Fallout Equestria: Memento Mori

Chapters

It Begins
A Shadowbolt Rises
Boom Boom
High Flying
The Job
Past Sins
Vanity and Fear
Playtime's Over

It Begins

"For a soul to become truly evil it must first be baptized in sorrow"

So. Fucking. Bored!

I have been sitting at our shop's counter for two hours and no one has come in to buy anything or even look around. For two hours! I slam my head on the counter in an attempt dispel the boredom in my brain. Nope didn't work. Fuck now I have a headache. My dad had left me in charge of our store, we sell anything and everything. We get regular deliveries form scavengers and traveling merchants that come through so we're usually pretty stocked. There's a Action Mare comic to my left. Almost want to read it and I hate Action Mare. The shops bell rings and I jolt up relieved that someone is here," Hello there how can I help you today?"

"Hey Silky."

The voice automatically makes my day then and there. Only one pony called me that goddess awful nickname. Potshot, or Potsy as I call him, is a slender red unicorn stallion with a blonde mane. His Cutie mark is a pair of black bullets. He's my best friend, crush, a complete dreamboat, and also Mayor Silverstar's son. He's been my partner in crime since we were foals.

"Hey Potsy," my voice takes on a seductive tone as I lean over the counter.

"Manning the counter today huh," he says with a chuckle," So where's your dad anyway?" I sigh in defeat at another failed attempt. Oblivious dolt. I swear he wouldn't get that I wanted him even if I out right kissed him.

"Oh he went out into the field today to meet with one of those travelling merchants. So what brings you to me casa?" The shop doubles as our home on the second floor.

"Just running an errand for Pops. He wanted me to grab some Sparkle Cola."

"He is addicted to that stuff," I say as I stick my tongue out in disgust. I can't stand those old flat fizzy drinks.

"Yep but what can you do?"

"Try an intervention," I snort. I clamp my mouth shut with a hoof. Potsy begins laughing outrageously as my blush turns my pink muzzle a nice rose red. Smooth Silk Edge real smooth. The one thing I get from my dad other than my eyes and it has to be the most embarrassing thing possible. After Potsy stops rolling on the floor for a good five minutes and while I am in the misted of wishing I was dead, he comes up to the counter with a case of Sparkle Cola held in his magic.

"How much Silky?" he asks, still chuckling. Adorable jerk.

"Ten Caps," I respond in a small voice, still blushing. Stop blushing damn it! Potsy sets down the caps. I scoop them up and place them in the register quicker than necessary.

"See ya Silky."

I mutter a halfass good bye and am about to slam my head on the counter until I stop moving all together when he turns to look at me over his shoulder before leaving the shop.

"And by the way you shouldn't be embarrassed by your laugh I think it's extremely cute." Potsy winks at me and leaves the shop. Did he just? Did Potsy just flirt with me?

Pomf

My wings go primary up as my brain tries comprehend the hotness of the wink I had just received. Where in the Hell did he learn to flirt? Yep I can die happy today. While I'm on Cloud Nine with a goofy grin on my face I don't notice the shop's bell ring and a dark grey pegasus stallion with a dark red mane enter.

"Umm honey why are your wings like that?"

"Potsy said my laugh was cute," I giggle like a school filly and flutter my still outstretched wings.

"Did he now?"

That's when my brain registered that my dad was standing not five feet in front of me and I currently have a major wing boner going. Shit! I scream frantically start trying to flattening my wings. My face more than likely looks like a cherry right now. While I'm having my freakout Dad decides to start laughing, and snorting. Curse that snort to the farthest depths of hell! After sputering for a good minute I finally find my voice. Loudly," Dad what the hell?! What are you doing here?!"

"One I live here and two I kind of own the shop." Smart ass and he wonders where I get it from. When he catches his breathe he sets down his bag and starts putting the new merchandise on the shelves.

"Don't worry ma petite étoile I approve. Potshot's a fine young lad. Respectful too."

"Daaaad stop. I'm embarrassed enough as is," I whine wanting this fresh hell to end. He just chuckles and continues stocking the shelves. I cross my hooves over my chest and begin The Pout. My secret weapon that has fallen many a foe.

"Big secousse muet," I mutter. I'm quite fluent in Prench and so is my dad. He had taught me but now I'm even better than him. We often get customers who speak only Prench so its a useful language to know. As for Dad all he did was look at me with that infernal knowing smile of his.

"Ah yes that reminds me while I was out I found something you might like." He pulls out a thick book from his saddle bag. On the cover it reads 'Les Miserable.' I squeal and rush into Dad, wrapping my hooves around him in a hug.

"Les Miserable. Oh daddy thank you thank you thank you!" I clutch the book to my chest and start hovering around the room. Dad just chuckles at my reaction. I have read 'Les Miserable' over fifteen times in my life. It is by far my favorite book but I had only read it from an old terminal we owned and now in my hooves was a mint condition copy. This must have set Dad back a cap or two.

"Happy birthday ma petite étoile." I fly down and hug him again. I had honestly forgotten it was my birthday. Unwrapping my fore hooves from Dad's neck I rush to the counter and crack open the book and start reading.

"You know you remind me of your mom more and more each day. She would be so proud of the mare you've become." He says as I look up at him and smile. He finishes up unloading the new merchandise while I continue reading. Goddess I love this book. The shop bell rings and I look up to see the town's head bitches. Maple, a dirt brown earth pony and Hotstuff, an orange unicorn.

"Hey Silk," Maple says with a grin," Happy Birthday." She and Hotstuff trot over to the counter and give me a hug. Hey they're bitches but they're my bitches. I return the embraces and share their grins.

"You must be like super excited. It's your eighteenth right?" Hotstuff says. Oh if only you have a clue your voice is like so annoying.

"Hell yeah!" I say as I close my book. I've known these two for a long time. Their mom's have been trying to get at Dad for years (if you know what I mean) ever since My mom died. She was killed in a raider attack when I was two so I really don't remember her.

"Hey Silk lets go get a bite to eat at the Salt Lick," Maple grabs my hoof," Ya know to celebrate your big day."

I look at dad and he chuckles," Go on I have things covered here. I'll see you tonight ma petite étoile."

I give him a hug and follow Maple and Hotstuff out of the shop. As we make our way to the Salt Lick ponies tell me happy birthday and congrats on turning eighteen. I'm actually pretty popular in this small settlement of Petitesabot. Other than the fact that my dad runs the only merchant shop in town. We also work as the leading defenders of the town. You see Dad has trained me to fight ever since I got my cutie mark, an ornate silver dagger with a scarlet ribbon tied in a bow on the hilt. My special talent is acrobatics and I'm actually very good with a pair of wingblades. That day I also learned I came from an ancient line of assassins that had served one of the Royal Sisters, Princess Luna, back before the Megaspells fell. I couldn't tell anypony this but it was the reason my dad trained me in stealth, battle-tactics, and how to use wingblades. My eighteenth was a big day for me for another reason too. Tonight would be my final test, I would have to beat my dad in a straight up fight. This would prove my ability to carry on the family name.

"What'll be ladies," Greasy booms as we enter the Salt lick. Greasy is an old earth pony with a greasy black mane. He's the Salt Lick's owner and one of my dad's poker buddies," And a happy b-day to you Little Edge."

"Thanks Greasy," I giggle. Three orange's if you can manage it please."

Right 'way Little Edge," he chuckles and ducks into the makeshift kitchen. Greasy calls me little Edge because my dad's name is Dark Edge.

"So like what did your dad get you?" Hotstuff takes a seat on the barstool and Maple and I do the same.

"He got me a copy of Les Miserable," I state proudly. They give me a blank look, glance at each other then back at me.

"Seriously?" They say at the same time.

"What?" I grumble "Its a classic." Greasy sets down a small plate with three oranges on it. Hell yes I fucking love oranges. I grab one and start pealing it with my hooves. Maple and Hotstuff stare in amazement as I deftly peal the orange. What can I say I'm good with my hooves.

"I still don't get how the hell you are able to do that better than I can," Hotstuff says as she picks up an orange with her magic," I have, like, magic."

I shrug and bite into my treat. Mmmm so fucking good. I finish it in lthree bites, easy. Maple rolls her eyes at me and pushes her orange to me," Here its your day after all."

"Awww thanks Maple," I grin and peal her orange," Oh guys Potsy bulletin. He winked at me."

They give a look like I'm crazy," And?"

"It was sexy alright and he legitimately flirted with me." I huff.

"We're talking Mr. Oblivious here right?"

"Oh stuff it Hot," Maple gives her a glare," That's great news Silk maybe he'll make a move soon."

"I hope," I say as I take a bite of my orange.

BOOOM!!!

An explosion rocks the shop and we all hit the dirt. A fucking raider attack now and in broad daylight!?! They never attacked during the day.

"Stay here," I hiss at Maple and Hotstuff and go to the door. Outside there is smoke billowing from the direction of the east gate," Greasy toss me your butcher knife."

He tosses a massive cleaver at me and I catch the handle in my mouth. I carefully walk out the door, crouched low to the ground as screams start to fill the air. To my right I spot a zebra wearing a dark red armor that looks to be made of leather stabbing Aria Swan with a crude knife attached to his hoof. I can tell she's already dead. Never did like her. I rushed him with a pump of my wings. We went rolling and I threw him off of me. He hit a wall and before he had time to recover I threw the cleaver at him. It went a good two inches into his skull. I breathe heavily as I realize the gravity of my situation. With all my training this is the first time I've killed someone. No time to deal with it now I need to get back to the shop. I Shake my head and launched myself into the air and flew to the shop.

In the air I got a good picture of what was happening. Zebras were flooding the town from a hole in the town's east wall. I land on the shop's roof and head inside from a hatch on the roof. Inside I hear a struggle down stairs. I gallop to my room strap my wingblades, a pair of crude iron blades, onto my wings and fly run downstairs.

When I get to the shop's main floor. I spot Dad in the middle of a fight with one of the zebras. Shelves are knocked down and merchandise thrown this way and that. I steel myself and launch myself toward the zebra. Remembering my training I bank slightly to the right and let my wingblade slice him open along his side. This gives Dad enough time to grab the fucker around the neck and snap it.

"Good work," Dad grunts as he pushes the zebra away," Follow me upstairs." Dad turns to go upstairs but a dagger flies into his side and he hits the floor

"Dad!"

A pair of zebras had rush inside the shop, one even had a minigun mounted on him. A minigun! I mean seriously what the fuck!? We fall back to the stairs and Dad manages to send a blade hilt deep into the gun-toting zebra's forehead but his companion sends a blade flying at me. Acting quickly I dodge his blade and draw Dad's last knife from his barding and sent it flying at the zebra. He sidesteps but the blade grazes his cheek, leaving a gash. With a grunt he stumbles back allowing me time to rush him and introduce him to my hoof. It just wanted to be friendly. It connects to his muzzle sending him hurtling into a series of tools that hung on the wall. Unlucky guy considering most of those tools are sharp. Yeah I think he got the point. I can't help but snort at that pun. Oh crap Dad!

"Dad are you alright?"

"Yeah just got about six inches of steel in my side," he chuckles as if that joke's funny. In all truth I'm scared shitless at his injury. Remembering he keeps healing potions upstairs, I pick him up and go up the stairs. Goddess Dad lay off the frieking Sugar Bombs. Once in his room I rummage through his drawers and, eureka, found one. Turning back I pull the blade in his side out and cradle Dad's head. Popping open the potion I move it to his lips but he stops me.

"No don't waste it you'll need it more than I do. That blade was poisoned. The potion won't stop the spread." He coughs up some blood. I feel myself start to tear up.

"N-no these things are g-guaranteed to he-heal anything it'll wo-work," I Choke out as tears run down my cheeks.

He smiles up at me," I'm proud of you ma petite étoile. Je t'aime tellement...."

"Daddy please don't. Come on drink it ple-please." He try to push the potion to his lips but his body goes limp as foam comes out of his mouth and he stops breathing. The sounds from outside fall on deaf ears as I start sobbing into Dad's lifeless body. Finally I wipe the tears from my eyes and close his.

"I love you too Daddy." To my right the box Dad had given me grabs my attention.

"Memento Mori," I whisper and the box opens with a hiss. Inside is a purple and yellow jump suit. It has an unnatural sheen to it that just draws me to it. Under it is a black metal bracer that looks to reach up to my shin, a note and what looks to be a Pipbuck. Some of the traders had them and I even remember Mom having one in the pictures dad keeps of her. This must have been hers. I look at the note and open it.

Silk,

Congratulations my daughter you have graduated from your training and you are ready to take up our family's ancient mantle. Inside this chest is the uniform of our ancestors, it is heavily enchanted increasing your senses slightly and removing any friction between your body and the air, as well it will provide another little surprise but I won't ruin that for you. The other two items are the hoofblade, it will serve you well and has been passed down from Shadowhoof to Shadowhoof for a thousand years. That blade has no equal in this day and age. Finally a gift from your mother, her Pipbuck. I never had a mind for machines as your mother did, constantly fiddling with that little wrist device she was. She had asked before she died that it be given to you and now I have kept that final promise. She made me promise something else but I find that easy to uphold, that I will always love you ma petite étoile. Happy Birthday.

Love,

Dad

Masquer Shadow vous et la Lune vous guider

A fresh river of tears flow down my already soaked cheeks as I read the letter over and over. I am broken from my trance as a window in the room shatter and I hear the ping of a bullet on the wall next to the bed. We're still under attack from those zebras. A cold rage starts to turn my blood cold. These bastards had the gall to attack my home and my only family. Sorrow is replaced by rage as I find myself staring at the jump suit. I quickly slip it on. The fabric is like silk against my fur and once I slip the jump suit's hood over my face I feel my body tingle. My wings begin to ache slightly. That's when the I feel my senses get a jump start. I can see everything sharper, clearer. I give my wings a flap.

What the?!

I look at my wings. Their shaped like a bloody bats. I stare at this impossible development. I mean what the fuck?! Bat wings seriously that will majorly...I flap my wings and do a flip over the bed. Huh ok then that's cool even easier to fly. Maybe feathers are over rated. I go over to the mirror on the vanity and gape at my reflection. I looked right fearsome in this jumpsuit. I glowed a soft purple in the light and hugged every curve. Damn I looked good. On my flank rested a pony skull with wings on either side. As well my eyes had changed too through the suits built in yellow goggles I could see My dark red eyes had become slitted like a cat's. Ok best present ever.

I grab the black bracer and slip it on. With a click I feel it secure into place. When I flick my hoof out nine inches of black steel is what I'm rewarded with. On the blade, etched in silver, is 'Memento Mori'. Alright then I'm calling you Memento. Then I slip the Pipbuck on, it clicks into place and turns on. 'Hello and thank you for choosing Stable-Tec' flashes on the screen. The system boots up. Wow this is cool. It flashes 'ready for usage.' I explore it and find E.F.S (Eyes Forward Sparkle) shows several red blips outside and a few green blips as well as my location. Then something flashes on the screen.

'Warning Stable-Tec Arcane Targeting Spell data corrupted. S.A.T.S. system offline.'

Well that sucks. Can't do anything about it now though. Getting up I head to my room and grab my saddlebags then head downstairs. Peering into the shop I find it's empty save from the corpses. I can't help but gag. Goddess these guys smell. I spot our shop's medical box and grab the roll of bandage and a pair of health potions from it. Then I grab a leather barding. This jump suits cool and all but lets face it won't stop a bullet. Putting the barding over the suit, I spot 'Les Miserable' still one the counter. I bite my lip and stop a fresh stream of tears from flowing. I grab the book and stuff it in my saddle bag and trot over to the entrance. I carefully peer outside then look at the Pipbuck. it reads item sorted inside the saddlebag. Cool that's useful but I set it to the E.F.S. and find a pair of red blips below the shop. I go over and peer over the railing and see two zebras looting a pair of bodies. I can't tell who they are though. Jumping over the railing, I flick out Memento and send all nine inches into the first zebra's back. before his friend can react I preform a barrel roll through the air and land to his side, retracting Memento as I do. Pivoting onto my fore hooves I give a good old fashioned buck into the ribs.

