wasteland. You can lust after him too, but with what company he keeps, none of us will stand a chance. Besides, not your enemy? Why are you working for the Coalition then, hmm? A stallion of his valour would never side with you.”

Without thinking, I gave her the eight words that would denounce any affiliation with the Coalition. “Perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim.”

Silence. Neither of us uttered another word after that. I wondered if I had made a mistake, if I had just told someone who had no knowledge of the phrase. Had I just fucked up? If I’d fucked up, I’d fucked up big time. Then I noticed her eyes soften and the corners of her mouth lift into a smile. “You are a long way from home, aren’t you?”

Sorrow filled my heart with that question, because it was too true to deny. I longed to be back at home in Four Ridges, enjoying my own bed, seeing my friends and squad. I missed being beside Crimson, Sandstorm, Prince Snugglebums, even Maisy and the others in Slumside. I missed them all.

Breaking my train of thought, Rubi’s friends returned through the gate and quickly rushed to her, embracing her and asking if she was okay. I half expected her to just say goodbye and be gone, perhaps to not even say goodbye at all, but she proved me wrong. Wrapping her hooves around me tight, Rubidium Chaser smiled at me. “Thank you for looking after me, I am incredibly grateful.”
With that, she was gone. Walking off in the direction of Slumside, leaving me to wonder when I would next see her again.

*** *** ***

Idly staring out into the wasteland wasn’t my version of ‘fun’, though with that thought flushing through my mind, I remembered that guard duty wasn’t meant to be fun and this was what I had been trained to do all those years ago. Letting out a tired, weary sigh, I scanned the horizon again, hoping to find something new to look at. Fifty-eight trees. Fifty-eight. A coincidence if I’d ever known one. Stable fifty-eight itself wasn’t my home, but without it I had no home. That was why I was here… or, had been why I was here.

Before I could continue grumbling in my mind, the sound of hooves caught my attention. Flipping my ears to hear behind myself, I realised I recognised that sound. “Welcome back, Colonel.” I muttered warmly, genuinely glad to hear his return. His return without an escort of guards must have meant that my shift was about to be over.

His walking paused, and inhaled sharp and shallow breath that was barely audible but didn’t go unnoticed by my keen senses. Taking a moment longer, he stepped closer and began inquiring. “Now, how in Hades do you know its me without even looking?”

“Your shirt ruffles as you move, your pace is your own, and to top it off? You’re upwind from me. You’re wearing some kind of fragrance. That’s not something I’ve smelt on you before, but at the same time, you are a pony of sophistication and I wouldn’t put it past you to employ such a tactic.”

For a moment he merely hummed to himself. As I turned to meet him, he stepped closer, so close in fact that we almost crashed into one another. Instead of being a moment of chaos and falling over however, something about his scent put me off guard as his neck brushed close to my face. Taking in a deep sniff and closing my eyes, I couldn’t deny that it was indeed a very pleasant aroma and had a positive effect on my perception of him, if only momentarily.

Overcoming the bewitching fragrance, I stepped back to recompose myself and bucked any confusion out of my mind. If he was here to take me back to the barracks, that would be what we would do; nothing more. “Come on then, lets go. I could quite happily get supper and go for a jog on the exercise track or something.”

Though as I said those words, his eyebrow raised, either out of surprise that I’d be so blunt, or… so I thought. “Cherry, you technically have a little while left on your guard duty shift, but my courier will arrive earlier than I was expecting, so I wanted to see your face beforehand.”

Now I was worried. Courier? For what? Why would he want to see my face? What was going to happen? What could be being delivered that would warrant seeing me first? Though as quickly as my worries came, they were also washed away with a soft touch to my shoulder, his lips pursed as he gently shushed me. Not even a moment later, a brown pony ran up to us both and nodded, tipping his cap as he did. There was no word spoken between the two, it was seemingly unnecessary to do so. Instead, the brown pony gave Blueheart a small box and made his way off back into the city.

Passing the box to me unceremoniously, I looked at Blueheart suspiciously. With a touch of mockery mixed with worry, I made my feelings clear. “I swear to Celestia and Luna combined, if this is you trying to propose to me, just take the box back and we’ll both pretend nothing happened. Here’s your chance to save us both the embarrassment.”
I paused, half expecting him to actually deflate and even take the box back as I had insisted, though his only response was to cock his eye at me. Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself mentally for whatever this might be. The fact that he hadn’t responded negatively was at least something of a good sign… maybe?

Opening the box in anticipation, my eyes grew wide as I saw what sat inside. My bottom lip quivered as I blinked, completely thrown off by what I saw. A magnificent piece of jewellery sat in a plush lined bottom. What was presumably a ruby that had been shaped like a cherry sat upon a silver clip, its shine so bright it almost looked as if it was even glowing with supernatural beauty and luminescence. To top it off, as I had opened the box, a rush of scent marked my nostrils; that of freshly ripened cherries.

I couldn’t control myself. Tears filled up my eyes as I gazed upon the beautiful piece, completely overwhelmed by what I saw. There was no way this was meant for anypony else, the coincidence of it being a cherry was no coincidence at all. This was for me!
After a few more seconds of being completely stunned by the magnificence of what was in front of me, I finally turned my eyes back to Blueheart. His gaze was soft but cemented upon me, a smile having long since crept on his face, his joy at my reaction more than apparent.

“That is for you, Cherry. It comes from myself, and from Coltchester, for all you’ve done for her. Of course, the Coalition as a whole didn’t pay for it, I did, but the Coalition pays me and especially after risking your own safety to make such a potent display of heroism and bravery, I had no choice but to give in to the overwhelming desire to see you rewarded in a meaningful way.”

I… I still couldn’t react properly. My tears now came out in full sobs, my mind in disbelief of what I was hearing. No! I couldn’t! Shaking my head, I had to force myself to speak even as I struggled to breathe. “No. Y-y-you… I can’t…”

There was a sadness in his eyes as I said those words. I could see he wanted to hug me, but felt uneasy. Not caring about previous complaints, I throw my hooves around him as I continued to cry. “I can’t! Y-y-you’ve spent t-too much!” I stopped to sniff and sob. Looking back up at him as I broke the embrace, I couldn’t believe it. I had no idea he would do this, so why should I feel guilty? It was his choice! But there he was, wasting… CELESTIA only knows how many caps on me!

Placing a hoof on my chin and raising my face back up, Blueheart then deftly reached for the brooch before brushing my mane to one side and expertly clipping it in. “Cherry, I insist. I know I spent a lot, but that’s because Coltchester means a lot to me, and you’ve done her proud. She’s where I grew up, where I’ve spent my best years, and where I hope to retire in peace at. I know she has her flaws, but don’t we all? Besides, I did pay a lot of caps for this, you’re right. The price for a unicorn to enchant it with that cherry essence wasn’t cheap, but it beats simply splashing some perfume on it by far.”

With his hoof, he wiped away my tears. Looking at the stallion in front of me, I couldn’t break his heart and destroy such a hopeful smile by rejecting his gift once more. Leaning forward, I kissed his cheek in pure appreciation for the gift I had just received. This by no means meant that I would even think of kissing him on the lips, but he deserved that much for certain.

With his cheeks blushing and rising so high on his face that I’d never seen him smile like it before, Blueheart turned his gaze to the side just a little before turning to face the Gate Captain.
“Shifts over for Cherry. I’m taking her back to barracks with me. Your swap will be arriving momentarily.” The stallion nodded in response, wordlessly accepting the command.

With the offering of his hoof, I graciously picked myself off of my rump and floated the box beside myself before happily trotting off with Blueheart back to base. Taking another deep breath, I inhaled the combined scent of cherries and the Colonel’s cologne before letting out a happy sigh.

Author's Note

So, it has been yet another long time. I'm exceptionally sorry. The death of a close friend. Bronycon. America in general. Post-America depression. Insecurities, writers block, other obligations and distractions galore have all got in the way. Now I've got this chapter dealt with, I'm feeling more confidence in myself and where i'm going from now on. With luck, this really wiill be the turning point for me.
So thank you for sticking around for the ride, I greatly appreciate it. Lets see this bitch begin to crank it up, hey? :ajsmug:

Chapter 32: Stratagem, Ambition, Resolution: Part I: Prelude

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds

By Kippershy

Chapter Thirty-Two: Stratagem, Ambition, Resolution: Part I: Prelude

“You have a pretty good record for planning things.”
“Then I guess it’s worth a try...”

The sensation of breath ran down my chest, tickling my hair as it brushed past and even managed to me with its touch. Opening up my eyes, I slowly came to the recollection of where I was, and why I could feel someone breathing all over me. Of course. Of course I was in bed with Eos. That made perfect sense and wasn’t something to worry about at all.
Had anything happened between us? The last thing I could remember was that we had scouted the base for Cherry… and then returned… and Titan was waiting up for us.
Slowly it all came back to me, how Eos had asked for this ‘one pleasure’. Nothing had happened. Letting out a sigh of relief, I also realised that in the back of my mind, there was also a minute part of disappointment in that sigh too.

Blowing out a huff, my bed partners eyes fluttered endearingly as she groaned and pulled me closer to nuzzle me more; a soft voice filling my mind. ‘Just a little longer?’
Just a little longer? Sure. Closing my eyes, I gave in to the feminine voice in my mind. Just a little longer.

Opening my eyes some time later, I wasn’t sure if I had stayed awake or if I’d fallen asleep in the time, but the hooves of a certain, extremely content, blue mare were still wrapped around me as my stomach and bladder told me it was time to end the bliss that was such comfort. Trying to pull away, I felt her grip tighten just a little, fighting with me, not wanting me to go. Gently breaking her grasp, I watched as Eos’ hooves begged for something to hold onto, at which point I slid a pillow into her reach and watched with an adoring smile as she found new comfort in the soft touch. Covering her over with the blanket, I kissed her cheek and trotted out of the room as quietly as I could, doing my best not to end her slumber.

Walking down the hallway, I made my way over to the bathroom, swiftly sitting down upon the porcelain throne. Doing my business was normally a peaceful time of tranquillity, but this wasn’t to be. Immediately I recognised my problem; I wasn’t only due to have my morning dose of prescribed medicine, but I also had a severe craving for my personal medicine too. Finishing up and washing my hooves as quickly as I could, I had to stop myself from galloping back to the room I had slept in. I needed the quick fix, I needed my Zen.

Opening the door and sliding into the room, I didn’t see Eos in the bed any more, though I figured she must have decided that she’d had enough sleep and gone off to do her own morning routine. Placing her bag on the bed, I casually riffled through with a wing as I did the same with my own bag with my hooves, trying to find what I wanted more and more as the seconds passed.

Finding a needle, I smiled with glee. The moment I pulled it out of my bag and saw it however, my whole world felt dimmed. A wet blanket had metaphorically been dropped on my head from up on high: the syringe was empty.
The pit of despair that filled my heart as I looked upon what had been my last syringe began to make me feel sick. I needed the sweet mercy that only med-x could provide. My head was feeling heavier than a bag of concrete and my stomach was doing quadruple backflips and twists from the anxiety. Searching through my bag yet again proved useless. That really was the last of my supply.

As if I hadn’t had enough trouble already, I felt my heart threaten to stop as a voice filled my ear from a lot closer than it had any right to. “Missing something? Don’t worry, I’ll give you the Buck in just a moment.”
I went to respond, but Eos walked out from my side and looked at me with a cocked eyebrow as she picked up the empty syringe with her magic. “Oh, it isn’t the Buck you’re after at all, is it?”

Lying to her would do no good, I was caught with red hooves. It wasn’t like Eos had been scolding me, but I didn’t want to admit my weakness. I didn’t want her to see me like this. All of the other times, I could blame the injuries I’d suffered, but now? Now I needed it for me, not for the pain. I needed it to clear my head of the urges, to wash away my physical anxiety, to be myself. Turning my head away and looking at the floor, I felt shame wash over me as a limply muttered my answer. “No.”

Placing a hoof under my chin and pulling my face up to meet hers, I still looked away. I couldn’t bare to look at her, but I also couldn’t figure out why this meant so much to me. Back at home I felt no shame about indulging in med-x so long as I was getting all of my jobs done and kept myself capable of functioning despite it. I’d seen what had happened to those who became controlled by their choices and I swore that I wouldn’t let myself get that way. I just… I just needed a little! Even half a syringe would be enough to take the edge off… and yet it made me feel weak as Eos coddled me.

“Look at me.” Her words ordered with a firm softness. I denied her that request, closing my eyes, wanting to reel back and sink into the floor. Once more she spoke, her orders clearer now than before. “Crimson, look at me.”
Opening my eyes, I reluctantly obeyed her command.
“I’m not judging you, Crimson. You’ve been there for me as I’ve broke down in tears, you make me feel like I’m more than just a set piece, more than just something to be idolised. You make me feel like a mare that can be loved like any other.”

As I listened to her words, I felt a closeness between us, an understanding. She was telling the truth. Nodding my head weakly, I couldn’t think of anything to say, my head was pounding too much and my body felt too sick to be at my aid. Instead, I let her continue.

“Here’s the deal. I will let you have that syringe of med-x that you want… if you give to me what I want.”

I hadn’t even noticed that my eyes had rolled away from her face until she said those words, until my focus snapped back to her like lightning. The way her eyes looked at me filled my heart with a sense of passion that broke through all of the sickness I felt. Was… was this for real? Of course it was. This was Eos. But… could I? Would I? I had traded kisses for our own safety when in danger, I had also given them in order to pull her out of the depths of her emotional hell, or to avoid being plunged into my own – but the look in her eyes said to me she was asking for more than that. I had already gone too far, done too much, and yet I was questioning whether I would go even further not only to overcome the world crashing down around me as my body pleaded for relief… but also because my body pleaded for relief in other ways too. Could I?

Without realising what I was doing, I felt my face just forward as my tongue slipped past her lips, a passionate embrace of my hoof reaching around the back of her head as she brushed my ear. I lost myself in the moment as the pleasure seemed to even quell what horrid sensations I was experiencing but a few seconds before. It wasn’t until we both needed to breathe that we stopped, panting in unison as we parted. With that, our eyes locked in unison. Eos’ gaze seemed like it was bearing down on my soul, going through my mind without me having any knowledge of it other than her dedicated attention to me. Or perhaps she was just too overcome with lust to look at me any other way.

As a new prang of guilt hit me, I realised what I had just done. Looking back to the ground, it didn’t matter that I was beginning to feel all of the same pains that I had before, my mind lashed out at me harder than any physical sensation could. “I… I can’t go further.” I sadly murmured. “I…”

Catching her breath with one long sigh, Eos picked my head back up to look at her and kissed me once more, albeit a lot more briefly than we just had. There was a sadness in her eyes, though a second later she seemed to reset herself and smile gently at me before brushing my mane with a hoof. “I’d say that’s worth half a syringe. Stay right here, I’ll be right back.”

As she left the room, I climbed onto the bed and began questioning myself. I had just gone and done it. Kissing her to save our lives was forgivable. Kissing her to stop her from destroying the last moments myself and Cherry had shared was forgivable. Kissing her to help her overcome her sorrows and pull herself together, to not put us all in danger? Questionable, sure, but it was at least with better intentions.
This? Celestia damn it, if I’d been any weaker, I’d have outright slept with her just to have my own way. I would have done it purely for myself.

True to her word, Eos walked back in moments later with a syringe close to her chest, magically reappearing as her invisibility wore off. I went to take it off of her, but the dark blue mare simply shook her head. “Uh-uh-uh. I get to apply this for you. I did say you’ve only earned half a syringe, after all.”

My whole body shook with delight as she kissed the back of my neck, my head drooping down before Eos carefully stabbed me with the needle. As soon as the stinging had begun, it stopped with the first trace of that magical fluid beginning to flow into me. A wave of relief slowly made its way up and down my body, removing the overladen saddlebags that weighed me down despite not wearing any. Turning to face her as she wiped the needle clean and put the cap back on, I kissed her entirely off of my own volition, feeling all to happy just to be freed from my suffering.
Smiling back at me, Eos popped the cap off of the Buck and put that on my tongue, allowing me to swallow it freely. Now my body had what it needed to feel right again, I could be me again.

Letting out a sigh of relief, all of the confidence I typically held came rushing back to me, a smirk on my face. I was back in action.

*** *** ***

Walking into the main room, it was time to take action. “Selene, Eos, Titan!” I called out knowing that they’d be wondering what the hell was going on, but it didn’t matter. What mattered was that they followed my command. “Main room, now.”

Selene teleported in next to me, making an almost blank face, though her lips extended as far as they could in a neutral pose, staring at me oddly. “Hmmm. Tell me your secrets. Why have you called me? Why does Eos get to read your mind but I don’t?”

Eos laughed as she sat behind me, draping her hooves around me. “You didn’t need to yell for me, I would have follow you anyway.”

Next was Titan, appearing with Helios in tow. “You call out for the others, and yet you didn’t call out for me? This is very strange, Crimson. Wh-” Though as quickly as she began to complain, her powers must have answered her question as she let out a simple “oh.”

“Titan. You are to take Eos and Selene out to the dirtiest, nastiest, strongest pile of rads you can find and keep them safe. I want the three of you to be as energised as possible. That’s how you lot work, right? You soak up rads and get stronger from them?”

“Well, actually.” The ghoul began, his gravelly voice assaulting my ears with his indignant tone. “Ghouls don’t typically become stronger through rads, we just heal by them.”

“We however, do recover stamina and can even increase our capacity of magical strength and healing when soaking in rads, yes.” Helios confirmed. “There has even been two of our kind who found radiation pits so strong that they physically grew in size by no less than an extremely alarming amount, though they’re the exceptions, not the rule. Despite the fact that entrance to Unity was meant to make all of us equally powerful and wonderful, there will always be outliers who take to the process differently than others. Just as not all are capable of joining us, there will be those whose body takes to the process so that, again, they are capable of even more.”

“Yeah, I remember when it happened that last time. She was absolutely HUGE!” Selene mentioned with a nod and a dance, raising her hooves to the ceiling. “All of Unity was shocked and amazed by how big our sister became. She ended up becoming as big as a building!”

Looking at her in disbelief, I couldn’t help myself as I dismissed her claim that an alicorn could become ‘as big as a building’, but as quickly as I dismissed it, Helios projected the image into my mind and I felt my jaw drop. In front of me I saw the sheer size of this towering alicorn, and a part of me felt absolutely in awe despite the terror it induced. They hadn’t been joking.

As the image in my mind faded away, I felt as if a strike of lightning had just hit me and revitalised my ability to think. Looking straight at her, I could almost kiss her with the idea she had just given me. “Helios, I know you can read my mind, but you just projected a vision into my mind. Does that mean you can also receive visions? Memories?”

Nodding her head in response, she let out a small ‘mhm.’

Without hesitation, I began to really get into my jive with this. “Where’s the best place to make a big picture. I don’t care if its a wall or a table, we just need somewhere that isn’t too… open.”

Her instruction was simple; “Follow me.”

With that, I did. Walking past Darklight and Freight Train, I whistled at them to grab their attention. “You two, come with me. Once we know where we’re going, I want you to grab everyone else, Freight Train. We’re making some dinner plans.”
The line sounded a lot cooler in my head than it did out loud, though I let out a sigh of internal relief as the message was understood. Now the three of us walked down the hallway, following Helios until she stopped. Knocking on the door, she found it was locked.

“Drat. I’m going to nee-” At that point, she held onto the ‘E’ before turning to me and smiling. In a flash of green, she disappeared. Great. Of course. Waiting for what felt like a lot longer than the five seconds it really was, Helios reappeared before crashing into me forehooves first, bringing us both to the floor.
With a sheepish smile, she let out a small sorry before teleporting yet again, this time with myself included.

The room was in complete darkness, though the light peering out from around the doorway provided at least some illumination. “So, this is how you ended up falling into me then, I take it? You tripped as you teleported?”

I couldn’t see Helios’ face through the darkness, though a part of me knew that, here, she felt a lot more inclined to reveal her true feelings through her facial expressions. For some reason, I could envision a look of annoyance and defeat as she gazed at me.

“So, where’s the lightswitch?” I asked. Using her horn to cast a spell, the room now began to glow an eerie green colour, much like the background colour of my PipBuck. Of course, my PipBuck! Facehoofing from embarrassment, I quickly turned on the light and burned away most of the darkness. Now, with my enhanced sense of perception guiding my outstanding detective skills to turn on the light and unlock the door. Outside stood Deadlight, with Freight Train and all of the others approaching promptly.

As the team piled in, they quickly found chairs to sit at, all facing away from where I stood. Feeling a little annoyed that they’d walk right past me, I turned and saw what had been the reason as to why they would do such a thing; Helios had guided me to an actual planning room, a room which included a black board much like the ones pre-war and Stable Tech schools would use, only, this was much, much larger. From the floor to the ceiling and side to side, it was much less a board but rather the whole wall was a canvas for planning. This… this was perfect. I liked this.

Walking up to the board, I smirked. Things were getting better and better as there was even a box with all different colours of chalks inside. This was more than perfect, this was Celestia herself gifting us this opportunity. “Let’s begin. Helios, if you’d be so kind to come to my side, I’d like you to take the white chalk, and get ready; you’re going on a little ride.”

With that, Helios began smirking at me… and something about it told me I was biting off more than I knew about. Touching her horn to my head, my whole world melted.

*** *** ***

Coming back to consciousness, I saw Tsunami’s face, intensely staring at me with complete perplexity. Jolting back as she began to wave a hoof in my face, I almost fell over before the grey mare’s magic caught me barely inches from the floor. Closing my eyes and shaking my head, I felt… odd.

“See, I told you he would still be alive. He might be a Stable colt, but he is Four Ridges stock even still. Takes more than… whatever that is.” Grinder muttered with a laugh.

“What about her though?” Brick retorted. “You think she wandered into anything she regrets while poking her head into his? I’ve heard plenty of stories.”

Were… were they taking bets on if I’d survive having my mind read? And stories about me? Seriously?
Scoffing at their foalish behaviour, I couldn’t stay mad, not really. I’d undoubtedly make all the same sorts of comments if I’d witnessed it instead… and besides, I did have quite a few ‘stories’ to be told, I suppose.

Clapping my hooves twice to recapture their disciplined nature, the banter stopped dead. Helios, however, remained as if she was a statue. I’d have been lying if I said it didn’t fill me with worry. I had seen her quite happily being stoic and even statuesque in the short time I’d known her, but this seemed deeper than usual. Raising my hoof to touch her shoulder, Tsunami quietly advised against it. Best to leave her whilst she did whatever she was doing, she said.

Taking my companions advice, I fell to my haunches and began to wait. Seconds passed, and passed... and passed some more.

Finally, she opened her eyes, and the look in them as they fixated on me immediately. Along with her cold hard stare, a couple of came out. “So, you know now?” A small sigh followed. For the first time ever, Helios actually seemed… defeated? It was completely beyond me to see the graceful mare look like this, I was so accustomed to seeing her stoic but completely content face be all I knew. What did I know now?

Wrapping her hooves around me, Helios gave me a hug. That was even more unexpected than her sigh, though the words ringing through my mind soon informed me. ‘Thank you for accepting us for who we are now. It means a lot to all three of us.’

Returning the depth of the embrace, the moment was over as quickly as it had begun. If I hadn’t had witnesses there, I was certain nopony would ever believe me that it had happened at all, though I had no plans to tell anyone else anyway. In a return to her typical behaviour, Helios’ posture shot straight up and her eyes fell to the black of the wall before lifting up the chalk with her magic, beginning to sketch out the layout of the base and every detail she could mimic through my memories from a top down perspective.

“So… what is it?” Freight Train asked, touching a hoof to his chin as he looked upon the diagram as it was still being drawn. “Wait… is that what I think it is?”

“It’s a diagram of the base that Cherry is being kept in. Helios is still completing the details, but judging by my estimation…” I touched the board where Helios hadn’t yet reached with her ‘art’. “...I’d say that right around here or so is where Cherry is being held.”

“Actually, a little to the left, Crimson. Very close though. That’s where that very high security building is.” Helios retorted.

“Crimson,” Freight Train tenderly began, speaking slowly as if considering his words very carefully. “I hate to break it to you, but getting in there? We’ve already looked ourselves. We’re not going to pull it off. This isn’t going to be an option for us.”

Waving a hoof at him, I wasn’t angry, but I didn’t care that he doubted the plan before I’d even begun explaining it either. Drawing in a breath, I exhaled deeply and smiled. “Wings.”

“You might have wings, but we don’t.” Tsunami quickly responded.

“And besides,” Grinder added. “Freight Train is right. We’ve had a look at the walls when we were outside. Too many guard posts, the walls are built tall and looks to be almost as strong as back in Four Ridges, and judging by the amount of combatants we found doing patrols? It’ll be a certain death to go in.”

Looking at them, I wanted to begin explaining everything I was thinking, but the look on Freight Train’s face told me he was still rolling some words around through his mind. Lifting an eyebrow, I nodded at him. “Go on.”

“My team are right, Crimson. We may be the special forces, but even we have our limits. We’ve assaulted raider bases, taken out swaths of enemies, and even wiped out slaver caravans without leaving a trace. I know you have no concept of how well guarded those are, but I trust you’ll have faith and believe me when I say that the Talon Company mercenaries are no joke. A griff is a tough enemy to face, even more-so to do so without leaving evidence of who did the job. We’ve done that. We can achieve amazing results – when we know what we’re doing, when we have our full team, when we choose the battle ground and lay ambush. Even when we’ve assaulted raider camps, we’ve still made sure that we never went in blind and never attempted a job that we felt outmatched on. This… this though? This is too much for us.”

Drawing in yet another breath and letting out a long, content sigh, I nodded. “I understand. I know you’ve lost Shockwave and obviously the objective is to rescue Cherry. I know her invisibility must have been a gift from the Goddesses to you. But I’m not asking you to go in.”

The room froze, even Helios stopped drawing her diagram and turned to me, a look utter disbelief etched onto her face. “Wait… you’re not asking them to go in? Why are you getting me to do this then?!”

“Because we’re the ones going inside while they are going to be acting as the distraction… far enough outside that they won’t be threatening the base itself at all, but close enough, and loudly enough, that the D.Z.C. are forced to pay attention.”

“You’ll be throwing yourself into a death trap, Crimson.” Tsunami quickly roared. “I didn’t do my damned best to see you throw your life away a couple of days later!”

“I’ve already gone in.” I reminded the angry mare. “I’ve spoken to Cherry. I’ve seen it all. That’s how we have this information on the layout. That’s why Helios went through my mind. I know what dangers await me. I know what to expect. I got in and out with myself and Eos whilst not giving ourselves every single advantage we could take. I may have had a bumpy ride coming back, but I’m certain we can pull it off with enough of a distraction.”

Finally it was Iron Wall’s time to speak as his head lifted and eyes met mine. “What were you thinking? Because you’re going to need something big if you want to draw enough attention away.”

“Explosives are a must. Between your missile launcher and Titan’s Styx, there could be some real fireworks going off. We want it to be loud, confusing, and highly threatening.”

A cough came from the doorway as Dawnstar leant up against the frame, a smirk on his face. Someone must have left the door open, much to my horror. A plan like this needed to be secret. Stepping into the room, he closed the door behind himself and sat down at one of the chairs. “Seems like you need someone with the know.”

*** *** ***

The arrival of Dawnstar had been a blessing in disguise. I’d spent some time with Titan’s Lieutenant but I hadn’t really gotten to know him well enough to trust him with this myself – but there was no choice now. Despite my qualms, it turned out he indeed was in the know.

“So, back to the point, like I was saying; whilst I was outside, I came across a gang who heard about a certain somepony’s exploits last night. You might think you’re stealthy, Crimson, but word gets out when you end the life of a soldier within their own base. The stories paint you as looking like a blood soaked demon who came from the shadows and slaughtered two and left another on the verge of death. You’ve pulled off an achievement that nobody has before – and you got back out.”

Cracking a smile, I couldn’t help but feel a little bit proud as I looked at the Spec Ops ponies. For all of their talk about how assaulting the base was nothing but a deathwish, I now had yet more proof that it could be done after all. Of course, there was the fact that I had a natural advantage as a pegasus, but it still made clear the point that such a feat was possible.

“Wanna know what else? They’re thirsty for blood and glory of their own. They’ve got plans to test the defences on one of the recently assaulted gates to the Luxury District. They were looking to do a small probe today and to gather enough weapons to assault it in a week time, though I’m sure I could at least try to convince them to do it tomorrow night.”

Thinking over his words, I looked at the blackboard and pondered what this meant for me. The Luxury District was what they prized most. It was the economic lifeblood of their operation and far too important to their pride to allow it to fall. Turning my gaze back to Dawnstar, I made no hesitation about my order. “Tomorrow is too late. We do this tonight.”

“Tonight?!” Everyone gasped in unison.

“Tonight.” I reaffirmed with a stone cold resolution in my determination. “If the gang needs weapons, there are weapons to spare here, are there not? I want this done before any changes can be made to where Cherry will be staying, and I want to reduce the risk of our plans being leaked. The sooner we act, the more chance of success we have. Strike fast, strike hard, but most importantly, strike first.”

“I don’t know if they’d be willing to do that, Crimson.” Dawnstar blurted. “They said they were going to probe the gate today, not that they were making a concentrated effort to take it out. I know they’ve got connections, but-”

“Is it a matter of bodies?”

“Probably? I don’t know. I mean, I could ask? But Titan isn’t here to give his consent. I can’t go and make promises without his authorisation.”

The yellow buck seemed to be sweating buckets at the thought of ‘betraying’ his leader or taking things into his own hooves and breaking chain of command, but the swift reaction of Helios struck us both hard. With a voice filled with confidence, she made her decision. “I am authorising this. We have weapons, ammo and bodies to spare. Any request or plan Crimson makes is to be supported fully. As Supreme Matriarch of The Goddess, this is my command.”

Dawnstar stuttered at that. For a moment he looked as if he was about to question Helios’ decision, but quickly backed down from any such consideration. Slowly, he came to accept that he had been given a direct order from even above Titan himself. Giving a nod, he finally spoke. “Okay, as you wish. Should I inform them right now, Crimson?”

“Not yet.” I countered. “There’s still the matter of more plans to be made. There’s time yet.”

Turning my attention back to the board, I now found that not only had Helios drawn a rather thorough diagram of the base itself, but she had also drawn her own rough estimations of how Coltchester as a whole surrounded the area, including a cute compass in the top right of her map. To the west and wrapping around towards the south of the military base sat Slumside. To the south, the industrial quarter of the city, where our previous large scale encounter with the force had largely taken place. To the east of the complex was the glitz and glamour of Coltchester; The Luxury District.

Between the memories I had of seeing it in the distance and Helios’ rough diagram, it seemed that the Luxury District was indeed the perfect place for one diversion; but one wouldn’t be enough. I knew the kind of force that the D.Z.C. could bring down upon any given location, especially one so close to their own heart. We needed something more… but what?

They held Cherry captive. I needed her back. I would do anything to get her back. I just needed one more way of causing a distraction, and I could see her returned to me…
Returned to me? Returned to me! Of course! The captives! Blueheart said that we had his brother and his brothers wife. If we could use them as bait, that would add another distraction to the list. Now all I would need would be a way to use them.

“You’re thinking up some kind of plan, aren’t you?” Dawnstar murmured. “What is it?”

“Are you aware of two captives we took at the battle to rescue Helios and Selene?” I asked, uncertain on whether the stallion would be aware as to who I was even on about.

“You mean that blue earth stallion and his wife? Yeah, we still have them. Last I knew the mare was out of medical care now and remains locked in a holding room along with her partner. Why? What do you have planned?”

Panning my hoof across the room, I smiled. “You lot should like this plan. Your job won’t be to attack the gate to the Luxury District, don’t worry. No, I want the two captives we have to be paraded around Slumside. Your job will be security detail; ensure that no harm comes to the captives, but also that the captives do not attempt any escape. Of course we’ll use binders and whatever other means we might be able to find to stop them from moving too freely, but here’s my thought-”

Freight Train interrupted me, a confused tone set in his voice. “Let me get this straight. You want us to risk our one bargaining chip against the D.Z.C. in a bid to draw them out in an effort to rescue them?” For a moment he paused as he rubbed his chin before continuing. “I mean, that’s well within our capabilities. We could certainly do a routine patrol, but isn’t that a bit obvious, Crimson?”

“I’m counting on the fact that them being assaulted at the Luxury District at the same time will cloud their judgement.” I countered, smiling back. “The bulk of their aggression will go to the defence of their jewel. Meanwhile, having captives being paraded will seem like us merely spitting on them in their moment of vulnerability. We will be publicly lauding our gains over them – the fact that we were capable of capturing their soldiers, and keeping them as prisoners. Not only that, but I assume that being Spec Ops, all of you were gifted the higher quality PipBucks with built-in broadcasters, right?”

“That’s right.” Freight Train simply murmured, slowly catching on.

“To add salt to the wound, I would ask that someone stay close enough to the captives and bait a conversation out of them. Have them speak of how we have been looking after them despite their affiliation with the D.Z.C.” Now things were getting good. “Not only would that reach at least one set of Coalition ears, but it would inspire the citizens of Coltchester to support us; the mighty force who are not only capable of winning fights, but keeping captives and proving it too. The D.Z.C. would feel like this was their one chance to rescue their soldiers.”

“Drawing yet more of their forces out of the base, and giving you a believable chance of success.” Tsunami hummed.

“Exactly.”

With that, I let out a sigh and looked around the room once more. The hushed muttering from everypony gave me no sense of pause as their faces seemed to indicate that the plan was solid. Taking note of there being no objections, I decided it was time to wrap up the initial briefing.
“Any questions?”

Lifting his head a little, Grinder made a gesture to grab my attention before speaking. “Why the diagram of what the base looks like if you know your way around it and we won’t be there? Even if the majority of their forces aren’t home, we aren’t going to be capable of scaling the walls and rescuing you, and even with all of the firepower we might get our hooves on, it would take way too much explosives to make blowing a breach through the wall feasible. You’re going to be alone in there, Crimson. Are you absolutely certain you’re willing to risk this? We’ve spoken to Treetop whilst you’ve been out cold, we know she has been let out of the base on a daily basis in order to help them scan the horizon for trouble. Why not try to rescue her at a time like that?”

“It’s too easy-”

I didn’t even have time to begin saying another word before Grinder continued. “Too easy?! Crimson, the easier a task can be completed, the-”

Now it was my turn to interrupt him. “It’s too easy, and therefore, its the opposite of easy. This might seem like unsound logic, but surely the easier they make it seem for us, the more they’re actually expecting it to happen? Here’s the trouble; a stallion who goes by the name of Captain Blueheart knows I’m in contact with Cherry. He gave me specific times that I can talk with Cherry without being caught by others. He seemed friendly and perhaps even decent, but what if that was a ploy? What if he did that knowing that Cherry would then tell us that she’s somewhere that we could theoretically easily rescue her at any point? The whole reason I’m willing to parade our captives around tonight is because I’m banking on the gang associates that Dawnstar has, along with some P.L.A.C. volunteers, to create a distraction large enough that rescuing those captives won’t be or seem easy to pull off.”

“So you’re suggesting that letting Treetop outside is effectively an ambush, and that they’re only doing it to bait you into action so they might catch you in the act of trying to rescue her.” For a moment, the room fell silent, but Grinder soon admitted defeat. “You’re right. That is suspicious. I’m forgetting that we aren’t dealing with run of the mill raiders or even slavers here, this is an organised force that rivals our own might. Tactics like those are what we would do in their situation, so its best to not underestimate our opponent and think that they wouldn’t do the same.”

“And here I thought you was just some pretty faced Stable colt.” Tsunami chimed back in. “Though it looks like they actually taught you a thing or two in there, hey?”

“Not just a pretty face, no.” I gave back. “A good part of my training to become the next leader is understanding military strategy and tactics after all. Need I remind you that the Stable’s heritage is all about military leadership and that there’s no chance in keeping your lands safe if you can’t assess threats properly.”

With a laugh, Freight Train reached out and nudged me from his chair. “Just a shame that you can’t see the strategic value in not getting shot. They did teach you that getting hit by bullets is bad in that Stable, didn’t they?”

Feeling a hot flush run across my face, I gave the only answer I could think of: “Go fuck yourself.”

The whole room burst into laughter, including Helios who had otherwise been quiet throughout almost all of the whole engagement. Turning my face away, I began coughing to hide my mixture of embarrassment and admittance of being roasted quite well. Upon recollecting myself, I made my final point. “So, Dawnstar. Your job now is to go and round up any volunteers who will go with the gang to assault the Luxury District. As soon as you have any number you’re comfortable with, take them to transport any weapons you’re lending to the gang and make they know it happens tonight. Spec Ops team, you lot go and make a casual stroll around Slumside. Familiarise yourselves with any route you might wish to take. Look for escape routes and anything else you might want. You’re the ones who are going to be dealing with the situation, so I trust your training and instincts to do what’s best for you. The lot of you? Take it easy. No fights, no trouble, no wearing yourselves out. We’ve got one hell of a night ahead of us.”

Everypony aside from myself and Helios made their way out of the room. Once they were all gone, the last one; Iron Wall, closed the door behind himself. Turning to face Helios, I yet again took a long, hard look at the diagram she had made.

‘Do you want it removed?’

I shook my head. “No. Keep it. You’ve done a wonderful job at rendering it from my memories alone. I’m going to need to study this a little longer, as will Selene and Eos. Eos hardly managed to get familiar with the base when she was there with me, and Selene won’t know it whatsoever unless I’m mistaken. We’re definitely going to need this to stay out of the eyes of anypony who isn’t going to be directly involved, however. Keeping this room locked is a must.”

“In that case, I shall study it too.” The whisper of those words coming from her lips surprised me, though I didn’t want to reject her offer, I didn’t know what to say. Catching onto my thoughts or feelings, Helios continued. “Crimson, you have repeatedly put your life in danger for the betterment of Coltchester despite having no affiliation to it prior to your arrival. Not only this, but you put your life in danger to rescue Titan, Selene, and myself.” Though these words were true, I still didn’t know what to say. I didn’t need to say anything though, as the words rang through my mind.
‘I owe it to you.’

Author's Note

So, this is a shorter chapter than usual, but after some consideration, I've decided that's what I want to do with this chapter. Now you've reached the bottom, I'll keep no secret that I was in two minds on whether I would make this chapter a whole lot longer or whether I would cut it off here, but I feel that not only have I been loligagging with getting it written and released for long enough, but the fact that I'm closing it where I am means I will have what I need to begin the next chapter with ease, and beginning a new chapter is half the battle for me, half of the time.

With that said, I seriously hope you've enjoyed it. Yes, someone will no doubt say that this chapter doesn't really advance the plot enough, but given the choice between releasing this as it ends here and having a chapter that feels solid in one theme or going for another chapter that spans 30,000 words (no promises on the length of the next chapter, I'm just saying!) and would also mean it becomes a chapter that has two major themes to it? I'd prefer to go for the former.

Now I would like to thank everyone who has supported me in the past, continues to support me in the present, and everyone who might support me in the future. You all mean a lot to me and though I do this for myself, I wouldn't have had the confidence to believe in myself and to believe I could pull it off without you. There's still a long way to go, but we will get there.

Also, as a final note, I seriously suggest checking out the comments, as I'll be leaving a new piece of art made by the absolutely magnificent Brisineo! Titan never did look quite so intimidating!

Prologue [reworked 28/2/13]

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds
By Kippershy

Prologue

Once upon a time I heard that war never changes, maybe that’s true, maybe it’s not.
All I know is that war changes the lands it touches.
Two centuries ago, Equestria was a thriving, peaceful land ruled over gracefully by a leader we once thought to be immortal and saw as a goddess.

Now? Now she’s dead, and the lands too are dead. Radiation from the balefire bombs made sure of that. Most of the Equestrian wasteland wouldn’t grow food for another century at the very least, leaving most communities with no choice but to scavenge or die.
Though even in a world where the ground we walk on and the air we breathe is poisonous, some of us refused to give in, for such is the nature of life.

Trying to contain my anger as I stared at the fucker, this was finally going to be it. It was finally going to be over. The suffering and horror of an entire city would end tonight, and it would be by my gun. The bastard in charge would would die.
Snarling at my foe, I asked him one final question. “Got any famous last words to share before I end you?”

Standing there with his back against the glass, he looked at me in fright. Sweat worked its way down his brow, his eyes straining as he gulped in apprehension of the coming moment.
“You’re a fucking fool. Everything we’ve done... it’s all been ruined! For what? So you can be in charge? Ha! Good luck.”

Everything they’ve done? All they had done was to be oppressing an entire city, made slaves of the people and raid the surrounding settlements. I couldn’t help but laugh through the anger I felt from his statement. “Everything you’ve done huh.”

There was no need to go further, he knew exactly how I felt. Now he looked at me, his lips trembling as he looked away momentarily before looking at me with a strange sense of calmness. “You don’t know what this will do, but go ahead and kill me. You deserve everything you’ve brought upon yourself. May they burn you alive, scum.”

Really? Everything I’ve brought upon myself? There was no sense in waiting any longer. In time with the flash of lightning behind him, I pulled the trigger. The sound of breaking glass was covered by the thunder, his body falling through the gap, a collision course with the ground imminent as he fell through the night sky.

With their leader now dead, It was over. The bastard in charge of everything was finally dead and the city could begin to rebuild itself.
Of course, there was still work to be done in cleaning out the rogue elements, but that wasn’t my job. My job was elsewhere, back home. I still had a task to do, that one initial task that had taken me this far in the first place.

As I turned around and began to walk away from the scene, a voice came from behind me asking one question. “Why?”

I didn’t care to answer that, there was no need. My actions were justified and I could never need to explain them.

As I stepped through the door, she spoke again. “Why did you come here in the first place?”

Now that was a question worth answering. Turning my head, I looked at the shaken mare. Her lavender face was now pale, drained of colour and exaggerated by the red velvet sofa she hid behind. “That would require telling you who I am first of all, so you might understand my reasons.”

Life in Stable 58 was peaceful, or at least, suitably stable. My worries were few and even with my daily duties, there was nothing that made me wish for anything different.
My days filled with small things like learning how to be a good leader, going through rigorous speech tests and learning how to appease everypony else without losing any benefit myself.
Who am I and how was that important to me? My name is Crimson Wings, and I am the son of the Overmare.

What filled my time mostly was the meetings. Every day I would have to meet somepony different, speak to them about their issues and act as their delegate to speak to my mother about the surrounding communities and the Stable itself. There always seemed to be somepony with an issue and it always came down to me to decide who to tell, the Overmare or the head of maintenance.

Atop of that, the clouds wouldn’t milk themselves for rain when we needed it, so my job as the one and only pegasus in the community was to occasionally bring down the rain. Oh, what fun it was to fly free and do as I like in the sky. Controlling the weather felt all too natural to me.

How did I get to be doing these jobs though? Well, that all happened after my twenty first birthday. The day after my party my mother came into my room, waking me up from my hungover stupor and throwing out the flavour of the night before so that she could speak to me personally.
“Crimson, you’re a grown buck now. You’ve been taking lessons on leadership since I considered you ready for them and now your job really begins. I want you to be the communities go-to pony, somepony they can speak to when there’s an issue. You’ll continue your weather duties and your classes as well as this. All it really means is you have to be available to talk to others and decide how pressing their issue is. Oh, and for Celestia’s sake, take a shower and clean up, you look like hell.”

I still remember the look on her face when she said that. I loved my mum, she was amazing.
Even more so when she turned around and spoke once more as she left the room.
“Huh, future leader of Stable 58 and thus Four Ridges by proxy, yet he can’t even get himself groomed.”

My ears perked up as she said those words. Me, the next leader of Four Ridges. Life was sweet being the leaders son.

A year passed without issue, or at least, nothing serious happening. Occasionally there would be minor issues with things involving traders from the outside, though usually after speaking to me the traders would see reason and accept that their differences with us were either minute enough to simply stop caring or a simple misunderstanding.
Every once in a while things would get out of hand, someone would get into a fight and be arrested for violence. With things like that, I was brought in to represent the authority of the Stable.

Life was easy for me, too easy perhaps.
Though that was all changed come that fateful day when the bad news was brought to me.

Every story has it’s beginning, this is where mine began.

Author's Note

The prologue has been rewritten and updated since the 28th of February 2013.
Great thanks go out to Joey for being a good friend and giving me suggestions on how to improve it here and there and also thanks to everyone else who had any other comments on it all.
I'll begin rewriting the rest of the story ASAP.

If you need explaining as to what's going on in the prologue, it begins by taking place after the beginning chapters of Broken Bonds and moves back in time to try and explain a small portion of who Crimson is. Thank you for taking the time to have read it!

Much appreciation goes out to anyone who rates, comments or favourites my story! If you have any suggestions on how to improve any of it, let me know!

Chapter 1: Fear [reworked: 8/3/13]

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds
By Kippershy

Chapter one: Fear
“Water. Water is the backbone of our lives, Crimson. You know this.”
“Yeah, I do, that’s why I’m about to do something stupid.”

Sitting down in front of my desk, the day was going slowly for me. There wasn’t many issues that needed my attention usually, just the occasional dispute that needed somepony to mediate and there never was a better pony than myself to do the job it seemed.
Still, it was a comfortable job.

My office was filled with one giant mural. A clean, crisp looking blue sky looking down upon me from above and lush green hills to my sides and back.
It always made me long to be outside of the Stable, to be in the skies and pushing around tufts of cloud like I was really meant to. I was a pegasus, my cutie mark was my wings! My destiny was to be playing around with the weather out in the open, not cooped up in a box doing paperwork and counting down the hours until I could do what I wanted to again.

Sighing loudly as those thoughts passed through my head, I began to remind myself that no matter how boring it could be at times that it was still a lot better than living outside of Four Ridges. Hell, my job was still more comfortable than some of the jobs we had to do here even. I never did envy those ponies that had to do the yearly sewage maintenance checks.
Stepping through the waste of nearly two thousand ponies was definitely not the job for me.

While losing myself in a world of thought as I idly played with my Rainbowdash plushie, who for the record was the greatest pegasus to have ever lived in all of pegasus history, a sudden knock on the door disturbed my trance and sent my hooves flying for the drawer to hide my secret joy.

Without confirmation of permission, a particularly beautiful earth pony mare walked in and began to eye me as I blushed over the now hidden away toy.
Before me stood Melony Love, the head of maintenance for the Stable.
As if planned the whole time in some dramatic entrance, she brought her hoof up to brush the mane from her eyes.
The white coat of her hoof really did look beautiful against the two toned mint green and melon yellow locks that curled around to her nose.

Looking at her in suspicion of what she might’ve been after, I began to chuckle. “Oh, come in here all in a hurry to come see me, have you? I thought you normally want me in bed once every two weeks, you’re a day early.”

Gasping before beginning to smile, Melony rolled her eyes at me before beginning to say her piece. “Sorry hotshot, but not this time. Official business.”

“Official business, hey? Are you saying you don’t classify trying to convince me that getting into bed with you hasn’t more or less become official business in your schedule by now?” I chimed back, an even larger smile across my lips as I looked over at the wall where a mirror hung.

As I admired my handsome face and how I really liked how the red of my mane and wings clashed against the dark charcoal of my coat, I caught Melony shaking her head out of the corner of my eye.
“No, that’s just pleasure. Besides, don’t even try to act like you don’t enjoy it just as much. Now, back to what I came here for in the first place.” Slowly, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “And no, it wasn’t to flirt with you. It was for something serious.”

Looking back at her, I put away the jokes and teasing for now. If Melony found something to be serious then there was definitely a need for me to pay attention, her being the mare in charge of making sure that Four Ridges remained a stable environment to live in after all.
“Okay then. What is it, Melony?”

Opening her eyes, her expression was deadly serious. Her brow furrowed, I really didn’t like the expression she had, it filled me with anxiety over what she had to say.
“Crimson, there’s an issue with the water talisman.”

Interrupting before she could say anything more, I spoke out. “An issue?”

“Yes.” She continued. “It’s beginning to take damage. The water talisman was never intended to be used so heavily. Stable fifty-eight was purpose built for up to seven hundred ponies, as you know. Currently we’re housing a little over five hundred, but also providing water for little over another thousand. Not to mention the crops that need external water supply from time to time.”

As the numbers went through my head, a fear began to take place in my mind as I looked down at my desk. We really had been taking the talisman for granted, it seemed.

“On the other hoof, the talisman was designed for a little over one thousand, so as much as we’re pushing it above its limits, it’s not excessively like it would be if we doubled the advised limit capabilities. Still, damage is damage and we can’t go on at the rate we are.”

“So, let me get this straight.” I began. “We’re damaging the water talisman by overusing it, but we’re not damaging it at a frightfully alarming rate... right? We could be doing worse to it, yeah?”

With a quick nod, the young mare agreed. “Yes, pretty much. The damage is only beginning to show today. Though we’ve had our suspicions about the output data readings for the last few weeks now.”

Looking at her in confusion, I raised one of my brows. “Judging from your current knowledge of how it’s being damaged, how long do you think we have before it stops working. Also, do you think it will slow down and stop producing so much or you think it’ll just stop completely?”

With a worried expression, she looked at me with sombre eyes. “I really don’t know, Crimson. The talismans were never stress tested like this. They couldn’t have been, there would have never been enough time to find out how years of overuse would affect them. For all we know, it could just stop tomorrow.”

Well, fuck I thought to myself. That really wasn’t good to hear.

“However...” She drew another breath as she paused and looked back behind her. “If the rate of damage continues as it has so far, we have approximately four months. With that said though, it’s likely the initial damage will cause further damage making it a chain effect. If that is the case, it’s closer to somewhere between two to three months. Don’t forget that’s all optimistic evaluations, so we might not even have that long.”

Oh how the news got worse and worse, huh? I couldn’t help but let out a sigh as I took it all in.
At this point, there was no need to really think about my options, this was definitely a matter for my mother to be informed about and to choose what to do about it.
As for myself, it looked like the rains would have to come down earlier than planned and try to reduce the strain on water supply that we would no doubt immediately be feeling.

“You, me, my mother’s office.” I quickly demanded. “She needs to hear about this as quickly as possible so she can make her official choice on the matter.”
Before she even had the chance to get halfway out of her seat I was already by her side, wings outstretched.
“Time to get on the Crimson express, M’lady.”

Melony let out a small giggle as she climbed on and I rose up into the air, because not only would it be faster than trotting there, who said we couldn’t have a little fun?
Feeling her hooves wrap around my neck and hold on tight, I began to beat my wings to fly in what free space there was down in the Stable. It didn’t have the expense of all the free space that topside had, but there was still enough room for us to shoot through the hallways.
Admittedly, one or two ponies may have had to jump to the side upon noticing us coming but we had a damn important message to get to my mother and I wasn’t going to worry about scaring somepony along the way.

As we approached the door to the Overmare’s office, I began to knock before casually opening it and walking on through.
Not seeing her at her usual position behind her desk I made my way over to it, noticing the apples simply sitting there for me.
Now, by ‘for me’, I had only really meant that they were sitting there but seeing as I was already munching on one, they were now claimed in the name of Crimson Wings.

“Mum! Mum! Get your damn plot over here mum! You’re needed and it’s urgent!” I shouted out between bites of the juicy, delicious apple in my hooves.

From her personal quarters she called back out, her voice muffled by the walls between. “Sorry, I’ll be there in a second! I was just having a shower a moment ago and I’m still drying!”

The sound of hoofsteps made their way closer and then her head poked out from around the corner. Her butterscotch coat shining radiantly and making her carmine red hair stand out more than usual as speckles of water fell from the still wet strands.
It really was no wonder I was so damn handsome when I had such a beautiful mother who could look gracious even as she was still drying off.

Biting down into another apple, I began to mumble through the chunks of food in my mouth. “So uh, yea’. Melony has something to say.”

Before Melony could speak her piece however, my mother looked at me with a raised eyebrow. “So, Crimson hunny. They wouldn’t happen to be my apples I had left on my desk for lunch by any chance, would they?”

Half way through biting into the apple I slowly stopped and looked at her, keeping the apple in the way of my mouth as to try hide my smile. “Mmmm... no?”
My grin hit from ear to ear as I tried my hardest to hold back the laughter I felt building up down in my chest and began to fidget, hiding the remaining two apples behind me with as much innocence as I could pretend to have while being caught red hoofedly.

Immediately a light blue glow began to emanate from her horn and encompass the remaining two apples from behind me and brought them over to herself. Looking at them, she then turned her focus back to Melony for a moment.
“Sorry, I’ll let you have my attention in one moment. I just have to teach a certain buck a lesson.”

Melony giggled and nodded back at her as my mother approached closer toward me.
“Now, Crimson. Mind telling me where my other two apples went?” My mother asked.

Looking down at my hooves, I quickly rushed to finish the remainder of the apple in my grasp. Before I could do so however, I found I was no longer holding it at all. Instead, it was within her magical grasp, floating before me.

With a little blush I began to giggle. “Oops, hehe. I uh... may have begun eating them.”

At that moment there, her face turned from her look of suspicion to that of adoration as she shook her head and rolled her eyes at me before trotting over and nuzzling into me.
A small kiss planted itself on my cheek as she rubbed my belly and gave the apple back to me to finish. A good chuckle came from her lips as she began to speak, the smile on her face caused me to smile even more in return. “Such a silly stallion you are. Go on, eat that one since you started it. I’m glad to see you eating anyway you being skinny as you are, Celestia knows you need to eat something.”

As I continued to eat the apple, Melony started telling my mother about the problem with the water talisman. Watching my mother’s face as Melony spoke I could she she was just as worried as I was when I had heard about it, this really wasn’t a joking matter.

Without clean water not only would the Stable die of thirst but also each of the four towns within Four Ridges with it.
Even further than that one of those four towns was a farming settlement that provided the food for all the towns within Four Ridges, and had yet still enough excess to even supply the nearby settlement of Fillydelphia... for a price, of course.
Getting back to a safe state regarding the water talisman had to become our biggest priority, for everypony's sakes.

As the two mares finished speaking, my mother turned to me. “Crimson.”

“Yes?” I asked in return.

“I want you to fly over to the four towns, inform Angel first as they’re the most in need of this new information. After that, the choice is yours on who to go to. Angel may want you to kick up a storm for their crops while you’re at it. Don’t take longer than you need to do your job though, we can’t afford to waste time.”

“Of course, I’ll go there right now. Besides, I’ve been dying for a good flying session these last few hours anyway. Sitting around isn’t really my thing.”

As I turned around and began to make my way out of her office, my mother called out to me. “Crimson? One last thing.”

Turning my head back around to her as she moved on closer to me, I felt her hooves quickly wrap themselves around me as she began to hold me tight in her embrace. My head nuzzled against her neck with my eyes closed.
Although I couldn’t see her face I knew exactly what expression she was wearing at that moment, one of worry. She always hugged me like this when she was truly worried, though I couldn’t blame her one bit.

Flying off to Angel like this was surreal. The town was such a peaceful place, some of my happiest memories took place in the surrounding areas of Angel.
The fact there was so many trees, lakes and fields of crops just made it somewhere you could really feel in touch with nature.
All of the buildings themselves too were made of wood and had a certain old world charm to them that would likely never be found anywhere else apart from in the pictures that inspired their construction.
To be going there with news that would no doubt change their collective mood from a generally easy going and happy one to something of fear or worry didn’t make me happy, though the surroundings themselves did.

The conflicting emotions I felt were almost enough to make me lose focus as I swept through the sky, though looking down on the wall below and the mountain ranges beyond it made me remember that if I didn’t get this done then all would potentially be lost. Four Ridges needed me to be on the ball, to be focused. There was no way I was going to let this settlement crumble like some old, mighty empire that had outstretched its own means.

Sighing at the mere thought of it all, I looked ahead as Angel crept ever closer in my vision. I could finally start to make out the dirt trodden paths they used creeping from out of the town.
A part of me wondered why we still called them towns, they were getting larger and larger as the years went on but even still they were always the same. Still, it was comforting in its own way, some things just didn’t need to change.

Drawing ever closer to the heart of it all, the occasional farmer waved at me. Usually I wouldn’t have had any issue flying down and greeting them, seeing if there was any issues they wanted to address to me or anything of particular note they simply wanted to speak about.
Not today, however. Today I was on a task too important and thus instead all I did was wave back as I continued to make my way.

As I circled around the settlement I picked out the mayor’s house from the rest and began my descent. His house wasn’t anything luxurious or even all that unique, but it was still a slight bit bigger than the other houses.
As I landed, a small crowd congregated around me.

“Crimson!” One of them stated in shock. “What brings you here? We’re not expecting rain for another three days now, I thought?”