"Little bitch," he grunts as he stumbles. Oh fuck. He pulls out a pistol. Eww he's using his mouth. So gross.

Oh shit.

He fires a few shots which I'm able to dodge the first two shots but the last bullet slams into my shoulder. I let out a scream of pain. Damn it hurts like hell. I grit my teeth against the searing pain and rush him with a pump of my wings. Flicking Memento out again I slash his throat open. Blood spews out from his neck like a fountain hitting me square in the face.

"You fucking bled all over me you dick," I whine as I kick the dying zebra in the gut.That's when I notice the corpses they had been looting. Mayor Silverstar's and...

"Potsy! No, no, no please!" I scream as I cradle his head.He had been shot several times in the chest. This time I don't feel sad I'm pissed. Royally! More than I've ever been. My fury turns cold and frigid, turning to a bloodlust.

These. Fuckers. Are. Dead!

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Level up!

New perk added- *Black Widow*: You do 10% more damage to males and are now open to unique dialogue with them.

A Shadowbolt Rises

"Did you not see the signs?"

"What the fuck is that?!" someone shouts behind me.

I don't even bother looking behind me. Pumping my wings I perform a backflip and land on the owner of the voice's back. I send Memento into the back of his head. The steel easily punctures his skull and I rip the blade out none too gently. It's then that I realize I had killed a zebra. Good. I remember the pain in my shoulder with a wince and pull a health potion from my bag. Popping it open I down it, grimacing at the bad taste, then start toward the Salt Lick.

When I get there I stop in my tracks. Just as I walk in a zebra snaps Maple's neck. She falls to the floor, dead. I look at him and he just stares right back. Without a word I rush him. He raises his gun and fires at me. A bullet whizzes harmlessly by as I slam into him and slit his grungy throat. The zebra gets a panicked look in his eyes as he places his hooves on his open throat in an attempt to stop the bleeding. I spit on his pitiful form and sneer at him. I look around the ruined bar. Both Maple and Hotstuff are dead and Greasy is laid out on the counter with a pair of knives in his back.

Another zebra runs into the shop entrance. I spot a knife at my hooves. I slam my hoof down, sending the rusty knife into the air and send it flying at the zebra. It buries itself into her shoulder and she goes down with a grunt.

I trot over to her with a blank expression. She looks up at me with an angry glare," Your kind wi-"

I cut her off by sending nine inches of Memento into her retched skull trot out of the Salt Lick and make my way to the Armory. I duck behind a trash bin when I spot a pair of zebras securing a bunch of green orbs to the armory shed. What the fuck are they.. I realize what their doing. I glide silently over to them. Their backs are to me as they start fiddling with a timer. Surging forward I graze one of my wiingblades along one of the zebra's side and flew straight up.

"Fuck!" he shouts as he goes down. I circle back around and make a slice at the other zebra with Memento. She jumps to the right but my blade still catches her along the cheek. Blood spews from her wound and I land on her back. Hard!

She goes down and I slide Memento into the back of her skull. Her body goes ridged before going limp. I pull Memento out and none too gently dispatch her companion as he scrambles for the timer. I look at the timer as I let him fall dead in the dirt. It reads two minutes and is counting down. The fucker primed the bomb! Frantically I flap my wings, launching myself into the air in an attempt to get as far away from the blast as possible.

BOOOM!!!!

The force of the explosion sends me careening through the air. Luckily I'm far enough away to not be killed by it. Unfortunatly I'm now spiraling toward the ground at Breakneck speeds.

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

I try with all my strength to stop my rapid descent only managing to slow myself just enough to not die on impact. When I hit the ground everything goes black. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pain.

Dull, aching pain.

I slowly find my way back into consciousness and am greeted to my body screaming at me not to move. Its night and I'm in a crater of sand. I decide to count my blessings in the fact that I didn't hit a rock bed and end up a bloody smear. I try to stand up, groaning as I do, and succeed for the most part but my body hates me for it. Fluttering my wings gently I sigh in relief when I find neither are broken, just goddess-awful sore. A groan escapes my lips as I look at my Pipbuck. No broken bones according to the device but I do have some radiation exposure. Damn it and I don't have any Rad-away. Looking into the distance I see a column of smoke. That blast sent me a good couple of miles away.

"Fuck," I mutter as I take a step forward. Looking around and I spot a shack in the distance amid some burnt trees. I find that my best bet right now. Heck maybe I'll get lucky and find some Rad-away there.

Here's hoping.

It takes me awhile to get to it but I eventually get there. Up close the shack looks rundown and abandoned but you can never be too careful. I carefully open the door and peer inside. I had heard stories about raiders and I wasn't taking any chances. The inside was dark but my eyes adjusted enough that I could easily see without worry. Only a dirty mattress was inside and some whiskey bottles scattered across the floor. The room reeked of stale alcohol but there was a small pink and yellow box beside the mattress. Going over to it I find it's locked. Damn. I don't know how to pick a lock. Hmmm maybe...

I flick Memento out and slide the blade under the lid. The tip goes in and I start trying to jimmy it open. Finally after about a minute or two the box pops open and inside is a health potion, about six caps and some Buck. Pocketing the contents I move on to the small filing cabinet I notice beside the door. Luckily it isn't locked, inside is another health potion and a few caps. I pocket both. That's when the gravity of the situation hits me. I had just lost my family, my home, and all my friends. I'm utterly alone. Tears run down my cheeks. Damn it quit crying you've got to be stronger than this.

'Like when you killed those zebras.'

I flinch at that little voice in my head. What the hell was that? I begin thinking on what it said though. I shiver over how I was able to so easily take another life. I just reacted, didn't bother thinking. I didn't have time to. But I wasn't shaken by how I had done it. I was shaken over how I didn't care, how it felt...good.

"I-I enjoyed killing them," I say out loud. There's no stopping it when I vomit all over the floor at my revelation. I had actually enjoyed killing them. Goddess what is wrong with me?

Clang

I'm pulled from my thoughts as I hear something from outside. I peer out of the window and mouth a curse at what I see. A pair of ponies in spiked, wicked looking armor were coming toward the shack. Raiders.

"Oi what do ya think happened?" one asks as he spots the plume of smoke in the distance.

"Fuck if I know," the other says. "Come on lets get inside."

Acting on impulse I silently jump onto the filing cabinet just above their heads. They are dragging the mutilated body of a mare behind them.

"My turn with it." The one on the right says as he points to the body. The other sneers at him,"It's mine get yer own."

"Chienne I killed her."

"Yeah but I got to her first so its mine!"

They looked ready to kill each other. Goddess they were actually arguing over who was going to fuck a corpse. What a couple of sick fucks. And what's more how can they not notice the pool of fresh vomit? Not too observant if you ask me. I feel an involuntary growl escape my throat. They must have heard it because they whipped around to face me. I don't even give them a chance as a now, familiar, chill enters my body With a rush of my pink wings I surge forward and sink Memento into the first raider's throat.

"Fucking he-" the words die in the second raider's throat as he stares at me with wide eyes. He is actually shaking in his armor. Then I realize why he's scared shitless. I catch my reflection in a crusty mirror on the other side of the room. In the darkness my eyes glow slightly and despite my pink fur I look akin to a demon. Well, well, well, so raiders do feel fear. I purr unintentionally at this, a dark smile gracing my lips.

"Aww how cute the big bad raider is scared," I slink toward him like a cat.

The raider's shock wears off as he shakes his head and reaches for what I can only guess is a weapon. Never found out, I just slit his throat. I notice I always go for the throat. Huh well if it works... I feel so alive as blood starts spewing from his gaping wound. I had just had my first taste of being feared. I felt strangely turned on by this. I look at the raider still bleeding out on the floor. Sick creature. I kick him in the side before I start looting the bodies.

I find sixty caps (hell yes) , a pack of gum, and a knife from each of them. I take the sheathes from their armor and secure them to my leather barding across my chest for quick access. I sheath the knives and move on to the mare's corpse. All she had on her was a bloody duster and a small badge. A Regulator huh. Not many regulators come this far east. I'd heard that their from The Equestrian wastleland mainly. With a quick search of her pockets I pull out a small lever action shotgun and about twenty shells. I pull her holster off and secure it under my wing and pocket the shells. I had only shot a gun a couple of times and only at unmoving objects that didn't fire back but I knew the basics thanks to Potsy.

I pull my jump suit's cowl down and my eyes return to normal. Fluttering my wings and find they are back to being feathered. Noted. I look at my Pipbuck and it says 'all items sorted.' I finally decide to explore this thing a bit more. I find that it has a radio function and click it on. After a minute or two I find a channel that isn't mind numbing static. A song had just ended from what I could tell. Not bad either.

"And that was Velvet Remedy, hailing all the way from The Equestrian Wasteland. This is Retrospect givin' you colts and fillies out there soma those sweet sweet tunes. For a moment though I got some news you cats might wanna hear. Not too long ago Steel ranger scouts witnessed the small town of Petitesabot's destruction. From the look of the radiation reading they got, it looks like a balefire bomb went off there but they saw a pegasus fly away just before the settlement went up in flames. They couldn't tell if she was Enclave or not but if she is the lone survivor from that little town then our hearts go out to her. Now for some sweet music from Soft Sound, stay chilly."

I click the radio off. I can't stand Soft Sound's music. As for Retrospect his station was alright but I never really l listened to him.

I look up at the night sky and see the moon in all its glory. Over the last few years the once thick cloud cover had dispersed. I look at my Pipbuck's map and angle myself north according to it's direction. A light breeze ruffled my fur. Taking a deep breath I relish the gentle night air. The night sky is a sight behold, a true work of art. I've always felt better about flying at night. Dad always said it in my blood. Heh I wonder if my liking to kill is in my blood too, that smartass part of my brain snorts.

'Yes it is.'

That little voice echoes in my mind again. It sends an involuntary chill down my spine. Whatever that voice is it isn't from me. Am I going crazy? Maybe I am.

After about an hour or two a large (compared to Petitesabot at least) settlement came into view. My Pipbuck says were in Mioville. I remember that name it hade been a military base before the war and now was another trader village. Dad would travel there every two years for the Merchants Union that convened there. Upon flying above the city I find its dead silent and no lights are on in the town. I start to descend but then the sound of a gunshot rips through the air as I take a bullet in my wing. With a bloodcurdling scream I fall from the sky and hit the ground. Hard. Luckily none of my bones break from the fall. Grunting I get up and am faced against two zebras, both with rifles (attached to battle-saddles no less) pointed right at me.

I am beginning to hate zebras.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Level up!

New Perk added: *Friend of the Night*: You are now able to see in low light settings.

Quest Perk added: *'Tis Tradition*: You are now 10% harder to detect when in stealth mode.

Boom Boom

"Well there goes the neighborhood."

Just when I'm about to end up riddled with bullet holes, something hits one of the zebras in the head. He blinks and looks down at the object.

"What th-"

He wasn't able to finish his sentence before an explosion tore his face apart. The blast sent me a good five feet into the air. After hitting the ground (again) I struggle to my hooves, groaning. Ok adding to the list of things I hate. Explosions, check. Looking at where the zebras once stood I just see a crater surrounded by gore.

"Aww you didn't go splat." I look up at the source of the voice and spot a bright green earth pony colt with a black mane peering down at me from his perch atop a building. He can't be more than eleven or twelve years old. I notice he's also wearing some sort of makeshift barding. Wait a second that little brat tried to get me with that bomb too. Why that little...

The crack of a gun and the ping of the bullet beside my hoof later and I was ducking for cover. I here the colt up top shout something and a second later an explosion rips through the air. Little brat's right above me. I wince as my wing twitches and look at it. I was missing some feathers but the bullet had just nicked me. Grabbing a health potion I down it and a moment later my wounded wing is healed. Pulling my cowl over my face, I duck inside the building and begin going up the stairs. Once on the roof I spot the little brat near the edge. By mere chance I decide to look down.

Fuck. Six mines are between me and the colt.

"You can't sneak up on me-" he starts to gloat as he turns to look at me. His words die in his throat as he sees my wings and eyes. Haha yes fear me.

"You look weird." Yes fear...wait what? I stare blankly at the colt, dumbfounded. Ok I scare a fucking raider shitless but this brat is completely unfazed by me.

The hell kinda irony is that!?

Shaking my head I glare at him, to which he sticks his tongue out at me and laughs," Nya, nya can't get me with all those mines in front of you."

I just smirk and with a pump of my wings, sail over the mines. Landing beside him I cock an eyebrow at the colt. Seriously?

"Right wings," he grumbles before a bullet rips the cement ridge of the roof's edge beside him. We both dive onto our bellies just as more bullets hit the roof's edge. I extend a hoof toward him," Truce."

He nods and shakes my hoof," Truce."

I peer over the roof's edge and spot our assailants. Six zebras total are camped behind a lone crumbling wall, taking potshots at us. A plan formulates in my head as I turn to the colt," Got any more mines kid?"

He grins, nods vigorously, and pulls a pair of mines from the large sack beside him.

"You keep em busy and I'll give em a little surprise."

He pulls out a frag and chuckles. I do believe he is enjoying this. I make my way down back through the building and go airborne. Staying low to the ground, I circle around to flank the zebras. Ducking behind a wall, I spot them. They are pinned down as the colt sends frag after frag at them. What the hell does he have in that bag a whole armory? Crouching low I go over to them and pull the mines from my saddlebag. I arm them and toss the mines at the zebras. One of them gets beaned in the head while the second mine lands in the middle of them. I turn tail and duck behind a wall.

BOOM

Six down no-

Chack

Fuck. I turn and find myself staring down the barrel of a rifle. The zebra wielding it grins darkly but then something hits his head and sticks to it. It that a...? I frantically flap my wings and get the fuck out of there.

POP

I look back and see that half of his face is gone as he falls to the ground dead. I look at the colt still perched up on the building in the midst of a hoof pump. Hell of a throw, I'm beginning to like this colt's style. He sees me as I fly toward him and grins.

"Glad to see your not died," he says when I land next to him.

Still a brat though.

"So who the hell were those guys?"

"Don't know don't care. When they arrived they just started killing ponies shouting something about 'your purification has begun' or something like that. Some of the others are still holed up in the Le Grande Hotel, which gave me access to the gun shop."

He started cackling as he rubbed his forehooves together. Well that explains why he has a small armory in that bag.

"Boom Boom," he says suddenly.

"Huh?"

"My name." he chirps," Its Boom Boom."

"Oh Silk Edge."

He leans toward me slightly. What the hell? "We should team up."

"Um why?" I ask slightly shocked as I lean away from the psycho colt," Didn't you try to kill me earlier?"

"Your not dead though," He says, taking on an arrogant tone," Besides I saved you so you should be licking my hooves right now."

I glare at the brat, tempted to give him a lesson in flying," Yeah not gonna happen kid."

"You still owe me."

"Uh huh yeah sure. But ponder this, oh wise one. If I hadn't come along what do you think those zebras would have done? " He blinks and tries to respond but I continue, "They would have waited you out. You'd probably last what two, three days tops without food or water."

He opens his mouth to respond but stops as a pensive expression appears on his face," Good point."

Suddenly my belly rumbles and I blush slightly. Damn in all the excitement I forgot I haven't eaten anything in over twelve hours.

Boom Boom starts giggling and rolling on the floor as he does so. I roll my eyes at him then notice he has a cutie mark of a smiling black bomb with a lit fuse.

"So where are your parents kid?"

He just shrugs and says nonchalantly ," No clue probably died in a ditch somewhere."

I just stare at him with my mouth hanging open. Boom Boom rolls his eyes," I'm an orphan so I never knew my parents. I was sorta taken in by the owner of the Etoile Bar but he's died. Took a bullet in the head. It was so cool how his head went all.." he brought his hooves together and then extended them quickly. Wow this kid has problems.

"So what are you gonna do now?"

I glance at him," First I need to get some food then no clue." I extend my wings and start to take off but like an idiot I glance back the colt who is now looking as pitiful as possible. Fuck.