“Possible change in plans.” I quickly retorted. “Does anypony know if the Mayor is home?”

“I’m right here.” He called out from behind the crowd, quickly making his way to the front. “What seems to be the issue?”

Looking straight into his eyes and then at the crowd behind him, I really didn’t think that talking about the matter in open air was the most suitable way to address the situation.
“Do you think we could talk in your home, Mayor Goldenhooves?”

With a nod, the mayor agreed. “Why of course we can. Come in, come in.”

Usually it had been the mayor inside my home, not the other way around. Looking around as I sat upon his sofa, I took a moment to look at all his simplistic decorations made of wood and little else as I awaited the brown buck to return from the kitchen.
As he came back into the room I noticed how his blonde mane shone in the light coming through the windows as he held two mugs, one for us each.

In a humble tone that I could only have undying respect for, the Mayor began to speak. “I’m sorry that I couldn’t offer you anything more than nettle tea. Usually I would have some soft or perhaps even hard cider around, but unfortunately this isn’t quite the right time of year to be producing cider and I recently ran out myself.”

“It’s fine.” I insisted with a small chuckle. “If anything, it’s me who should be sorry.”

“Oh whatever do you mean, Crimson? You’ve done nothing wrong!”

“Well, not yet anyway.” I murmured before taking a sip. “You see, I’ve not come here bearing good news, unfortunately. Precisely the opposite, even.”

“Oh? Care to inform me of what this bad news is?” The Mayor asked with uncertainty in his eyes. Looking at him, it was obvious he could read my face and tell that this was about something serious though I didn’t think he could tell just how serious the matter was from that alone.

Putting my mug down momentarily, I looked Mayor Goldenhooves straight in the eyes. “It’s about the water supply from the Stable. To put it simply, the water talisman is beginning to show signs of damage from overuse. Our engineers aren’t sure how this is truly going to affect the output though all signs point to nothing good. We’re unsure of exactly how long it’s going to be capable of producing safe water, or any water at all.”

The Mayor, now shaken, slowly lowered his mug and placed it upon the table before lowering his face into his hooves. “So, you’re saying we’re on a time limit of how long we can survive? Goddesses above, what did we do to deserve this? How are we supposed to continue without the water supply from the Stable? You’re not going to live forever and even then I doubt you alone would be capable of producing enough rain by yourself to provide all that we require. Even back in the days when your father was still around and we had a lot less crop to produce we still wouldn’t have been able to cope with a single pegasus working tirelessly on such a task.”

“We’ll work something out,” I began to assure him. “we have no choice but to. If we don’t, we’ll all starve to death and so will many small settlements. I’m sure Fillydelphia could simply request more supplies from its other trading partners, but we’ve got more at stake than even the entirety of Four Ridges going here. We can’t simply sit on our asses and do nothing over this.”

“But, Crimson.” He interjected, his worried tone of voice shaken from the news. “How do you think that this will be resolved? I mean, I may not be Mayor Blossom but even I know that technology like a water talisman can’t be commonplace or cheap. There’s no way we could simply stroll on into a marketplace and request a water talisman and be handed one without an issue.”

“Well,” I paused... he had a point, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me. “I know that I’ll be doing whatever it takes to make sure that the task is successful. I don’t know what we’re going to be doing yet, though I have my guesses and I know what I would do if I was my mother. If she’ll do what I’m thinking of I don’t know, it does seem to be the most sensible option however.”

Now he looked at me with a raised eyebrow as he slowly pulled his mug up for another sip to calm his nerves, his hooves shaking as he did. “And that is?”

“To send out three caravans, each with its own brahmin. Of course, I’d offer you compensation for any brahmin lost to properly cover the price of raising or buying and keeping a replacement brahmin to reduce your risk. After all, you do have a town to take care of and even in times like these I have to consider your individual needs as towns as well as the bigger picture.”

The mayor simply nodded in agreement without saying a word, prompting me to continue.
“If each caravan went to somewhere different, some place likely to have either information on where we could find a water talisman for sale or even better, salvage... well, we’d be set.”

“Quite the reasonable plan. Tell you what, if your mother also suggests something similar, I’ll be sure to accept. While I couldn’t expect personal reward for any of this, I wouldn’t be able to simply throw resources at a loss without any guarantee of insurance on those losses. It’s true that the ponies here at Angel aren’t the violent type but even we must be shown respect, we are just as important as the ponies with guns after all.”

Smiling at the buck, I nodded. “Of course.”

Finishing off the last of my tea that had been so graciously been given to me, I placed the mug back upon the table. “Now, I apologise for having been the bearer of bad news and even more so for this, but I must go. The other three town mayors will need to hear of this news and I’m the one in charge of telling them. Thank you for the tea, it was marvellous.”

With a warm smile the Mayor nodded at me again. “Yes, of course.”
His voice seemed to fade into the distance as he finished his sentence, causing me to worry a little.

Reaching out to him, I tried to comfort the poor guy. “You’re going to be okay, right? I know the news I just brought to you is a bit shocking and disturbing. If you need me to stick around a little longer and help you settle down somewhat then I will, okay?”

“Yes, I’ll be fine. I just need time to think about how to tell the towns is all. This news is very serious and I’m just thinking how we’ll cope. That’s all... yeah.”
At this point the mayor began to twiddle his hooves together in deep thought as he mumbled to himself.

In a moment of quick thinking, I perked up. “Hey, you’ve still got your reserve tanks, right? They store what, a months worth of water usage when filled to the brim?”

“Yes. Still, that won’t last forever.” He mumbled back in return.

“Want me to make it rain for you right now?” I suggested, hoping it would raise his spirits slightly. Not only would the rain provide water for the crops below but it would also encourage ponies to go back into their homes and allow the mayor enough time to think about the upcoming moment where he would have to speak to all the ponies in his town.

Looking back up to me, he let out a small smile before it faded back to a worried expression. “Would you? It would be much appreciated.”

“Of course. Now, you sit back and try to figure out what you’ll do. I’ll whip up some rain and buy you some time with that, then I’ll be heading off for Tank. They’re probably the best place to go to from here, I reckon.”

The conversation ended there as I made my way out of the door before spreading my wings and making for the clouds above.

When it rains, it pours.

*** *** ***

The feeling of the wind breezing through my mane and ruffling the tips of my feathers as I swept through the skies was simply beyond amazing, it was something I never grew tired of.the feeling of true freedom.

The speed of unrestrained flight was stunning, absolutely stunning. I had always challenged myself, pushed myself to see my limits and fly as fast as I could and it was always such a rush to reach those breakneck speeds.

I had happy memories of racing around with my dad, back when he was around. When I was at my youngest he would purposefully hold himself back to make sure that I didn’t have any accidents while trying to fly.
When I grew up somewhat he would race me and intentionally let me win at the end, just to see the smile on my face and feel my hooves around his chest.
As a teenager he really began to have to truly try against me, that was when he stopped simply letting me win and the challenge was really on. We would race to our fullest and sometimes I would win, sometimes he would.

Now he was gone, I honoured his memory by thinking of him when I went as fast as I was right now. It may not have been the usual method to remember people by, but it was my way of doing it for him. Our wings made us special, we were the only two of our kind and that meant the world to me. He was my dad and I loved him.
There really was no better way to remember him by than to commemorate the one thing we alone had, something nopony else could understand.

With my mind lost in memory of my late father I hadn’t been paying attention but suddenly my heart beat with ferocity as I felt the ripples from three bullets blazing past me, somepony shouting from below.

From somewhere below me a pony called out as loud as they could. “Pegasus scum! Die you fucking shit eating cunt!”
Before I could find out where they were however, another series of shots flew past me as I immediately reacted by flying as erratically as I could in an attempt to throw off their aim.

“Fuck!” I shouted to myself aloud, my breathing as if I was trying to produce a hurricane from my lungs and my eyes became as wide as a mountain as I scanned the area below me for the culprit.
Without any idea where the shooter was I had no way of breaking line of sight, rather, I just had to hope I could spot them before they got a hit on me.

With a loud crack another shot rang out and I dived for the ground in fear, for whatever gun that was it was powerful and there was no doubt that if it had hit me I wouldn’t have even a chance to survive. At least with the small crackle of the previous pistol fire if I had been hit I could have chanced flying to Tank for medical aid.

Before I could think about it any further my snout had almost touched the floor when I pulled up for extreme speed. At that moment a fair voice called out to me from atop of the wall behind me. “Crimson! Crimson! It’s okay, you’re safe now!”

Not wanting to truly trust the voice upon the first moment I used the momentum to pull up into the sky again and regain my altitude. Once I was a reasonable height up I looked down at the pony who waved up at me from upon the wall, the body of another laying amongst the rocks down below.
Cautiously I waited up in the sky for a moment longer as I tried to regain my breath from the sudden horror of being hunted without warning before making my way down to the awaiting pony.

Speaking in a soft voice, she welcomed me as I landed next to her. “Well, hello there mister Wings.”

With a mixture of embarrassment and shock I still found myself speechless as I looked upon the unicorn mare with the exceedingly large rifle floating before her, watching as she casually stowed it upon her back and smiled at me.
Closing my eyes I tried to put my words together to properly greet her but upon reopening them I noticed that before me had not only stood the mare whom had just saved my life, but also somepony who was very possibly the most beautiful mare I had ever laid my eyes upon.

My lower jaw hung slightly agape as I took the sight of her in.
Her rose coloured eyes pierced through my own as her equally vibrant yet soft mane began to fall over her facial features little by little.
Her scarlet coat shimmered in the light as she stood before me, slightly bowing her head.

I felt my bottom lip quiver as I gazed upon her, my breathing sped up once more and deepened as my heart raced faster than before.
Reaching out with a hoof I gently placed it under her chin lifting her head slightly to look back into her eyes, a small smile upon her lips as heat radiated from her cheeks.
I really couldn’t believe what I was seeing. There was something different about her, something I had never seen before.

Slowly I began to mutter to her. “Tell me, are you single?”

With that her eyes shot wide and she let out a small nod, that was all the confirmation I needed.
Immediately I leant forward and placed my lips upon hers for a deliberately long, slow kiss.
Moments passed and eventually I pulled away and kept my eyes closed as I took in her scent. Berries, or perhaps cherries even? No matter what it was exactly, it was enticing.

The mystery mare shook as she looked at me, her cheeks burning up as she began to stutter on her own incoherences before she gulped and went quiet.

“I would say sorry,” I began to say. “but I’m really not. By the goddesses, I have never met anypony as beautiful as you are, my fair lady. I know I should be sorry for not asking, but I needed to kiss you that once and I couldn’t risk taking no for an answer.”

With a small almost whimper like voice, she spoke with a smile across her face. “W-would you... do it again?”

Feeling my own cheeks burn now, I was more than happy to oblige. This time I reached out with a hoof and stroked her cheek as I sat on my behind, locking lips and ever so slightly licking hers. As she pulled back slightly I leant in closer and began to slide my tongue into her mouth little by little. When I pulled back, she followed my lips for just a few seconds longer until the kiss ended with us staring into each-others eyes.
We were both panting, there was definite chemistry between us.

“So, what’s your name?” I whispered to her, enjoying every second I had around the fine mare.

“Cherry Sundae.” She whispered back, a large smile on her face.

Cherry Sundae, heh? I thought to myself. “Beautiful name, beyond beautiful face, perfect body. You’re a one of a kind, Cherry. I would love to keep this moment going right now though I’m thinking that sitting upon the security wall probably isn’t the best idea. So, lets say we spoil the mood and find out what that douche had on him and try to figure out what he was even doing up here?”

Nodding her head with glazed over eyes, the smile upon her face only got more adorable by the second as I looked at her. Fighting to keep my cool, I stroked her cheek softly. “Sound good?”

Taking a moment before she could properly react, she shook her head to regain her focus. “Oh, oh. Sorry, lost myself there. Yeah, sounds like a plan. It looked like he was heading off to the gatehouse, probably wanting to get in here for whatever reason. Won’t be any more though.”

“Want a ride down there?” I suggested with a smile.

With an even happier look upon her face she frantically began to nod and squealing at the same time. “Yes!”
I laughed at that and she began to blush before going shy and stepping back slightly. “I mean, yes please.”

Kneeling down with my back to her I turned my head back around and began to wait. “Well, hop on then.”

Again she let out a squeal of delight as she wrapped her hooves over my back was beyond delightful. With a little effort I began to lift up and fly along the edge of the wall before over the side and descending over to where she had shot my attacker.
Looking at the corpse that now lay at my hooves, his entire head was no longer there, it was completely missing in a mess of gore.

“Cherry, what the hell? What the hell?” I asked in utter amazement, causing the poor mare to squeak shyly. “I can tell you’ve got a large rifle, but seriously, what the hell kind of ammunition does that fire to cause this sort of damage?”

“Fifty BMG.” She replied with a faint sound of pride in her voice.

“Fifty... Explains it. Damn, seriously. Remind me never to upset you, okay?”

That got a giggle as she began to loot the corpse. From out of his saddlebags she pulled out two magazines for the pistol that now sat upon the floor across from his body, which I quickly swiped for myself with a small grin as I did.

“Hey!” Cherry spoke up. “That’s technically my gun seeing as I took him down for you.”

Pouting at her, I began to bargain. “Awh, I was just thinking that seeing as you have that big ol’ rifle that you might let me have it.”

“The rifle doesn’t handle short range very well at all, that pistol would make for an excellent sidearm. Besides, are you even trained to use a gun?” At this point she raised an eyebrow at me sceptically, looking at me as if I was just a colt.

With a huff I quickly defended myself. “Of course I am. I may be the son of the Overmare but that doesn’t mean I’m incompetent when it comes to defending myself.”

“Oh really?” She said, snickering as she spoke. “Didn’t seem too much like it just then. Well, anyway, give me a decent offer and perhaps I’ll see about trading the rights to that gun with you.”

Looking at her, I really liked her right now. I didn’t know how much of a smooth talker she was, but judging by the fact she had been practically silent back a few moments ago I guessed that she wasn’t anywhere near as confident in her abilities of persuasion as I was.
This was my turf, my forte, and she would regret offering me that chance.

Smiling, I made my first offer. “Tell you what. You let me have the gun and spare ammo to go with it and I’ll let you hitch another ride to wherever you want to go atop of the Crimson Wings Express.”

“Is that all?” She pouted, damn she looked cute when she was pouting. “I don’t think that really covers it.” At that moment she scrunched up her face and began to grin however. “Although, if you’re willing to fly me down to Tenpony Tower for a relaxing spa break, fully paid for.”

Tenpony Tower? She had to be kidding! Staring at her in disbelief, her face quickly cracked up as she began to giggle. She was kidding.
I shook my head and began to chuckle myself. “Okay, here. How about I give you another kiss, fly you wherever you want to go and we go to Tenpony Tower someday. Right now I’m too busy though.”

“Mmmmm, another kiss you say?” Cherry began to moan softly. “Well, how about... uhm...”

Watching her bite her lower lip and look at me the way she did, I knew that expression all too well. Right now, I was ready to put my task off for a small while for it. I knew I shouldn’t, I knew it would get me into trouble, but my body was begging for it. Immediately I leaned in close and passionately began to kiss her deeply before pulling back teasingly.
The way she was looking at me now was with fire behind her eyes, we both wanted this and neither of us could deny that.

“My house is in Tank.” She suddenly blurted as she raced up onto my back. “Fly me there, handsome. Maybe then I’ll let you have the pistol.”

There was no need to ask a second time, as soon as she had wrapped her hooves tightly around my neck and brushed her cheek against mine I was already preparing to take flight, pushing off the ground with my wings.
The feeling of her body temperature was immense as she pressed herself tightly against me, the sensation causing me to fly as fast as I could safely manage with her upon my back.

With Tank now in sight, Cherry Sundae wasted no time in directing me to her home. Surprisingly she had one of the nicer homes in the town, two floors tall and detached from any other building. That was unlike the majority of the constructions around here though I didn’t question it.

As she trotted up to her front door I watched her hips sway provocatively, the motion sending my head spinning with desire. With the swish of her tail as she unlocked the door and pushed it open, my body felt like it was covered in magma and my breathing picked up once more.
Now I was heavily panting as she winked at me before blushing all over again.

As I rushed inside of the house and shut the door behind me, she made her way up the stairs taking care to go slowly and deliberately so that each step exaggerated the movements of her tail and marehood. Chasing her up, she quickly showed me the way to her bedroom....

*** *** ***

Although I had only originally planned to spend a short amount of time in the home of Cherry Sundae, that short amount of time had soon become the rest of the night. Passionate moments shared between us continued over and over and by the time we were done it was beginning to become dark outside. Instead of asking me to leave and expecting me to find somewhere else to stay for the night, Cherry had ever so graciously offered me a place in her bed to sleep.
Initially I felt bad that I had wasted so much time on such an activity, I had a job that I needed to get done and I’d spent the time instead fucking this beautiful mare.

Looking at her as she gazed upon me however, those regrets quickly diminished as it as the sun peaked through the curtains that hung over her windows.

Cherry Sundae... there really was something different about this mare. That was for certain.
I had been with many beautiful mares before, of course. Still, none of them compared to her. There was just that little extra something about her, something I couldn’t put my hoof on.
Was it the way she spoke? The way she walked or smelled? I really couldn’t be sure, all I knew was she made my heart flutter like none other before her.

As I went to finally get up, she placed a hoof upon my chest and began to speak. “Mmmm, don’t go just yet, Crimson. You’ve not even had breakfast.”

“I couldn’t ask that of you, Cherry. Besides, I really ought to go find Mayor Sunburn. I have some news to speak to her about.”

“Well, I insist.” She huffed. “I can’t have you going out anywhere without having a proper breakfast, mister. Besides, that would make me a terrible host. You lay down some more, I’ll go grab you something. Apple slices and a daisy sandwich sound good?”

As soon as she mentioned apple slices my stomach began to groan in response, the thought of food making me realise just how hungry I had become. Rolling my eyes and letting out a sigh of content, I gave in. “Okay, you win. Sounds perfect.”

Immediately the lovely unicorn got out of bed and climbed atop of me over the blankets before planting a kiss on my lips, her confidence obviously having been boosted from the events of the previous night.

Watching her red and pink form walk out of the room and down the stairs, I smiled to myself. I couldn’t help but feel immense joy.

It wasn’t more than a minute or two before she came back up, two bowls and two sandwiches being levitated in her magic alongside her. One of those bowls and a sandwich made its way over to me while the other was put down across the room as she sat down next to me. Watching the food float across the room and into her mouth was extremely cute and highly amusing, I had to admit it caused me to giggle each and every time she did it and it only made her blush and smile with my amusement.

I liked the way this mare did things, that was for definite.

After having finished eating we both had a wash and prepared ourselves for the coming day. Cherry had told me she’d be doing her usual routine security patrol while I had to go speak to Mayor Sunburn, along with the other two mayors, Blossom and Glitter Mist.

Planting a kiss on Cherry’s lips as I prepared to leave, she began to scuff the floor and look down at the ground sourly.

“So, uhm, Crimson?”

“Mmm?” I hummed in returned.

She turned her face away as she blushed. It was honestly surprising that a mare with a red coat could blush so hard and make it so obvious like she did. “Do you think you’ll... come see me again, maybe?”

Looking at her with a gigantic smile I nodded enthusiastically. “Oh, you can bet your sweet flank I will be. As long as you’re up for it, that is.”

The glint in her eyes as I spoke those words and the smile that instantly made its way across her lips told me she was more than up for that idea. Just like that, my day was even better than it had been before.

Walking around the town of Tank, the tall concrete and rock buildings stood strong around me as they radiated their protective aura. There was no more oppressive looking location in all of Four Ridges in my opinion, though it all served a purpose. Every building was designed with sheer strength and endurance in mind, the construction having outlasted the old war and managing to remain relatively undamaged when Stable fifty-eight settlers had come across it.

The roads were all the same as the buildings that surrounded them too. Rather than going for aesthetics they were simply smoothed down stone blocks that served the purpose of being heavy duty and heavily enduring for all the traffic that passed along them.

There really was no room for beauty in Tank, though that was seemingly how the residents seemed to like it.
I remembered as a child, I suggested that we find something to make the town more colourful so the palate wouldn’t simply be grey when I flew above it. However, Mayor Sunburn had never liked the idea and told me it would have been a waste of time and resources to do something so trivial. She never had been anything of a friendly person.
Still, she did her job and she did it damn well. The Tank Mercenary Group followed every word without fail and seemed to respect her greatly, so there was no room to complain.

Without the Tank Mercenary Group we wouldn’t have been anywhere near as secure here. Four Ridges was successful because of their efforts to protect and serve and I admired them for it. It was just a shame that I couldn’t admire the mayor herself.

After half an hour of searching for her, I had finally found the Mayor.

“Mayor Sunburn!” I called out from above the crowd around us, barely catching her attention.
As she turned her head to face me, I called out again. “Mayor! I need to speak to you!”

With a no nonsense demeanour she waved me into the nearby Tank Mercenary Group HQ building.
As I entered the lobby I took a moment to look around at the pristine condition it always seemed to stay in. Two ponies next to the communications array, one on the microphone with the other listening into something with his headphones and typing into a computer that sat before him.

Behind another desk another unicorn sat, flicking through reports on another computer, nodding at the pair of us as we walked on by.
There was a definite sense of organisation and efficiency within the HQ, a comforting sight.

“So, what is it you need to speak to me about this time?” The mayor asked, flicking her blonde hair behind her. “Nothing mundane like as usual from you Stable ponies, I hope?”

Blowing air out of the corner of my mouth in slight annoyance, I answered her question. “No, nothing mundane at all this time. Another security job for you.”

“Another security job, huh? Crimson, do you realise that nearly all of our jobs are security? Security is mundane as it gets. So, what is it? You want some party to show off what, that you’re some big shot?”

Wait, what the hell? I looked at her in surprise as she spoke to me. “Uh, no. No parties, something much more important.”

“Oh, so you want us to escort you to Tenpony Tower or something instead?” She asked with content in her voice.

Shaking my head, I raised a hoof to cover my eyes. “Yes and no, actually. Nothing has been confirmed as of yet, though I’ve been asked to inform you that the water talisman in the Stable is damaged. We’re on an unknown time limit of how long it will remain functional.”

Before I could continue, the mayor began to interrupt me. “I don’t see what we’re supposed to do about that. We’re a mercenary group, Crimson. We’re not engineers like Gummy but we’re not raiders either. What, do you expect us to simply walk up to some other settlement and take their water talisman for you? No, we don’t do that.” She added in a firm tone.

“Of course I don’t expect you to do that!” I shouted in return. “Look, let me finish. We’ve not confirmed what we’re going to do as of yet, though the town of Angel are saying that they understand what’s at stake here and if it comes down to it, they’re willing to lend three brahmin to any effort to try and find a settlement willing to trade what we need. What I would like to request from you and the T.M.G is the security of those convoys.”

“At what price are you willing to pay for our services on this?” The Mayor quickly asked in return.

Looking at her in confusion I shrugged. “Standard fees and compensation for any members killed or heavily injured in action?”

“Look, Crimson. We don’t only serve Four Ridges here. We also provide protection for many smaller settlements and local traders. You’re going to need to give us more incentive if you want priority over the other normal paying customers. Remember, you’re only paying us with taxes you take from us in the first place anyway.”

“Well, look at it this way. Where do you get your food from?” I asked with as much patience as I could muster for the brash mare.

“Mostly from Angel, admittedly.”

“And do you have to pay Angel for that food?”

“Well, no.”

“Where does Angel get their water supply?”

And just like that, with a ‘death glare’, Mayor Sunburn began to stare me down. “Look Crimson, that’s beside the point. The point is you have to pay up.”

Now I was getting extremely agitated, my ability to control myself on the verge as I looked at the cocky bitch. “And so we will. But you get your food from Angel who gets their water to grow that food from the Stable water supply and my efforts to make it rain from time to time. End argument is that you rely on us just as much as we do you, and we need you now to provide a small group of your mercenaries to protect any possible caravans we send out. We’re not expecting an army, something akin to three mercenaries for every caravan would be plenty.”

“Only if you give us fair pay. We have the right to deny any contract we so wish, remember.” She muttered with snide in her tone .

With that, I was really losing my patience. Before I was capable of keeping my voice down.
“Do you want to starve to death? Do you want to find yourself dying of thirst as the whole community of Four Ridges struggles to find enough water to sustain everyone?”

Puffing out her chest, Mayor Sunburn stepped closer to me in an attempt to be as intimidating as she possibly could. However, I wasn’t going to pay any attention to that. Still, she tried as she spoke. “Are you threatening me, the T.M.G or Four Ridges, Crimson?”

I didn’t have time for this, fuck it. Turning around I strolled over to the communications team and tapped the one with the microphone on the shoulder. “You. Local broadcast announcement to everyone in the vicinity. Set it up for me now.”

There was no argument there at least. The Mayor tried to dispute my orders and get my attention but I simply ignored her as I waited for the microphone to be ready for me. Within a matter of seconds, it was prepared.
“Citizens of Tank, primarily members of the Tank Mercenary Group. There is to be an emergency meeting held outside the T.M.G HQ within two minutes by the authority of Stable fifty-eight leadership. Repeat, an immediate emergency meeting is to be held in two minutes outside the T.M.G HQ.”

“You can’t do that Crimson!” Sunburn tried to shout as I walked past her, though I simply ignored her now. If she wasn’t going to listen, I would make sure the people would.

Walking out I flew up atop of the lowest roof of the building and waited for an ample crowd to form. At first it was just five or six ponies, though very quickly that became twenty, thirty. A few seconds later it had seemed to double as the masses came along, now was as good as any time.

Shouting into the crowd to get their attention, it was time for them to learn. “Ponies and zebras of Tank! I come to you bearing bad news!” At this point I paused, allowing the crowd to settle down before continuing further. “The water talisman in the Stable is beginning to become damaged from overuse. As you all know, this water talisman is what supplies Angel’s farms with the bulk of their requirement!”

The crowd grew restless at this point and began to squabble slightly amongst themselves in confusion and fright. It hadn’t been the response I was hoping for from such a highly trained team, though natural survival instincts were a very strong part of a ponies mentality after all.

“Speaking to your Mayor, she is refusing to cooperate with me on the mere idea of trying to sort out this mess we will undoubtedly become if we do nothing! So, with the authority given to me by my mother and the Stable as the designated leader for all of Four Ridges, I request a total of nine volunteers step forth and join me in an expedition to find a new talisman! The task I ask of you is simple! I ask nothing more than to protect three trading caravans, three guards per caravan! When the time comes and all is confirmed, we shall leave and seek Four Ridges' only hope for sustained survival! Who is brave enough to volunteer?!”

Silence filled the area as everyone looked around. I had expected somepony to step forth almost instantly in an act of noble sacrifice of their time for the chance to save Four Ridges, but it didn’t seem like any-
Before I could even finish the sentence in my head, a female voice called out. “I volunteer!”

I smiled, and then I saw her. Cherry Sundae stepped forth from the crowd and I felt my jaw drop in honour and shock, I hadn’t expected her to be the first one to volunteer!
Still, with her aim I wasn’t going to turn down her offer either.

Slowly another two called out. “If she’s in, I’m in. I volunteer!” “Me as well!”

Suddenly we had three ponies volunteering and before I knew it, another six stepped forth. We had our nine ponies it seemed.

Spreading my wings and gliding down towards the group, everyone else dispersed with a mass of worried chatter as they went back to their duties and activities.

Before I could say a word, Cherry stepped closer to me and whispered into my ear.

“This? I’m doing it for you. Where you go, I go, no exceptions.”

---o---o---o---

Footnote:
Crimson Wings:
Tagged skills: Barter, Small Guns & Speech.
S4 P5 E4 C7 I5 A7 L8

Author's Note

First of all, I forgot to mention earlier: I am not trying to be a revisionist. Following in the footsteps of P.H is not my intention with the trading with FillyD.
That's one issue I have recently thought about and decided to ask Kkat herself about it - she said she was happy with me using the included explanation on how they would source at least part of their food supply.

If you want proof I can provide it, otherwise it's just a small element.

So, a massive, massive, massive thank you goes out to the my anon helper. I know who it is really but he'd like to be called the anon, more than likely.
He's helped me with a fair amount of changes and admittedly, he's probably going to suggest some more after the initial release of this seeing as I wrote another 5,000 words after we spent a session together and he hasn't been able to do another session since yet.
But I'm getting impatient because I'm me, you know?

I've put the effort into pre-reading myself and there shouldn't be any issues, but if there is please don't hesitate to let me know.

Aside from that, thank you everyone who made it possible for me to do all this and thank you for having put up with the previous version and reading through the story all the same.
Without all of you I wouldn't have spent this year writing and learning to be a better writer.
If you want to see the old version, here's the link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D_zB7QWfAqJhbfQRw5vh2a69K8yr20t-N5Q6ETaIYZk/edit

Hope you all enjoy!

Many thanks go to Kkat for having made the Fallout Equestria universe a thing and also to Somber for having been the person who indirectly spurred me to writing at all.
As well as that, again, all my appreciation for everyone who reads.

If you liked it or if you disliked the story, leave me a comment and let me know why! Any thumbs up ratings are appreciated too!

Chapter 15: A city that never sleeps

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds
By Kippershy

Chapter Fifteen: A city that never sleeps

"The ponies relished and played in the day her elder sister brought forth, but shunned and slept through her beautiful night."

Fresh, crisp grass crunched under my hooves as I casually strolled along the riverbank, the running water sloshing against the sides as it rushed past me and out towards the lake.
Looking up to the skies, the most gentle blue filled my eyes as happy looking clouds gazed down upon us all without any risk of rain to ruin the beautiful day.
The world around me was just so fresh and wonderful, the sights and smells were soothing.

In the horizon, large emerald green hills rolled across the landscape, sloping into one another to create a beautiful see-saw effect as they went on and on, only Celestia knew how far they went for, though they looked utterly gorgeous from here. Standing under the shade, I couldn't think of anything more suited right now then to simply lay beneath the tree and enjoy the fresh air. I was in utter bliss, a truly care free happiness I'd not felt for some time now. It was all wonderful, too wonderful.

From above me, an apple fell from the tree, landing next to my hooves.
Scooping it up, I took a bite and tasted the juicy wonders of a clean apple.
Nothing but happiness and wonder filled my heart as I lazily lifted myself into the air and sat upon a low lying cloud, listening to the birds sing for all to hear.

Looking around me, I saw no cities, only a small village where ponies built modest homes, one even resembling a tree!
Down below me the grass was growing and up above the skies were unending, everything felt peaceful.
This life was sensationally magnificent, peaceful, absolute... but it wasn't real.
Sighing upon the realisation that this could only be a dream, I lowered my head in disappointment that it couldn't be reality.

With an expectant, sorrowful tone of voice, I asked the only question I could think of. "Eos, is that you poking in my head again?"
The fact I'd realised it was a dream meant it could have only been her, my dreams always seemed to end so abruptly if I had noticed i was dreaming. There was no audible response however, though the world slowly began to melt into a dark mess as it all faded away into nothing.

~ ~ ~

My eyes opened on their own accord, a sad looking Eos shying away from me as she blushed.
"I..." She began to stutter. "I just... I... wanted you... to."
"Shhhhh." I began. "It's okay, it's okay. I'm not mad. What did you want me to...?"
"I just wanted you to be happy." She blurted. "To make sure that you had nice dreams, for all that you've done for me. For letting me confide in you, for holding me when I needed someone I could give my trust to."

Shaking my head at the frightened mare, I gently wrapped my hoof around her neck and pulled her head back to me so I could embrace her properly. As I did, she nuzzled into me and I felt her powerful muscles relax.
"Thank you, Eos. It was a lovely dream, just not something I expected is all. Most of my nights have been without any recently, and when I do I usually have nightmares about Platinum still. If you ever do it again, I promise I'll just enjoy it, okay?"
With what almost sounded like a sniffle as she continued to melt into my physique, Eos nodded. "Okay. Do you want me to put you back there now?"

As lovely as the dream was however, the way my stomach felt was too much to want to sleep just yet, now the dream had been broken.
"Sorry Eos, I feel a bit of a stomach ache from all the alcohol. I hope you aren't offended."
Pulling her head back with a lot more confidence, she smiled at me.
"Of course I'm not. We did give you a lot to drink, after all. Do you want me to go?"
"No." I replied, a smile on my face too. "Stay here, you seem to really appreciate this and I'll admit, I'm quite fond of some lazy hugs myself."

Suddenly the large alicorn lifted herself from her position and lifted me with her magic before laying down on the sofa and placing me upon her so that her chest was my cushion and her wing my cover.
I had to admit, laying like this was indeed a wonderful, soft feeling and could understand why everypony was so desperate to lay with me in such a way.

Looking up at Eos, there was something I needed to ask though. "Eos?"
"Yes?" She replied, smiling down at me.
"Why did you take interest in me in the first place? Why do you continue to take interest in me, even now? What makes my happiness something of your concern, why the affection?"
In a moment of shock, horror filled Eos' face. In a tone of low self worth, she hurriedly began to speak.
"Is this a problem? Do you not enjoy the company or the care? Should I stop?"
Again with the nervousness, to which I just put my hoof upon her lips and watched her face soothe itself as I gently shook my head.

"No, no it isn't a problem. I do enjoy your company and your caring nature. I wouldn't dream of asking you to stop, as long as it makes you happy to do it and doesn't cause any issues. However, I do want to understand. I've never met you before this journey, yet almost as soon as I leave, I find you coming into my new apartment room during the night and giving me visions while I sleep, abstract dreams of what used to be and what has become. Then, when somepony tries to kill me, you act in my defence and return me to the hospital I was at? Even further, after I witness a trauma inducing experience, you're there to comfort me as if you were a close friend?"

Taking a breather, I continued to lightly press my hoof upon her lips.

"From the stories I have heard from many ponies, alicorns are... were, very stoic, never seeking friendship much less helping ponies emotionally. Sure, I have heard stories of alicorn protection from bandits and such, but never emotionally. I suppose this is to do with Unity or The Goddess, but why me? Surely it isn't my status as the future leader of Four Ridges or even that I'm a pegasus?"

Relieving my hoof from her lips, she smiled at me once more. "You are right, Crimson. This has nothing to do with being a pegasus, though your status as the future leader of Four Ridges did intrigue me."
Running her wing down the backs of my ears, I felt a wonderful sensation of pure bliss overwhelm me as she spoke, my tongue falling out to the side as she continued to stroke as my eyes rolled back.
"I took notice of you because of what you did, rather than who you are. I was actually staying in the very same room as you that first night that you came to the Commons. I was using it as a retreat to hide away in after the loss of our Goddess. I watched as you came to the village."
I quietly nodded, wondering how this was of importance.

"What was the first thing you do upon your arrival? You go and find the manticore that recently went wild and you tamed her once more, offering her friendship so pure that she chooses to follow you instead of returning to her home to stay! You then come back with her after Cherry had obviously been in a fight, and make sure she survives whatever had happened. Now, not even a day later you and Cherry blow up the side of a mountain for rocks, in which you rally up the entire village to build a fortification for them that goes around the whole place."

Looking at her in a completely blank way, I couldn't understand the importance. "They needed some form of protection, what else was I to do?"
"Exactly!" She almost shouted. "You immediately think of the safety and security of these ponies you'd never met before! Then you go and train them in gun safety and general usage and defend them from not just one threat, but two? Crimson, you used high explosive bombardment! Nopony whose nothing has high powered aerial delivered explosives! And defending the village from the DZC raid? That is why you're important to me, Crimson. You proved yourself to be perhaps the most generous buck I've met, not even Titan can quite match up to fortifying a village on a whim and then making it capable of defending itself... and then defending it with supreme firepower unlike anything I've seen before. When I read your mind, I saw that you would likely help us if you either could or had something repaid to you, but I couldn't tell what it was that you were after."

I blushed, was I really all that? I mean, surely that wasn't such a big deal? Four Ridges was able to give fire support, Coltshire Commons was a nice enough place and any resemblance of civilisation should be held dear and protected... the fortification of the Commons didn't exactly cost us a cap or anything...

"Even now, I can tell you are questioning the true worth of all that. The look on your face says it all, you saw it as nothing. Crimson, it wasn't nothing. You changed their lives, completely changed them."
"Yeah, and I also cost Dust Buckets a leg when he followed me. Changed his life forever, didn't I?"
"I have seen this in your memory, it was an accident and accidents happen. Your actions there ensured that not only did the Commons have security, but also something to trade, medical supplies and expertise. You breathed new life into Coltshire Commons."

"Okay," I replied. "so that answered why I'm important to you, what about my happiness? Why were you waiting for me in the apartment tower?"
"Do you think I would not follow you out of the Commons? Even if I hadn't, Titan was in Coltshire Town. He'd known about me leaving Coltchester and suggested the tower himself, seeing as he knew nopony used the structure. I followed you both, at a far distance behind. Far enough behind that I could just about see what was happening, but definitely not hear. That is why I was never involved in the fight with the ghouls, why I never saved the foals. I had no idea until it was all too late, I was more focused on what Titan was doing at the time, trying to decipher what was going on."

Sighing, I nuzzled against her further. "But you would have helped if you had known?"
"Of course, Crimson. I want to help everypony. If I had known what was going on down in the ruins of Old Coltchester, I would have rushed to your aid within a heartbeat. I'm sorry I couldn't do any better for you. When you stopped at the cottage, I spoke to Titan. He informed me of your painful experience and the plan to retrieve Maisy, and thus I flew to the apartment tower and waited for you, to speak to you."

"Okay, okay." I remarked. "So you've explained why me and all that, what about the affection though?"
Eos laid her head back as she considered what to say next, I just closed my eyes and waited for her response.
"Because without Unity, I feel lonely beyond understanding, Crimson. Before, I was connected to thousands of ponies whom I could communicate with at any time I wished, thousands. Now all I have is an ex-military bunker, of whom I only speak to my sisters, Titan and the medical crew. Of course, I've spoken to the others when we've made speeches, but never do we build a bond, Crimson. Titan worries for our safety, and thus will not allow many ponies around us. The medical crew have their jobs, meaning they are often busy. The other ponies fall under Titan's restrictions on their contact with us, for our own safety. You are the first pony I could enjoy the company of, truly."

Really? I found that hard to believe, what with the other two alicorns. "What of your sisters?" I asked as I brushed my hoof through her mane.
"My sisters? Myself and my sisters share our company, of course. Do not mistake my words for saying that we do not. It is just that we are all so accustomed to one another that it is as if we were one another, and perhaps we were, at one point."
Eos sighed again as she gave me a small smile before continuing.
"You however, are not them. Your kindness and open nature makes me feel at ease, your friendly smile making me wish to approach you on more of a personal level, than a purely business one. Aside from this, I am but a pony just like you, differences aside. Now The Goddess is gone, I had nopony to admire and relax with, until you offered me that luxury."

Now I could understand, I realised and appreciated her even more. "So, you're just wanting to feel normal? Cared about... wanted, perhaps?"
As fast as lightning, the mares cheeks turned a deep crimson comparable to my wings, an inaudible noise escaping her lips as she nodded nervously.
I couldn't blame her for what she did or why she did it, she hadn't hurt anypony. She just wanted to be cared for.

"Well," I felt the back of my throat choke up slightly as a grin came across my face. "if you want to feel cared about, I care about you. For the things you've done for me and the things you're doing for Coltchester, I can't help but admire and care about you. If all you ask is that somepony is there to hold you and make you feel appreciated, I'm sure that Cherry would understand if you came to me when you want to be embraced. It's not like that's cheating, right?"
The smile upon her face was immense and the kiss she gave me was so sudden that I couldn't even think about what was happening.

A split second later, she pulled away in a jolt and looked at me in horror of what she had just done. "Oh... Oh Trix- Oh! I'm so sorry!"
I just looked at her in pure confusion, as fast as the moment had begun it had ended and she was freaking out.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't... I...."
Before I could say a word, she was gone, rushing off towards her room.
Wondering what I should do, I decided against following her. I didn't want to upset her further, and no doubt she was too embarrassed by what she'd just allowed herself to do.
What would I do next time I saw her though? I didn't want to make her feel bad, but I was with Cherry now, and Cherry meant everything to me.

Before I could dwell on it any longer though, Titan came to my rescue by walking up to me.
"Come on, feathers. What did you do?"
"Feathers? Hey! I'm a pegasus, you can't say that to me!"
"Hey, you're the ghoul bigot, you're not gonna let me call you feathers for being a pegasus?"

Looking at Titan, I frowned. I frowned and frowned and frowned while staring at him so intensely I... couldn't help but burst out laughing at the end of it.
"Fine, you rotting sack of meat." I said between my fits of laughter. "Call me feathers all you like, I'm not really offended. You're just jealous I have them!"
"And you're jealous that I'm one of those ghouls who turned hard and crusty rather than soft and squidgy, otherwise you'd have so much fun threatening to beat me to mush, wouldn't you?"
A little chuckle came from both of us, but deep down inside I could tell that a small part of Titan meant what he'd just said.
Looking down at the ground below me, I couldn't help but feel a little bit bad.

"Okay Titan, I'm sorry, okay? I promise I'll try not to say anything to you, or even in front of you."
"Trying is the first part of doing, so yeah, okay kiddo. Now what's up? Why did Eos run into the room and start crying?"
"I... wait, what are you asking me for? Surely you should ask her?" I answered, flustered by his question.
"Nope, because she was laying with you until now. Why is it that she suddenly started crying?"
"I think I have to go speak to her again real quick, don't mind waiting here for a moment, do you?"
Titan nodded at me. "Go for it, see if you can't apologise or whatever. I don't like to see her so sad, you seemed to do so well at calming her down earlier."
I nodded back at him, intent on fixing the situation.

Knocking at her door, I received no response, only silence. I knocked again, only to hear her nervous sobs as she slithered on closer to it, slowly opening the door to me.
"What... what is it?" She wept. "Please don't tell me you're here to have a go at me."
I shook my head and lent in to her, giving her a soft kiss in return for the one she'd given me just moments ago.
Her eyes welled up with tears as she struggled to hold them back, though she looked confused she'd obviously enjoyed the moment.

"You..."
"I wanted to tell you that it's okay, but couldn't think of the words. So instead, I thought I'd return the gesture, but I can't do it again, I'm sorry. Cherry Sundae is my special somepony, and I know she wouldn't appreciate that level of affection. Cuddles? Sure. Kisses? Not so much."
"Then why kiss me just now?"
"I just didn't want you to be nervous or hate yourself for that first kiss. I enjoyed it, as sudden as it was, but I can't do it again."
With a sad little nod, she pulled me close and held me for a moment before looking at me tenderly.
"Thank you, Crimson. For tonight and for this, though I need some time to think."
"Sure. I'll go out and play with Titan or something, let you have some peace."

With that, she smiled at me as she slowly closed the door, her tears stopping as the last of them slid down her cheeks.
Poor mare, I really hated it when things like this happened.

"Come on Titan, grab whatever gear you want, we're going out for a stroll. I'm not in the mood to sleep right now and I promised Eos that we'd go out and play in the mud or something."
"Are you telling me what to do, Crimson?"
"Yup. Anything we can do outside at this time of night?"
"Thinking about it... yeah, there is. Just remember, I give the orders out here."
I smirked at him as he grunted in a mixture of amusement and distaste at my cocky attitude. "And I outrank you, captain. Listen to your higher-ups, or otherwise Lt. Colonel Wings will demote you, soldier."
It was then that we shared a laugh as we began to trot off to grab our gear.

As much of a nuisance as my cocky attitude could be to some people, it definitely made for some strong humour.
While Titan went back into the room to grab his gear, I made a quick divert to where Cherry and Sandstorm were sleeping.

Creeping into the room, I carefully made my way over to the bed. Cherry laid there, smiling as she slept, the quilt not quite covering her completely though. Noticing the slight chill in the air, I gently pulled the covering back over her and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek before whispering an 'I love you' into her ear.
Making sure Sandstorm was all tucked in too, I left the room, though as I left, I glanced back. Cherry's smile had grown ever so slightly larger, my own increasing in response.

*** *** ***

Making our way out of the door, Titan waved at the guard as we left.
"Keep an ear our for any news, okay Dark Dew?"
"Got it boss, stay safe out there. You sure you'll be fine?"
Nodding my head, I flashed my shotgun and pistol at him. Titan saluted and the donkey saluted back.

Making our way across the alleyways, there was nopony in sight with some weird sounds off in the background, which led to me feeling confident enough to ask a question without worry of being overheard.
"So Titan," I casually started. "a donkey guard?"
Looking at me as we walked along, he showed no emotion, positive or negative.
"What of it?"
"I dunno. I just..."
"Assumed that this movement was only about ponies?"
"Well, somewhat, yeah. I mean, we have the odd donkey over in Four Ridges and even these two zebras, but they're two out of over a thousand residents, so as you can imagine."
"I know what you're getting at, you're not used to them as being common and therefore didn't expect them to play a big part, but they do here. You'll see, real soon. Zebras and donkeys have as much right being in the P.L.A.C as a pony."

I couldn't argue with that, not that I'd wanted to. Titan could tell I was purely curious rather than trying to be insulting about it, so he seemed pleased that I'd asked about it, almost as if it made him proud that no matter what, he stood up for everyone instead of picking sides.

Walking along, the sounds of ponies filled the streets, selling their wares and singing about how the day end brought hope for another pint down their throats in songs that carried no tune, only drunken slurs.
It was much to my amazement however, when it turned out not to be ponies, but instead, donkeys and zebras that were singing and selling.
Titan snickered as I stood in awe, I'd never seen so many of them in one place!

"Where... where did they all come from, Titan?"
"They come from the shanties to the north. 'During the day the ponies come out to play, during the night the zebras and donkeys come for the pint and fight.' Or so goes the old saying from here. The truth is less that they're after a fight and more that they simply prefer the night."
"Why is that though?" I couldn't get my head round it, why would they prefer the night so universally? I mean, I'd seen one or two zebras during the day, and we'd encountered the DZC troops, but by the amount of them here, it seemed that the zebras avoided the day almost.

Titan simply raised a hoof and pointed out towards the crowd. "When you look at them, what do you see?"
What did I see? I saw a bunch of zebras! "Uh, Titan?"
"Go on, what do you notice about them." His voice so casual, almost mockingly so.
Looking closer at them, I had noticed something. Their stripes blended in together, almost as if they were one.
"They... blend in well?"
"Exactly!" He almost shouted as he smiled at me. "They can move around without identification a lot easier at night. Now, I'm not saying that every zebra looks the same to me, I've put my old racism aside after all these years. However, it's a natural part of their genes. The lands they originate from are a lot more dangerous then any part of Equestria ever was, and so their bodies developed that natural camouflage to make them seem as one, so the threats would be less likely to attack."

Blinking in shock, I looked out as I realised just how much sense that made. I couldn't believe it was something so primitive, though that didn't quite explain it.
"There's more to it, isn't there?"
Titan nodded. "I never was big on zebra mythology, though they speak of a maiden of the stars and the stars being evil or something... which is strange, you'd think that makes them avoid the night, but for some reason, they seem to prefer it for it. Never did ask because I didn't want to get into a fight over it."
Again, that was something I could understand. He harboured old grudges that even when he'd let go of consciously, there had to be a part of him still that would always find it ridiculous and alien.

Stroking my chin thoughtfully, there was still something that eluded me. "Okay, what of the donkeys then? I can understand the zebras now, perhaps it's also to do with avoiding us ponies. What of the donkeys though?"
Titan dismissively shrugged as he continued onwards. "No clue. Some of them are close friends with the zebras, others prefer the night for their own reasons. Generally the donkeys are a split between day and night, though they stick out of the way during the day, usually working the mines down to the south."
Well, couldn't ask for a better explanation then that, I supposed.

"Let's go meet some of these zebra and donkey locals then, huh?" I asked in my happy mood, despite the way my stomach still felt like crap.
"Yeah, sounds like a plan. Perhaps we can find out some information on Pony Joe, too.... who knows, who knows."
With that, we headed towards the nearest street vendor.

[Song: Bob Marley - Three little birds]

As we came closer to the main marketplace the sound became louder, only now I recognised it not to be random noise, but music! A pair of zebras had been sitting in the middle of the market, one playing what looked to be brahmin skin hoof drums while the other sang a happy, laid back song about how everything was going to be okay.

"Every little thing is gonna be alright?" I muttered to myself.
"Well, what else would they sing?" Titan asked in return. "We're all going to die tomorrow so lets be sad?"
"Well, no. I mean, I don't expect them to sing depressing stuff... I just didn't expect them to be singing at all, you know?"
"What other entertainment is there in the wasteland?"
"Rum, mares, med-" I stopped there, realising what I was saying.
Titan raised his eyebrow at me though, obviously having caught my blunder. "What was that, Crimson?"
Immediately I thought of the only thing I could do, lie."Nothing."
"'Med'... go on. What was you going to say?"

Looking at the tall buck, I knew he wouldn't let this go until he'd gotten his answer.
"It really isn't important." I tried to tell him, hoping he'd drop it anyway.
"Oh, go on you big baby. You were gonna say something you aren't sure you should be enjoying, weren't you?"
"Not so much that, just..." I stumbled upon my own thoughts. For as charismatic and quick thinking as I was, even I could be tripped up from time to time.
"Just?"
"Only something I enjoy when the circumstance is... adequate. I'm not like the lowlifes you see just bumming around because of it."
"Med-x, right? I understand, the stuff is... soothing. Look, as long as you're not off your head while out here, as long as you don't risk anyone else's safety, you aren't my child so I wont scold you."

I couldn't help but feel a higher level of respect for Titan after he said that. "Understood, hadn't planned on it. Thanks, Titan."
"Hey, we all have our demons kid. Like I say, as long as you don't put anyone else at risk through it, pony or zebra, I've no room to berate you over it."

As our conversation ended, I noticed the two zebras move onto a new tune. This song was similar, but slightly different.
"Don't worry, be happy." I found myself joining along.
With that, the pair turned to me.
"Ah, what is this we see? Oh, but it is a pony!"
"Uh, hi?"
"Hello there pony, what brings you out during our twilight hour?"

Titan pulled a small bag of caps out and threw it to the pair, much to my confusion.
"Go on guys, let him be. We're here to have a walk around, make some more... friends, if we can. Mind telling us what you know?"
Within an instant the one whom was drumming rummaged his hooves through the bag before nodding to his friend.
"Okay, Titan." He began in a much more stern voice, a deeply serious tone about him. "What are you after? Whose missing? Or is it something else this time?"
"Old Pony Joe of the courier service and Blessed Cradle, an ex-DZC foal-sitter. Both were captured by DZC forces, apparently kept locked up at the moment. I want to know where."

Rubbing his hoof against his chin, the zebra nodded. "I'd heard about Old Pony Joe, not about this foal-sitter though. I don't know where they are, though I might be able to find out who does. You come back in a few hours, I'll have had them tracked down and see if they have any information for you. Be warned, they may have a charge of their own."
"Fine by me, I don't leave anyone behind, no matter the cost."
Smiling, the zebra nodded. "I remember, thank you. Oh, one more thing, DZC presence is heavy tonight, be careful."
"Thanks for the heads up Zared."

Moving along, Titan led the way. The roads were filled with zebras and donkeys selling their wares, which was somewhat surprising to me, having seen how things were the previous day.
However, I supposed it shouldn't have been such a shock. Everyone had to eat and drink, which meant that somepony or somezebra would have to sell those goods.

Approaching the stands, some of them had stuff I'd never expected to find being sold in a place so squalid.
Clean clothes from the past hung from stands that made sure they weren't even the slightest bit dirty, though dusty all the same.

"You after my vintage clothes, my good sir?" Somepony asked from behind me.
Turning my head to the pony out of respect, I found out they weren't a pony at all! A donkey stood proudly as she held up a hoof to point to the clothes racks. "While I may not have access to scavenge the best of what Coltchester can offer, I can offer you high quality vintage clothing! I know that sounds bad, not having the best, but it simply isn't something I can do without access to the north-east district."
"North-east district? What's there?"
"You must be new here... figures. The north-east is where our..." The donkey looked away in disgust before turning back and forcing a smile. "'Oh so lovely' leaders live... mostly, anyway."

So, the north-east was where their leaders lived? It seemed that we would have to make the time to have a little trip up that way some time soon, once I was healed up and we had Maisy back.

Pulling me back into the moment, the donkey smiled as she spoke to me, a genuine smile this time. "So, is there anything you like?"
"Two things, actually."
"Oh?" The smile on her face grew larger. "What might they be?"
"Number one, that dress there."
Pointing to the dress that hung on the end of the rack, the Jenny extremely pleased by my choice.
"Oooh! The fit and flare one? Oh how I do love the way these two greens blend into one another, an elegant yet demure piece. A gift for somepony perhaps?" She asked with a long note of compassion in her voice. "This is the type you'd see somepony wearing to a gala."
"Yeah, my marefriend. I reckon she deserves something nice, for all she's done for me. Deserves to be treated nicely anyway, she doesn't seem all that confident in her own worth."
"Well then, this sounds like it would suit her perfectly! I hope she loves it as much as I do."

Without anything more being said, she was already carefully taking the dress down and placing it into a protective cover... which truly amazed me. Protective covers for dresses in a place like this? I suppose they had to be kept clean somehow.
"Now, what else did you see that you liked?"
Smiling back at her, I looked around for a moment before leaning in and whispering. "Your attitude, both in general and towards the DZC. Are you interested in hearing more?"

For a moment she stepped back and looked at me, no longer with a smile covering her face, a hard look taking its place.
"You're new here, what do you know."
"I know of poorness and prosperity, of oppression and rebellion."
"Oppression of whom?"
"Everyone who isn't DZC affiliates."

Looking around, she nodded and let out a crack of a smile again. It seemed I'd passed her test.
"Well, I'm already with a group, I'm sorry."
"Not these Anarchists I've been told about by my marefriend, I wonder?"
"Those punks? No. They just want chaos."

Behind me, a rough voice spoke out. "The P.L.A.C. Hey there Deenice, how are things?"
Without a thought, I waved him off for being so rude as to interrupt. "Titan, I'm trying to convince-" ...wait, Titan?
"Convince her to join the cause? Good attitude but you're too late. She's with us already."
"Ah, very good Titan, thank you. Despite the DZC being so thick in the area, I've been unmolested. They're too busy looking for somepony right now, some pegasus or something."
"You're looking at him right now."
"I said pegasus."

I laughed as they spoke, pulling my garb off just enough to extend one of my wings.
The look of surprise amused Titan as much as it did myself! Oh how I loved being a pegasus.
"You're him, you really are, aren't you?"
"Yep, guilty as charged, hee hee!" I couldn't help but laugh at how surreal the situation was, I'd only come out for a walk!
"Well then, in that case, I owe you! I was going to charge you one hundred caps, but seeing as the DZC are a lot more interested in finding you then they are annoying me, I've been able to get along and sell my goods with ease. Tell you what, fifty caps and your marefriend gets this dress."
"Think you could take it to the HQ for me? I'll be out here for a while longer."
"Sixty caps and I'll do that now, deal?"
"Deal."

Getting a good bargain was something I absolutely loved. Sure, I could've asked for a lower price on the delivery, but something told me that getting near half of the price cut off and the dress taken to Cherry was as good as it was going to get.

"Oh, one last thing. Ask for a Cherry Sundae, it's for her. She'll be asleep right now so if you wouldn't mind, just leave it somewhere inside with a note or something. Thank you!"
"Perfer et obdura to you, pegasus."
"Crimson, and dolor hic tibi proderit olim to you."

Titan gave a small laugh as he smiled. "Well handled, Crimson."
"Thanks, Titan. Bargaining is my strong point."
Titan just facehooved at me before laughing more. "I meant the trying to convince her to join the cause, but that too. Got a good deal, better then I'd manage."
"Oh!" I laughed. "I just think we ought to get as many people to our cause as possible."
With that, we made off as Deenice packed up her stand and set off for the HQ.

Walking down the dusty road, I couldn't help but feel a little out of place. Titan showed none of this discomfort however, as he casually strolled on through, nodding to donkeys and zebras as we made our way.

"So." Titan began, pausing until he knew he had my attention. "Where would you like to head first? This is only the start of it all. There's the courier service station we could go to, though I doubt we'd find anything more than me and Cherry did earlier."
"Think we'd find anyone who has any idea what happened?" I asked back, shrugging as I did.
"Probably not."

Without any warning I fell to my side as a pair of soldiers pushed through us.
Picking myself off the ground I looked at the offenders, all dressed up in their DZC armour.
Titan shook his head in disgust but didn't say a thing, though I was sure going to.
Taking one look at me and the grin across my face, Titan knew what was going through my head.