"Do you want to come with me?" I sigh. He brightens significantly and grabs his saddlebag of goodies, securing them to his barding. I let him jump on my back and find that he's relatively light. I take to the sky and he tightens his hooves around my neck, choking me. I falter and start to descend rapidly but am able to correct myself.

"Kid loosen your grip damn it."

"B-but we-we're so high u-up."

"I will drop you if don't. Loosen. Your. Grip." I growl. His hooves loosen but stay around my neck. I make a sweep through the city flying as stealthily as possible while my E.F.S is active. Lucky day no more crazy zebras, must have cleared them all out. Satisfied I start flying toward the Le Grande Hotel. Time to get some food. Spotting a hole in the roof I fly down into it and land on what I can only guess is the top floor. The kid jumps down and starts kissing the floor.

"Oh sweet, merciful, safe ground how I missed you," He coos as he kisses the stained carpet. Now that I find insulting, I'm a descent flier thank you very much. I'm about to comment on how I can easily show him what a thousand foot drop is like until I hear someone come up the stairs. Thinking quickly I launch myself into the air and hover silently near the ceiling. I see a large earth stallion come up the stairs. He spots Boom Boom, who is still worshiping the apparently 'safe, safe' ground (ungrateful little brat).

"Boom Boom what the? How did you get in here?"

I notice his tone isn't friendly, at all. So I swoop down, flick out Memento, and wrap my hooves around his neck, the blade pressed up against his neck," Why we flew."

He instantly freezes up. Boom Boom jumps up," Oh that is sooo cool. Can I have one?"

I roll my eyes for what feels the thousandth time and choose to ignore the colt.

"A-are yo-you with those zebras?"

"Now that's insulting. I risk my neck killing most of those brutes and you think I'm with them. How ungrateful. Don't you agree Boom?"

"Yeah ungrateful," the colt scowls at the stallion then brings out a small orb wrapped in duck tape," Hey can I stick this in his mouth?"

The stallion's eyes widen and I chuckle," Now there's an idea but first I'm feeling a mite peckish. I here a bunch of you ponies are holed up here and have a stockpile of food. Am I right?" He nods vigorously," Excellent. So here's my proposal we go downstairs and we get my saddlebags filled to the brim with food," I stop for a moment. Why not? The kid's been useful so far." and something for my little friend here and I don't let him stick that in your mouth and blow your head off." I give his ear a lick and he shudders," Deal?"

He nods vigorous and chokes out a 'yes ma'am.'

"Good," I land on his back and press my blade against his throat a little harder," now move."

We head down the stairs with Boom Boom skipping happily behind us.When we made it to the bottom floor, I was surprised by how many ponies were here. When they saw me holding a blade to the stallions neck they were less then thrilled.

"What is the meaning of this?!" a short unicorn mare stomped forward," Who the blazes are you?"

I smirk and give my hostage kiss on the cheek," A sordid love affair." I joke with a chuckle and they all collectively blink. Wow tough crowd." I'm kidding this is I guess you say is-"

"This is a stuck up," Boom Boom jumps out form behind my hostage. No manners I swear, interrupting a mare like that. What surprises me though is the looks of open disdain they give the colt. A stallion walks forward," You little shit you led her to us. She's probably with the Remnant. I always knew we should have let you die out there."

Ouch geez the kid's annoying yeah but you don't have to go that far. Wait Remnant? "Ok two things only one pony gets to call the brat here a little shit and that's me-"

"Heeeey," the green fuzz ball whines up at me. Interrupting me again really?

"I saved your can kid deal with it," I say at him, to which he pouts, (ugh foals) and turn my attention back to the bastard that mentioned the Remnant," Who the hell are the Remnant?"

"You mean you've never heard of them?" the unicorn mare asks stepping forward. To which I press the blade harder against my hostage's neck. He hisses in pain as blood starts to leak from his neck and they take a step back. Good little ponies.

"Why would I ask you if I didn't know. Oh and take another step forward like that again and I open his throat," I look at Boom Boom," How many more bombs you got?"

The colt pulls his saddlebag off and starts rummaging through it and pulls out a old chip," Ooh a chip." He eats it and I gag. So gross.

"I have three mines, four frags, and six stickies."

That'll do it. I look the unicorn died in the eye," So lets get down to business and I don't let him start a snowball fight with grenades. Your choice."

To emphasize my point Boom Boom cackles and pulls out a frag, and starts tossing it between his hooves. Nice intimidation technique considering they all take a good step back.

"What do you want?" Finally to the heart of the issue.

"Just make a nice little pile of food, water and any Rad-away if you have it then place it in front of us then we'll be out of your mane."

"You can't possibly expect us to-"

"What I expect is for you to do is to do as your told or I kill him then you all go boom. Then I just have to pick what I need from your corpses and make off with all the food. Either way I win. Now then think fast because I've had a very bad night so my patience is a bit thin right now."

"Fine," she growls and nods to the stallion

"Oh and don't forget the Sugar Bombs.!" I look at Boom Boom with a hint of disgust to which he just stares back at me," What?"

I roll my eyes," If you get fat your fucking walking."

"Hey I have a very slim figure thank you very much," he huffs, crossing his hooves over his chest.

They bring forward the food and it's a sizeable amount. As well I spot several bottles of water and even a pack of Rad-away. Score. I set my bag down beside Boom Boom. He gets the message and darts forward grabbing the items and stuffing them in my bag. Trotting back like a good little dog, (always wanted a pet) he looks up at me and offers me the bag.

"Take it up stairs." He salutes and drags the bag up the stairs. I look back at the ponies, who all quite possibly hate my guts at the moment. Now we can't leave the room hating each other. "Think of it this way. I get food and you get to not be killed by psycho zebras," I shove my hostage forward and gallop up the stairs," Your welcome by the way!"

When I get to the top floor I spot Boom Boom eating a box of Sugar Bombs. Huh he asked and they delivered. Grabbing my saddlebag I lower myself to let Mr. Sticky Hooves on my back. Thank goddess for my barding because if he got my coat sticky I'd be pissed. He jumps on and I take off through the hole. My Pipbuck beeps and shows that my items are sorted. Cool I don't feel the weight of the food and there was a lot. I fly us to a small cemetery a mile north of Mioville to check out our spoils. When we land Boom Boom jumps off my back shouting something about a potty as he runs off. Shrugging, I pull my bag off and grab the Rad-away from my bag. Ripping it open I down the orange liquid. Mmmm oranges. I love oranges. I look to my Pipbuck and it reads that I'm rad free.

I start rummaging through my booty. So two boxes of Sugar Bombs, six cans of assorted vegetables, seven bottles of water, and three packs of dehydrated apples. Not a bad haul if I do say so myself. Grabbing a can of vegetables I use Memento to pop it open and dig in. Boom Boom comes back looking relieved. I pass him the can which is half empty by then but he tries to push it away.

"Eat it kid you need your strength."

"Fine," he grumbles, grabbing the can. As he chows down I pull open a bottle of water and take a careful sip. Good its purified. I take a few gulps and recap it.

"So what was up between you and most of those ponies?"

He looks up from the can," Huh?"

"Come on I saw how they looked at you," I nudge him in the side with a wing," What's their deal?"

He goes silent for a moment and looks down at the can. After a moment he starts talking again," I used to travel with a slaver before I ended up living in Mioville. I actually learned how to make bombs from him, anyway he ended up capturing a lot of ponies from Mioville but left me behind. I was his decoy but they blamed me for what he had done. I sorta just stuck around cause I didn't have anything better to do and some of the nicer ponies would offer me food sometimes. I would also mess with some of them with cherry bombs. Then a year ago I started living with Mr. Prim but overall most ponies in the town tolerate me even him."

He went back to his silence once he finished. Goddess I feel sorry for the little twerp. I reach a wing over and ruffle his mane, to which he smiles slightly. I decide to look around as he finishes his dinner. In the center of the cemetery I spot a small stone building. Eh maybe I'll find something good. I jiggle the door's handle and find it locked. I pout at the door, annoyed that its locked. Then out of pure chance I glance up and spot the symbol of the Shadowbolts above the door. What is that doing there?

I trot back to where I left Boom Boom but I have to duck behind a tombstone at what I see. Two zebras are there, one holding Boom Boom down and the other going through our bags. Oh hell no. I stole that food fair and square. They have their backs to me as I creep up behind them. Boom Boom has the sense to not give away my position when he sees me and I jump on the zebra hold Boom Boom. Quickly sliding a blade into his throat as we roll. I buck him off me, flip back onto my hooves and skid from the momentum. Then with a pump of my wings I cock my hoof back and slam it into the side of the other zebra's skull. He geos flying a few feet and slumps against a tombstone. I go other to Boom Boom.

"You alright kid?"

"That was awesome!"

Yep he's alright. I go over to the unconscious zebra and check his body. I find a small pouch of herbs and a couple of potions. I give them to BB, who puts them in our bag. I check the dead zebra and find a blow dart gun and some darts. Sweet find, will defiantly come in handy. I grab my bag," Come on lets check out that building over there," I point to the stone building.

"What about this guy?" Boom points to the zebra.

"He can come with us." I drag the zebra with us. When we get to the door I set the unconscious zebra behind a tombstone," Hey kid use one of those little sticky bombs on the doors handle."

"Why?"

"Because its locked."

"Wait you can't pick a lock?" He gives me one of those 'are you serious' looks and I shoot him a glare and point to him then to the sky then to the ground.

"Splat." Needless to say he gets my drift as his eyes widen and he rushes over to the door, plants the bomb, and runs back over.

POP

The door opens. Trotting inside with Boom grumbling behind me, I find myself looking at a terminal on a table that takes up most of the small room with a small wooden box beside it. In the box I find a black orb and a hoof written note.

I found it.

That was all it said. Wait SC that has to mean Shadow Cloud. That was my grandfather's name. He had been a Stable dweller but left for some reason. I was never told why. I hold up the orb and stare at it for a while.

"What is that?"

I give Boom a look then continue staring at the orb," It's a memory crystal, these things hold the memories of a pony. Unicorns can access them directly with their magic but other races have to use different means to access the memories inside."

I place the orb in my saddlebag and access the terminal. It calls for a password, on a whim I type in Memento Mori. Jackpot. I come to a screen that has a single audio file. I click it on.

"I can't believe my good fortune. I had happened upon this orb by pure chance and when I found out what was on it I knew that this was not a chance occurrence. There are no words. Unfortunately I can't go searching for Grimblade's tomb, I've become a father today, my adventuring days are over. Strangely enough I couldn't be happier. Aria and I have decided to go south to Petitesabot, a small settlement and a good place to raise our daughter."

Dad. That's defiantly his voice. As well the message is exactly eighteen years old. He made this on the day of my birth. I feel a tear roll down my cheek and I quickly wipe it away before Boom sees.

"Who was that?" the colt beside me asks.

"No one probably just some crazy old stallion." I go outside while Boom Boom continues check the room out. Sitting the zebra up I give him a couple of slaps to the face. He wakes up and tries to take a swing at me. I respond by introducing him to his own hoof and press the tip of Memento to his throat.

"Now then tell me handsome who the hell are The Remnant?" It's time for answers straight from the horse's mouth so to speak. He glares at me and I press the tip of by blade a little harder, drawing blood, but he doesn't even flinch. Either very stupid or very brave.

"We are the ones that will see to purifying the world of your race's filth," he says in a low, angry tone.

"What the hell did we pegasi do to you jackass?"

"Not just the winged ones," his voice starts to rise in volume," All ponies will know the wrath of The Remnant and we will finish what we started two hundred years ago."

'Kill him. He is of no use to you.

I don't flinch at the voice. I slide the blade into his throat, greatly enjoying watching the bastard bleed out in the dirt. The Remnant was responsible for the destruction of my home and the death of my family and my freinds. They just made an enemy tonight.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Level up!

New Perk added: *Lucky Stars*: You get a +1 to your luck at night.

High Flying

"Well that was needlessly cryptic."

"Alright all you cool cats out there this is Retrospect with some news for you. Yesterday we received word that a group of zebras calling themselves the Remnant had overrun Mioville and guess what that survivor from Petitesabot does. Yep she cleared those Remnant guys out. The only bad news is that afterward she took off with half of the town's already meager food rations. In my book that's a little cold but I guess that just goes to show the wasteland can be ironically cruel. So Travelers keep an eye out for those Remnant guys and if you happen to see that Survivor steer clear cause she might just take your goods at gunpoint. Stay chilly."

I turn the radio off and adjust my wings to compensate for the updraft that hits me. Boom Boom and I had left the cemetery earlier this evening after we got some rest. I had decided to make it a habit of traveling by night, considering there would be less ponies trying to fire on me. I'm not exactly incognito with my fur being pink and all. The sun was just beginning to set and there was a noticeable chill in the air. We were pretty close to Blanccorne Mountain. It had been a Wonderbolt training ground before the war and was now the Enclave's only hoofhold in the Prench Wasteland. The Enclave pretty much kept to themselves there but usually killed anyone that came close to their territory. In all honesty I was pretty neutral concerning them.

Once we cleared the cloud caver I spotted the mountain in the distance. It was a lone snow covered peak. Thick clouds covered its peak, concealing it. I feel Boom shiver on my back," H-hey do ya th-think w-we could ya know la-land for a b-bit," his teeth chattered.

No clue why he was cold. I think it felt rather pleasant. Down below I spotted a small suburb and decided what the hell, I'll humor the twerp. We land and he jumps off my back, still shivering from the cold. Most off the houses are just busted up ruins and only two houses had managed to stay in tact. I start heading towards them with Boom Boom on my heels. Suddenly a shot rings through the air and pings against Memento's bracer on my foreleg. I still go down with a grunt.

Fuck!

"Silk!"

"Kid take cover!"

Boom decided not to argue and ducks behind one of the vehicles that litter the street. I stand up and a shot rips through the pavement to my left, allowing me time to duck behind a crumpling brick wall. I glance at my throbbing foreleg, the bullet didn't even scratch the metal. Good thing it was there, still though that hurt like hell.

I look at my E.F.S. and spot three red blips and a green one about sixteen feet to my left. Boom Boom.

"Come on out we just want fill you full of holes," someone yells out. Yeah like that's gonna happen.

I look out over the wall and spot two raiders perched on the second floor of a house that was missing its enter front half. They each had rifles held in their magic. Great unicorns. They have their weapons pointed at the wall I'm behind. Fuck I'm pinned. Suddenly I hear Boom Boom scream out in pain.

"Hey quit you big-" Boom screams out again," Shut it you little twerp. Hey cienne I have your little friend here so why don't you come out and we'll have some fun."

Fuck. One of em has the brat. Then an idea pops in my head and I remove my cowl. Time for some of that old fashioned charm, Silk Edge style.

"O-ok please don't hurt him," I say in a quivering voice.

"I won't I promise," he chuckles.Yeah right.

I pull one of the knives from its scabbard and hide it under my left wing then step out from my hiding spot, limping as I go to make it look like I'd been shot. I spot the raider in the road, like the other two on the house's second floor, this guy is a unicorn. He has a small revolver held at Boom's temple. Won't lie that kinda pisses me off and I fight the urge to scowl at him. The raider chuckles and licks his lips.

"Never had a pegasus mare before. Votre regarder bien ma chère."

I fight the urge to sneer at his remark but continue toward him slowly and he raises the gun at me," That's a good girl. Now why don't you lose the barding an' show us what you got under that armor."

Fucking pervert. I jump in the air suddenly and unfurl my wings. The knife falls and I quickly grab it in my mouth. Yuck horrible taste. With a flick of my head I send the blade hurtling toward him. It embeds itself in his shoulder and he fires of a shot, which graves my cheek. I wince from the sudden pain.

"Merde!"

Boom Boom runs the second he has a chance. He quickly grabs a mine form his bag, arms it and slides it under the raider.

as he ducks behind a vehicle.