"Don't do it Crimson."
"Stop me."
Facehooving, he grumbled. "Oh Celestia no."

"Hey, you!" I shouted, running over to the pair and routing them. "You got a problem?"
Dismissively the pair gave me a deadpan look as I blocked their path. "Huh? Get out of our way, pony."
The grin on my face grew larger as I lowered my face in an aggressive manner. "Oh, you want to make me get out of your way again?"
"Get out of our way pony." They'd said it again, only this time they had a definite tone of aggression in their voice as the other simply stood there, staring me down.
Leaning in, I smiled at them both as I whispered into their ears. "The Executioner doesn't like it when he's mistreated."
Their eyes widened as I pulled Forgiveness from my garb, glaring at them with intent.

Without a word between them, the zebras eyes widened in a mixture of fear and anger.
Out of instinct they both went to rear up in an attempt either to pull away from me or attack, but before either of them could do a thing I was already lunging forwards at the one on the left, slashing into his throat with my blade.
Blood came gushing out of the wound as the zebra fell to the floor, his armour clattering as it crashed, his body falling limp. The first of the two zebras were already dead, half of the job done.

Less than a moment later, the other zebra struck me as hard as he could, knocking the blade from my mouth out onto the floor, a slight moment of being dazed taking over me.
Taking the chance, the zebra stuck another two times, knocking me back but not off my feet.

He screamed as he backed up to buck me. "You'll pay for that, pony!"
Noticing the urgency of the moment, I dropped down to my hooves and the kick went high.
The zebra unsteadily landed on his hooves, put off balance by missing his target. Now was the perfect chance to strike.
Without a moments pause, I headbutted straight into the opponent's groin, making him fall onto his face in agony of the sudden blow to the sensitive part.
Now it was my turn to strike back, turning around and bucking him with lightning speed, knocking his hind legs out an causing him to cry out in further pain.

Titan stood at the side the whole time, not doing a thing to help nor hinder. I wondered why that might be, but there was no time to be distracted right now, there was still a zebra to handle.
With a moment spent recomposing myself, I calmly walked over to Forgiveness and picked it back up, sliding it back into the makeshift holster I'd make in my garb.
Stepping over the body of the dead zebra, I make my way back to the one who laid there, wincing in pain.

Kicking him to his side, I lowered my head and looked him in the eyes as I spoke.

"You, zebra." There was no malice in my voice now. No hate nor disdain, just calmness.
He didn't respond, so I kicked him again, only gently this time however.
"Zebra, speak. I might offer you something if you do."
Slowly he looked back at me as he whimpered. The pain and hate was obvious in his eyes, but even more prevalent was his fear. With a shaken voice, he spoke. "What?"
"Do you wish to live another day? To see the end of this night?"
The frightened zebra nodded slowly, his lips trembling with terror as I pushed down firmly on his neck with a hoof.
"You will go back to your unit. You will tell them what happened here, how I bested you both in a fight. You will tell them that 'The Executioner' walks these streets, searching out those who would uphold oppression. You tell them what I did, and what I'm about to do to you. You will live, but I am going to leave you a mark of my mercy, a shorthand of justice. Try not to flinch, you'll only take an eye out or worse if you do."

The zebra gulped and held his eyes shut tight as I pulled the knife back from my clothing, and gently skimmed it down one of his cheeks. The sharpness of the blade drew a speck of blood, but I hadn't cut him deeply..
To my surprise and his courage, the zebra didn't move in the slightest as I made my motion. When I pulled the knife away from his face, he opened his eye in confusion as I grinned.

Putting the blade away, I helped him off the floor and gave him a stern look that told him I would finish him off were he to even think of betraying what little trust I had given to him to carry out my orders without trying anything stupid first.

"See that?" I began. "That was me being merciful. I could've cut your eye out, I could've cut you deeply. Instead, you get off with the tiniest of cuts. Let this be a lesson to you, you don't fuck with The Executioner. You got that?"
Giving me a look of horror, disgust and respect all in one, he ran like his life depended on it. To be fair to him, it had.

Titan just shook his head at me as he spoke. "What was that all about Crimson? Why let him live and reveal all these details he now has on you? Hell, he no doubt saw me, what if he makes the connection?"
"If he makes the connection, I'll have to hand him his dues for remembering someone who had no part in the fight. With what just happened, he'll be left more traumatised by what I just did than what you didn't do."
"Exactly!" Titan shouted. "Why? In the name of mercy? How was that mercy?"
"Why? You of all ponies should know the effect of demoralising the enemy force, to make the enemy see you as some kind of demon. It makes them question their will to fight, weakens the enemies power base. As for doing it in the name of mercy? He lives, does he not?"

Titan went to object, but I shook my head and raised a hoof before he could speak.
"He lives. I may have left a mark, but I made sure it was only a shallow cut. He will tell his unit now of what I do and they will be angry but also frightened for their own lives... and faces."
"I just..." Titan interjected, before taking a moments pause to consider his words. "I just think your method was... ruthless. How do you think your people would react if you did this to them?"
"I wouldn't do it to them, nor do I intend to ever control Coltchester. I am ruthless for the sake of necessity, Titan, not because I enjoy it."
Titan's voice was agitated now, confused on how any of what I'd said made sense. "How is it necessity?!"
"It's necessity to weaken the DZC as fast as possible, to crush them so you might lead me to the water talisman. Remember, I have over a thousand ponies to look after, getting to my goal as fast as possible is necessity. The longer we stick around here tip toeing around methods that truly demoralise and weaken the enemy, the less time I have to save all of those ponies. Okay?"

Titan gave me a questioning, almost dirty look as he took what I'd said in. "Are you saying your ends justify the means, Crimson?"
"When the ends are protecting my people, providing them what they need. When the means are taking down a force of oppression so a greater good may take over? Yes. My methods may be ruthless, brash and otherwise unjust, but right now, my ends justify my means. The needs of the many must always outweigh the needs of the few, and the few in this case is the DZC soldiers whom I may harm, scar or kill."

Once more Titan went quiet, looking in all different directions as he thought over what I'd just said. It was obvious by the look on his face, he hadn't liked what I'd just told him, he hadn't been behind it or approved of it.
Deep down though? Deep down he understood, deep down he knew I was right.
Deep down, he knew there was no other way.

About half an hour had passed and already, the streets were thick with DZC soldiers. Donkeys, zebras and even the occasional pony dressed in their varying armours patrolled the streets, looking for signs of further violence and danger.

"Titan!" A voice called out from behind us, the sounds of rapid hoofsteps following up on the clatter.
In response, Titan turned his head and smiled. "Surefire. Glad to see you around."
"Titan, you have to come back to base, there's too many of them out here!" The orange pony exclaimed before calming himself down. "I mean... one minute there was only so many of them, then all of a sudden it seems like their whole force for this area is on high alert."
Titan gestured to me with a hoof before agreeing. "It is. He set them off, on purpose no less."

The orange pony looked at me with a face of utter bewilderment. "Why... why on Equestria would you do THAT?"
His body language told me he was extremely agitated by this news, though I didn't worry.
"Because they pushed me over."
He looked at me, then at Titan, then at me, and back at Titan once more. "He... is he serious?"
Titan groaned. "Unfortunately, yes."
Looking back at me, he threw his front legs into the air for a moment in disbelief. "You fucked them all of because they pushed you over? Why? How even!?"

Smirking away, I couldn't help but let out a little chuckle. "You don't fuck with The Executioner and get away with it. I fucked them over, took one down and left the other alive to go spread the message of how I won't tolerate the DZC."
"Wait... you mean, you're the one who came along and made such a big impact so suddenly?"
"Yeah, suppose I am. Like I say, I don't take shit from the DZC and that got me a name for myself. I'm here to do a job, to find something and helping your revolution will get me that something, so I'm making sure they know I'm here to do business and either get out of my way or get into the ground."

Surefire rolled his eyes at me before looking back to Titan. "You coming back to base then or are you staying out here, sir?"
"At ease, Surefire." Titan remarked. "I'll be hanging out with Crimson around the streets a little while longer. Someone we need to see, try to find someone else."
"Would you like me to corral up a group of three or so to shadow you, in case the reckless one causes another fight?"
I looked at him. Me, reckless? Never...
"Normally, I'd say go ahead. Tonight? no. Too many enemies about, too much risk. We'll be fine. Carry on as you were."
Surefire didn't say anything more, instead he gave Titan a salute before trotting off.

"Good call there, Titan." I quipped.
"Huh? You saying it was a bad move?"
"No, really, good call. Too many of us would draw too much attention. Besides, if anything happens, I can handle myself and fly away if needed. You avoid anything you don't have to do, okay? I understand what it's like, putting others before yourself."
"I would say that I find that hard to believe, Crimson. Saying that though, you are out here after all, so I suppose you have a point."

Titan looked out at the traders that lined the street ahead. "Feel like getting to meet the locals some more?"
"Sure, why not."

Most of the traders in the street didn't have much to say to us. Some of them refused to even acknowledge us based purely on the fact we were ponies, others because they simply had too many customers to deal with our idle chatter. The latter of the two I couldn't blame, though I found those of the former to be very disrespectful. Still, guess I had no right to complain.
As we went up and down, we heard one merchant in particular shouting about the winged devil, I just looked at Titan and laughed, needing to hear the news about me.

"...comes during the night, and takes all of your stock! Be warned! Be wary of the winged devil!"
Takes all of your stock? Okay, perhaps it wasn't me. Now I was truly curious.
"Excuse me my good sir."
"Beware!" He shouted back at me, his black and white mane flying everywhere as he threw his hooves about.
"Ahem. Excuse me, sir."
"Beware!" He shouted again, really annoying me now. I lifted a hoof and banged it on his table, startling him from his routine.
"Excuse me, but what is it that's going on here?"

Finally the zebra looked at me before talking to me, rather than at the crowd as a whole.
"The winged devil... it came during the night, while I was preparing my store! I was to sell meat, but now have nothing!"
"Winged?"
"Yes! Winged!" He exclaimed. "For you see, I was in my home when it snatched the bodies from the hanging line where I gut and bleed dry the carcasses. There is only one way into this area other than through my home, and that is from the air!"

Raising my hooves to cover my ears a moment I gave a shake of my head, the volume of his voice was really making my headache I'd received from that last fight a whole lot worse.
"Look. Shut the hell up with that volume for one, and did you see what the perp looked like? Pony? Zebra? Something else?"
"Oh. I'm sorry. Yes, I did."
I looked at the loudmouth in glee, now my head felt some level of peace again.
"It was not a equine of any kind, this I am sure. Wings of red and coat of sand, tail of a stinger and a noise I did not understand."
"Sounds like Maisy." Titan noted.
I couldn't help but agree. "Yup, sounds just like her indeed."

The zebra looked at us both before shaking his head dismissively. "It doesn't matter, a price on the head of this beast is two hundred caps."
Raising on eyebrow at him, I scoffed. "It'd take more than two hundred caps worth of ammo to take her down unless you got lucky, for starters. On top of that, she's mine, as in, my pet. Anyone who raises their weapon to her has to go through me first."
"You couldn't possibly say such a thing! It is a beast!" The zebra shouted again, agitating me further.

I took a deep breath and stepped back as Titan stepped forward.
His response was to open with a slur. "Look, stripe. That pony there? Just got through a fight with two fuckers far tougher than you, by himself no less. Maisy is his pet and he's serious. We'll do our best to find her and make sure she doesn't do anything like this again, but don't make threats when you have no clue how far they'll be taken, got it?"
The zebra spat at the ground in our direction and muttered a 'likewise' at us before I had to walk away.
Any more of his crap and I'd have ended up in yet another fight, this time with a civilian though.

We continued our stroll, away from the merchants as to avoid suspicion and to get away from the zebra who'd pressed my tolerance levels further than was safe.
It wasn't long until a zebra stopped us in the street.
"Titan! Titan!" He called.
We both turned around, I was amazed at how many ponies and zebras knew Titan.

As we did, Titan showed signs of recognition of the zebra who casually approached us at just above trotting speed. Though I had no clue whom it was, something had seemed strangely familiar about them.
"Zared? Hey."
Ah, of course, the zebra who Titan had paid earlier! Now I realised why I'd thought I'd seen him before.
"You two have a meeting in five minutes, down the alley over there. The contact won't reveal himself unless you are both waiting before the time comes, he's a very paranoid pony."
"Outright paranoid or just nervous?"
"Paranoid but calm. Can't blame him with what he's known in the past. Anyway, you best go wait for him now."
"Thanks, Zared. You're a real help."

And so, we waited. We'd been waiting for over five minutes in the alleyway that Zared had told us about, but nopony came.
Me and Titan began playing a few games of naughts and crosses in the dirt, neither of us having much advantage over the other, though I had won eight times to his six.
Suddenly, a rustling from the rooftops above caught my attention, causing me to raise my head to see what it was.
The shimmer of a blade sparkled against the candlelight of surrounding buildings before he dropped down before us, a pony dressed in all black with a slightly curved sword caressed against his back.

"You must be the two I'm waiting for, judging by the fact you haven't moved for the last ten minutes."
"We were told five, you're late." I replied.
"Can never be too careful in my line of work, Executioner. I had to be confident you were the right ones."
I looked at the pony, none of his coat was visible, only his eyes. He was one shady character, indeed.
"How do you know me, mystery buck?"
"I know a lot of people and a lot of things, it's what I do. It's not important how, but it is important why. You're after my services, you two, yes?"
Myself and Titan nodded in unison.

"Well then, there are two requirements. First, there is a spy in the area. All work for the DZC, I want them gone before I give you any information. Secondly, I want you to reconfirm who you're trying to find. I've been told of the targets, but I need to be sure."
"Can you guide us to the spy?"
"No, unfortunately not. All I know is they're posing as a merchant, but I have no clue who they are. It does not matter how they are dispatched, just make sure they're gone. Word is, they're after me, and you. That can't be allowed."

I smiled at him, I had an idea who it might've been. "I may know who that is, I'll try find out. Now, the names of our friends, right? Old Pony Joe and Blessed Cradle."
The buck nodded. "I will find you when the job is done."
With that, he jumped up onto one of the walls and onto the next, climbing with expert skill. Within moments, he was gone from sight and we had a new objective.

Walking up to the third merchant, we let them deal with their customer before talking.
"So, you uh... on hard times right now?" I asked innocently, trying to make it sound like I cared for more then one reason.
"Yes, but not more then usual. I do what I can. Thankfully the DZC has been too interested in finding and capturing that pegasus, leaving me to my job."
"You with any... dissenter movement?"
The zebra stepped back in alarm at how casually I'd say it before looking around. "The ZUC have contacted me... but I don't feel it's wise to meddle in such affairs."
"Sorry to keep you from your work, then. Have a good day."
"You too, pony." he replied before we stepped away.

Damn, this search was damn annoying. I knew who my prime suspect was but Titan was insistent we tried other vendors first, though something still didn't seem right about that zebra before.

Speaking to the next vendor, we got much the same. Donkeys and zebra alike were just busy selling their wares, some had recognised Titan and greeted him happily while others had tipped their metaphorical hats towards the ZUC and Anarchists, though as the time went on and merchants ran low, I still had my doubts on the authenticity of the one zebra from earlier who had made my headache worse.

Just as we approached the next vendor, a certain zebra approached us. I could only tell who it was because the annoying tone of voice that had earlier given me a headache... it was him.

"Hello there, speaking to vendors are we? I see you aren't buying any wares, however."
"Screw off before I get another headache and thump you." I muttered under my breath, not even looking his way.
"Oh, pony. You're willing to thump me? I don't think my friends would like it too much... Executioner."
Turning around, I smiled at him. He was a terrible spy, revealing himself so easily. Slowly the smirk fell off his face though as he saw just how happy I was to see him.
Looking over his shoulder, I saw no DZC soldiers within sight. I decided to take my chance and lean closer to him.

"Executioner? Huh, never heard myself being called that before. New one to me."
"Don't lie, pony. I've had a visit from somezebra that pointed you out... and now, you've been pointed out to the rest. I wouldn't normally be so reckless as to do this... but I wanted to watch your face when this happens."

From the sideline, eight zebras stepped out of the crowd, all wearing light leather armour that didn't quite match the usual gear they wore.
Looking back at Titan, I gestured for him to run along and get away as the zebras slowly made their way over to me.
Instead of complying however, he just dug his hooves into the ground and lowered his head in anticipation.

The air was tense, filled with an electric that threatened to set the whole street off in explosions, both metaphorical and quite literal, almost. Looking up to the sky, I saw the clouds swirling in a pattern that comforted me. I was going to enjoy this.
Putting one hoof in front of me, I held the zebra spy at range as the grin ran across my face.

"RAIN!" I shouted, and within a moment, it began to rain. At first it was only spitting, though within moments a true downpour began to wash down upon us, making almost all of the people flee for cover.
Titan muttered something inaudible under his breath, but that didn't matter. What mattered was I had my rain, my natural prowess at forecasting the weather spot on as always.

"MAISY!" I called out, hoping she might be nearby.... then it started.
The spy charged toward me, though Titan immediately ran straight into his side, sending them both thudding down into the ground nearby.
With the street clear, one of the zebra soldiers advanced on my position with a spear in his mouth ready to slash at me, but I wasn't going to give him the chance.
Reflexively I hit into S.A.T.S and lined up a chance to use my shotgun. Coming back out, the movement was as clean and easy as I had planned it, the spray blasting into his face.
Bits of gore showered the street and zebras behind as his skull caved in from the force of the pellets.

The remaining civilians in the street fled into the buildings surrounding, now not only was the rain a deterrent but a fight had broken out and no-one wanted to be caught by the crossfire. That didn't matter to me though, I was glad that they were out of the way. Less innocents to worry about getting hurt, after all.

At once, two more zebras stormed from their position in unison with a third not far behind, things were going to get tricky.

Titan was busy having a hoof to hoof fight with the spy he'd knocked over, both trading blows with a deadly precision, winding one another each and every time. Activating S.A.T.S again, I lined up my first shot to cripple the legs of the zebra fighting Titan and the second and third aiming at the general mass of the oncoming zebras. Coming back out of S.A.T.S, I was ready once more.

"CHARGE THE BASTARD!" One of the assailants screamed just a moment before my shot rang, blowing out one of the original zebras legs out from under him, shredding it apart as he fell to the floor screaming in sudden pain.
Twisting around to take my other shots, the enemies rushing me had covered the distance a lot faster then I had expected them to be capable of, and only managed to get the first shot off into the chest of the closest of the two before he smashed into me with his whole body, yelping in pain as a few pellets tore into his neck and the rest pierced through his light armour.

The shotgun was knocked from out of my mouth as I was thrown to the floor by the weight of the oncoming zebra in the sudden attack, losing my best method of defence against the second.
As soon as I landed, a set of hooves stamped on my hind legs and I cried out in pain, causing me to flinch upwards and headbutt the smartass who thought it was a good idea to attack me in the firstplace.
My muzzle collided into his neck, causing him to step back as his eyes went wide from the sudden blow, leaving him unable to breathe properly.

Before I knew a thing, five more zebras stood over me, all anxious to beat the living shit out of me and most likely kill me there and then, given the chance. I wasn't going to give them that opportunity, however.
Biting onto the handle of Forgiveness, I slashed upwards at the first hoof that came in my direction, cleanly cutting the base in a horizontal line.
Blood gushed from the wound as the zebra crumpled under the sudden injury, allowing me a moment to roll out of the way and pick myself back off the floor... to find myself backed against a wall.

Titan began to fire my shotgun into enemies I couldn't see, though they definitely weren't the ones surrounding me right now. One by one they lunged at me with vicious blows that knocked the wind out of me once more if they hit, smashing against the weakened walls and causing small cracking sounds if they missed.
I tried to use S.A.T.S once more, but instead I found myself unable to as it still recharged.

Without S.A.T.S, there was only one thing I could do... I raised my leg and covered my face with my pipbuck as the blows rolled in, knocking me back down to the floor. I was very thankful that none of the other soldiers had been armed at this point, though even without weapons the zebras proved to be highly dangerous with their unarmed combat skills.
Blow by blow I felt myself weakened, my shoulders taking hits and what felt like blood running from down them.

"MAISY!!!" I cried out as loud as I could, though I still questioned if she was within earshot. I really needed my helmet right now, how much it would've helped to have my full armour.
Titan smashed into the side of my attackers with his hind legs, throwing three off course in one go.
The other two zebras turned to look at him, at which point I took the chance to pull out my pistol and raise it to the side of his head.

The cold steel press upon his temple made the zebra shake just moments before fragments of bone went flying out, spraying blood all over the road and partially onto the wall of the opposite building, the lifeless body fallen limp down onto the dirt as the rain already began to dilute the redness of the floor into something less.
The last zebra smashed Titan around the face before he could react and another twelve arrived.

Shit, this was no good. We were heavily outnumbered and losing this fight if they were going to keep doing this.
All at once they charged us, though this time they were properly equipped and in their normal armour, all of them using knives, swords or spears.

Once more I tried my best to pick myself off the floor and began shooting at them, dropping two and wounding another three. As they arrived, only a quick roll dodged the spear that tried to stab into me as Titan continued to blast into them with the shotgun until the chamber clicked on empty.

"CRIMSON, EMPTY!" He yelled at me.
"TITAN, BUSY!" I yelled back, I had no time to give him a reload. Firing the last of my shots, I wounded another two before finding my own magazine to be emptied.

"MAISY!" I called out once more, and to my utter surprise, a roar followed. It sounded too far away though, she'd have to find us... it would be too late.
In my moment of distraction, I missed the sight of a spear lunging at me, piercing through my robes and into my side.
My eyes shot wide from the pain, a gasp for breath was my only reaction as I fell to the floor.
The pain burned in my side, though it felt more of a skimming blow than a vital one, it still brought me out of focus as the blows landed on my head.

Laying there, the zebras took turns in kicking me from side to side. One blow hit the side of my head and slightly blurred my vision, though I couldn't be sure if that was from blood loss or the head damage.
I tried to fight back, but it was useless, I was surrounded with no ammo left in my pistol.
From what I could see of Titan through the gaps between the hooves of the zebras, he was being beaten by four donkeys as they surrounded him though he put up a good fight, it was obvious they were overpowering him.

No! This was not going to be how it went! I grabbed my knife once more and tried my hardest to lunge at the zebras surrounding me. Getting a lucky hit, the knife dug itself into the chest of one of the zebras and caused him to step back, eyes wide as his blood slowly poured out of his mouth and from the blade itself. He fell down as I was kicked to the floor once more, a new rage filling the zebras.

Like sweet music, I heard Maisy roar again, closer but still too far. I tried my best to cry out to her, but I found it hard to breathe, let alone speak or shout with the pain I was enduring. Everything felt heavy now, though I had to resist! Resist damn it!
The burning, aching sensation filled my whole body now, almost unbearably so. If I somehow made it out of this, I was going to make sure that every single one of these fuckers got what they deserved.

Then they stopped. Abruptly they just stopped as my ears rang, two of them dropped to the floor, limp.
They'd died from something, though I couldn't tell what.

Looking out in the direction they now ran, one donkey, one zebra and one unicorn stood with their weapons aimed at the zebra forces before charging towards them.

"FOR ANARCHY!" The donkey cried, though his battlecry was short lived. Before he could make another movement, a spear made its way through the back of his skull and out from between his eyes, the body falling onto its side as if it was in slow motion.
The other two looked at one another as a loud click sound rang, the pair of them jumping out of the way as they were surrounded by another four zebras and a donkey from behind.

The ground exploded, taking the both the anarchist and DZC donkey's and three of the DZC zebras with it, filling the area with a green and red smoke.
The unicorn charged at the four donkeys still fighting with Titan only to be stabbed upon the armour of one as he lunged at the oncoming pony. The spike on the heavy armour slicing through the throat of the grey unicorn and dropping him down to the floor in a new puddle of blood.

This was it... it really was lost.
There was no way we could win now... no way to pull this back.

Titan was knocked down to the floor, the donkeys about to finish him off. Then they would return their attention to me, and take my life...
I closed my eyes and began to cry, less from the physical pain I felt and more from the mental anguish of knowing I'd failed, of knowing I wasn't strong or tough enough... that I had cost us everything. My tears stung my eyes and blurred my vision even further until I could only make out colours, I was surely going to die like this... like a coward.

...Then she roared.

Opening up my eyes, she was a beautiful sight.
Maisy stood over me, looking down at me sorrowfully before turning her head towards the donkeys attacking Titan.
All at once they charged her, though her powerful claws practically laughed at them as she threw them to a side, one by one.
As fast as lightning, she was over to the first who'd she'd knocked down, picking him up in both of her paws before tearing him into two, his guts falling out into the road.

The second screamed in horror as she made her way over to him with the same speed and determination, only silenced when she crushed his skull with a powerful blow.

By now the other two had gotten themselves up and were charging at her along with the zebras who had been wounded previously, but she showed little care. One furious swipe and the head came off of the third donkey. Picking up the fourth, she threw him at the oncoming attackers, incapacitating him and one of the zebras.

Before anything else could be done, one of the zebras fell into two halves, before another fell to the ground, missing its legs.
I stared at Maisy, though she wasn't the cause. She looked at the crowd of zebras who were suddenly dying with as much confusion as they had as the third, fourth and final zebras died within mere seconds.

Another two zebras came charging at Maisy from behind her as she watched, one stabbing his knife into her leg as she turned to bite the head off the other, her cry of pain only furthering her anger as she knocked the second zebra down and killed him with a single punch from her powerful right arm.
With another cry of pain, she pulled the knife out of her side using her own teeth before flinging it off to a side and picking me up in her paws.

"You... you came for me girl?" I stuttered breathlessly, finding it hard to do anything.
Her whine as she licked me all over and pulled me close to her chest and wiped my tears away which was supremely comforting, she still wanted me safe even after being gone for a few days. I couldn't have asked for a better friend out of her.
Putting me onto her back, she walked over to Titan and helped him onto his own hooves. Amazingly, he was still able to stand, though even as he stood it was obvious that he would have trouble walking.
In any case, he came out of it a lot better then I had, all the same.

Slowly the cause of all the other killings became apparent as the pony with the katana walked up towards us. Maisy was unsure what to do, but from the lack of any of us showing aggressiveness and the fact he'd just made her job easier, she knew he must've been somewhat friendly.

"Sorry I couldn't help sooner, this bloodbath could've gone on longer if it wasn't for me making sure none of the others came though. Look, we don't have enough time to talk, the distraction is only going to last so long before they come here and find all this. Where is your base?"

Titan looked at the buck dressed in black from mane to hoof and coughed up some blood from the sounds of it before speaking.
"Your name, first. Then we'll go to our base, as we talk."
"Neon."
"Titan. That's Crimson and she's Maisy. This way."
"One last thing, first."
Titan's response to that was to snap. "ONE LAST THING? WHAT NOW?"

The buck stepped back before pulling out something made of glass from his bag. "Drink up, you both look like you need it."
Titan fell onto his ass and apologised before downing his potion while Neon climbed up onto Maisy and gave me mine.
I hadn't felt completely fine from it, though what was absolute agony had begun to calm down and simply be a very uncomfortable sensation of simple pain.

In one last act before we went, Titan had the brilliant idea of picking up all my gear for me. There really was no way I was going to be able to find it myself, let alone carry it when I was in a state like this.
"Thanks, Titan." I gestured blindly as he did so.
"Hey, I ain't gonna let them have your gear. Thanks for letting me use your shotgun, by the way."
"Just wish it had been more use."
I tried to laugh at this, but it hurt too much and instead I found myself coughing up a spot of blood with the effort. Laughing was off the cards for now.

Maisy carried me and Neon walked beside Titan as he hobbled towards the base.
Staying true to his word, Neon told us what he knew.
"Blessed Cradle and Pony Joe are still alive. They're being kept prisoner." He started.
"We know that," Titan replied. "what we need to know is where and how guarded."
"Where? Central district at the west barracks in the old military base. How guarded? Surprisingly lightly, right now. Seems they'd rather have guards posted over in this section than at the base itself."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Seen it for my own two eyes on the guards and heard it from the most reliable source I have for the location. They're there."
"You're a middle-pony?"
"No, a spy. Spies use other spies as a network. It's how we know so much. Trust me, okay? They're there, along with other prisoners."

Titan sighed. "Yeah, I feared as much. They're probably doing it because all the activity as of late."
"All the more reason..." I croaked. "To kick their ass."
I closed my eyes at this point, just waiting for the journey to be over. It wasn't a long one from here, but it felt like it was taking forever already.