BOOM

I barely have time to jump behind the same vehicle as Boom when the thing goes off. Gotta hoof it to the brat he knows how to handle himself in a fight. We look out over the road at the crater in its center.

"Ha he went out with a bang," Boom laughs. I can't help but chuckle too. Then a bullet pings off the vehicle, literally an inch from my head and we duck down. I extend my hoof toward the colt.

"Good job kid those were some smooth moves."

He bumps my hoof and beams at the praise," Knew you would need me."

I roll my eyes and start trying to figure out how we're going ot get out of here. Suddenly I hear a scream from the house and peer over the vehicle.

What the? Another pegasus was beating the stuffing out of the pair of raiders with her bare hooves. From what I could see she was wearing a sleek blue and gold metal armor that gleamed as she moved. I look at the kid and he looks at me and we both shrug and look back at the pegasus beating up the raiders.

May as well help him out.

With a flap of my wings I launch myself into the sky and rush toward the faceless house. I slam into the back of one of the raiders as he rounds his gun on the other pegasus. I hear a sickening snap of his spine breaking and silence his scream with Memento. I look over at the pegasus as he wraps his hooves around the other raider and snaps his neck. I get a good look at him, under his blue and gold armor he has stark white fur and a short crimson mane.

"Hey tha-"

He cuts me off by pinning me to a wall," Any last words Dashite?"

"Dude what the fuck?! I'm not a Dashite! Whatever the hell that is!"

"Very likely time for you to day then traitor!" He reels his armor shod hoof back and I see red electricity run along his hoof. I move my head to the side just as he tries to hit my skull with it and slam my forehead into his. He back of with a grunt and I bring my cowl over my eyes, my senses sharpen immediately.

Goddess I love this jumpsuit.

I slam him into the wall, slide Memento out and press it to his throat. Now that the shoe is on the other hoof I notice he's actually quite cute, even handsome. He grunts and opens his pale blue eyes but stops short when he gets a good look at me. Instead of fear though I see bloodlust. His eyes narrow and red electricity laces through my body. I let out a scream of pain and surprise as he pushes me back and delivers an uppercut to my chin. I spiral up into the air from the force of the blow. How the hell did he do that? I feel a warm metallic taste in my mouth as I unfurl my wings and right myself. Damn here he comes.I barely catch him in a blur of movement as he rushes me with his hoof cocked back. I duck under his hoof and clothesline him. I launch myself toward the ground as he goes spiraling out of control and spot Boom Boom.

"Toss me a frag!"

He obliges and tosses a grenade at me. Pulling my cowl down, I catch the grenade by the pin with my right primary. With click the pin comes loose. I furl my wing around the live frag and send it flying at the other Pegasus just as he rights himself.

Merry Hearths Warming motherfucker!

His eyes widen at the frag, literally, inches from his muzzle. He pumps his wings and descends, trying to get clear of the blast about to rip through the air.

BOOM

The grenade goes off and he's sent hurtling at the ground at breakneck speeds. Unbelievably his wings unfurl and he starts beating his wings frantically. How is he even conscious right now? Unfortunately (for him) his frantic flapping isn't enough to stop him from making a small crater. I hover above the crater as the dust starts to clear. Suddenly a laser rips through the dust cloud and burns through my leather barding and pieces my shoulder. The pain is searing and I almost black out form it alone as I hit the ground.

"Silk!" Boom yells as he rushes to me. Another laser slashes the ground stopping him in his tracks. The dust cloud clears revealing the other pegasus, a laser rifle was under his wing. It must be have retracting form his armor. He has blood trailing down his muzzle and was favoring his right leg but he was still standing. I shudder as I fell fear start to creep along my mind. I'm actually going to die.

"Pas mal petite pouliche, mais maintenant vous mourez." He says, his tone emotionless.

'Do not bow to this filth. He is nothing.'

That voice again. My eyes widen as I feel my teeth begin to sharpen. I feel hungry for blood this stallions blood. An unequine growl escapes my muzzle as I stand up, ignoring the pain in my shoulder. He takes a step back but his expression doesn't change.

'Fool.'

I stare at him unmoving, unwavering. I feel a cold calm come over me, my wounds forgotten, Boom Boom forgotten. All that matters is the other pegasus and I.

"Que faites-vous?" he mutters under his breath.

'A nightmare, nothing more.'

"Un cauchemar rien de plus," I echo, feeling compelled to do so. He lowers the barrel of the rifle at me and I smirk, ready to rip his throat open. Suddenly something grabs my leg, looking down I see Boom Boom clutching my leg, tears streaming down his eyes. I feel that cold calm dissipate and I fall to the ground as the pain my body is in hits me full force. I hear a few fading shouts behind us and see the other pegasus retract his rifle but all I can think before the darkness closes on me is what just happened to me.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Well this is ironic.

I just woke up not five seconds ago and I find myself being carried by the psycho that tried to kill me. Its daylight and from the looks of things I've been out for hours. We're in the sky flying toward the snow capped peak of Blance He hasn't made any indication that he knows I'm awake so I may as well kill him before he tries to do the same to my. Flicking out Mem... Wait. My hoof-blade it's gone! I stare at me bracer less hoof in shock until I hear a voice above me," I see your awake."

Above me is another blue and gold armored Pegasus with a cobalt blue coat and a dark grey mane. I glare at her and hiss," Where is my hoof-blade?"

"We took it from you so you wouldn't do anything stupid," my ride rumbles. I glare at the back of his head. Maybe if I stare long enough he'll burst into flame. I blink suddenly remembering Boom Boom. Where is the green fuzz ball?

"Where's Boom Boom?"

"So that's his name," the mare chuckles then glides alongside me. Perched on her back, snoring rather loudly, is Boom Boom. "He refused to speak to us and was waving around a mine like a toy so we had to 'sedate' him," she does an air quote at the word sedate.

"So basically you conked him upside the head?" I raise an eyebrow at her.

"Yes we found him rather annoying so it was either that or reduce him to ash but Blaze wouldn't have it," Ok so my ride is a bit of a dick. Noted.

"You were a real pleasure in class weren't you?" I grumble I perk my ears and rrealize how screwed I am right now," Wait a minute why aren't you trying to kill me?"

He turns his head and glares at me while the mare just giggles at my comment. "That was my call," the mare said between giggles," I recognized the hoof-blade. It was the same one Dusk Storm owned and I know for a fact you couldn't have stolen this. Besides your a spitting image of your mother."

"You knew my parents?"

She nods," Yep. They used to work for the Enclave as consultants I guess you could say."

"Meaning?"

"They were spies," my ride says. Is that a hint admiration I hear in his voice.

"Anyway," the mare twirls a hoof," I'm Blazing Star and the grump your riding on is Crimson Lightning. Nice to meet you."

"So you guys are part of the Enclave?"

"Yes. Wonderbolts to be exact."

My wings twitch at that name. Wonderbolts huh that explains the colors. My dad used to tell me about the Wonderbolts, saying that they were the only group that could rival the Shadowbolts in skill," Okay so back up. He tried to kill me but you told him not to because you knew my parents and now everything is just all hunky dory. Is that right?"

"I don't see what the problem is?" Crimson asks.

"What part of you. Tried. To. Kill. Me. Don't you understand?" I growl at him," And not even an apology either."

He shrugs (SHRUGS)," And you're not died you're welcome."

"Ok the second I get my blade back I'll thank you properly. So what do you guys want with me?"

Star gives me a look and strats to say something but I cut her off," I know how you Enclave pegasi work you only do something when it will benefit you."

"Well she's brighter than I thought."

Ok this guys gonna find my blade up his flank real quick," Certainly smarter than you."

"Crimson stop antagonizing her," Star groans as she cuffs Crimson on the ear to which he growls. While they are glaring at each other I try to extend my wings but a rush of pain in my right wing stops me. Damn I'm at their complete mercy. She sighs and looks at me," Yes we could use your help with something."

Called it," So what is it you need?" Might as well be civil given the situation I'm in.

"You'll find out when we see the Colonel," Crimson grunted as we descended.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Holy fucking shit that's a huge stallion.

When we landed in the Wonderbolt airbase we were instantly greeted by the biggest pony I have ever seen. He stood easily two heads taller than me and his wingspan is triple mine. His coat is a light green and his mane, a mix of silver and gold. Crimson and Star salute as they land while I gawk at the massive pegasus. He returned my two captor's salutes. May as well call them what they are.

"Who is this young mare Lieutenant?" A baritone voice to boot, Mamma like. Very much.

"She was in the small cluster of houses on the southern parameter. Myself and Corporal Lightning were on a routine scouting mission when I saw a group of raiders attacking her and the small colt here," Blazing motioned to Boom Boom, who was still asleep (little bum)," Lightning here dealt with the raiders while I hung back should he need backup. He then attacked the mare under the impression she was a Dashite she..."

"And is she?"

"No sir she's Dark Edge's filly sir," Blazing pulled Memento off her arm and presented it to the stallion. He took it, examined it then quirked an eyebrow at me," I couldn't possibly believe you stole this so I can only assume you were given it. So that must mean you are indeed Dark's daughter. Am I correct?"

And give the stallion a prize," Yeah."

"And where pray tell is he?"

"He... died protecting me when some zebras attacked our home."

It still hurts thinking about it but at least I don't have tears threatening to fall anymore. He stays silent for a moment before speaking again," I'm sorry to hear that. He was a good stallion. Come lets get you looked at then we will discuss business." He turns and starts walking away. May as well see what they want besides maybe I can nab some medical supplies. I follow him to the infirmary with Star and Lightning following close behind. Along the way we pass an armory to which I make a mental note to 'visit' when I get a chance. Ponies salute the Colonel as they pass us in the hall but they give me a shocked look. Must be the wings. Several I decide to wink at but they shudder and move on. Heh I could get used to this.

When we get to the infirmary it is immaculate. The first clean place I've seen in a long time really. Inside there were a few pegasi that occupied the beds while a nurse flits between beds seeing to the patients.

"Nurse Feather I have a pony I need you to look at."

She looks up at the Colonel and glares briefly at me. I hear a snort behind me and look at Lightning who looks suddenly angry. Ok so not glaring at me. The nurse quickly smiles at the Colonel," Certainly sir," she looks at me and gestures for me to come to her. I trot over to her and puyll back my suit's cowl. She starts walking around me, poking and prodding me as she goes along. When she pokes a hoof at me right wing's joint I feel a searing pain erupt from it. I hiss in pain and glare at her.

"Looks like a dislocated wing, Hold still this will hurt."

"What...Gah!" My senses flare red with pain as my wing goes back into place. My legs wobble under me and I collapse gasping for breath.

"Aww and I was having a good dream too," I glare knives at the source of the voice. Boom Boom rubs his eyes then yawns before looking right at me.

"Well excuse me for being in pain your highness," I grunt.

"You are forgiven for now," he says as he jumps down from Star's back.

Struggling to my hooves I turn my glare at the nurse and shout at her," What the fuck?! Give a mare warning before you do that!"

"And if I had done that you wouldn't have let me place your wing," Feather says with a shrug.

I start grumbling incoherent profanities as the pain in my wing starts to dull. The nurse turns back to one of her patients and the Colonel trots up to me.

"Shall we discuss our business in my office?"

I give him a nod and he leaves the room with his crones flowing close behind. Boom Boom trots up beside me as we make our way to the door as well. I spot a yellow and pink medic box beside the door. With a glance over my shoulder I see the nurse has her back to me. Quickly I open the box and swipe the three health potions inside. Boom Boom giggles as I place the potions in his bag and we follow after the Colonel and his cronies.

We catch up to them with ease and Lightning glances at me with his eyebrow raised just as I fall into step behind him. Boom is still giggling and I quickly look at the walls. Nice rusty color. Lightning shook his head and faced forward. Once inside the Colonel's office, he gestured for me to sit in front of his desk while Star and Lightning stood at attention in front of the door. Boom just yawns and took to trying to annoy Lightning.

"Well Ms. Edge now that we're comfortable," the Colonel starts," I have a job for you and given your unique talents I believe you would be able to do it with ease. You-"

"How much will I be paid for this 'job'?"

I here Crimson hiss through his teeth while Star groan.The Colonel cocks an eyebrow at me while I keep a neutral expression," Paid? I believe that satisfaction for helping the greater good would be more than enough payment."

I laugh at that," Wait your serious. Sorry but your cronies over there tried to kill me and the runt I work with-"

"Heeey!" Boom whines but I ignore him.

"And another thing I don't do anything for free."

He stares at me for a while and silence reigns in the room until finally he continues," Very well I believe you have a Memory orb in your possession. If you complete this job you will be given the means to see what is inside it and as a bonus I will give you information on the Remnant."

"You know who those guys are?"

"Why yes we have followed their progress and I know they destroyed your home."

"And you never you know tried to stop them!?!" I screech.

"My pegasi are stretched thin as is, which is why I need you to complete this job. Do we have a deal?"

I mull it over for a bit," Fine. What's the job?"

He beams and pulls out a slip of paper," Excellent! Your job is to clear out the settlement east of here. There are a group of Dashites there that need to be dealt with there, six to be exact. Since it's outside our borders we can't get to them. Bring me their cutie marks and you'll receive your payment."

"Done six cutie marks on the way."

I turn to leave but stop when he clears his throat," One more thing Crimson Lightning will be going with you."

"What!?" We shout in unison then glare at each other.

"Sir with all due respect-"

"You seriously want me to work with this-"

"Enough," he stands and levels a commanding glare at us," that is an order, no objections."

"Yes sir," Crimson hisses then turns to me," One wrong move and your ash. Got it?!"

"Ohh I'm shaking in my skin tight jump suit," I say returning his glare," Just stay out of my way and we'll be just dandy."

We exit the room glaring at each other viciously with Boom Boom skipping happily behind us.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Level up!

New perk added: *Coordinated Assault*: When you and a companion of yours attack an enemy at the same time you both deal 20% more damage.

Quest Perk added: *Nightmarish Bloodlust: When your health is dangerously low you get a +1 to your strength, agility and endurance.***

The Job

"The only thing that sucks about a dog is the training phase."

"You just had to fire on them didn't you genius," I grumble as Crimson, Boom Boom and I are pinned down inside a tin shack. We had flown to a small settlement called Rougeroute. When we got there Crimson spotted one of our targets and like a trigger happy idiot he decided to fire at him. Now we are stuck in the shack while the ponies outside take potshots at us.

"Shut up," Crimson grumbles with a hiss of pain. Oh and he took a bullet to the wing. So far things are going swimmingly.

"So why is he with us again?" Boom Boom asks. He is currently working on a mine that had ended up a dud.

"Still trying to figure that out myself," I say as I look out the window. A bullet clips my ear before I can pull my head back down. I hiss in pain and clutch my ear with a hoof. This fucking sucks. The shack is completely empty but has a hole large enough for a pony. I hoof over a potion to Crimson.

"Here, your no good to me wounded. Keep them occupied."

He takes it hesitantly," What are you gonna do?"

Pulling my leather armor off I give him a smirk and pull the blowgun I had acquired the day before out of my bag," Gonna do some fishing."

With that I pull my cowl down and duck under the hole. I activate my E.F.S. and move along the back of the buildings just as I hear Crimson start returning fire. I spot on of the towns ponies that are firing at the shack. He's ducked behind a crumbled wall with a sniper rifle. I quietly pull the blowgun out and slot a dart into it. With a puff of air it fires the dart and hits him in the flank. He jumps up with a yelp and turns on m.

"You lit-" he stumbles and begins foaming at the mouth. After a few convulsions he goes still. Nice I'm liking this blowgun. I pick up the sniper rifle and look over the wall. Across from me there's a pegasus perched atop[ a water tower. Looking through the scope I aim at him and fire . The shot goes wide and I slot another bullet just as he turns his gun on me. The second shot rips through his chest and sends him flying off the tower.

One down.

I throw the sniper rifle to the side and duck behind a building. I slot another dart in the blowgun and raise it as a unicorn comes into my field of vision. He's standing in front of a door with a shotgun in his grip. I shoot the dart at him and it hits him in the neck. I duck down just as he fires the shotgun in my direction. Three, two, one.

I look back around the corner and find him in his death throes. I casually walk up to him as I secure my blowgun to a clip on my jumpsuit's belt and pick up the shotgun," Thank you dear."

He glares up at me and tries to say something but goes limp before he can say it. Trotting up to the door I find it locked. Lucky me with a key. I shoot the door's knob and it swings open. Inside about six or seven foals are huddled in a corner with a mare glaring at me. To my right I catch a blur of movement. Acting on instinct I flick Memento out and ram the blade into my would be attacker. A pegasus mare with a sledgehammer held in her hooves stare at me in shock then at the blade halfway in her chest.

That makes two. She slides off my blade with a whimper and bleeds out in a matter of seconds. The foals scream and start crying. The mare in the corner screams," Rose nooo!" She rushes to the pegasus's side and cradles her head, sobbing. I feel kinda torn right now. I mean I feel for her but I have a job to do. Suddenly she looks up at me and snarls," You monster!"

No need for name calling. I feel what little remorse I felt get replaced by a coldness as I flick out Memento and press the blade to her throat," Now that I have your attention I-"

One of the foals runs at me and starts slamming his hooves against my side," Let us go!"

I look at him with a bored stare before picking him up by the scruff and staring at him. He whimpers as my cat-like eyes bore into his. When I drop him, he runs back to the corner with the other foals with his tail between his legs. "As I was saying," I grunt before turning back to the mare," All of you behave and this will all be over pretty quickly."

"What do you want?" She hisses, her eyes narrowed.

"You'll see," I say before slamming my hoof-blade bracer against the side of her skull, knocking her out cold. I pick up one of the whimpering foals and go to the front door. With a buck it opens and I walk outside.

"Ok everypony your attention please!" I shout over the din of shots flying through the air," I have a colt here that would like very much not to decorate the ground with his brains." I press the muzzle of the gun to his temple," My companions and I are here for four pegasi that have been branded dashites. So if you don't want to see me kill seven foals you'll come here. Oh and any weapons you have toss em."

I 'm met with silence before a black furred pegasus lands before me, a scowl on his muzzle. Slowly the other four show themselves as well.

"Hey Boom Boom, Crimson come on out!" I shout as I grin at the pegasi before me. A moment later Crimson lands beside me with Boom Boom on his back.

"Crimson would you be a dear and guard the other foals for me please?" I ask him with all the sweetness I can muster. He rolls his eyes and goes inside. Boom sits down and yawns.

"You bitch," one of the dashites spits at the ground.

Again with the name calling. "In my defense I wanted this operation to be simple and clean but nope," I raise my voice so Crimson can hear," Somepony had to go all trigger happy."

Fuck you," I hear from behind me.

"Not if you were the last stallion on Equis," I yell back before looking at the dashites. I let the foal go and he runs off crying. One of the pegasi steps forward. I rush him and bury Memento in his neck. He falls to the ground with a strangled gurgle. The others turn on me but are stopped when they hear a scream from inside the building. Crimson is at the front door with the rest of the foals. One is sobbing directly in front of him.

"Don't try anything and they all die," he growls as he lowers his laser rifle at the crying filly.

They all take a step back from me as I start cutting the dead stallion's cutie mark from his body. His cutie mark is a pair of silver coins with a lightning bolt carved into it. I shake off the blood and toss it to Boom Boom. He takes a step back and grimaces.

Ewww," he whines," Why do I have to carry it?"

"Because," I scoff," I'm the one that killed him and Crimson's busy."

"Fine," he groans as he picks up the severed cutie mark and places it in his bag.

Without any further delay I dispatch the remaining pegasi as they try to defend themselves. When I have their cutie marks I trot over to the fallen body of the pegasus I had killed earlier, which had luckily landed not too far from where I am now, and did the same to him. Many of the towns ponies had come out of their hiding spots. Many are glaring at me but they dare not move.

"Good job," I grin at him," Glad to see you can be trained." He scowls at me as I trot inside with Boom Boom following close behind. With the final cutie mark in my possession I go back out side."Thank you everypony for your cooperation," I shout," Now we will get out of your manes."

I look over my shoulder at Crimson," Grab one of them."

He complies and I let Boom Boom climb on my back.

"Oh yeah Crimson has your bag," Boom Boom chirps suddenly.

"Oh good thanks," I say as I extend my wings and take to the sky.

Crimson follows after us with one of the foals clutched in his hooves. She whimpers and struggles in his grasp but to no avail. We fly a good distance away from the small settlement and land in a grove of burnt trees.

"Alright release her," I tell him as I grab my saddlebags from off his back.

He grunts and lets her go but she just stares at us, afraid to move.

I glare at her," Well what are you waiting for permission? Leave!"

She scrambles to leave and manages to trip as she does. Boom Boom rolls on the ground in hysterics at her reaction and I can't help but chuckle too," Well that could have gone much better but at least the jobs done."

"Yeah," Crimson says then hesitates," Umm good job I guess."

"Do my ears deceive me is that a compliment?"

"Don't look too much into it," Crimson grumbles as he checks his wing. I snicker and turn to Boom Boom.

"Not bad for our first job hmmm?"

He looks up at me with a bored expression," I guess but I didn't get to blow anything up."

"Next time you can I promise," I say as I ruffle his mane. Suddenly an earsplitting scream rips through the air. Boom Boom ducks under me and Crimson readies his laser rifle. I stand stock still, frozen in place as a chill runs up my spine.

"What the fuck was that?" I whisper to Crimson.

He shakes his head and starts moving into further into the trees. Oh yeah good idea move toward the scream. Brilliant idea... again. Grumbling I follow him with Boom Boom managing to stay under me as I go. After about thirty minutes of walking we come across a cavern opening. Crimson goes in first and I follow. What is inside I did not expect to see.

"Holy shit."

All around the cavern were the mutilated corpses of raiders. Blood stained the walls and gore littered the rock floor. Crimson lowered his rifle.

"Mon déesse," he mumbled.

"You said it," I say, my mouth suddenly very dry. Glad to know he's not the only one shocked by this. I have to fight throwing up at the carnage here. I mean I've killed but this is on a different level. Not one body was in tact. Boom Boom isn't so lucky. He spews his lunch all over the floor. Crimson starts moving further into the cavern. I follow after him after I gain the ability to keep my own lunch down.

"Boom Boom stay here."

He raises a hoof and opens his mouth to say something but stops to vomit again. Poor kid. I stay close to Crimson. Against the wall far in the back of the cavern there's the body of a small filly but this one isn't mutilated, apart from the dried blood on her. She's laying on her back and her eyes are closed. If I didn't know any better I'd think she was a sleep. Someone had laid out her body and I'm pretty sure it wasn't the raiders.

"Why would the killer lay out this body but mutilate the others?" I ask looking at Crimson.

He shakes his head," Killer with a conscious?"

I roll my eyes at his joke and look to the tunnel to our left and start down it with Crimson following after me. Before long we come to an open Stable door. A few more mutilated corpses are in front of the massive steel door, as well another body was laid out. This one is a stallion with a slave collar around his neck. I pass over the body and start inside the Stable. Crimson stops me," We should leave and report this to the Colonel."

"I want to figure out what happened here," I say with a glare," You can either follow me or stay here." I'm determined to find out what the hell happened here and my gut was telling me I'd find my answer inside.

Crimson holds my glare before growling," Fine. I'll cover your back."

I nod and go up the flight of stairs. I take a look at my Pipbuck's automap. The Stable is fairly small with only a few rooms. Inside the main room there are a few skeletons here and there with a doorway leading into a hall. Tables and chairs are upturned as if a struggle happened here and from the looks of the skeletons on the floor there had been. I slowly go down the hall with my E.F.S. active. I come to a door in the hall but find it locked. Damn it. I decide to come back to it later and go to the door at the end of the hall with a cracked panel beside it. Over the door is a plaque reading, 'Cryo Chamber.'

"What the hells a Cryo Chamber?" I ask, raising an eyebrow at Crimson.

He shrugs," Something to do with ice I think." Well a lot of help you are. With a sigh I go up to the door and it slides open.

"Fuck!" Startled I jump in the air and find myself in Crimson's forehooves. He gives me an annoyed look as our muzzles touch. I chuckle nervously," Hehe my bad."

He just dumps me on the floor. Some gentlecolt he is. "Get your shit together," he snorts and goes into the room.

"Dick," I mumble before pulling myself off the ground and following him. The room is a decent size with five pods against the back wall and a pair of long metal tables running the length of the room against the walls. A single terminal is on the table to my right and is on. Curious I go toward it and click it on. It goes straight to a screen with three audio entries on it, all of them are dated over two hundred years ago. I click the first one.

"Log number sixty-two,

We've made some headway on Project Raging Sun but we had to relocate here last week. Princess Luna has been feeling paranoid about the idea of a traitor in our midst and I don't blame her. Inkie says she has things covered but I don't know I can't shake the feeling that something bad's going to happen. Haha look at me I'm acting like Pinks besides my sixth sense is only with mechines. Anyway today I was able to successfully perform an atomic fusion. Thank Celestia for the creation of the Megaspells. Without them this wouldn't have been possible. With a few more tests I believe we can move the project along. Tomorrow I will start on the reactor design. Things are looking up. Blintel Arcaya Pie signing off."

What the hell is Project Raging Sun? The voice is feminine meaning it was a mare talking. I click on the second entry.

"Log sxty-three,

Today the reactor has worked and it was stable! All my hard work has finally paid off. We're a step closer to ending this damn war. The reactor will be taken to another facility. I will be going there in a few days once I am done here to. Then the real work begins."

I only received more questions from this one I can only hope the next one has my answers.

"Pinks I'm"-sigh-" I'm sorry. We failed. We bloody failed. If only that bit"-Sigh-"No I won't slander her. She did what she thought was right. Pinks I'm sorry we weren't able to end this war before it was too late. I can't get ahold of Blinkie. I think she's dead. Goddess I hope she made it to one of the Stables. I made it into one of the labs they had made here in the Prench République. It's designed like a Stable so it can stand up to the bombs but I had to deal with some ponies. They were traitors Pinks I had to... Pinkie I need to tell you something. I have something inside me that's not normal. I'm-I-I have a darkness Pinks, an evil inside me. I like to kill, no need to kill. I've done it since I was young. I was thirteen the first time I killed. I never killed innocent ponies though, only bad ponies, evil ponies. I know it doesn't justify what I di or what I am. I'm a monster plain and simple. I wanted you to know before we... Before I'll never see you again. I love you little sister and I always will. I just hope that you can forgive me for lying to you all these years. I'm going to have to use one of these Cryopods and I hope I'll see you again."

The voice was different this time but was still a mare's. The message had been set to go to one of the Ministry of Morale hubs in Equestria but the link had become corrupted. There's dent in the counter beside the terminal the shape of a hoof and some wet spots on the floor that are still fairly fresh.

"I think our killer was one of these pod's occupants," Crimson says walking up bedside me.

"Yeah and I bet she's the one who made this message," I say and play it for him.

His expression stays blank as he listens to it. When it ends he takes a step back," I think your right and that would explain why we saw that carnage out there."

"But who would be able to kill that many ponies that are armed and crazy to boot?"

He grins slightly," I don't know but whoever they are I want to meet em."

I do believe that is the first time I've seen him smile. He's kinda cute when he smiles. Bad brain don't think that. I push past him, fighting my blush and go to the other table. It's surface is littered with papers that are too degraded to read but there is a key on the table. I spot a card on the table and grab it. It's blank aside from the black swipe bar on it. I then remember the locked door had a card swipe beside it. On a hunch I go over to the door in the hall and slid the card. It flashes green and the door opens.

Bingo.

Stepping inside I see a bunch of blue, black combat armor sets; the kind that police ponies wore before the war. I look through them trying to find one that will fit me and luckily enough I find one. It's even made for a pegasus! I put my saddle bags on the floor and slip it on over my jump suit. It's snug and padded just enough to stop a bullet but enough so I could still move freely. On its side just under my wing is the attachment for a rifle to be holstered.

In the back of the small armory is a single case. On its top it reads 'Assassin Mk 1.' Inside is the parts for a grey rifle of some sort with a camouflage paint job. the parts are snugly held by a felt foam. Strangely enough the pieces aren't metal. They're smooth and really light.

"Hey what did you find?" Crimson walks into the small armory. He whistles when he sees my new armor," Nice find."

"Yeah even found this," I say showing him the dismantled rifle," Think you can reassemble it?"

He looks at it and shrugs," Sure." He pulls the pieces out and assembles the rifle. When he's done it turns out to be a sleek sniper rifle. The end has a silencer attached to it. Its made so a pony can fire it easily with their hooves. This rifle was defiantly made with pegasi and earth ponies in mind. I picked it up and looked through the scope.

"Can you even fire that thing?" Crimson asks.

I look at him out of the corner of my eye," What's there to know you point and pull the trigger."

He rolls his eyes at me," Well first you're going to need ammo." He looks around until he spots a single ammo box. It's locked but he shoots it with his laser rifle. I jump back startled. What the hell dumbass!?!

"Are you fucking insane!?!" I yell," What if that thing was full of grenades or something!?!"

"That would have been illogical considering that is the only weapon in here," Crimson grunts and pulls out a couple of boxes of .50 caliber bullets and a few loaded magazines from the box," There's about sixteen boxes of ammo here. There must be well over two hundred bullets here."

I swear to the Moon and Sun this bastard's psycho. With all my willpower I decide to let it roll off my back. "Good that means I don't have to be stingy with em," I say as I take one to the magazines, which holds about five bullets, and load the rifle. I spot a strap inside the gun case and grab it. After securing it to the rifle I string the rifle over my shoulders where it fits snuggly between my wings. Crimson helps me get the bullets into my saddle bags. On the armor I notice a few pouches where magazines can be placed for quick removal on the belt and I slip the three preloaded magazines into them. Feeling pretty badass I trot happily out of the room and into the room with the skeletons. Pulling the rifle off my back I pull the action back, loading a bullet and look through the scope. I aim at one of the skeleton's skull that is hunched against the farthest wall from me and fire. There is very little recoil and the shot was pretty quiet despite being in a metal room. I still miss though, horribly.

"Try exhaling slowly then pulling the trigger," I hear Crimson say behind me.

I glare at him and load another round. I look through the scope again, aiming it at the skeleton I had missed. Fuck it. I take a breathe, exhale slowly and fire. The shot grazes the skull but still manages to obliterate half the old skeleton's skull. I smile brightly and look at Crimson, who is wearing an 'I told you so' look.

"Not bad but your still off," Crimson says before making his way toward the Stable's entrance.

I follow grumbling. I thought it was a decent shot. When we track back through the cavern I see Boom Boom waiting by the entrance. He looks bored as hell as he tinkers with one of his mines. Beside him is a pile of grenades and mines that he more than likely scavenged the bodies for.

"You got over that pretty quick."

He looks up at me and grins," No amount of dead ponies will keep me from things that go boom."

I chuckle while Crimson brushes past me. "Come on," he snorts," We need to get out of here and report what happened here."

"An' what happened here?"

We all look up to see a trio of raiders walk out from behind the trees in front of the cavern. They're eyes are focused solely on Crimson considering he's the only one outside.

"Alors dites-moi pourquoi vous êtes une jument et un poulain ici tout seul," one of the raiders asks, a sick grin on his face," Sortie en famille peut-être."

"Oui la femme voulait tuer des voleurs," Crimson says with a dark grin as he quickly aims his rifle at the raider that spoke and fired a pink magic beam at him. The raider turned to ash on the spot. The other two raiders stare at the spot their comrade had occupied, shocked just long enough for Crimson to Rush the other. Boom Boom ducks behind me as I pull my sniper rifle out and load a round.

Red electricity lances along Crimson's armored foreleg as he punches one of the raiders in the muzzle. With a scream his body locks up form the shock. The other raider curses and pulls a crude machete from its sheath. I take aim and fire. The shot rips through the raider's chest, lifts him off his hooves and sends him crashing into one of the burnt tree trunks. Crimson looks at me with a mildly impressed expression at my timing before wrapping his hooves around the paralyzed raiders neck. With a wet crack he snaps the raider's neck.