As we reached the base, Neon parted.
"You're not going to come with us?" Titan asked.
"No, jobs to do, ponies to meet. I have my obligations, though I swear by my flesh and blood, I serve the same cause as you. I may not be a part of the PLAC, but I know all about you and your cause, Titan. Much the same with the ZUC and Anarchists... it's how I organised for such a smooth get away from that scene. Your hideout won't be revealed, I give you my word."
Without anything more being said, Neon ran off into the distance before jumping up onto a low wall, scaling the next and over something else. He definitely had talent, had to give him that.

Entering the base, the door keeper initially freaked out over Maisy, but the presence of Titan made it all better. I was surprised she fit in through the halls like she did, but it almost seemed as if they were made to be big enough for a manticore like her.

Making our way down the hallway, I heard Cherry's voice calling out for me, asking if it was us who had just come back.
Maisy put me down and I began to stumble down the hallway on my own accord as she stayed close behind me, making sure I didn't lose my balance.
Turning around the corner, I saw her head poking from out of the doorway. Her beaming smile turned to one of absolute horror the moment she saw me however...

---o---o---o---

As promised, I'm going to keep advertising the fact that the head picture came from WavemasterRyx, who can be found:http://ask-the-waves.tumblr.com/ !

So, longest chapter I've written to date with a whopping 13,127 words before the credits! With credits? Whatever it shows up as.
There is, without a doubt, flaws in the writing both in terms of grammar and story, in the second half of this chapter... okay, in my whole chapter... no, in my whole story.
Yes, there is flaws in my whole story and I have no clue why you lot still read it.

...But you do! and I love you all for it.
Seriously, it means a lot to me that you do.

I'm sorry that it's taken me so long to write, as always. I worked hard on this chapter today (1st Oct... well, 2nd technically, my time now!) adding a good 7k words in one sitting.
Yes, in one sitting, with distractions galore, I wrote you all 7k words.

So I apologise for how low quality the writing is. I apologise it's probably lacking in the fight scene and I've probably OP'd Maisy again -- but that's what she is, OP in terms of strength & endurance.

Anyway, enough idle chatter. Thank you all for reading, it DOES mean the world to me. Chapter 15 was my original "end of story" goal but as I began writing, it's gotten longer and longer, changed so much and I never expected any kind of fanbase.
I'm surprised each and every time I look at how many of you there are, how many views there's been. You're wonderful.
Thank you for giving me this chance, especially since it's my first time writing ANYTHING (outside of school projects back in the day, of course.)

I hope you all have a wonderful night, I hope this chapters been good enough for you and I wish you all happy times.
If anyone is interested in seeing art, I'd like to take a moment to remind you that the art tumblr & ask Crimson/Cherry (all in one) link is in the description if you're at all interested in seeing / asking.

Lastly, a huge thank you to Kkat for writing Fallout Equestria in the first place and an even bigger thank you to Somber for writing Project Horizons - which helped me through a lot and inspired me to write my own story, even if I know I could never even begin to stand in his shadow.

Goodnight all, this is Kippershy, signing out.

Chapter 24: The Feathered phantom

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds
By Kippershy

Chapter Twenty-four: The Feathered Phantom

We'll do what we have to in order to keep the peace and prosperity of Coltchester. We'll be damned before we see our city fall.

Looking over to Maisy, she was fast asleep now. Deadlight had seemingly taken a real shine to her as the pair laid together, her gigantic paws wrapped around him and holding the zebra close. To see how quickly Maisy could become attached to anyone who was half friendly towards her absolutely amazed me. With none of the other special forces members in sight, I felt a little... naked, but with Dawnstar now waiting patiently in the hallway, there was no time to spend worrying about extra hooves. Besides, the rules were no fights, so maybe I wouldn't need somepony else anyway.
Trotting on over to Titan's trusted commander, he threw my cloak to me. A part of me whinnied, my cloak? I'd have preferred my coat! Still, the cloak would make me less conspicuous than the coat, without a doubt.

Seeing the look in my eyes, Dawnstar gave me a reassuring smile. "Don't be so quick to look down, Crimson. My shotgun will keep us protected, your coat will only make us stand out more. Remember, you won't need that weighing you down, you'll have plenty of other things doing that."

"You reckon so?" I asked with a smile. "I mean, I don't exactly need much and I don't expect we'll find a water talisman at bargain rates."

For a moment, Dawnstar shook his head, his eyes closed and his smile not fading. Then he opened his eyes and looked right at me, as if speaking to my soul. "Not everything is paid for with money. Not everything we buy is physical. Mind you, getting some food supplies and alcohol to replace what you drank wouldn't be a bad idea either, eh?"
With that, there was nothing I could really say to counter his point. I had indeed managed to go through quite a bit more alcohol than expected, I supposed. Before the thought came to mind of who would pay for the goods, Dawnstar gave his reassurances that the resistance had its own caps.
With nothing else holding us back, we made our way out of the bunker, back onto the streets of Coltchester.

The twisting alleyways felt normal now, despite it having only been a couple of journeys through them, every time they felt more and more like coming home, in an odd way. Of course I knew this wasn't really home, but for now, I guess it was.
I felt a sigh work its way from my chest to my lips. Home... The more time I spent away from you, the more I missed every little aspect. Hell, in a weird way, I even missed the mundane day to day paperwork and management lessons.
Most of all, I missed how med-x could make me feel wonderful instead of simply hiding the pain.

Continuing to think about the joys of recreational drug use had my mind elsewhere when a hoof pushed into my chest, waking me back up to reality. Shaking my head for a moment, I looked forward to see what was going on, but nothing caught my eye. Turning to look at my side where Dawnstar stood, a look on his face suggested there was something I hadn't noticed before. He didn't say a word, but kept staring intently at the crowd. Looking back to where he was fixated on myself, I now noticed what had caught his attention so keenly.
Just ahead of us, there was an opening, a circle gathered around some figures, one of them being a pony dressed in Coalition garb.

Moving closer to see what had been going on, I felt as shocked as every pony, zebra and donkey around. Two figures in what looked like a sleek yet powerful armour gently... hovered. Pegasai! They were other pegasai! My mind raced with joy, I hadn't seen other pegasai since... well, since my dad had been around! And suddenly joy turned to confusion as the two sticks on each one's side began to glow green, alerting me to the most probable fact that they weren't sticks, they were energy weapons! Without a moments hesitation, a word flashed into my mind with no lack of subtlety. Enclave.

"We're not this pony you're after! For the last fucking time, I'm telling you, let us be!" One growled, low enough to be threatening but just about loud enough for me to hear. "We don't know who the fuck it is you're after and we won't back down if you don't leave us alone! We've just come here to see if the myths are true!"

"Yeah, right!" The pony... no, zony, I realised as his stripes had been hidden in the garbs, spoke with a slight tremor in his voice. "I know the Executioner is a pegasus. Hand him over."

Hand him over? I thought to myself. Getting into a fight right now wasn't going to be the best of ideas, no, but at the same time looking at the pegasai's weapons spitting sparks of green energy, I knew that something had to be done. If a fight broke out here, the chances of innocents getting hit and treated like collateral damage, merely to be ignored, was too great.
Trotting over to the zony, I gently tapped him on the shoulder with a hoof before calmly noting into his ear. "Hey, uh, isn't the Executioner quite distinct? Red wings and all that jazz?"

"What of it?" The zony replied, not taking his eyes off of the two armoured figures, who both refused to look in any other direction themselves. "If you aren't going to tell me where he is, sod off."

Well! I thought to myself, now grinning. That isn't very nice, is it?
Unfolding my wings and wrapping one around the guard, I looked at the other pair with confidence. Their jaws dropped as they now focused on me, causing the zony I had huddled up to to now stutter as he realised and turned to face me. Looking straight into his eyes, I almost felt like I was suddenly a unicorn casting a spell on him as horror caused him to fall over and back up into the crowd, who refused to budge. "Hello there. That's not very nice of you to bully other pegasai just to try and find me, is it now?"

My wings now flared as he looked up at me, scrambling for his spear, but someone in the crowd kicked it with their hoof, away from his reach before he could manage to grab it once more. Dawnstar approached by my side, his shotgun was ready for action, but I shook my head. "No need, this little zony isn't worth the shell, are you?" What sounded like a question was more of a statement as I looked at the pathetic buck, words trying, and failing, to come out of his mouth.

My grin becoming bigger and bigger, I began to laugh before stepping ever closer to the retreating coward. "Do you still want me to tell you where I am? Or how about those two hand me in? I'm sure you could handle a fight with little old me, couldn't you?"

"L-l-let me live! Please!" The coward now managed to say, his first coherent words since falling over. "I don't wanna die! Please Executioner! I don't wanna die!"

With tears now streaming down his face almost had me feeling pity... almost. Pretending to pull Forgiveness from out of my robes, not that I had her with me, but pretending to do so anyway, I closed the gap between us with my wings until my face was but an inch from his, before whispering into his ear. "The executioner... sees no need to judge you, for now." Taking a deep breath and pumping up my chest, I stared directly into his soul. "Now, do yourself a favour, go get lost. Don't go running off for your friends just yet, because otherwise we'll see a repeat of every time I have been pissed off. If you dare come back anywhere near my sight again, you won't be spared again, I promise you that."

"Are you sure you don't want him dead, Executioner?" Dawnstar asked. "I think a single shell ought to make his brains paste quite easy. Can we really take the risk that he won't immediately come back with reinforcements?"

Before I could respond, a zebra, a very large and husky zebra from in the crowd spoke up. "We'll take care of this one, don't you worry about that." For a moment I considered letting them do whatever they wanted, but then a sigh filled my mind and begged me not to let it happen. Cherry. Cherry's voice filled my mind, pleading with me. Give the wasteland a chance, Crimson. Don't let this be another life lost needlessly.
Shaking my head, she was right. Even if she wasn't here to see it, I knew she would appreciate it if she could. "No." I commanded, causing a sudden annoyance in the face of the zebra who had already begun to drag the poor zony away, who was now begging for someone to help.

The zebra looked at me with discontent, paused for a moment and then turned around, continuing to drag the zony away. "Please no! Please, someone help!" The poor soul screamed.

Throwing myself into the air and in front of the zebra stallion, I held my eyes inches away from his, looking as sternly as I could. If the poor buck was screaming for his life like this, he must've known something about how Coalition soldiers were treated when captured around these parts. "Leave the zony alone. Coalition soldier or not, there's no need to do whatever you have planned for him. Besides, he's already pissed himself and has no weapon."

"All the better. He's going to get what's coming to him, and so will you if you don't get out of my fucking way. Friend or foe, I don't care." The stallion grunted at me as he continued to walk on by.

It was then that a sight I really hadn't expected happened. The two pegasai I had just saved the hassle of being pestered by the Coalition soldier flew in front of all of us and charged up their weapons once more, though this time their aim didn't seem to be focused on the soldier, but rather the zebra who had been dragging him.
"You." The one of them commanded who hadn't spoke before, who I now realised was actually a mare. "You'll do as the other pegasus says."

The zebra now froze. Even his large frame was no match for two heavily armed, heavily armoured pegasai. Their flight seemed a little graceless, but I put that down to their armour more than anything else.
"one. Two..."
The Coalition soldier now dropped to the floor, trembling in a curled up ball as the Zebra continued to stare into the reflective eyepieces of the two pegasai. Slowly, he began to back up before turning around and walking off, a few other members of the crowd following him as he did.

"Why did you just help?" I asked, in utter awe. "You really didn't need to, not that I don't appreciate it."

"Executioner, huh?" The mare asked in response, completely ignoring my question as she walked in a circle around me, prodding me with her cold metal covered wing. Spreading my wings instinctively so that she could see, that wasn't what she was after it seemed as she moved on further, uncovering my robe to my cutie mark.
A part of me felt violated at the sudden and unexpected probing, but given the weapons strapped to her side, I thought better to play along with it than to freak out and get shot.

"What's his cutie mark? Dashite, right? I don't recognise him." The other metal clad pegasus asked, his gruff voice now much more calm.

Now my cutie mark was on display, I felt a hoof gently touch my hip. The mares voice went soft, almost as if she was scared or something. "No. He... he has a cutie mark. We... we don't... didn't have any orders to hunt down a dashite here. I don't recognise this either. A pair of wings. What pegasus has their wings as their cutie mark? How in Equestria?"

Now I understood. It wasn't fear, it was uncertainty. Letting out a small cough, I grabbed their attention. "Excuse me, would you mind not fondling my body parts please? You could've just asked who I am if that's what you want to know."

"Name, rank and base soldier." The gruff male asked, a no-nonsense tone of voice resonating from his chest.

"Crimson Wings, also known as the Executioner. Rank? Well, that would depend on wh-"

Mid sentence, the stallion stopped me with a hoof to my muzzle, perplexing me. Dawnstar approached, shotgun ready to fire, but the mare turned to him and slowly shook her head. "We won't hurt you, dirtsider. We just want to know who the hell this buck is. I sure as shit don't recognise him and nor does my companion. How the fuck did one of our civilians get down here? Are you hiding more? Is this a smuggling operation? Have you been running it for a long time? Tell us and no-one gets hurt."

Waving the hoof away from my mouth, I spat the taste of dirt from out of my mouth and shot the stallion a glare now my senses came back to me, before turning to obviously much more reasonable mare.
"My name, as I said, is Crimson. Crimson Wings."

"Why did they call you 'The Executioner' then?" She quipped back, bemusement in her voice. "What's that about?"

"My name is Crimson. I've also become known as that because I dispense justice as and when necessary." Looking at the stallion, I could tell he was getting annoyed with me repeating my name from the look on his mouth, the only part of their faces not hidden away by their helmets. "And as I was trying to tell you, my rank depends on who you ask. Old Equestrian military robots refer to me as Colonel Wings. Back home? I'm the next in line to be Overstallion. I won't tell you where home is, mind."

"Crimson!" Dawnstar shouted in surprise. "What the fuck!? You... you what? You? And you're just telling them this? Titan never said anything about that to me!"

"He didn't know himself, I don't think. I don't remember if I'd even mentioned that detail to him at all, now you mention it." I muttered in response, more interested in the look on the pegasus mares face. "I mean, he knew I was from a Stable, but not that I was the son of its leader."

Now both of the pegasai looked at me in what I assumed to be astonishment... or, there was astonishment in their voices if nothing else. "You mean... a stable filled with pegasai? I thought they all got stripped for metal though!"

Now my eyes shot wide! Stables, filled with other pegasai? What madness was that?! A great big smile that pulled my face wide apart grew and grew as the idea of great big hallways or corridors that were vertical rather than horizontal came to mind. Playgrounds filled with obstacle courses to keep the wings strong. If there was a stable for pegasai, that'd have to be how it would be. Waking back up to reality after a nudge from my inquisitors, I shook my head. "No, just a regular Stable. Earth ponies and unicorns aplenty, but not a single pegasus other than myself since my dad passed away."

The two gave me a look of disbelief, though raising my hoof to show off the PipBuck quickly backed up my argument pretty smoothly. If nothing else, I was telling the truth about being from a Stable. Finally deciding that he'd heard enough, the stallion turned his head to his companion and spoke. "Well, come on, Sweeper. We've seen what we wanted to and I'm pretty confident that he wasn't one of ours." Turning his head back to me, he gave a small nod. "Well, thanks for the chat, Crimson. And uh... those wings of yours? If you ever get the time to come up cloudside, ask around for directions to Storm City. Its not an actual city, just an outpost we call Storm City because of all the storms that happen over this city somewhere north from here, and it overlooks that. We've got doctors that would no doubt find it fascinating to study those."

"Hasn't just about everyone?" I quipped, a small laugh in response. With that, the two heavily armoured figures leapt into the air and began to fly... slowly, without grace, without poise...
A part of me wanted to just chase after them and dance rings around them, but another part said no, leave them be...
...Who was I kidding? Leaping up into the air, I dashed in front of the two and rushed to fly circles around them, gleefully cheering as I did. It had been way, way too long since I'd managed to fly with other pegasai.

For a moment, the stallions jaw almost looked like a growl, but the mare began to smile and flew next to me for a mid-air dance. Something inside of her must have understood my desperate need for this moment as we swirled along together, though her partner didn't feel the love. Sweeping through the air, the mare really lived up to her name, even if my dexterity outmatched hers in the armour. Buzzing down to the ground, we skimmed the heads of all of the others whilst they watched in awe, some cheering at the display whilst others muttered amongst themselves. I didn't care. I was enjoying myself all too much. Way, way too much.

Doing A fast loop-de-loop followed by a barrel roll and corkscrew manoeuvre, I felt the speed flow through me as I shot up into the sky, span around as fast as I could and now sped back down to the ground in a display of pure enjoyment and love for flight. Feeling the air wrap around me and fight against me, I began to feel a sensation I had only discovered once before, back when my father was alive. My heart beat faster and my wings flapped harder. The air around me constricted and tried to fight me, tried to hold me back. I wouldn't let it! I had to push through, I had to be faster! I just had to be!

Without warning, a sudden force pushed me off balance and I was thrown aside... only to be quickly saved by the pegasai mare. Holding me in her hooves, she may not have been as agile as me, but she was damn sturdy. As one last move, we both did a loop-de-loop together before hovering just above the crowd. In the rush of excitement, I gave her a quick kiss and a hug, completely forgetting myself.

For a moment, the stunned mare looked at me before I realised what I'd just done. "I... I'm sorry." I quickly added. "I ju-"

Putting a hoof to my mouth, she simply smiled. "Don't fret it. I could tell how happy you were to finally get the chance to flex your wings with another pegasus. Maybe that's more reason for you to come round some time? Besides, maybe Cloud Dancer would enjoy that last bit as well, wouldn't you?"

With a low grumble and what sounded almost like shyness, the stallion croaked back a 'fuck you' to his comrade before she waved goodbye and they both flew off. Floating back down to the ground, I simply watched them go off to the clouds, out of sight. Back on solid land, Dawnstar still had the zony, who had now composed himself enough to not be shaking in fear, but instead looking at me in awe, even if it was because Dawnstar's hoof was holding him around the neck and making him watch.

Looking at the pair, I waved my hoof casually. "Let him go. I'm sure you'll remember this, won't you?" I asked, now directing the conversation at the zony. "Just know that your life depends on you remembering it. And remembering not to go and get your friends as soon as you're let go. If I see you back in my sight again tonight, you won't survive. Got that?"

With a gentle nod, the zony was released from Dawnstars grip before quickly scurrying away, tail between his legs and head down, nearly touching the ground.

Now that he was gone, I realised that my heart was still racing... beating harder and faster than it should've been. My eyes widened as I looked at Dawnstar and the urge to puke felt overwhelming. All of a sudden I could feel sweat run down my brow and my hooves were shaking. A numbness began through my front hooves and a constricting pain in my chest.
Looking down at the ground, I now felt like everything was spinning in circles. My breathing... faster... shallow.
I don't feel good.
With a painful heartbeat, darkness began bleeding into my peripheral vision, threatening to overwhelm my sight entirely. In my chest I could feel more and more pain, leaving me feeling like a fish out of water as I struggled to breath. Looking over to Dawnstar, I tried to speak, tried to tell him of the pain, but the words didn't want to come out. All I could manage was a wheezing noise as I felt more and more weak. My legs becoming tired and the numbness taking over. Any sense of balance now failed me as my chest felt like the world was crashing down on me, crushing me, stopping me from breathing.

Opening my eyes back up, everything felt worse. Noises weren't clear, but I could see panicked faces. Zebras rushing over to me, rushing away. Many faces... so many faces. Some looking worried, some...
I couldn't even focus properly. My vision blurring, my ears ringing, my breathing being harder than it had ever been before. My chest... a tightness... agony. Trying to pick myself off of the floor, I couldn't even do that much.

"He's going to need something to stabilise him, pony." One voice, a very deep and calm voice called above the others, the only one I could hear clearly. "The chem dealer will have something. Do you know the way? I will... with me."

Wheezing as I opened my eyes up yet again, I was elsewhere, but the pain was only getting worse. Breathing was slower, harder. My eyes closed shut, too hard to keep them open. The pain keeping me from focusing on anything other than the pain I was in.
What felt like a lifetime later, I could feel something cold. I was laying down on something cold. There was cold touching my chest, prodding into where I hurt most. My eyes refused to open.

"He's going to need to get something to stabilise hi..." I opened my eyes for a moment, but all I could see was white pain. "...re, Buck will do the job. Normally I'd..."
Something in my mouth. Trying to spit it out did no good. Now there was a hoof in my mouth. The world getting darker. Heavier. Colder. Weaker. A squirt of water shot down my throat and now I was rolled on my back, hooves pressing harshly into my chest, causing the pain to double. I wanted to fight back, wanted to, but couldn't. I couldn't feel my legs, any of them.
Closing my eyes once more, the world melted around me as one last voice rang through my head. "Perfer obdura; dolor hic"
Endure; this pain

*** *** ***

The pain was gone, for the most part. A piece of it lingered, but I could feel everything now. Opening my eyes, I could see the cloudy night sky above. Either I'd spent the whole day asleep, or it hadn't been long, but given that I could still feel the pain that overwhelmed me before, I figured it couldn't have been too long.
Looking around, I could see a face I'd quickly familiarised myself with; Dawnstar sat, talking to some other figure. A zebra.

Feeling the breath come into my lungs, my chest was much more manageable now, but it still didn't feel normal. In fact, none of my breathing felt natural. Raising a hoof to my muzzle, I realised a plastic mouth piece had been attached, and a pipe came from that. Using all of the focus I could muster, my blood ran cold as I saw the figure before me, pressing his hoof onto the ground repeatedly.
Next to the whatever I was on, there was the zony, the very same one who I had told to go and not come back. Catching me looking at him, the zony stared at me for a moment before turning to the others and speaking in a cold, distant voice. "He's awake."
The sound of the other two trotting over to me felt oddly calming, the pace they took was timely without being rushed. If they weren't running, things couldn't have been too bad, I guessed.

"So Crimson, you're awake?" Dawnstar asked. I didn't reply though, I still couldn't quite muster the strength to speak. With a nod, the zony moved over and allowed Dawnstar to take over with the pump. "You had us all worried. We thought you were a fucking gonner."

"I wasn't worried." The zony quickly began chiding my companion.

Shooting the zony a look that insisted he knew otherwise. "If you weren't worried, why did you pay for his treatment and help so much? Nobody does that for someone they aren't worried about."

As if trying to play the big damn hero, the zony stepped back over and gently prodded me in the chest. "He may be my enemy, but he's still a pony. Friend or foe, heart attacks... well, I don't have to divulge anything to you about my history, but I'd rather no-one else, friend or foe, dies from them." For a moment he paused, turning his head away from us all, before continuing his piece. "Besides, he could have chosen to let me die back there. He has a reputation for simply killing others where they stand... and he didn't. I wasn't ready to actually try and take him on, and truth be told, I was even scared because I've seen the aftermath of the bloodiest day in our recent history. I've seen his work. I was a part of the clean-up. He could've tried to kill me, and with your help, he probably would have."

Listening to him talk, I couldn't help but begin to wonder what it was like to be on the other side. Was I really that scary? I mean, I supposed so, but to hear it for myself... about myself... it was... odd.

Taking in a deep breath, the zony continued his speech. "He could have also let that monster drag me away."
With that, he turned around to me and once again laid his hoof on my shoulder, but instead of prodding me, this time it was a lot more... comforting?
"Do you even know who that zebra was, Executioner?"
Working up the strength to speak, I let out a quiet, feeble 'no'.

"That zebra was not only a known member of the Zebras United for Coltchester outfit, but also a largely well known gangster who deals in the worst of trades. The things that would have happened to me would have been unspeakable, Executioner." For a moment he paused, coughed and looked away before letting out a deep sigh. His voice now a much softer tone as he turned back to face me. "Look, I didn't want to die. I still don't want to die. But if you gave me the choice between you shooting me in the side of the head or slicing my throat open like you're so keen on doing, or being dragged off by that monster... Executioner, I would throw myself at your hooves and beg for the quick end. I don't want to die, but going through the things he would have done, death would have been a preferable alternative."

"So..." Dawnstar began, speaking slowly whilst the zebra doctor just nodded along, listening to the whole conversation quietly. "that still doesn't quite explain why you've paid for the drugs."

"A life for a life, pony." The zony uttered back with no contempt in his voice, only the same flat tone that he had continually taken. "He may have threatened my life, but I am almost certain that he saved it too. I have no way of knowing whether the gangster would have attacked me without Crimson's provocation of the situation, but its also possible that the other feathered scum could have killed me. As it stands now, I am alive when things could have easily been otherwise. Who knows. I owe him that much."

Looking back at me, the zony even let out a small smile. "Crimson Wings, The Executioner. You are a pony of utter mystery to me, the fact that you can kill so many and yet save the very same lives. I promise you, I will not follow you nor will I send out any of my kin after you, but I suggest to you as you did to me. Let us not cross paths again. Become a feathered phantom, for I will do my best to believe that is what you are. Silent. Invisible. But a myth. I cannot guarantee that I will not shoot you if we meet again, even if a large part of me would rather not do so. I have my duties and from how you act, I assume you have yours. The debt is paid."

Slowly turning around, I saw the zony begin to trot away, but that couldn't be all. There was still a question I had to ask! Mustering all of my strength, I croaked out a noise as loud as I could through the mask. "Wait!"

Responding to my call, the zony stopped and turned back to me. "Yes?" He asked, a confused look on his face.

Taking a deep breath with the help from Dawnstar, I tried my best to inquire on what I knew I had to. "Why do you fight for the DZC?"

"The monster, Zemal, is but one reason why the Coalition acts the way it does. I don't know what you've seen, how long you've been here or what you think you know, but the truth of it all is that we aren't taking candy from children so we can laugh about it. We're harsh in this district because this district is where the majority of trouble brews. We do what we must to protect the ones we care about. Maybe if you have a run in with Zemal again, you'll understand. As for now? We'll do what we have to in order to keep the peace and prosperity of Coltchester. We'll be damned before we see our city fall."

With that, the zony trotted off, this time for good. I couldn't build up enough strength to say goodbye, but I'm sure he understood. Still, if he was telling the truth... well, perhaps this 'Zemal' would need to be paid a visit, for many different reasons.

A good fifteen minutes later, I could feel my strength returning to me. Dawnstar had stopped pumping the mechanism and breathing, while not as easy as usual, was certainly a lot easier than it had been earlier. Gently rolling myself onto my side before falling to my hooves, I picked myself from off of the ground and allowed the zebra to take off the mask with grace and care.

"You, pony, are incredibly lucky. Surviving a heart attack like that..." For a moment the zebra paused, looking around somewhere as if looking for something, before walking over to one of his shelves. "well, you were incredibly lucky that one of my friends took a liking to you and brought you here. My services are not well known and I like to keep it that way to avoid being robbed or plagued by patients insisting I cure each and every ailment."
Trotting back over to us, he placed a single pill into Dawnstar's hooves. "Take this, one free dose in case it happens again before he can recover. Just don't make a habit out of coming here expecting freebies, you only get the one."

With an appreciative nod, Dawnstar offered his thanks. "Of course. We are very grateful for everything you've done. You saved his life."

"I merely did what I had to do, pony. Now, go. Make sure he doesn't exert himself either. Go before any other Coalition soldiers come in requesting treatment."

*** *** ***

With one of my legs around Dawnstar's neck and wrapped around his side as tightly as I could manage, I hobbled back inside the resistance's base. The darkness of the night penetrating even into the foyer where the guards stood watch, waiting for any friendlies; or worse yet, foes, to arrive. For a moment the guards looked at us with complete uncertainty before realising who we were, their shock to find me in the state I was.
With that, I heard one of the guards muttering to the other. "Wait, isn't that the new pegasus? I thought we were told that he shouldn't need medical assistance this time?"

Without a response, a third simply ran over to the wall and pressed a button, which in turn rang a buzzer. Taking a few steps further, two nurses rushed out towards us with a hospital bed, before grabbing me and strapping me down before I could even respond.

"Hey hey hey!" I cried, before relapsing into a horrible coughing fit, my lungs feeling like they just wanted to give up. Still, at least this time I didn't feel the same constriction on my chest as a whole... just my lungs. The pain was still horrible, but bearable.

"Where's he been hit?" The ghoul of the two asked in her raspy voice. "What's the damage?"

"Heart attack." Dawnstar solemnly uttered. Before he could say anything else, the world had already changed around me as doors were being knocked out of the way by the bed. With unnatural speed, we rushed through the facility, en route to the ward. A part of me wondered how the hell I knew exactly where we were going already, though something told me that my body knew this path very well even if my conscious mind didn't.

In all of the noise and commotion, I heard a pop followed by a sweet, soft voice. Selene. "Wha-what's going on? The noise woke me up. Whose hurt?"
Looking up at her as she wiped her eyes, I could tell that she wasn't quite awake even still, despite her ability to teleport perfectly to where I was. Looking down at me, her eyes widened in horror and began to shout in pure horror. "CRIMSON?! WHAT'S HAPPENED?"

"He's had a heart attack whilst outside." Dawnstar quickly added. "I got him to a local doctor thanks to the help of a Coalition soldier of all-"

That was all he could get out before Selene let out a scream that could have surely woken the whole damn facility. "EOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOS!"

Now there was a loud crashing noise, and the sound of a large mare came rushing through the hallways before bashing through the door, almost falling onto her side trying to stop herself from running straight into me.
"Oh goddess! CRIMSON! What in hades has happened to you?!"
Without a moments notice, her magic unwrapped my bindings and pulled me straight into her hooves, cuddling me closer into her chest than before. The way the large mare smelt filled my nostrils with a sense of calm that even med-x couldn't match, though the crushing of her tight cuddle made me splutter and wheeze.

"He's apparently had a heart attack, sister!" Selene rushed to tell, deep concern filling her voice as she looked on at the pair of us. Her voice had worry laced in with sadness.

Before anyone else could cause further panic, Dawnstar stepped in. "I've got an extra dose of Buck to help him if it happens again. Doctors orders were plenty of rest. No more excitement."

Squeezing me even more tightly for a moment, Eos rested me on her back before trotting off with me, despite the protests of the nurses that I'd needed to stay there under close supervision, she simply didn't seem to care. I could hear small hiccups of emotion burst through her breathing as she quickly made her way towards the bedroom, carefully placing me down in the large, soft bed. Crawling up next to me, she began to stroke my mane and kissed my forehead. "You're safe now, Crimson. You're safe now. You'll be fine here, I promise, I'll keep you safe. I won't let anything bad happen to you. I won't. I won't I won't I won't. Please don't worry Crimson."

A part of me wondered why she was repeating herself so intently, though those thoughts were quickly washed away as her horn touched my head, and just like earlier, a darkness filled my vision. A gentle cooing sound blew softly into my ear, the sickly sweet voice of Eos soothing my very soul. "Goodnight, my darling. Rest now."
This time I didn't feel pain as everything around me disappeared, there was no struggle for even the smallest breath, only a sense of pure serenity as the world turned back to black, my muscles relaxing, my thoughts drifting away to sweeter memories...

Author's Note

Well, it has been a long, long time since I've released any new content for the main story... here it is. It isn't as long as normal, it probably isn't even as good as normal, but god damn it, I've managed to do it.
This is only half of what I had planned, but then I decided it would likely carry more weight as its own chapter than having the second half of what was going to be my return chapter... so, that will also come in time! As will the continuation of the story as a whole.
Let me know what you think, I'd really appreciate it if you do.

Unbelievably massive gratitude goes out to StAnon for dragging me back into the fandom and encouraging me every step of the way to make an effort. It has taken me a lot longer than I'd hoped to produce even this much content, but every little step is another step forward right now. He's the reason I re-read my story (an essential step into writing new content) and the reason my passion has been revitalised.

A big thank you also goes out to someone else whom I know for helping me with the heart attack scene, a pony by the name of Salvage. As a first aider, my considerations were in the complete other end of the spectrum of what I should write (my training teaches me not to emphasise with the pain itself, but to focus on the steps necessary to get everything back into proper working order. Freaking out about it would do me nor the patient any good.)

Lastly, thank you everyone who has ever supported me. I know those two got mentions for their support most recently, but everyone who gives any comments, likes & reads is still someone who is showing their support and making it that little bit easier. Thank you.

Chapter 26: Improving odds

Fallout Equestria: Broken Bonds

By Kippershy

Chapter Twenty-six: Improving odds

“Coltchester promises a chance for even the poorest”

All around me, it felt like the clouds had descended, hazing my view and choking my lungs. Attempts at flapping my wings felt useless as the air grew heavier and heavier, holding me down firmly on the floor, draining me of any energy. With another cough, I saw blood. There was no way I could stay here, I had to move! And yet, no matter how I tried, I couldn’t.

The chilling sound of screams all around me began to ring in my ears, most wailing in agony, some pleading for mercy. Together, they made a chorus of groans and pleas for help. They begged, they begged and begged and begged, for me, they wanted me to help them. They needed me to help them. And no matter what, no matter how I tried, somehow I knew that I couldn’t.

Getting onto my hooves took a lot more strength than it should have, as if chains were holding me in place, though when I looked, I saw nothing. Still, I could feel them holding me down. I had to break them, I had to be stronger, I had to save the others. They were counting on me. The voices needed me, and I had to do something for them… anything. Anything just to not hear those screams.

The decrepit skeletons of rundown buildings surrounded me, though I couldn’t recognise any of them. Looking into the hallway ahead, it only led to a dark dead end with no doors. Looking to my side, I could see a larger room where beds lay scattered and skewed across the floor, some overturned or on their side entirely, as if they had been used for cover. Clothes littered the floor as the smell of smoke filled my nostrils, causing me to choke and cough yet more blood. With a moment, I thought to myself; there was smoke? Turning around, I could now see fire. Ponies on fire, their skin melting. My heart began racing as I tried to run away from the sight, but my hooves only took me closer.

I had to put out the fire. Somehow I had a feeling that I knew where to find some water, and began running, flapping my wings and crying out whilst praying to the Princesses that I could find something to help. Breaking through a double door, I then saw a talisman pumping out water, enough water to help everypony.

Rushing into the pool of water, I could hear the clicking in the back of my head. With that, there was now a burning sensation on my hooves. Looking down at the ground, I noticed the fluid had turned green and I began to watch patches of fur fall off, exposing muscle as it turned putrid.

The concoction of smoke and rotting flesh made me puke, forcing me to close my eyes. Upon opening them, I could see scraps of orange-red hair fall to the floor, turning a grey colour before turning to ash in the fire. The screaming was getting louder, stronger, closer. It was overwhelming. My whole body shook as I slammed my hooves to my ears in order to try and block the sound out, but nothing worked. With every passing second, it only felt as if it grew louder and louder, overwhelming my mind and senses.

Closing my eyes didn’t help either. Now with my ears plugged and my eyes closed, the noise became clearer, more than just screams. A very familiar voice rung out to me no matter how softly it spoke, overriding all of the others.

Opening my eyes, I could now see all of the tall buildings of the old ruins, the crossroads where I had faced the ghouls. My heart racing as I recognised each and every aspect, the broken windows and cracked pavement. The walls falling down and the blood stains on the floor. Now the wailing and groans turned to hisses of delight rather than distress. All around me I could see figures zipping through the cracks of buildings, making their way ever closer as the single voice grew louder and yet, somehow, further away.

Then I noticed her. Platinum. Just as before, she laid on the floor, though this time she was covered with a blanket. I knew it was her, of course it was her, it had to be her. Why would it be her? Why wouldn’t she forgive me? I had asked for her forgiveness! I had! I did everything I could! Why would she not leave me alone?! Why would she not forgive me?! What more could I do?!

Without any conscious intention, my hooves slowly pulled me closer, attracting me to the body despite all of my protest. I begged, I cried, I pleaded to not go any closer, but my hooves disobeyed. Closer I crept, closer the jeers rang through my ears, closer to my greatest regret. I couldn’t save her. I wasn’t quick enough. I wasn’t good enough. I wasn’t enough. I failed to save her. I failed her.

Approaching the body, I fell to the ground. I blinked and I was no longer in the ruins of a destroyed town, but rather, in a small room, with only a single door, barred. A prison cell, I realised. And yet there the body still lay. Still covered. Still calling to me in the irresistible, sickening way.

Slowly, and carefully, I reached a hoof out to the body, knowing exactly what to expect… only, I didn’t. As the blanket uncloaked the figure, my blood ran cold. Instead of seeing the face of Platinum, there laid Cherry. Her body looking scrawny, her bones protruding from her chest. Her face gaunt and eyes glazed… until she looked at me, her pupils dialling into my soul, ripping the sanity out of my mind as her teeth bore a wretched smile.

“You failed to save me, Crimson. FAILED!”

I tried to pull myself back, tried to step away, but instead found myself on the floor as she got up, her skin now disappearing rapidly, her teeth becoming sharper, her eyes getting whiter. Nothing I tried worked as I watched her step on closer, the madness and rasp in her voice growing with each syllable. The most beautiful mare I had ever known now the absolute image of disgust, of abomination.

“FAID! TOH! SAV! EEEEEEE!”

Now she was no different to them. I froze in absolute terror as the sight came closer, closer, about to bite me, about to end it all… And then it didn’t. Instead of the bite, a bright, white light shining in the middle of the room erased everything, including myself.

~ ~ ~

Bursting out into tears, I couldn’t help but begin to wail as the feelings of pure horror and failure still lingered in my mind. Struggling to cope with getting enough breath through my hiccups and tears, I could feel a burning in my lungs. The images of what I’d just seen were now burned into my eyelids, somehow even stronger than before as I held my eyes shut tight. I felt too terrified to open them and see if it was all real, and yet all the more traumatised as I continued to see what I had just experienced. There was no escape from it all, no relief.

A set of hooves wrapped themselves around me as I began to trash and struggle, forcing me to open my eyes, to be certain if I was really at risk of dying. At the very least, if nothing else, it would be a quick end if the nightmare was real.

My vision had started off blurry, and I was unable to make out anything of what was in front of me, though the tears and shaking didn’t help. The sensation of burning quickly became warmth as I began to feel the soft fur of somepony’s coat rubbing against my cheek. With a gentle coo caressing my senses, my ears began to scan for the source of the sound.

“Crimson. Crimson. Shhhh. It’s okay Crimson.”

I couldn’t make out who it was, but with that, I could feel how my heart slowly began to stop racing, how my breathing had become more regular and my eyes start to see with any amount of clarity. Looking up, I could see blue… a deep, beautiful, dark blue.

With a kiss planted on my forehead, I felt like a child as the hooves lovingly wrapped themselves around me, holding me closer, before that soft, sweet voice rang out to my ears once more. “Crimson. You’re safe, you’re safe here. I’ve got you. No more terrors. Shhhh. I’ve got you.”

“What’s going on? Why is he crying? What have you done?” Another voice asked, causing the pony holding me to jolt in shock.
The first voice began to stutter, unable to respond properly before more accusations began flying from another voice entirely. “What are you doing? What did you do!?”

“Stop.” A fourth voice commanded, this one much more grizzled and raspy. Opening my eyes once more, I could finally make out the sight of what was in front of me, and began screaming in terror as my mind saw more moulting, rotten flesh.

With that, the first voice tried to coo me back to comfort, but I struggled and trashed once more. Desperate to escape from whatever was happening, I pushed against the warmth and tried to escape to no avail until suddenly I felt a spike of energy flow through me and completely paralyze my body. With that, a flash of green also appeared and my mind went numb. Looking at the jade figure that now stood ahead of me, I could begin to hear a voice in my mind telling me that it was okay, to relax, that everything was okay.

Slowly my eyes continued to focus themselves, and at long last, I could recognise who I was looking at. Helios. There she stood, the tall, elegant mare with a face that for so long had always seemed so calm, happy and peaceful, that now had a look of worry in her eyes as she turned to face the others. I wanted to look at who they were, I wanted to see, but couldn’t even muster the strength to lift my head.

As if by magic understanding, the first voice expressed their sudden realisation and lifted me to look at the ponies who were pointing at me, even more worry in their voices, though now seeing my eyes begin to focus on them, they seemed to calm down. Now I saw them clearly, I recognised them as Tsunami and Freight Train.

With a powerful voice, Helios now spoke. “Calm. Down. The three of you.” For a moment, Tsunami went to retort, but Freight Train touched her shoulder as he shook his head.

The ghoulish figure of Titan which had just set more terror into my heart now caused no fear at all as I still felt the effects of the mind numbing power. Shaking his head, he spoke with a harsh tone. “You lot need to watch your tongues and remem-“

With that, Helios quickly interrupted Titan, stopping him in his tracks. “Titan.” She began firmly. “That meant you too. Antagonising our guests is no way to behave. I understand your concern, and I appreciate your intention, but I promise nothing bad will happen. Of course they’re worried about Crimson with how long he’s been out like this, and just the look on Eos’ face tells me something serious must have been plaguing his mind.”

Feeling a small amount of strength and mental fortitude return to me, I turned my neck to look up, up at the face that only looked at me with worry. Eos. One of her hooves gently stroking my mane whilst the other simply held me close enough to hear her heartbeat.

“He’s spent too long in an induced coma.” The beautiful blue mare began. “The inability to move or freely think has pent up in his mind, and the horrors that dwell within… I had but a moments glimpse, and even I understood the horror he felt.”

“Wait.” Tsunami began, an incredibly confused look on her face. “You… you did what? What do you mean you had a glimpse at his mind?”

Turning her gaze to Eos with an inquisitive look on her face, Helios began speaking once more. “Dream reading. It’s a form of magic closely associated with mind reading. How my dear sister, Eos, had any natural affinity for it whilst not being a ‘greenie’ like myself, I’m not sure, but then she has picked up my mind reading since the end of Unity too… and I Selene’s teleportation skill.”

“It… it just felt natural to me.” Eos shyly muttered. “I don’t know why. I… The first time I tried it was when I found Crimson asleep and I just wanted to know what was going on in his mind. I just followed my instinct.”

“Just now?” Titan asked, his voice now much less grouchy than before.

“Nope! That was when I left Coltchester to clear my mind. I… I guess I just needed to get out of my mind and into somepony else’s.”

Before anypony else could ask another question, a sound came from down the hallway, grabbing the attention of all who could hear it. Giggling. Some mare was giggling with the ferocity of a thousand fillies, and the sound was coming closer. All heads turned to look at the source as the sound grew closer and closer, until we finally saw… nothing.

At first everyone was confused as to what was going on, but then with Freight Train prodding the air, a rump appeared… and two hind legs… but no front half. There, right there, stood a pair of purple legs and the sound of laughter.

Eos began to chuckle herself at this point, bursting into huge fits of laughter. “Selene!” she called out. “You seem like you need to practice some more. You… aren’t as invisible as you might think.”

Now the mysterious laughter stopped and turned into a squeal of embarrassment as the rest of her body revealed itself, leaving the purple alicorn staring at us. Pointing an accusatory hoof at Freight Train, she rushed her words out. “It was his fault! Poking me like that! He threw me off of my concentration!”

I wanted to laugh at that, I found it funny, hilarious even, but a wave of feebleness overwhelmed me. Turning my face up to Eos, I felt my muscles go limp and closed my eyes. The touch of her hoof brushing my mane being the only thing I could feel before fading out.

~ ~ ~

“Well, well, well.” A soft, familiar voice gently cooed. “Waking up are we, my love?”
With that, she planted a soft kiss between my eyes before snuggling me yet ever closer. “I had wondered when you might come back around.”

“Whe-where am I?” I groggily asked, still unable to think straight.

“You’re here in my room, Crimson. We’ve had you sleeping in the medical ward and in the living room as well, but you’ve been getting your best rest here, with me.”
Though there was a kindness in Eos’ voice with a feeling that she well and truly cared for how I felt as she watched over me, I could tell that deep down, she was hurting as she said those words. Using her magic, she pulled me into more of an upright position so that I laid across her whole chest, the top of my head nuzzling into her chin as both her wings and hooves wrapped around me.

Nudging my head to the side, Eos now looked at me with her deep blue eyes before nuzzling her cheek on mine, a sad tone in her voice… one I’d become all too accustomed to over the last couple of days. “You’ve been in yet another coma for another two days, Crimson. You only just came out of your last coma. Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

I tried to answer, but instead was interrupted with her shushing me as she continued to speak. “Of course you aren’t, I know that. I’ve been told all about that last outing, and you weren’t trying to get yourself in trouble…” With that, she paused as she let out a sigh. “Mostly, anyway. But you really do need to be so much more careful, Crimson. One of these days you’re going to go out there and find the odds are far too much against you.” For a moment, she paused and I could just feel her eyes roll all over me. “Your body, as handsome as it is, is also on so many chemicals to keep you afloat. Do you know what we’ve had to do for you?”

With a weariness in my voice, I had to find out what she was on about. “What do you mean?”

“What do I mean, Crimson? I mean the fact that we’ve been giving you some doses of Buck alongside a lot of professional medical care to keep your heart in check. The fact you went out for two days wasn’t a spell we put on you or some knockout drug, that’s just the state of your heart and the withdrawal from that cocktail of drugs that your medic gave to you.”

With that, Eos turned her focus over to another point in the room, the sound of rattling grabbing my attention. Turning my head to look at It, I could see my armour jiggling in Eos’ magic. “And don’t get me started on this.”

“On what?” I asked, unsure on whether to be upset or offended. “That was my father’s armour. What’s wrong with it?”

“Quite frankly?” Eos looked at me in a way that made me feel small, like a child. “Its old, partially rusted, has all of those holes in it, makes all that rattling noise, weighs more than it needs to, and to top it off? It isn’t even the best design. It’s archaic and you not only need better, but you deserve better. I’m taking you shopping, and this time you’re going with me so you actually do go shopping and not off on some other adventure. You won’t be leaving my sight and you most certainly won’t be putting more stress on your body.”

Unfolding her wings and stretching her legs out, Eos began to yawn, pushing her chest out just enough that I fell onto my side. Looking up at her large blue majesty in a lazy way, the view was quite something.

“Well then, time to shower, mister. Come on, trot along.” Eos began. “I’m not going out anywhere with you smelling like you do right now.”

Taking a sniff of myself, I did notice I had the lingering odour of blood, sweat and chems. Stretching and yawning myself, I closed my eyes, I began to half-heartedly whine. “Can’t I just have a bit more sleep? I feel so tired.”

“Crimson, you’ve been out of it for the last two days. Sleep won’t do you any good.” Eos stated flatly. “You need to get out of here and get some fresh air and get your joints loosened up, but don’t you dream of exercising too much. That’s why you had that heart attack. You hadn’t given your body time to relax, to heal.”

Feeling myself being rolled over, I opened my eyes just in time to know where to put my hooves in order to avoid hitting the floor. With a sly smile, Eos beamed with a newfound happiness towards me. “Come on now. I promise you we’ll find something new for you to wear.”
With that, we both made our way out of the bedroom and over to the shower. I just hoped that my mane would be left alone this time.

*** *** ***

Coming out of the shower nice and fresh, I felt a little more energized and ready for the day out. The idea of getting back out made me feel ripe and ready, even if I still wasn’t back up to my best. I just wanted to get out of the base.

Looking at Titan all donned in his armour as he walked on by reminded me that I’d at least need my cloak as there was no way I could go out without some kind of disguise. Trotting off over to the quarters given to me, I slumped down as I walked through the door. The ghost of Cherry still lingered here, her stuff still exactly where she had left it.

Picking up my pistol, holster and cloak, I stepped back out before I could let it bother me any more than it already had. Somehow I knew that if I continued to look towards the bed, I’d end up crying. In the back of my head, I heard a whisper of a phantom lurking inside of me. I hadn’t failed her… not yet. Not yet.

“And what do you expect you’ll be doing with that, Mister?” A stern voice spoke behind me in such a voice that commanded that I turn around to face it. “You aren’t going to be getting yourself into combat today. You’ve no need to carry it.”

“Walking around without a weapon is a sure-fire way to die, Eos.” I retorted immediately. “Besides, it can be used intimidatingly as much as it can be used lethally. There’s no reason not to carry.”

For a moment, it felt like Eos was giving me stink eye, but the expression quickly faded. Feeling a jab into my side, I tried to recoil only to find my hooves were being held in place by a magic grip. Just like that, a tingling sensation seeped into my rump before I realised what was going on. Turning my head to see the object, I was right. A needle of med-x retracted from my side, though I quickly realised that there had to have been well over half of it left in the needle still.

“Hey!” I grumped. “That wasn’t even half a dose. What gives?”

“Crimson, I need to balance your withdrawal symptoms alongside the overdose risk. You can only have that much right now. Oh, and speaking of, I best give you the other part of your treatment now too.”

Other part? What was she on about? I simply watched as she rummaged through her saddlebags and pulled out a small pot. Pouring out a single pill before breaking it in half and putting the other piece back in the pot, I was instructed to open my mouth and swallow. Biting down onto the pill left a bitter taste in my mouth, but seeing the caring eyes and tender smile on Eos’ face as I swallowed made it worthwhile.

At first all I could feel was the lethargic effects of the med-x lingering in my back and muscles, making me want to fall down on the floor and relax, though I knew this wasn’t a good idea. As soon as that thought left my mind, a renewed feeling of strength grew inside of me as the half dose of Buck kicked in, clearing my mind and making me feel oddly calm as my mind up. Breathing in deeply, it was as if I had just washed away a thick haze from my brain.

With a spark in my mind, my eyes lit up enough for Eos to notice. Almost sensing what she was about to ask, I spoke. “I feel so much more energetic, without having a sense of being high. I feel so much better now.”

Patting me on the head like a child, Eos then nodded as she spoke to me. “I’m just giving you what the doctor ordered, but know this, you’re not allowed to self-dose. Doctor’s orders. If I catch you trying to dose yourself up, Mister, you’ll be in huge trouble.”

Standing before her imposing stature, I looked up and gave her a winning smile. I couldn’t help but try to push my luck to see how far it would go. “So… what kind of trouble are we talking about here?”

In return, Eos lowered her face down to mine, cocking an eyebrow as she looked at me. For a moment I began to worry at what she was going to say or do as she stared intently. With lightning quick speed, she pecked me dead on the lips with a kiss, completely stunning me. “Let’s just not even pretend we need to go there, okay?”
…With that kind of argument, I couldn’t really retaliate.

As Titan walked back past us, towards the main door, Eos turned to face the armour clad pony and spoke once more, a pleasant joy in her voice “So, Titan. What’s it like up there? I take it you’ve been outside since you’re wearing all that.”

With that, he merely looked at her before replying in an almost dismissive tone. “No.”

The look on Eos’ face was of absolute confusion as she stared at the power armoured pony, jaw agape. “Wait… you’ve not been? Why not?”

With a grunt and a long, heavy sigh, Titan shook his head. “No, I’ve not been up topside, because there’s too many patrols going on up there. I don’t know why. You’d think with mister executioner over here being out of action, the guards would have cooled off. Instead, the scouts have told me not to go up under any circumstance short of certain death.” With that, Titan started to walk away before stopping dead in his tracks. “Wait. Why are you asking?”

“I’m going up there.” Eos confidently stated.

“The hell you are!” Titan blasted. “You’re too valuable to the cause. Your leadership is essential. I’m not risking your life like that. Besides, the doors are shut. You aren’t getting out if not even I’m allowed out.”

With a smirk, Eos looked to the right, into the empty space in the hallway. “Too bad. Selene? Pop us up there.”

“Wait. How did you know I was here?” Another voice asked, out of nowhere. Maybe I had just missed her walking from around the corner whilst I put my cloak on or perhaps she was invisible, but now I looked, there she stood. In a flash of purple, we were already gone before we could hear what Titan had to say on the matter.

Now I found we were standing atop of a roof nearby the entrance of the base, but not too close either. Taking a deep breath, I could finally taste the fresh, outdoor air once more. Not the recycled and filtered air that was being fed in the facility, but true, fresh air. At this point I didn’t even care for the possible trace amounts of radiation in the air, I just appreciated the fact that it wasn’t stale.

“So, how did you notice me?” Selene asked once more. “I was certain I was invisible that time. Fully invisible. How did you know I was there?”

Leaning in, brushing Selene’s ear with her mouth, Eos looked like she was about to whisper a secret to the purple mare. Instead, even where I stood I could see Eos’ grin grow from cheek to cheek. “You smell.” Eos stated playfully, earning a shove from her sister. “Hey! I didn’t say you stink, and I mean it. I recognised your smell.”

With that, Selene let out a small ‘oh’ and then huffed, before turning her back to us. “Well, I’ll just go practice my smell-tastic invisibility elsewhere then.”

Before either of us could respond, she smiled at us and in another flash of purple, disappeared entirely. As she went, so did a fruity scent that I hadn’t even recognised was there until now. Blinking my eyes, I turned to Eos, completely dumbfounded. “Wait… you really did realise she was there by scent alone, didn’t you?”

“Yep!” Eos cheerfully gleamed. “Rule number one of invisibility; never forget that it only hides your visual profile, nothing more. You still smell, create noise and produce heat.”

“Heat? Now, noise and smell I understand… but heat?”

“Combat robots may utilise heat sensors to detect stealth cloak users whilst some animals can sense body heat and use that to track their prey. Being invisible doesn’t matter when your opponent isn’t looking for you with the naked eye.”

Stealth cloaks? Now that was something I could make use of. Watching Eos step over the edge of the building, I quickly followed suit, making sure not to flap my wings to avoid making any noise. The pair of us gliding down from such a height would’ve made for a spectacular sight for any onlookers, but thankfully there wasn’t any. Landing on the ground and turning out of the alleyway, we began walking through the streets, my wings now securely tucked into the cloak in order to avoid detection.

Within the first few seconds, I could already see the first of the increased patrols that Titan had mentioned, though surprisingly, it looked as if the soldier was alone. Instinct told me to prepare myself, though quickly I felt a soothing aura radiating from the mare beside me as she spoke. “No. Remember, we’re not here for violence.”

Taking a deep breath, I felt the weight of my tension leave my body as I listened to her words. A part of me worried about what would happen if the guard saw her, but with that, she gently cooed into my ear. “I’ll just go invisible if it comes to it, Crimson. Don’t fret about me.”
Looking at her with a moment of confusion, it clicked in my head. Of course, she could read my mind now.

Mixing in with the crowd, I could tell ponies were staring at Eos, which made me feel uncomfortable, but none dared approach. Looking at the rags that some of the others around me left me feeling that perhaps Eos should have been covered up to try and blend in at least a little, but that was her choice.

“So, what do you want to do, darling?” Turning my head to the voice, I could just see Eos smiling sweetly at me as we continued to walk along the street, towards the main shopping zone. “There’s obviously the matter of finding you some new armour, and whilst I know exactly who to talk to, you’ll need it to be fitted to your size. That could take some time. Other than that, well, there’s the alcohol to buy since you and Dawnstar didn’t end up getting that.”

“Ha. Oh yeah, I remember.” I muttered to myself. “How has Titan been handling that?”

“He’s not been happy about it. He likes a drink. Thankfully I know where to find the stand to buy these items which we drank away so merrily.” For a moment the conversation dulled, though new life soon came. “Oh, was there anything you wanted to buy, mister?”

“Other than a water talisman? No, nothing that I know of.”

“That reminds me. While you were… unavailable, shall we say, some ponies who I assume to be your friends tried to make contact with you over your PipBuck. There is no progress from anypony. They said that there still hasn’t been contact with the other group and they’re looking at returning home to resupply, when they’re allowed out of Tenpony Tower. They didn’t say more and wouldn’t say more.”

Grimacing, the fact that group B still hadn’t been heard from meant they’d likely met the same fate as my own travelling partners, if not a total wipe. My only hope was that if nothing else, at least group A would survive, return and search elsewhere perhaps… though where else was there to look now? The other big cities would be too far of a journey to reach for certain, and with the state of Coltchester… bringing yet more of our ponies into the fray here didn’t seem like a great idea. I’d got messed up in this situation enough, there was no need for more risk.

Just as I lost myself in a whole new world of thought, Eos nudged me with a hoof to bring me back.
“So, perhaps we ought to get that armour fitted for you? Even if it is ready to take straight away, we can have it put aside for you until the end of our day. What do you think?”

Giving her a small nod and a smile, there wasn’t really anything I could come out with other than ‘sure’. Getting a bit of exercise was good but I had no idea what to do if I wasn’t fighting. If Titan was true to his word, I had to help the rebels more, but how?