"Shall we head back," he says as his expression turns bored. Huh so he smiles when he kills that is interesting. Why am I strangely turned on by that?

"Yeah," I breathe. Is it hot in this armor or is it me? He nods and takes to the sky with a pump of his wings. With a shake of my head I let Boom Boom climb on and we follow after Crimson.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Level up!

New Perk added: *Silence! I Keel You!*: You get a 15% damage bonus with silenced weapons.

Past Sins

"Maybe if we learn from the past we can save our future."

When we land on the frozen runway of the Wonderbolt airbase we are instantly greeted by the Colonel. He is wearing a massive grin on his face as he trots up to us," The jobs done I hope."

"Yep," I chirp," Boom Boom show him the stuff."

Boom Boom grumbles as he climbs off my back and pulls his bag off. Slipping a hoof in he throws the severed cutie marks at the Colonel's hooves," I-I hate th-the cold." Boom Boom shivers and scurries under me for warmth. Heh wuss.

The Colonel chuckles deeply as he looks over the marks," Very good. Very good indeed. Follow me I'll show you what we know about these Remnant zebras." he turns and starts walking toward the main building. I follow with Boom Boom managing to stay under me while Crimson stays behind.

Inside we come to a room full of terminals with a pegasus at each. in the rooms center there's a map of the Prench Wasteland. Wow that's huge. He clears his throat as I stare at the map," From what our intelligence tells us this Remnant is lead by someone that goes by the name of White Scar. He's apparently very dangerous and believes that ponies are a plague on the world like the Zebra Empire once did two hundred years ago. From what we've gathered their here to track down a super weapon that was in the process of being made just before the Megaspells fell." I wonder if it has anything to do with that Ragind Sun project? I stay silent as he continues," That is all we know right now. We'd know more if it weren't for those blasted Steel Rangers."

I'd heard of them before they apparently had a hard-on for finding old world tech and hoarding it. They sounded like an annoying bunch to deal with. Dad always said they were over-rated walking tin cans. May as well tell him. I look up at the Colonel," On the way back here me and Crimson stumbled on an unmarked Stable. Inside there was a terminal with audio logs that mentioned a 'Project Raging Sun.' Maybe there's a connection?"

He scratches his chin in thought," Maybe if there is then that will be very useful information. Come on I'll show you how to look into that Memory Orb." He goes over to a door and opens it. Inside is a set of metal headbands. He picks one up and passes it to me. It's a dull grey and looks like a boring piece of metal.

"Your serious?" I say, my eyebrow raised," This will let me see inside my memory orb?"

He chuckles," Pull it out and press it to that grove in the front."

What the hell? I slip the band on, fuck this thing's cold, and pull out the memory orb. Pressing it to the front grove my world goes black. When I can see again I'm met with unpleasant sight of another mare's plot in my face. Ok not enough brain bleach to make that image go away.

"Hey watch it!" The mare whose plot my host had just face planted shouted. I get a good look at her as she glares at me. My host? She's wearing a Shadowbolt uniform and her fur in lilac while her mane is a deep blue. What catches my attention is her eyes though. They're a deep red like mine. Holy shit I think she's my ancestor.

"Sorry ma'am this things heavy," my host grumbles who is apparently a stallion," Why do we even need this thing."

"So my other Shadowbolts can know the full spec of this mission," A voice says behind my host. Both my host and the mare go ridged and turn to the speaker, bowing as they do. That's when I go silent. In all her legendary glory is Princess Luna. Her teal eyes are glaring at my host. I can almost feel the chill in the air as my host shudders. Hell I'm shuddering. A fucking legend is literally ten feet away from me.

"Rise Nightshade, Soul," Luna says as she raises a hoof. She walks between my host and this 'Nightshade' as they rise and goes over to a table with some papers one it," This assignment is of the highest priority. You both will be accompanying Ministry Mare Rarity to the Prench République to oversee Project Raging Sun. They are already well under way there. You are to act as her security detail. As well you will be accompanied by Ms. Raven as well. She will be their to act as the intelligence officer. This needs to be done with the highest level of secrecy and failure will not be accepted," her teal eyes slitted like a cat's and I could have sworn her coat went black for a moment there," Am I clear."

"Yes Ma-am," My host and Nightshade say at the same time.

"Good you are dismissed," With that the midnight blue alicorn disappeared in a puff of blue mist. Wow that's a cool trick.

"So it's back to our roots hmmm," my host says with a shake in his voice.

"Yes," Nightshade turns to leave," Come we need to prepare. I wish to be there within the week."

My host nods," That's a good idea. Besides wouldn't mind showing the newer recruits Grimblade's tomb in Shiresabot."

Nightshade turns to my host with a slight smile," It has been along time since we paid our respects hasn't it."

The memory cuts out then and I find myself pulling my hoof down. I stare at the small black orb, my mouth feeling really dry.

"You look like you've seen a ghost."

I look at the Colonel," You could say that."

Your face went all," Boom Boom sticks his tongue out and crosses his eyes," It was funny." He breaks into a fit of giggles. I level a dark glare at him and he swallows nervoulsly," Hehe sorry."

I place the orb back into my bag," Well I know where to go next at least."

"And where is that?" the Colonel raises an eyebrow at me.

"Shiresabot. I think it will also lead me to finding out more about this Project Raging Sun."

"Interesting That's near Poulis," he glances at the door and grins. Crimson is standing at attention beside the door. Oh crsap he's not going to..." It's settled then Crimson will go with you."

I stare at him in disbelief. I have to deal with this psycho indefinitely!?! Aw man this sucks I want a refund.

"Yes sir," Crimson says with a salute.

"Good stallion," the Colonel beams," It's settled then. You have full access to the barracks. I would get some rest if I were you, you've a long journey ahead."

As he truns to leave I can't help but think this guy hates me. I turn my glare at Crimson, who seems perfectly content with the idea of traveling with me now," Well?"

He gives me a look,' Well what?"

"Your not complaining about having to travel with me what gives," I say and scrunch my eyes at him, trying to see if he's an alien in disguise. He rolls his eyes at me.

"It won't be so bad," he says with a shrug," At least you know what your doing."

That completely catches me off guard," Umm thanks."

'Your welcome," he turns to the door," Come on I'll show you where you'll be resting."

He leaves and after a moment of dumb silence I look at Boom Boom," I'm not the only one who saw that right?"

"Umm yeah," Boom Boom glances at me.

I place a hoof on my chest and breathe a sigh of relief," Oh good I'm not going crazy."

"We don't have all day!" Crimson yells from the hall.

"And he's back," Boom Boom says. I chuckle and we follow Crimson to the barracks. At the barracks there are rows of bunkbeds. Each set of beds had two trunks by them other me, Boom Boom and Crimson the room is empty. Hmm time to really cash in. I start rummaging through the trunks.

"What are you doing!?" Crimson hisses as I start on the first trunk.

"Stealing what's it look like?" I give him an 'are you really asking me this' look. He replies with a 'your and idiot' look.

"Get out of there," he looks fit to blow a gasket so I decide to comfort him a bit.

"Listen if we're going to be traveling together there are three things you should know. One, I call the shots. Two, I call the shots." He opens his mouth to speak but I raise my voice to cut him off," Aaand three," pause for dramatic effect," All's fair in love and war. Now help me search these things."

"You do realize the first two rules are the same," Crimson groans.

"Yes I am aware of that," I say matter-of-factly.

Crimson glares at me before groaning again and opening a trunk. Knew he'd see it my way. Between the three of us we clean out the barracks in a few minutes. Our collected spoils came out to; one hundred twenty-three caps, three frag grenades, about ten more bullets for my new rifle, a shit ton of magic cartridges for Crimson's rifle, and a stealth buck with two charges on it. I took the caps, stealth buck and bullets and let the boys fight over the rest. You can guess who got what.

Nothing like a good day's dishonest work to take it out of you. Yawning I flop onto a bed and start trying to sleep. I think Crimson said something but I couldn't hear over the sound of me falling asleep.

When I return to the land of the conscious I look around. the barracks are full of snoring pegasi. on the bunk across from me I spot Crimson, asleep. Wow he looks real good without his armor. I mean really good. He has a chiseled muscles and his body is riddled with scars. What scars are fucking sexy. I can honestly say I wouldn't mind him holding me down... and stopping that thought at the door and murdering it viciously. I shake my head and try to think of something that will my mind off the heat I'm feeling.

Dead puppies. Butchered kittens. Burning foals. Oh yeah that's the stuff. I'm startled form my mind-bleaching when I feel something move against my back. Turning I see boom Boom cuddled up beside me. Little twerp snuck into my bed. Damn it he's almost cute curled up like that.

Almost.

He flails for a bit once he hits the wood floor. Finally he gets his baring's and glares up at me," He-"

I place a hoof on his lips," Shhh lets get out of hear."

He nods and we gather our things and start out into the main building. I don't like the idea of being somepony's personal bitch so I don't mind leaving this place without a second thought. When we hit the main hall way there's a guard with his back to us. I give Boom Boom the sign to shay the fuck quiet and we follow quietly after him. When the guard turns to walk back the way he came we duck into an open room. Oh hell yeah the infirmary.

"Hey keep eyes on that guard," I whisper and Boom Boom salutes.

The guard passes by without a clue as I clean out the various medical boxes. I swipe a grand total of six health potions, seven Med ex, a couple of empty syringes and a bottle of Buck. I never liked the idea of drugs to be honest but I knew the Med ex would come in handy.

When all the goods are in my bag, Boom Boom gives the all clear and we make our way outside without seeing another guard. Huh he must be the infirmary's guard. Not very good at his job huh.

"Ahem!"

I gasp and twirl around with Memento at the ready. Crimson is standing there, in full armor with a bored expression on his face. My eyes widen as big as dinner plates when I see him. How in the hell did he...

"Had a feeling you'd try to sneak away," he grunts," don't look so surprised I was able to figure out a while ago."

"And I'm just and open book then huh," I level a glare at him.

Crimson walks up to me with a smug look on his face," Yep you don't care what other's think of you and you'll do anything if it means you'll get what you want." He leans in close and lowers his voice," Oh and I smelled you arousal back there." I blush hotly as he leans back and try to sputter out a comeback but Crimson cuts me off," Don't worry it wasn't totally unpleasant. Besides many mares tend to do the same thing when they see me out of armor."

Why you stupid, smug, hot asshat!!! I glare at him," I am so tempted to kill you right now."

Crimson extends his wings and takes to the air," You can try but you'll lose that fight. Besides I'm pretty sure it isn't a fight you really want."

Goddess damned it quit blushing! I try to control my body from doing one of two things and they do not include killing this fucker so I opt for another approach. He wants to play? Well then game on. I fly up to him and press my chest to his. I give him a sultry look and whisper into his ear," You wouldn't be able to handle me big boy."

I pull back and flick his chin with a hoof. His expression goes blank as his wings freeze in the air. And that makes one for me. Crimson zip. After a his brain reboots he manages to stop himself from falling to far. I start laughing or cackling. It's cackling right? He just glares at me and mumbles something. I love the fact that he has white fur because that is one helluva blush.

All the while Boom Boom is just startng up at us with abored expression," Are you two done?"

"Yeah I'm good," I say as I wipe a tear away from my eye," What about you big boy?" I level another smoldering gaze at Crimson.He turns away from me, still blushing. Hey you mess with Queen your gonna lose.

"Lets go," Crimson growls.

I swoop down, pick up Boom Boom and start flying south with a grumbling (and still blushing!) Crimson close behind.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Level up!

New Perk added: *Aerial Acrobatic Level 1*: You have a natural talent for flying. You get a +1 to your agility when in the air.

Vanity and Fear

"When your foist out into the cruelty of the wasteland you either let it consume you or become just as cruel."

You know this situation could be much worse. I wake up hanging upside down surrounded by the corpses of ponies. Yep I'm in a raider din. How the hell did I end up in this mess? And that's when it all comes back to me. More like hits me like a freight train. We ended up making camp just outside a Megamart when we were set upon by a group of raiders. Who knew those deranged fuckers knew what stealth was? They knocked us out and well here we are.

Now I'm suspended like a living trophy surrounded by other sick trophies and I'm in some sort of office. Thankfully the only thing I'm missing is my saddlebag and rifle. Reaching up I use Memento to sever the rope. Extending my wings I land silently on the grungy floor.

"I wonder if she's awake yet?" Shit! I duck behind one of the upturned desks just as I hear a voice and the sound of two sets of hooves approaching.

"Peut-être," A second voice says as two earth ponies in spiky armor enter the room. Ugh haven't these guys ever heard of a bath? "Can't wait to cut 'er down though and have some fun with those pink che...Hey where th-"

Quickly flipping over the table I land on one of the raider's back and end his surprised squawk by opening his throat. With another flip I slam a back hoof upside the second raider's skull. He goes down with a grunt and I wrap my hooves around his neck.

"By the way you couldn't afford these pink cheeks of mine," I whisper into his ear then snap his neck. Laying the body down I poke my head out of the ruined doorway. Oh good no one heard. First order of business find my shit then find my lackeys. Quietly I make my way to another room down the hall....My eyes! The horror! Two raiders just going at it on a mattress and they don't even see me in the doorway.

I quietly continue down the hall As I effectively deny I ever saw what I just saw I come to a door. You what sucks when your trying to be stealth and the opening of every door is loud as all fuck. I hate that. Inside the room is a set fit for an armory and lo and behold my gear. Slipping my bags on and Boom Boom's as well. Checking my rifle I find the clip full and sling it over my shoulder. After looting the ammo cases which I don't find anything useful other than twenty armor piercing rounds for my sniper rifle. I'm about to leave when something catches my eye. A small figurine of a cyan pegasus mare with a rainbow mane and magenta eyes one her hind hooves and a cocky smirk on her face. Here cutie mark is a Rainbow lightning bolt coming from a grey cloud.

'Be Awesome.'

'Vanity'

What the hell is that supposed to mean voice in my head? Oh well I pick up the small figurine and suddenly felt invigorated, confident. Alright bitches lets do this. Pocketing the figurine I pull a frag mine out of Boom Boom's bag and place it by the stairwell and arm it. Trotting down the hall I pass the room with the two raiders still getting it on, pull the pin on a grenade and toss it inside the room.

"What th-"

BOOM!

Now that's one hellava cock block.

"What the fuck was that!?!" I hear from down stairs. Laying down on my belly I pull my rifle off and aim it at the stairs. A raider rushes up the stairs with a board full of nails held in her magic. I wave at her," Hi."

She glares at me and takes a step forward.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Looks down in shock.

BOOM!

And goes all to pieces. Another raider comes through the smoke just in time to see me put a bullet through his chest. He gets knocked back into the pony behind him. Taking a lesson from Boom Boom and pulled the pin and chunked at the stallion just as he got up.

"Catch!"

He catches it then looks at what he just caught," Oh sh-"

These guys aren't that bright.

BOOM!

You know I'm beginning to see why Boom Boom likes these thing so much. I trot down the stairs, past the gore and fin myself in the gutted out receptionist area.

"Could you be any louder?" I look to my right and see Crimson tied to a wall and several knives buried in the wood wall. Not one ahd found their mark. Wow these guys suck.

"What can I say?" I say with a flip of my mane," I like to make an entrance. So where's Boom Boom?" I start cutting him down.

"He's with the other ponies in that room," He points to a door.

"So I'm guessing you were your usual charming self," I say as I cut the last of the straps holding him to the wall," And they decided to return the favor."

Crimson chuckles," Yeah and they can't throw for shit."

"Your armor's upstairs. Oh and don't slip on the blood."

He goes upstairs and I go into the room. Inside the ponies huddle together, scared out of their wits. I spot Boom Boom lying prone on the floor with a lot of bruises showing through his coat. The sight stops me dead in my tracks. One of the ponies shouts," Look out!"