Looking around whilst Eos led the way to the armour dealer Eos supposedly knew, I couldn’t help but feel on edge as everything looked… off. The ponies, donkeys and zebras who laid on the floor seemed to have less life in their bodies, whilst those who were doing their daily duties seemed to do so with a jaggedness to their motions, as if they were in pain. The tension in the air was high, and whilst my E.F.S wasn’t showing up any marks, I could feel the hostility just from the looks.

As we were making our way further along the street, one pony barked at us in a muffled way. “You. You two. Over here.”

Looking in the direction of the voice, I saw what seemed to be a potentially slim stallion wrapped from head to hoof in a bundle of mismatching rags. As I was trying to judge whether he was truly speaking to us or not, he gave a nod and waved a hoof in such a way as to not try to attract attention from unwanted guests before uncovering his face.

Turning my head to Eos, she whispered in my ear to go ahead before turning invisible. Now, listening carefully, I could hear the hoofsteps approach the figure that had called out to us. Taking that as a go ahead, I followed suit.

“I know she recognises me and that you don’t, so I’ll be quick. Perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim. I’m one of the scouts. Look, I don’t have time to give you the full details of everything, the longer we spend together, the more chances of us getting noticed.”
Giving an understanding nod, I simply let the stallion continue. “There’s something not quite right about today, I’m sure you can feel it too. There’s whispers that in a short while, they’re going to call everyone – absolutely everyone, over to the main plaza for some big event. They’re not letting anyone over who isn’t in their ranks. If you’ve got business, I’d make it quick and keep to the sidelines. Especially with…” For a moment he paused, almost as if trying to find the right wording for the situation. “Present company around. Also, get some kind of robes, Princess. You’re going to need them. Too many patrols. Now go, go and do whatever you’re doing for the day, but be extremely careful.”

Just like that the stallion covered his face back over and pretended to go to sleep, though I knew the reality would be that he was watching and waiting for the right moment to move elsewhere. Even though I didn’t know this pony, something told me he was no slouch at his job, being able to find out such information and even managing to pick us out without issue. Though he was absolutely right what he had said; if he could pick us out, so could opposing spies. We had to be more careful.

Looking around, I couldn’t still see the ‘Princess’ as the scout had called her, though something told me that she’d be following me. Turning back around, I continued on our path.
Slightly worried that she might have gone somewhere without telling me, I started to look around without trying to make it too obvious. There was no sign of any patrols, but I also saw nothing of Eos either.

Whilst looking a different direction, I accidentally bumped into a pony. Turning my attention to apologise, I froze in my tracks as I felt like I recognised the pony in front of me. Standing straight ahead of me was a sight that chilled me to the core. The white mare.
Her mane hung down from her face just as it had before, her snout looking a little more scarred, but her eyes and how they looked at me, how they bore into my soul.

“Gimmie. Yo. Muny.”

My muscles tensed as I tried to back up, but instead walked into somepony else who yelled at me. I couldn’t look back to apologise though, my eyes fixed on her. The pony bandit from before. I was certain it was her! Feeling my heartbeat in my bottom lip, I tried to speak with confidence but failed horribly. “You… B-but… you! I took your head off!”

Once more she spoke, her flat tone of voice not holding any anger or hatred, no sense of revenge driving her movement as she began to reach for her pistol. I wanted to do the same, but felt too afraid to even reach. Not only was there no way I’d make a clean shot and not hit anypony else, but it would be too loud, attract too many guards. Watching as her head raised back up and her eyes locked back onto mine, she repeated her phrase once more.

With a cracking sound, the white mare dropped to the floor, convulsing, though seemingly still alive. Looking up to the sound of wingbeats, I could now see Eos panting, her horn aimed at where the mare had stood, a smile slowly showing on her face.

Looking back down to the shaking mare on the floor, I wanted to do something. I didn’t know what. Ask her how she’d come back from having her head blown off? Ask for forgiveness? Finish the job? She was a bandit after all… she had just tried mugging me, but feeling the comforting feeling of Eos guiding me along with a hoof, I just had to let it go. Maybe it was all three of those things, but it didn’t matter. We had to get out of here.

“What was that I saw in your face, Crimson?” Eos asked, a smirk on her face. “You looked like you’d seen a ghost.” For a moment she giggled, teasingly nudging my shoulder before putting on a mocking voice. “I mean, she is all white, after all.”

Looking at her in the eyes, I could see from her face that she suddenly realised just how serious this was to me as her eyes widened and her smile faded. Without expression, I told her. “I’ve blown her head off before. The time before last time I was outside. I… I’ve already killed that pony, Eos.”

For the next while in our journey, neither of us said another word. Between the disturbing feeling creeping up my spine of what had just happened and darting between crowds and the dark back alleys buildings to avoid patrols, there was just too much to focus on. Besides, merely walking alongside Eos was pleasant enough. Looking over to her every now and again, I got beaming smiles back whenever she noticed my gaze lingering long enough to be caught.

Stepping towards the exit of the alley we had ducked in to avoid visibility, I was overwhelmed with a sense of dread as my ears perked to a high pitched wheezing sound. Looking to my left, I immediately spotted the source of my tension. These three tall, shiny, terrifying beasts of mechanical nature. Zebra Superhoofs, as Titan had called them before. I’d had my ‘fight’ with those before, and now Titan and his crew weren’t here to save me, I knew I stood no chance.

Noticing Eos about to walk out into the open, I had to stop her before she could be seen. Wrapping my hooves around her neck and throwing us both down to the ground was my only option. Looking at her face as I tried my best to kick my cloak over the both of us, I could tell she was far from happy. Before she could make a sound, I stopped her with a kiss, lunging my tongue into her mouth. At first I could see that she was utterly baffled, but quickly seemed to realise that something was wrong.

Carefully moving myself to cover yet more of her frame with my cloak, I saw Eos look around before her horn lit up, pulling another piece of fabric from nearby over the rest of us. I could see that it was dirty, but that didn’t matter. Turning my eyes up to the exit of the alley, I could see the zebras now walking past with their machines.

Laying on the floor with Eos, her tongue now sliding into my mouth instead, I could feel her hoof begin to brush up my side, sending my eyes rolling to the top of my skull. I knew it was wrong, any other circumstance and I wouldn’t have done it, but in that moment, it was necessary.

Just as my mind regained focus, I noticed a superhoof pause and turn its head towards us before a pony dressed in DZC garb also peered into the alleyway. Feeling the tension of the moment, I knew that this was when our lives were truly on the line. With my heart racing and my body burning up from both sides of the cap, I doubled down on my effort to make out with Eos, hoping it would be enough to convince the pair to walk past us without disturbance. As if my prayers had been answered, the pony tapped on the robot and the pair continued walking by as if they had seen nothing out of the ordinary.

Until the rest of the unit passed by, we laid like that, making out. Breaking away from the kiss was an affair almost too slow, the look on Eos’ face, the spark in her eyes. I told myself that it was merely a disguise… just a means of avoiding detection, but… something deep down of me enjoyed it. Oh, Princesses, did I enjoy it, and did that make me feel guilty.

Looking into her eyes, I could tell she wanted more, and the feeling in my gut had me craving the same, but I quickly remembered why we had even gotten into that situation and pulled myself from the floor, checking both directions from the exit of the alley. The path was now clear.

Turning my focus back to Eos, I saw her laying on the floor in a seductive pose, smiling coyly at me. “Well, Crimson. If you wanted to kiss me, you could’ve just asked.”
My eyes shot wide as I simply looked at her whilst she playfully moved her hoof around in circles, almost invitingly so. The way she laid there was almost as if she was asking for more of the same, and the smile didn’t help one bit. That teasing, welcoming smile feeling like a lasso, trying to draw me closer.

I wasn’t going to do this to Cherry. Mustering all of my strength, I breathed in deeply, closed my eyes and shook my head. “No. Come on. It’s time to move. Get off the floor, we’ve got to get out of here.”

Walking to the edge of the alley I heard a whinny but didn’t respond to it. Instead, I began trotting into the direction I presumed the armour dealer had to be. A big part of me wanted to tail the Coalition soldiers instead, to see where they were going and why they might have had the superhoofs as there had to be something big going on if they were going to bring those out. They seemed somewhat of a rarity, though I wasn’t about to complain.

Before I knew it, the feeling of a large body radiating excessive amounts of heat stuck to me like glue. I didn’t even need to turn my head to know it was Eos, just the sensation of her wingtips mingling with mine in the cracks of my cloak was more than enough of a clue.

Letting out a long, heavy sigh, I finally got tough on the matter. “Eos, stop. What happened just now was to make sure we weren’t picked up on. If I didn’t pull you down to the ground you would’ve been spotted and if I didn’t kiss you, you would’ve made enough noise to get their attention. I…” I paused, looking down at the cracked cobblestone path below, ashamed of myself that it even got this far.

“You don’t find me pretty enough?” Eos sulked, deflating with every word. “Am I not good enough for you?”

Her magic wrapped itself around my face and forced me to look at her, to look into her eyes. Of course she was pretty enough! Of course she was good enough… if only the circumstances were different. “Yes, you are, bu-”

Interrupting me with both her words and magic, Eos now spoke with a little more perkiness. “So you do want me. Why would you deny my ability to feel normal, Crimson? To feel attractive?”

Thinking about my next words carefully was more than just a matter of feeling charismatic, but almost like a damn warzone as I felt her eyes bore into my mind. Whether she truly was reading my mind or not wasn’t something I could tell, but I knew I had to be careful. Finally, finding what I hoped to be the right answer, I spoke solemnly. “I have Cherry.”

Her gaze now thrown elsewhere as she huffed quietly, Eos muttered but a single phrase. “I understand.”

Looking back down to the ground, I felt terrible. Eos slinked off ahead, much the same. Again we came to a period of neither of us saying much of anything at all, though at the very least it seemed there was one boon; no more patrols forced us to duck out of the way. If nothing else, it meant that there was no awkward moments.

Approaching a blacked out door, Eos paused, taking note of the surroundings first. Not thinking much of it, I continued to walk ahead before being yanked by her magic, tugging at my wing. Turning back around, the door was now open and the mare simply gestured for me to enter. Stepping in to the building, I couldn’t see anything other than a very dimly lit room and another doorway. As Eos stepped through and closed the door behind her, my eyes were plunged into a world of complete darkness before slowly acclimatising to the light.

There was a counter and a few odd pieces of junk and litter scattered around, but nothing of any interest. Turning to face my companion, I couldn’t help but wonder what was going on. “So… where’s the gear you were on about?”

Though I couldn’t see much, I could just about see a small smile on her face begin to form the door on the other side of the room began to open, bleeding light into the room we were in. Pulling her smile just a little larger for but a moment, she spoke, though her voice still told of her true feelings; that of defeat and deflation. “Through there. Go on, go and have a look.”

Doing my best to tread carefully in the dark room, I made my way over to the door, covering my eyes with a hoof as I stepped through into the brightly lit area. As my eyesight began to return to normal, my jaw dropped.

Guns, ammo, armour, power armour. Hell, there was even a single suit of Grand Pegasus Enclave power armour! Rushing on over to it, I couldn’t help but gawp as I admired every tiny detail up close. The scales, the visor, the filament that ran along the edge of the wingtips… sure, I had seen those two Enclave soldiers previously, but to see the armour so close and personal was... amazing!

“So, I take it you’re that pegasai I’ve been awaiting then, hm?” A grumbly old voice called out, distracting me from the grand prize. Turning my head, the old donkey smiled as Eos walked over to his side. “I’ve got your armour over here. Though you’re more than welcome to look at everything else, mind, but I doubt you’ve got enough caps to win over that particular piece.”

Without a moment of hesitation, I immediately asked. I had to know. “How much?”

Cocking an eyebrow and smirking, the donkey watched my face intently as he spoke. “That G.P.E power armour? You’re looking at a hefty price. One lump sum of fifteen thousand caps. And no, I’m not kidding. I’ve had to fix that up from a state of practically falling apart, using as many suits as I could get my hooves on. All six of them. I’ve managed to put two together out of all six, and only two. The other suit sold to a collector of sorts, so you’re looking at the only suit you’ll find anywhere around here.”

“The only suit?” I asked in disbelief. “Surely not?”

“The only working, worthwhile suit, sure. Unless of course you want to go toe to toe with a member of the G.P.E?” With that, the steel grey donkey chuckled. “Mind, I’ve heard that even you backed out of that confrontation. Can’t say I blame you.”

“Wait, you know of me?!” I exclaimed in shock. “But how could you? We haven’t met before!”

“No, we have, we just haven’t been introduced… or, you haven’t been introduced to me, Executioner.”

With that my blood ran cold. I looked to Eos for an answer, but she simply held onto her smile, the kind of smile that told me it was okay. Taking a deep breath, I lowered the hood from my cloak and stepped closer to the donkey. “Okay, yeah, you’ve got me. I am indeed the Executioner. Now, may I ask who you are in that case?”

“I don’t give out my name. You can call me the dealer if you want, I suppose, but that’s not my name. I mean, sure, I deal in guns, ammo and armour, but I do as much repairs and maintenance as I do sales. So how about tinkerer? But then that implies I tinker around with just about anything. To call me a gun nut would forget the armour, and to call me an armourer would forget the guns. Besides, I prefer not to know my customers names too much and I keep my name hidden. Keeps things… safe.”

Scrunching up my nose, I could understand where he was coming from, but his sense of logic still felt odd. Giving him my best smile, I tried to make friends anyway. “Well, okay then. At least tell me this; are you working for the D.Z.C?”

As with before, the donkey responded in a very flat, grumbly tone. “Nope.”

“The P.L.A.C?”

“Nope.”

“Some other group?”

“None of them.”

Pausing for a moment, I was completely stumped. “Wait… so you don’t work for anyone?”

“Look, kid.” The old donkey began whilst rubbing the bottom of his hoof on the corner of his desk in an idle fashion. “I don’t work for any group, I work for individuals. My affiliation is to myself and my customer base. Now, that’s not to say I simply let just anyone in here… no. I have to trust them. I have to like ‘em. Ya know what? I like your doll. Ha, I even like the shit you’ve pulled off. Most of all? I love how you’re alive and right here and all the while.” With this, the donkey chuckled to himself. “Well…” With that, he ended his sentence.

“So, is it ready?” Eos asked, her voice now beginning to go back to normal.

“Sweets, do you think a donkey of my reputation would let a mare like yourself down? I’ve got you just what you asked for, don’t you worry. Now, if he would just come over here.”

Taking my cue, I walked on over to the counter, only to be redirected to another doorway. Almost as soon as the donkey walked in, he had backed out with a trolley in hoof, wheeling a collection of armour pieces with him.

Staring at them, I could tell just how much more advanced they were already. Their designs provided a wider range of coverage whilst also having joints in them that articulated in ways that my old armour simply couldn’t. Watching the donkey lift them up effortlessly, they also seemed to weigh a lot less and made almost no noise in comparison to what mine would have.

Pausing as if waiting for me, the donkey spoke. “Well… get your cloak off then. Let’s make sure it does all fit.”

He was waiting for me! Quickly disrobing and unclipping my holster, Eos then helped me out with getting the armour on. Sliding it over my head, past my hooves and onto my chest, I then felt her magic tighten the buckles before clipping in extra protection to cover the weak spots. Putting the wrist protector on my left forehoof, my right was protected enough by the PipBuck.

All dressed up, I felt so much more protected than ever before. My neck had a bit of extra cover without restricting my ability to look down. My flanks had a tougher feeling without being heavy, and nothing felt loose in the slightest.

At that point, the donkey reached down from below, and pulled out something else. My coat! Looking at it, there was absolutely no denying it! That was my coat! Blinking in confusion, Eos gently cooed into my ear. “Yes, I’m sorry. I took your coat so that could get some extra love too.”

Looking at it, I could tell that it indeed had been modified. Holes that had been shot into it were now carefully patched out with new leather, seams reinforced with metal lining to prevent tears and seam damage, especially around the wings. It even had some metalwork to attach my bag onto more securely! Staring at the hoofwork of the donkey, I was completely amazed at how much had been done and yet, the weight of it had barely increased. With a little reminder from said donkey, I tried it on, to which I found it fit perfectly as if moulded for the new armour.

Taking a couple of steps around the room, I couldn’t believe it. The increased weight was certainly something I could notice, but not even close enough to feel bothered about. Despite that, something about this armour made me feel much more confident about my combat prowess. Looking back to the holster on the floor, fitting that would be the only issue.

As I picked my gun up, the donkey looked at me with a frown. “Wait, you’re using that?” He began, trotting on over to look at my piece. “Don’t even start with the whole ‘what’s wrong with it?’ stick, just look at it. You’ve got these brand new set of armour and you’re using this part rusted pea shooter? I mean, it’s one of those guns you’d just pick off the first corpse you find and roll with it.”

With that, I couldn’t help but blush and shy away a little, much to the donkey’s amusement. “Wait, don’t tell me, is that the actual story of how you got that gun? It is, isn’t it? Look. It may have done the job for you up until now, but the lack of good maintenance over the years let alone what little you may have or may not have done for it… well, that model wasn’t very good to begin with. Cheap, cheerful, easy to get a hold of – but it was never a particularly good gun. Just reliable and easy enough to be mass produced is all. That particular model is renowned for being misaligned anyway.”

Scraping the floor with a hoof, I looked at my pistol. He was right. There was plenty of times where I felt like it wasn’t quite shooting straight to the sights, though I simply made sure to get closer to reduce the issue with that. Taking a deep breath and a gulp, I raised my head and smiled back at the donkey. “Well, we’ve got the price of the armour to discuss first, and-”

“It’s been paid for already, your sweetheart covered those fees beforehoof.”

Looking over at Eos, I now saw her smile just like she had at the start of the day. I could feel my jaw slowly droop down before swinging back into a smile as she stepped on over, stopping right before me. “I hope you enjoy your new armour.” For a moment she paused, hesitant on whether to say the end of her sentence. “Darling.” Turning her gaze to the donkey, she smiled at him now. “If you would like to find a suitable replacement, we’ll be interested to see it.”

“Sure thing.” And with that, the donkey went over to the display cabinets, spending his focus on trying to find the right weapon.

With that opportunity, Eos bowed her head down to mine and looked me dead in the eye before whispering to me. “I’ll also cover the cost of your gun if you…”

“If I what?” I asked, unsure of what to expect, though I had to admit, covering the cost of a new gun wouldn’t be cheap and truth be told, I didn’t think I had the caps.

Cocking an eyebrow at me suggestively, Eos smiled. “If you’re willing to show me some of the appreciation you showed me earlier.”

Looking into those large, deep blue pools that led to her soul, I knew it was wrong of me but I couldn’t deny that not only was her offer too good to refuse, but I still had a longing myself. Gently brushing her cheek with a hoof, I leant in closer and felt our lips meet, or tongues clash and a chill down my spine. This was wrong, I was meant to be with Cherry, and yet here I stood, enjoying a passionate moment with Eos as I felt my heart race and my lips beg for more.

Pulling back from the embrace, my lower lip throbbed as my chest yearned for more, the fire growing inside of me. Opening up my eyes slowly, I saw her eyelashes flutter open in a seductive manner. “Thank you.”

Watching her slowly bite her own lip, her smile grew so much larger as she let out a long, contented sigh. “No, thank you. Darling, whatever pistol you want, you’ve got it.”

Turning back around, the donkey merely sat as if he was waiting for us to finish. “Right. Now, as I was going to say to you, lovebird. I’ve got a piece here that will make a huge improvement. The IF-92S. A truly powerful weapon fitting of your reputation. Shoots true to the target, handles the same calibre as what your junker does but has a reputation for refusing to jam even under the worst of conditions. It can load heavier ammunition, perfect for firing armour piercing rounds. The mouth guard is more secure and whilst the gun obviously isn’t factory new, what gun is these days? Despite that, this is one of those pieces I’ve found in near pristine condition as it was and rejuvenated it to yet an even higher condition through love and care. Three hundred and fifty caps for just the gun, five hundred and fifty if you want me to include a good amount of armour piercing rounds, some spare magazines that are colour coded for you to swap between the two types and a holster to fit your new armour, specifically made for this model of gun no less.”

Watching him present the gun and all of its aspects as he gave one hell of a show of its condition, I slid to my rump, completely entranced by the knowledge and care this donkey genuinely seemed to give. Feeling a wing slide around me and pull me closer, I looked over to see Eos sitting next to me, her adorable smile sitting from cheek to cheek. Without any warning, hesitation or consultation, she spoke in a blissful voice. “We’ll take it. The whole package.”

My jaw dropped. “Are… are you sure? That-“

“It’s a fine deal, my love. If it keeps you safe and allows you to do your job better, it’s most certainly worth the investment.”

I didn’t know how to feel. A part of me felt incredibly guilty for taking advantage of this offer, and another part of me felt guilty for the price I’d paid. If Cherry was to ever find out, I knew that I wouldn’t be forgiven. Despite that, as soon as the donkey strapped the holster onto my wrist and I felt that gun click into place, I somehow knew it was a price worth paying. Pulling the new IF-92S out of its holster to feel the weight, not only did it seem lighter, but it was also noticeably more balanced too. Looking down at my old gun, I could hardly believe just what a difference it was.

With a deftness, the donkey picked my old gun and unloaded the magazine before loading most of the rounds into a new one, ready for my gun. Noticing that he couldn’t fit the same amount in the new magazine, which was the only downside it seemed. Passing those two rounds to me alongside the mag, I’d have to keep that in mind from now on.

In a matter of just a minute, the donkey had sorted me out with the ammo whilst Eos counted and passed over the insane amount of caps. I still couldn’t believe that she was so readily giving over that many, but she didn’t seem to care. Looking at her, I could tell that all she wanted was to see me happy in this moment. I couldn’t deny it, I was. I was even happier when I managed to convince the donkey to throw in just a couple more normal rounds in exchange for my old gun and holster. How much use it’d be to him, I wasn’t sure, but he accepted the deal regardless. It wasn’t many rounds, but I had a feeling that every single round would count for something.

Putting my cloak back on over everything, we made our way out the back door, led by the donkey to ensure that nobody caught on to what was actually going on in the seemingly abandoned, little dark room that was once a shop. Stepping back out into the dirty cobblestone streets, it felt refreshing to see real light once more. Making our way through, we soon enough found ourselves back on the main street, just as before.

“So,” I began before trailing off into my own world of thought, still enthralled with what had just gone down. Now I walked around with my armour, I really couldn’t get enough of just how good it felt. Remembering myself as Eos looked at me with curiosity, I snapped back to reality. “Oh, sorry. Forgot myself there for a second. So… now we’ve got all this, I uh… suppose you don’t have many caps left, hey?”

Looking away sheepishly, Eos just shook her head. “N-no.”

Reaching for her face with a hoof, I turned her gaze back to mine before planting a short but sweet kiss as a means of showing my gratitude. Her little moan in delight was adorable as she raised her head to the sky in delight. Deep down, I wished that if any moment could last forever, it’d be a moment like this.

Taking in a deep breath and immediately letting it go, I took her hoof and gently corralled her into moving. “Come on Eos. I’ll pay for the alcohol then.”

Just as we began to move, loudspeakers that had been set up all over now burst to life with a crackle and pop before booming out with a voice. ‘Testing, testing. Good.’
Looking up to the speakers, I didn’t know what was going on, but something told me whatever it was, it couldn’t be a good thing. Looking to Eos, she shrugged, confirming this wasn’t something the P.L.A.C had any part of.

‘All citizens of Coltchester’s lower district are hereby required to meet at the main street, near the checkpoint gate, immediately. Repeat, all citizens of Coltchester’s lower district are hereby required to meet at the main street, near the checkpoint gate, immediately. An important message awaits you from the Coalition regarding your safety. We cannot guarantee your safety unless you are present. This order is effective immediately.’

Looking at Eos, I began to worry. “We better get there quick then, I suppose?” The look in her eyes was also filled with apprehension. “I know what you’re thinking, I promise I won’t go gung-ho just because of my new armour and gun. Besides, I’ve got you to take care of and protect, but we don’t want to be seen as making ourselves suspicious.” For a moment her face winced, though it began to calm down as I carried on. “We’ll hang around on the edge, deal?”

With that, she just nodded and we quickly made our way to where the crowds were forming to get to the destination. At first Eos stayed in plain sight with me, though soon enough we could start to see guards lining the street, casually keeping an eye in the distance. Looking at Eos, she must have caught the same idea as me as she turned invisible. Though I couldn’t see her now, I felt her wing caress my back, letting me know she was still with me.

As I now approached the main checkpoint gate, the very same area which had been blocked off earlier, I could now see why. There stood a tall wooden structure, a platform, holding a whole bunch of ponies and zebras. Some of them were dressed in Coalition gear, whilst others had full face masks. One even had robes covering their entirety. With the crowd starting to rabble and squabble amongst themselves, the atmosphere was like electric, even more so than earlier in the day.

Now another figure walked up onto the platform, over to a podium. I couldn’t make out any details of them and couldn’t risk getting closer, but something told me they had to be important. With a tap of their hoof, the speakers crackled to life once more. This time though, the voice seemed almost familiar somehow, though I couldn’t figure out why.

‘Mares and stallions, colts and fillies. Ponies, Donkeys and Zebras. We’ve gathered you here for an important message. It is to our understanding that the lower district of Coltchester, or, ‘Slumside’ as you so affectionately call it, is in turmoil. We know that there are those that dissent our rule and despise us for keeping you safe, for relying on your toil to keep everyone, of every creed, fed. We know that hard work is hard and it might seem like we don’t care for you, but I promise, this is not the truth. We do everything we can to keep you safe, and do not keep you locked up like others might if you were to go elsewhere – but yet here you are, here you stay. You stay because deep down, you know the truth. You know we provide to you the best opportunity to survive. The wasteland is harsh and unforgiving. The slavers of Fillydelphia are vile and repulsive, who will slaughter and maim you for nothing but fun. The prices of Tenpony stopping all but the most elite from a fair chance. The space in Friendship City lacking any room for us. The dangers of places such as New Oatleans completely untamed land. Not Coltchester. Coltchester provides protection and promise for a tomorrow, a chance to work alongside the finest military Equestria has known since the war. Coltchester promises a chance for even the poorest to perhaps save enough that you might experience the wonders of pre-war establishments should you work hard and save your caps.’

For a moment, the voice stopped, looking across the crowd for a response. Instead, they drew silence. Whether this was what he wanted or not didn’t matter, at least he wasn’t being shot at. That was the best he could have hoped for. Taking a deep breath, he continued his speech.

‘Today… today we have something special for you all. You get to see what happens to those whom sow the seed of dissent, whom actively seek to destroy the livelihood of not only us, but also yourselves. Do not forget that what hurts those at the top, hurts those at the bottom because without the head, the body will die. Today, we show to you, how we deal with these.’

With that, one masked figure had their head exposed. A zebra. I couldn’t see them well enough to identify them from here, but desperately wanted to see. Looking around, I could see somepony next to me had binoculars. Quickly touching their shoulder, I spoke in hushed voice. “You. Five caps to borrow those binoculars off of you for a moment?”

For a moment they looked at me with uncertainty, rolling their jaw around as they considered the offer, though quickly made their mind up. “Borrow? Just to see this?” I gave a quick nod in confirmation, not wanting to waste time as I pulled five caps out of my bag. “Sure.”

Passing the caps over, I raised the binoculars to look through them. Another zebra had already been unmasked, though I didn’t recognise either. Now an old pony. With that, Eos grabbed the binoculars in her magic and gasped. “T-that’s Pony Joe!”

The sound of stuttering caught my attention as I turned to see the look of pure confusion on the face of the buck next to me. Thinking quickly, I simply tossed him two more caps. “You saw and heard nothing.” With that, he merely nodded in understanding.

Taking back the binoculars, now it was my turn to gasp as I recognised the next pony in line. A mare, but not just any mare. Blessed Cradle. There was one more figure left on the platform, the one which had been entirely robed in such a way that no-one could figure out who it would be until they were exposed. Instead of disrobing them, the zebra that had been doing so stopped, and waited.

‘And last, but most certainly not least, our final guest.’

As the zebra took the garb off from the figure, I felt my blood run cold and my face drain of colour as the binoculars slowly dropped away.

Author's Note

Well, I hope I haven't upset anyone with this chapter... Or, at least not in a way not intended. Not entirely how the chapter was going to go initially, but I liked the direction it led me. Hope to hear any ideas you might have about who it is...

As always, huge thanks go out to Kkat for creating the verse we all love. As well, a big thank you to a friend called Basic for helping me out with the very beginning.
Much love goes out to all of the supporters, it really does mean something to me that people read this.