My world explodes in a shower of stars as something collides with my head. I hit the ground and a Raider with a metal rod in his magic Sits down on my chest, his face inches from mine.

"Ya know the brat over there kept sayin you would come," his grin widens. Goddess are his teeth yellow and his breath stinks," Kinda enjoyed beatin the crap outa him."

Wait this fucker did that to Boom Boom.

'Make him pay.'

Not a bad idea voice in my head. Something snaps in me and with a feral yell I push him off me. He stumbles back, startled. I pounce on him and we fall to he ground.

"I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!" I scream as I start pummeling him with my bare hooves. HIs skull cracks under my hooves and blood splatters onto my armor but I keep going. All I see is red. I feel a hoof touch my shoulder and I round on it's owner but find myself in pinned.

"Calm the fuck down Silk," My eyes refocus and I see Crimson above me with a sympathetic look in his eyes," That's enough. He's died."

I try to slow my breathing as I look over at the cage. I struggle out of Crimson's grasp and go over to it. I use Memento to break the crude lock and scoop up Boom Boom in my arms. There are three other ponies in the cage as well. All of them are filthy and covered in blood. A stallion and two mares. One of the ponies in the cage takes a step forward opening his mouth as if to say something but I snarl at him," Back off!"

Needless to say he got the fucking drift and resumed cowering. Come on twerp don't die on me yet. Oh thank the Goddess he's still breathing. Placing him on my back I walk out the cage without a word. Crimson follows but keeps his eyes on the cowering ponies. Setting him down I pull a health potion out of my bag and give it to him. He coughs a little up and opens his eyes.

"That stuff is nasty," I blink back some tears and nod.

"Yeah not a prize winner in my book either kid."

Boom Boom tries to sit up but I stop him," Let the potion do it's thing. Take a breather."

"Do you have my bag?"

"Yeah had to use some of your bombs though," I chuckle holding up his bag," I see why you like bombs so much now though."

"Boom," he smiles, closes his eyes and falls asleep. Yeah kid boom.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After Boom Boom wakes up we decide to go it on hoof from here on out. We are just outside Poulis and the last thing we needed was to get blown out of the sky. We walk in silence as we move through the ruined suburbs. I look back at last few days. It has been literally a week since my eighteenth birthday. The day my life imploded. Happy fucking birthday to me. And here I am just going with the flow like nothing happened. I also killed with ease and I liked it. A fact I just said 'Fuck it' and accepted.

The moment I had seen Boom Boom prone on that fucking cage floor was a news flash for me. I actually fucking cared about something. I had pushed my feelings out of the mix the second I had lost everything and just opted for rage and bloodlust. It was the only natural response in a clearly fucked up situation. Now I felt obligated to protect the twerp. Hell even Crimson...and I cannot believe I am saying this...is starting to grow on me. He has been nothing but pleasant...well for him that is...since I beat that raider to death. My mind is just one big clusterfuck right now and what's worse I'm bored. I decide to curve it by flicking on my radio. Maybe something's good on.

"Alright all you cool cats this is Retrospect with some news for you. I can honestly say guys I wish I didn't have to report this but you good ponies out there deserve the truth. You know that Survivor that cleared Mioville of those mean zebras well she seems to have fallen in with a bad crowd and I don't mean raiders. She and an Enclave pony went into Vertroute and proceeded to execute the Dashites that had taken up residence there. Now for many who don't know these ponies were a good sort. I should know I met them myself. They believed in the Good Fight. Not only that but the Survivor had decided to threaten a group of foals in the process. So thank you 'Survivor' for making the world a little bit darker and reminding us about the cruelty of the wasteland. Now lets hear something a little less dreary from Ms. Velvet Remedy "

I click off the radio.He seemed a little heated at that last part but your fucking welcome anyway. I need to kill something. I spot a small flying orb flying nearby down the street. Fuck it that will do. Pulling my rifle out I take aim.

"What are you..." Crimson says as I fire a shot. With a burst of sparks the orb goes down. I hate machines. Ever since the last one I encountered had sheered my mane off when I was six I had grown to hate the metal abominations with a fiery passion. Hey you don't fuck with a mare's mane.

"Yeah that didn't make me feel better," I mumble as Boom and Crimson share a glance. Boom shrugs and continues on.

Crimson sighs," So what's eatin you?"

I give Crimson a look," Boredom." I snort at that. Damn it I hate that...aww I'm to depressed to care. Damn this would probably be worse if I had a health conscious but I beat the shit outa that years ago.

"Uh huh sure."

I'm about to respond when I hear someone shout. Down the road a mare is running toward us. Just what the doctor ordered. I raise my rifle.

"Please don't shoot I..." Yeah don't care. Her head explodes as the bullet rips through it. Ok yeah I feel a little better now. Boom Boom starts giggling at the sight of the headless mare.

"Was that necessary?" Crimson says beside me.

"For my sanity yes," I say with a grin," yes it was." I trot over to her body and loot it. She's carrying a nothing but a small chip. I looks like it would go into one of the chip slots in my Pipbuck. On a whim I slip it in and an audio recording starts up.

"I'm almost free. I can't believe it this nightmare is almost over. My collar's off and I finally figured out how to pick the lock on the cage. Celestia protect me."

It was the mare's voice no doubt and her neck showed a ring around it. Well fuck I just killed a slave that had just now gotten her freedom. I just start laughing. I can't help it. I don't why I find it funny I just do. Where is my morality right now? Oh there it is flying away on the wind. Bye-Bye.

Crimson just looks at me with a 'what the fuck' look before rolling his eyes. Boom Boom decided to grap a stick from...somewhere and starts poking the body.

"This is kinda fun," he giggles. Ya know that does look fun. I start poking the body too and Crimson bristles his eyes glaring forward. In the distance are a couple of ponies in orange power armor. Well I'll be damned those are Applejack's Rangers. They upheld the idea of peace and scrounged for old world tech. Unlike the regular Steel Rangers though they believed in sharing it. Hmmm where did I put those armor piercing rounds?

"So we gonna kill em?" I load a clip full of armor piercing rounds in my sniper rifle.

Crimson readies his rifle," Yes."

"Oh you know how to spoil a girl," I giggle as I take aim. I could care less what Crimson's quarrel with them is, I get to kill something. Wow, I think I need help....Naaah!

Crimson rushes forward with a pump of his wings and starts unleashing hot pink death on the Rangers. One of the rangers goes down when one of my bullets rips through his skull. Heh nothing but skill...fine and a little luck....Ok a lot of luck. Geez. A second bullet from my wonderfully light rifle sends another ranger to his knees and interrupts him from opening fire on Crimson.

Crimson pins the Ranger and I trot up," And what do we have here?"

"Enclave," the ranger says in a metallic voice. Ooh how I hate that sound. Crimson, as if able to read my beautiful mind, clubs the Ranger and sends a shock of red electricity through him. The Ranger screams.

"Where are the rest of your comrads," Crimson grunts," And don't tell me any lies."

The Ranger keeps his mouth shut," I would talk because my friend here is a might zealous and I can only hold him back for so long. I want to help you here so if you would be so kind as to..."

"Fuck you bitch," he hisses. Interrupting me really? Well there you go pissing off the only friend you had.

"Crimson do be a gentlecolt and pry him out of there," I say with all the sweetness in the world," So I can teach him how to speak to a lady properly."

Crimson grins and raises his wings. Red electricity sparks along his primaries and he slams both hooves into the ranger's chest piece. You know I need to make a point of asking how the hell he does that. He lets out a scream of pain and the steel plates start to move on their own revealing a grey earth pony in a red jump suit. Crimson grabs him and throws him on the ground. and starts pummeling him. If I had pity it would scream at me to stop him but I'm kinda enjoying this.

"Ok. Now then," I say stopping Crimson," How about we try this again? Tell my friend here what he wants to know."

He takes the silent route. Well I hate to do this but....I flick Memento out and slam the blade into his shoulder, pinning him to the ground. He screams out in pain and tries to push me off but I put all my weight on him.

"Ok lets try this again," I hiss into his ear," Tell my friend what he wants to know and I promise not to kill you." I pull back a stare at him and he starts to shake under my glare.

"Yo-you really won't ki-kill me," He stammers.

I smile," Of course."

"O-ok," he licks his lips," A little ways east of here there's an encampment. That's our mane base for this area."

"Now was that so hard," I say as I pull back I trot over to Crimson and give him a nod. He walks over to the ranger with a dark grin and presses the muzzle of his rifle to the stallion's head.

"Wait you said you weren't going to kill me!" he shouts and I glare back at him.

"I did but I said nothing about him." With that Crimson fires a pink beam right through the ranger's skull.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We find the encampment of the Applejack's Rangers with ease. By the time we got there I already had a plan. From what Crimson had told me these guys could be benevolent as hell. So if that was the case then well lets just say having a foal on your team has its advantages. Me and Crimson are crouched atop a building watching as Boom Boom walks up to their camp. Looking through my scope I see Boom Boom talking with one of them. And are those...those are tears. Wow quite the little actor. Huh gonna have to give him a treat.

The Ranger's lead him into their camp and a few come out of their makeshift tents. There are ten in all. They all go into the central tent. After a moment I see Boom Boom booking it like a hellhound's on his tail.

BOOOOM!

The camp sight goes up in a fiery plum of death. I wish I had shades right now cause this call for it and some popcorn. Yep he is definitely getting a treat. When the fire settle we fly down and my Pipbucks beeps, showing there are low levels of radiation. Oh well I can pick up some Radaway later. Boom Boom trots over to us from a crumbled stone wall, a happy grin on his muzzle.

"I raise my hoof at him," I give that a ten."

Boom Boom gives me a hoofbump and we both look at Crimson. He shrugs," Meh eight and a half but still nice job."

Boom Boom beams at the praise," Oh yeah they were saying something about a building not far from here that hasn't been picked clean yet."

Why not I'm in the mood for some scavenging considering there is no way in hell I'm looting the rangers' bodies now," I'm in lets check it out. After a good forty minute walk we come across a large building. The front sign had the picture of a pink mare with almost manic bright blue eyes and a wide grin plastered on her face. Ok five caps says she was high off her flank when this was taken. My Pipbuck dubbed this place Ministère de Moral Affaires étrangères Hub.

"What the hell is a Ministry Hub doing here?" I ask looking at Crimson," I thought they were Equestrian."

"A few of the Ministries worked with ponies from other countries including this one," Crimson looks up at the sign," As well the Ministry on Morale and the Ministry of Image dealt with most foreign affairs."

"You know I did not take you for the most knowlegdable stallion," I tell him earning me a glare.

Crimson turns his glare back at the sign," Star taught me all about it. She's big on history."

"That explains it," I say as I start up the stairs," Well lets do this. I'm sure anything with a sign that interesting is bound to have some nice goodies inside."

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Not goodies!" I scream as we run down a hall away from eight flying metal death machines," Defiantly not goodies!"

"I just want to play zebra scummies," one says in a disturbingly cute voice as it follows us. Goddess that's creepy. Crimson twirls around and unloads fire on the robot. He gets a good shot in and the robot explodes. I would have breathed a sigh of relief if it hadn't been for its six other pissed off friends that came out of the rooms we had passed. This is payback for the rangers isn't it!?! A beam of pink magic from the robot rips through my wing. I yelp in pain but keep going. Universe says yes.

We round a corner and I spot a door that reads 'Directors Office.' Skidding to a halt a halt I grab Boom Boom and fly into the room with Crimson a second behind. I slam the door shut and we all duck. The robots fly past, none the wiser. Oh thank the Goddess. Have I ever said I hate robots? Cause I fucking do!

I take a good look around the office we're in. Theirs a terminal on the desk. What the hell? I trot over to it and click it on. It asks for a password. Well fuck I have no skills when it comes to this shit. Boom Boom trots over to it and raises a hoof," Can I see it?"

"Umm sure," I move over and let him at it. He opens to a screen with numbers and letters running along the screen. He starts typing and after a moment or two the screen says welcome. I look at Boom Boom in disbelief," Where the hell did you learn to do that?"

He shrugs," I've always had a nack for 'em."

Ok another side to the enigma that is Boom Boom, twelve year old psycho, explosives junkie and computer expert. And did I mention he's a wonderful soprano. I ruffle his mane," Good job kid."

He grins and I look back at the screen. There is a log and a command to open a safe. I click on the command and hear a click below me. There's a now open safe at my hooves. Sweet. I decide to read the journal log.

Entry 1:

'Day one in my glorious new office and it sucks. I hate the city but oh well I'm here now. I am undercover for now under the impression that I'm a part of the Ministry of Moral which is easy enough to pull off considering who my sister is. I will be working with those Shadowbolt characters. They seem a bit tense lately especially when they came back from their briefing with Princess Luna. But I shouldn't pry so I won't bother them by asking. Anyway this will likely be my only admission in the computer since I forgot my personal journal. I'm having Mother send it from home. How I miss the Rock Farm. Oh yeah before I forget had the Strangest dream the other day. I was strapped to a table and Pinkie proceeded to torture me. Needless to say I woke up screaming, which sucked considering I was onboard a train. That is the last time I drink Sparkle-cola RAD I swear. On the bright side it cured my writers block and I sent the manuscript to my editor this morning. Time for food. IRP.'

IRP? I wonder who that is. Oh well I have spoils to gather. Inside the safe are only two things. A leather bound book and another figurine. The small statuette is of a pink mare with a wide grin on her face. Her mane is a puff of pink. So. Much. Pink! Her cutie mark is a trio of balloons.

'Be Happy'

'Fear.'

Cryptic much voice in my head. Then my head starts to throb when I pick up the figurine I try to drop it but my hoof stays clenched around it. Then right before my eyes it transforms. Her coat darkens as her puffy mane and tail both become razor straight. Her jubilant expression turns to a manic grin, her eyes pinpricks.

What the Fuck!?!

I gasp and drop the thing like it's a hot piece of coal. Crimson gives me a look then looks at the figurine on the floor," What happened?"

I shake my head in disbelief," I-I don't know. It changed when I picked it up."

"How did that happen?" Boom Boom asks while I try to catch my breath.

"I-I have no idea," I stammer as my heart goes a mile a minute. I have no clue but I bet it has something to do with the voice in my head. I pick it up again and I feel the urge to kill something...not like I normally do... a much, much stronger. It feels really fucking good too. Orgasmic good. Boom Boom steps back as I let out a moan. I place the figurine in my bag.

'Vanity.'

I find myself pulling out the other figurine I picked up earlier. Crimson stiffens when he sees it but I pay him no mind as I watch this one transform before me as well. She lowers onto her hooves, her wings still outstretched. Her cocky smirk darkened and her magenta eyes become bright red.

"Where the hell did you get that?" Crimson says, shaking with rage. I look at him with an almost bored expression.

"In that raider den," I say with a shrug," Who is she?"

"Rainbow Dash," He spits at the ground," Most traitorous pony to have ever existed."

I decide not to inquire further and look back at the figurine," Interesting."

"Are you ok?" Boom Boom asks. Aww he's concerned for me.

"You know I've never felt better," I answer as I place the figurine in my saddlebag. And boy did I. I have never felt as I did now. I don't think I could feel any better than I do now even if I was high on century old drugs. I look at the book in the safe.

'Tales of the Grim and Dark.'

I like it already, will definitely read this later. I grab it and place it in my saddle bag.

"Where are you zebra scummies?" a cheerful and metallic voice says from outside the door," Don't be shy, come out and play."

Sounds like a plan. I saunter over to the door with a seductive sway to my hips. Boom Boom looks at Crimson with a nervous glance while Crimson can't take his eyes off my flank. That's it big boy take it all in. I calmly open the door and pull my rifle out. The floating tin can whirls on me," There you are scummies!"

"Hi," I purr as I fire. It goes all to pieces.

Hehehe.~ Oh universe I have a surprise for you.~

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Level up!

Skill Note: Stealth: 50 Melee: 50

New Perk added: *Ready. Steady. Fire!*: When looking through a scope or down the sight of any firearm you are 15% more likely to get a critical hit.

Quest Perk added: *Apex Predator Level 1*: You have little remorse for killing, especially those of your one species. You deal 10% more damage to ponies.

Playtime's Over

'This is fun. I'm having fun now."

Crack! Boom!

Another flying death machine bites the dust. I reload another set of AP rounds and duck behind an upturned desk. Boom Boom tosses a frag over the table.

"Die zebra sc-" Boom!

Hoofbump given. Hoofbump received. I look at my two companions with a grin," I do believe we are out of the woods sirs."

"Wait when were we in the woods?" Boom asks. I stare at him blankly. He's serious isn't he.

Crimson just rolls his eyes at Boom," It's an expression genius."

"Ooooh," and the light turns on," I don't get it." Then explodes in a thousand shards of clueless. Nice. Crimson opens his mouth but promptly shuts it and starts rummaging through the pile of robot guts on the floor. Yep he just gave up. I rummage through the various crates and boxes that litter the little receptionist area. Not finding a damn thing that's noteworthy. A few caps, an empty can, a knife whizzing right at my fa- OH SHIT!!!

I fall backwards as a knife imbeds itself where my head had just been. Whew. Lucky and I even landed on something soft.

"Hey get your big flank off me," Boom Boom squirms under me. Hey my flank is not big. Oh crap. Two zebras are in the doorway and one has a blowgun in his mouth aimed right at me. A beam of pink magic fries his throat though so it's all good. Grabbing my rifle I dodge another knife and duck behind a desk. Boom Boom ducks under me as I take aim over the desk. He glances over his cover as I take a shot. It misses him and he sends another dagger flying my way. Whoa I think he took some fur off my ear. Boom Boom pulls a frag from his bag, pulls the pin, and throws it over to the zebra. The zebra rolls out form his cover.

BOOM!

Gotcha.

My shot slams him into a wall. I trot over to him as he sits up. Blood is leaking down his right shoulder. I press a hoof against the wound causing him to yell out in pain.

"I'm sorry for the discomfort but I need some information and if you would be so kind as to tell me why are you here?"

"Burn in-"

A pink laser hits his left shoulder.

"The lady asked you a question." Crimson says. Aww such a gentlecolt. The zebra thrashes but I hold him in place. He eventually looks up at me with a hate filled glare.

"Curse your race pony I am not talking," he spits in my face. Ok stripes that is it. I calmly wipe the spit from my muzzle and smile sweetly at him. I believe a lesson in manners is needed here and I am more than happy to oblige.

"You know," I purr into his ear," I can be very nice when ponies are polite. And I've been nothing but to you and you literally spit in my face." I flick Memento out and slide all nine inches into his left shoulder. He screams in pain. " Now I'll ask. One. More. Time. Why are you here?"

He looks up at me," Fuck-" I twist the blade roughly," Gah! Damn it! Kill me Malaya I will not talk."

Very well but only because you begged," Avec plaisir." I pull Memento out and slice his gut open. He looks down in shock as his intestines fall on the grimy floor. Well what do you know he did spill his guts for me. I turn around and start walking toward the exit as he starts screaming.

"That can't be sanitary," Boom Boom says. He sticks his tongue out in disgust and follows. Crimson walks up beside me with a look of curiosity. Which is kinda weird considering he's a psychopath. Then again we all are.

"What?"

"You seem to like torture," He says.

"Umm," I say slightly creeped out right now. Seriously getting the creeper vibes from the stallion," Just trying to get information from him. I wouldn't say I enjoyed it." Total lie I loved ever second of it.

"Uh huh sure," he gives me a knowing look.

"Umm ok. I'm gonna stop talking to you until the creeper vibes go away ok? Ok."

I trot (quickly) away from Crimson. seriously what is his deal? Is he going through a faze or something or is he actually....Oh hell no he better not be. Not that I would mind....aaaand killing that thought right there. Didn't stop it just murdered it. Damn it! I hate emotions and their ilk. We walk out of the Ministry HUB. the sun is just beginning to go down. I take a look at my Pipbuck's map. There's a small settlement dubbed Wraithrun a few miles east of us.

"Lets head here. We need to stock up on supplies besides I would kill for an orange right now." My companions or lackeys (who can tell anymore) nod and we set out to Wraithrun.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

You know maybe Wraithrun wasn't such a good idea. Ponies start glaring at us the second we enter the place and their not staring at me either. Crimson's armor marks him as Enclave. Gonna have to fix that. Thankfully no one attacks us right out of the gate so that's a bonus. As well I notice that a lot of the ponies here look like they haven't eating in days. We walk into a shop that has 'Crusty's Stuffs' on its front door. Inside the shelves are full of food and bottles of water. It's stocked more than Dad's shop was and that's saying something.

"What ya want?" a mule crows at me from behind the counter.

"Your soul," Boom Boom says as he looks over the counter. Gotta admit that is cute. I ruffle his mane.

"He's strange forgive him. Bullets and medical supplies. Oh and do you by any chance have something that would cover that? " I ask pointing to Crimson who is looking through the gun section.

"An Enclave eh?" He looks at me with a scrutinizing eye before shrugging," Not a thing. As fer the supplies. It's a hundred caps fer a potion. Bullets vary by type and start at twenty caps per round."

A hundred caps! What the hell old mule!?

"Your kidding me right?" I ask.

"Nope. Don't like it get th' hell outa my shop."

"Forgive me for being pushy but two hundred caps for a potion is outrageous," I say trying to be civil. Don't like starting a fire-fight here. Wow me reasonable. I'm losing my touch.

"Take it up with someone that cares bitch. Now get th' hell outa my shop."

You know that isn't polite. None at all. Heh I just found my niche. I extend a hoof at Boom Boom," Dear give me a frag please." I keep my eyes on the mule who is giving me a glare. Boom Boom hoofs a frag to me. I set it on the counter and start tapping my hoof against it," How about we do this then a trade. I get my supplies and you get to live."

He continues glaring at me," You'll die to ya dumb bitch."

"He's got a point," Crimson says from the gun section. Who's side is he on? "But I don't know how the hell he stays in business. These prices are outrageous."

"I'm the only free market this side of Poulis. Ponies pay or chance a trip through slaver territory and trust me they pay."

"So you take advantage of the ponies here," I rasie my eyebrow at him.

"Like your one to talk. I've heard about you on the radio. Your that Survivor Retrospect was talkin' about." He gives me a smug look.

I smile sweetly at him. So he's heard of me eh. I lean in close, my muzzle inches from his ear," Then you know what I'm capable of."

"You wouldn't dare kill me," he says his voice hitching ever so slightly," I'm an important figure here and I have important friends." Well what a coincidence so do I and her name is Memento. She meets his throat. He stumbles back, blood gushing from his throat. He falls to the floor and quickly bleeds out. Crimson walks up to me with a bored expression.

"Just gotta kill everywhere we go don't you."

"He started it," I cross my hooves over my chest and initiate The Pout. Boom Boom giggles and proceeds to clean out his explosives rack. I spot a couple of cans of purple spray paint and get an idea. I grab one and give Crimson a smile," Hey stand still for me real quick."

"What are you-" I start spraying his armor on the blue parts with my can of paint. He jumps back like I just tried to stab him," Don't you dare."

"Oh come on it's either this or you go without the armor," I scoff," And I'd rather not have to stare at your sexy fl-" I clop a hoof over my mouth. Damn it Silk think before you speak. He looks at me with a shocked expression before smiling coyly.

"My sexy what?" He asks as he leans toward me with a smoldering look. Wow I never realized his eyes are blue before.

"Get a room," Boom Boom gags. Thank you twerp. I look away from the twin oceans of blue to anything that isn't near Crimson.

"Ju-just let me paint your armor," I say quietly, a blush creeping along my cheeks," Your a walking target out here."

"Alright," Crimson breathes before turning his body.

I wordlessly start spraying the blue sections of his armor. When I'm done the armor looks a little like my shadowbolt jump suit. I walk behind the counter and start pillaging the register. Inside there are over a thousand caps easy. Jackpot! I spot a medical box and pop it open. I grab the seven potions and three Radaway inside. I decide to leave the chems. Never trusted those things. After all my body is a temple. I down one of the Radaway and purge my body of all radiation. Mmmm oranges.

I start grabbing bottles of water and enough food to last a while. There's still a ton of food when I'm done. I consider taking it all but my consciousness decides to crawl up from its hole. The ponies here are starving. I know starvation is cruel even for me. Ugh fine conscience have your own bloody way. Goddess so annoying.

I grab a bottle of water and walk outside. An earth mare is just outside looking extremely pitiful. I wave the bottle of water in front of her," Hey why are the prices in this shop so freaking outrageous."

She reaches for the bottle but I pull it back," Information first."

"It's cause of the Brotherhood," she croaks," Crusty has connections with em. He had the prices so high because he was the only thing standing between this town and slavery."

"Who are the Brotherhood and why not just defend yourselves?" In my old home we had dealt with slavers before but they pretty much steered clear because they liked to live. Slavery sickened Dad to his core. A feeling I used to share and still do. If your going to beat a pony or force yourself on them at least do them the courtesy of killing them afterword's.

"There are only family's here. No fighters. We can't defend ourselves."

I toss her the bottle. She rips the cap off and starts chugging it greedily.

"Hey everypony there's a ton of free food in there help yourselves just mind the dead body inside!" I shout. Ponies look at me like I'm crazy but I ignore them and start forward.

"Why the sudden burst of nice," Crimson says beside me," Your brain get fried or something."

"I'm not gonna eat all that food so why let it go to waste," I shrug.

Boom Boom yawns," Hey I'm tired aan we stop somewhere and rest?" HIs eyes are starting to droop and I can feel mine start to go the same direction. Damn it I'm tired too. I spot a small bar that says it has rooms for use. We trot inside. There's a ghoul behind the counter. What's left of her coat is red. Never minded ghouls myself and the few I had met were nice enough so I never really treated them any different. I thought that hey life pretty much screwed them so why make it any harder to go on them.

Ghouls were the unlucky few that had been flash exposed to ridiculous amount of magic radiation and had been unlucky enough not to die. Their fur falls out and they looked like someone took a cheese grater to their face. Most retain who they are will others become mindless flesh-eating zombies. They age slower too. Met one once that had been around before the war. She made a business deal with Dad and we started carrying a book she had made in our shop, 'The Wasteland Survival Guide'. She was nice but had a wonky eye that made her look like she was looking two different directions.

"How much for a room?" I asked her.

"Ten bits," she rasped.

Finally a service that didn't cost crazy caps. I put the caps on the counter and she gave me a key. Crimson is grimacing openly at the ghoul pony. Rude much? I swat his shoulder," Don't be rude."

Crimson gives me a look while the ghoul chuckles," Its alright filly I'm used to it by now but thank you for trying. Don't get too many fleshies that have manners here in truth. What's your name?"

"Silk Edge," I curtsy.

"Maple Leaf," she nods," So where you folks from?"

"Back east by the Zebrican Border."

Maple whistled, or tried to," Some trouble brewing that way. Well be careful around here and steer clear of the Brotherhood."

"Oh you have no idea," I chuckle darkly," So where are these Brotherhood guys anyway?"

"Shiresabot," Maple says," A good day's walk from here."

My jaw clenches at that. I need to get to Shiresabot and those damn slavers have taken the place over. I let out a tired sigh. Looks like I get to clear out some slavers. Yay.

"Thank you," I start up the stairs," Come on guys lets get dome sleep."

The rooms is small and has a single bed and a couch. In the back is a semi clean bathroom with a shower. Crimson makes for the couch and starts pulling his armor off. Does he really have to make it look so freaking sexy? I make a beeline for the shower and turn the water on. Rad free. Yes! Oh sweet glorious clean water. I pull my armor off and my jumpsuit and jump in and start cleaning the blood stains from my coat. The water is cold but I could care less.

After the simply amazing shower I trot into the room feeling clean and refreshed. Boom Boom is curled up on the bed snoring softly while Crimson is laying on the couch faced away from me. He turns to look at me," About time I thought you had-"

He just stares at me. I raise an eyebrow at him," What?"

Pomf

I stifle a giggle behind my hoof as his wings go primary up. His white fur turns red as he tries to control his wings. I lean toward him and purr," Like what you see?" I give him a sultry smirk.

He starts stammering,' I-I uh umm," he gives up," Wow."

I eye him up and down. Even up close he is quite the specimen. Roguishly handsome and taught muscles that rippled under his stark white fur. I give my tail a flick and start to feel a familiar heat form in my body. I refrain from chewing on my lip. Crap I'm so freaking nervous. Crimson gulps visibly. Why am I leaning toward him? And why do I not want this to stop? The rational part of my brain screams at me to stop and I promptly tell it to fuck off. The scent of octane and sweat enter my nose. Mmm why does this smell so good? I feel his lips on mine and I realize he just kissed me. His lips are rough and I love it. He pulls back and looks at me with an unsure look in his eyes.

I should stop. Rationality. What? Shut up. I lean forward and recapture his lips. I'm taking the lead. I push him onto the couch and drape my body over him. My wings seek his out and I glide my primaries over his. His breathe catches between our lips. He suddenly grabs me and switches our positions. I squeak at the sudden movement. Oh wow that is sexy. Crimson is starting down at me with half-lidded eyes, his breathing is heavy. I pull him down with my wings and our lips meet again in desperation. His tongue probes my lips and I allow him passage. He tastes like rain. Our tongues wrestle with each other for dominance. He had done this before. He takes over the show as I melt into him. I moan into his mouth and he does the same.

Boom Boom whimpers in his sleep and shakes me from my current mindset. Damn it mood-killer. You've had your fun. Now back to the pit from whence you came. I shall have my revenge Rationality.

"Come on," I say as I push him off and go over to the bed," Lets get some sleep."

"Yeah lets uh lets do that," Crimson says," Um good night."

He lays down on the couch and turns his back to me. I climb in bed. Boom Boom whimpers again and curls up against me. Despite the major cock block Boom Boom did I can't help but smile down at him. Your lucky your so cute. I start stroking his mane.

"Mommy," Boom Boom mumbles. Was not expecting that. I look down at him in disbelief. Did he just...? No he couldn't have. I'm not qualified to be a mother anyway. He's probably just dreaming about his own mother. Mother. Why do I want to hear him call me that? Maybe its temporary insanity. Yeah that's it. Kissing Crimson fried my brain and now I'm thinking in tongues. I hazard a look at Crimson. His back is still turned and he's breathing evenly, asleep. I curl my tail around Boom Boom and let the sweet abyss of sleep take me over.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Where the hell am I? All around me is an abyss. Nothingness. Empty. This is a pretty fucked up dream. Five seconds in and I'm bored. Hungry too so that's fun.

"Okay seriously what the fuck is going on here?"

"Your dreaming."

"The creepy voice." It sounds female and is rich and cultured. Powerful too.

"Still amazed that that is your designation of me."

So the voice knows sarcasm. That's surprising.

"Well if the horseshoe fits. So who the hell are you?"

"I go by many names but for most my name is the Nightmare."

"Yeah lets just keep calling you creepy voice. So what you gonna show me my past or something. Or are you going to show me the mutilation of-"

"Nothing of the sort." The voice chuckles," I am here to show you what you can become."

Ok you have my curiosity. "And what can I become pray tell."

"A queen."

Now you have my attention. "What do you mean queen. There's nothing to rule out here."

"A queen is respected, feared. A queen only needs ponies to fear her to be so."

Uh huh that sounds like a load of brahmin shit. "Yeah whatever your selling I'm not interested in buying."

"Who said I was selling anything. What I have to offer you already have a fraction. I offer you a power you can only imagine. Think of it the power to walk among the dreams of others and know their worst fears. The shadows at your beck and call. The night weeps for a master. You have but to answer the call. "

Just like that its gone leaving me to my thoughts.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Level up!

Skill note: Speech: 50

New Perk added: *Aggressive Negotiations*: All Intimidation attempts you try get a +15% bonus at succeeding.